“My father was friends with your father way back, and Atticus approached him to organize an adoption for his two youngest sons after his wife died. Denton was always lookingfor ways to screw his friends so he had shit to hold over them, and Atticus played right into his hands. Instead of going through the official channels, Denton placed the boys with the Beckers in the city so he could keep an eye on them.” Her gaze snaps to mine. “He picked Vincent Becker on purpose because of where he worked.”
The first stab of pain penetrates my heart.
“He had someone watching over the family for years, but he waited until the timing was right to blackmail Vincent.”
“How?” I ask in a strained voice.
“He told him the adoption was illegal and the natural family was searching for the boys. Vincent knew it would break Olive’s heart to lose you and your brother, so he gave into the blackmail, working with Murtagh to steal from Techxet and giving Denton access to their systems to look for the intel that could destroy the elite.”
Pain slams into my chest, crushing my lungs, and I’m struggling to breathe.
“But Vincent Becker was a good man,” she continues, and her voice softens a little. “He couldn’t live with himself, so he was planning to go to the authorities. Denton couldn’t let that happen, so he staged a car accident.”
“No,” I howl, leaning forward and clutching my head in my hands. Kai’s arm goes around me as he holds me tight. Jackson silently gets up from beside me, letting Rick take his place. My eldest brother sets his hand on my back.
“Then he stole all your money and enrolled you both in the group home.”
My head jerks up at that. “What?” I whisper. “He sent us there?”
She nods, and compassion flares in her eyes. She clears her throat and wets her lips, glancing briefly at Abby. “This next part will hurt.”
I bark out a harsh laugh. As if it isn’t already hurting.
“Go on,” Kai growls, holding me tighter as Rick moves in closer.
“He told Winston to tell Lindsay to target Roman.”
All the blood leaves my body, and I slump against my brothers as the full horror is laid bare. I don’t even realize I’m crying until tears drip down over my chin.
“He wanted you both vulnerable so, when he came to rescue you, you’d be so grateful you wouldn’t question anything.”
“I’m such an idiot,” I rasp, forcing words out through my tears and over the massive lump in my throat.
“You were only a kid,” Isabella says. “And this is what he did, Zayn. He manipulated his way through life and didn’t care who he took down on his way to the top.”
“He never cared at all,” I seethe, angrily swiping at the tears rolling down my face.
“He didn’t have a caring bone in his body. Everything he did was self-motivated.” Her eyes probe mine. “Jarvis is a plant,” she says, and rage filters through my veins like lava.
I jump up, grabbing handfuls of my hair as I pace the room. I’m wound up tight and screaming inside. I should have known. I knew there was something off about that asshole. “This will devastate Roman.” I eyeball Kai. “He can’t ever know.”
“Agreed,” Kai growls as a sob tumbles from my lips. I thought I was protecting Ro, but I opened the door to his abusers and willingly invited them in. I have never hated myself more than I do in this moment. I have failed to protect my little brother, and I’ll never forgive myself. A strangled sound pierces the air as I struggle to control my emotions.
Abby pulls me into her body, and I cling to her, almost choking on my sobs.
“You knew, and you didn’t fucking reach out to warn him?” Kai snaps.
“I had my own issues, and it wasn’t my problem.”
Kai lunges at Isabella, wrapping his hand around her throat as he glares at her.
“Kai.” Hunt drags him back. “She’s a cunt, but we have a deal, and we need to know everything.”
“There isn’t much more to know,” she adds, glowering at Kaiden as she rubs her neck. “He waited until the timing was right again to pull your brothers out of the home and offer them a lifeline. But he needed Roman broken to keep Zayn under his control, so he used Jarvis, and he got Zayn to do his dirty work. He knew if he got that intel, he would win every elite to his side. He planned to take the presidency and had all kinds of nefarious plans for all of you. You bettered him, and few do that. He was going to make you all pay, but you made him pay first, didn’t you?”
No one confirms shit as I hold on to Abby while she runs her hand up and down my back and comforts me.
“Is that the full truth?” Drew says.
