My husband’s mistress locked me inside a hospital room, beat me while I was thirty-three weeks pregnant, and tried to force me to surrender my marriage, my company, and my unborn child. She thought my father was a harmless mechanic—until one phone call revealed he was the most powerful anonymous mafia boss in the world. / Chapter 10 / 40

Chapter 10 - The Vanishing Assistant|

My heart felt like it was being crushed in a vise.

“Theo sold me out?” I asked, tears stinging my eyes once again. “I paid for his mother’s cancer treatments! I gave him a promotion!”

“Betrayal rarely comes from enemies, my girl,” Marcus said softly, reaching over to pat my hand gently. “It always comes from the people we trust.”

Amara closed her briefcase with a sharp snap.

“There’s more, Mrs. Vance,” Amara added grimly. “Detective Ortiz tried to locate Theo Bell at his apartment two hours ago to execute a search warrant. He wasn't there.”

“Did he run?” I asked.

“His cell phone was found smashed in the back of a taxi cab near the international airport at midnight,” Amara revealed. “Right around the exact time Odalys Crane was entering your hospital room.”

I looked between Amara and my father.

“Silas is cleaning house,” I realized, the horrifying truth dawning on me. “He knew Theo was a liability. Once Odalys got me to sign those separation papers, Silas was going to eliminate everyone who knew about Kade Capital!”

Marcus stood up slowly from his chair.

The warmth in his eyes completely vanished, replaced by the terrifying, cold aura of The Sovereign.

He turned to his lead tactical commander.

“Find Theo Bell,” Marcus ordered. “I want him alive before Silas’s hitmen reach him.”

“Consider it done, sir,” the commander replied, instantly tapping his earpiece to issue orders to their global intelligence network.

Marcus turned back to me, his voice softening once again.

“Now, my girl, we have a corporate board meeting to crash.”

“The board meeting isn't until 10:00 AM,” I noted, checking the clock on the wall. It was currently 7:30 AM.

“Silas called an emergency session for 8:30 AM,” Amara corrected, showing me an internal memo leaked from the board secretary. “He intends to vote you out as Chief Innovation Officer before you can present your police report.”

I looked down at my hospital gown, my bruised arms, and my heavy pregnant belly.

A fire that I thought had died months ago suddenly ignited deep within my soul.