Burning Bridges

Burning Bridges

Maya's POV

I let go of the rope and fell back into the room.
The words hit me harder than the floor did.
"You're lying," I said to Agent Chen.
"I wish I was."
"Ivan Volkov is not dead."
"He's been dead for three days."
I looked at the four heirs. Their faces told me everything I needed to know.
They weren't surprised.
"You knew," I whispered.
"Maya—" Dante started.
"You all knew!"
"It's complicated," Adrian said.
"No, it's not! Either you killed my grandfather or you didn't!"
"We didn't kill him," Marcus said.
"But you knew he was dead."
"Yes."
"And you didn't tell me."
"We were going to—"
"When? After I inherited his empire? After I became useful to you?"
The four men looked at each other.
"Maya," Agent Chen said. "Come with me. Now. Before they lie to you again."
"Stay out of this!" I snapped at her.
"I'm your mother!"
"You're a liar! Just like everyone else!"
I turned back to the four heirs.
"Tell me the truth. Right now. Who killed Ivan Volkov?"
"We don't know," Luca said.
"Don't lie to me!"
"We're not lying," Dante said. "We found out he was dead the same day you did. Someone poisoned him in his own house."
"Who?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because we needed time to understand what it meant."
"What does it mean?"
"It means you're in more danger than ever," Adrian said quietly.
"From who?"
"From whoever killed Ivan."
Agent Chen stepped forward.
"Maya, listen to what they're saying. They've been lying to protect themselves, not you."
"Is that true?" I asked Dante.
He was quiet for a long moment.
"Partially."
"What does that mean?"
"It means we were protecting ourselves. But we were also protecting you."
"From what?"
"From the truth."
"What truth?"
Dante ran his hands through his hair.
"Maya, your grandfather didn't just die. He was murdered. By someone close to him. Someone who knew his routines, his security, his weaknesses."
"So?"
"So that same someone is going to come after you next."
"Why?"
"Because you're his heir. Because with Ivan dead, you inherit everything. And whoever killed him doesn't want you to get it."
The footsteps in the hallway were getting louder.
"We need to leave," Marcus said. "Now."
"I'm not going anywhere until someone tells me the whole truth!"
"There's no time!" Agent Chen said. "Maya, federal agents will be here any second!"
"Let them come!"
"They'll arrest you!"
"Good! Maybe they'll be honest with me!"
"Maya," Dante said quietly. "Do you want to know the truth?"
"Yes."
"The whole truth?"
"YES!"
"Your grandfather was killed by someone in your own family."
My blood went cold.
"What family?"
"The Volkov family. Someone who wanted control of the empire."
"Who?"
"We think it was your cousin Alexei."
"I don't have a cousin named Alexei."
"You do now."
My head was spinning.
"How many family members do I have that I don't know about?"
"A lot," Adrian said.
"And they all want me dead?"
"Not all of them. Just the ones who want your inheritance."
"Which is how many?"
"Most of them."
I sat down hard on the floor.
Vincent's body was next to me. My fake father who had died trying to protect me.
Agent Chen was pointing a gun at the four men who claimed to care about me.
And somewhere out there, family members I'd never met wanted to kill me for money.
"This is insane," I said.
"Welcome to the Volkov family," Luca said.
"I don't want to be a Volkov."
"Too late for that."
The footsteps stopped right outside the door.
"FBI! Open up!"
Agent Chen looked at the door, then at me.
"Last chance, Maya. Come with me or spend the rest of your life running."
"What if I want to run?"
"Then you'll never be safe."
"What if I go with you?"
"Then you'll never be free."
I looked at the four heirs.
"What do you think I should do?"
"We think you should choose for yourself," Dante said.
"Not helpful."
"It's the only advice we can give you."
"Why?"
"Because whatever you choose, we'll support you."
"Even if I choose her?"
"Even then."
Agent Chen looked surprised.
"You would let her go?"
"If that's what she wants," Marcus said.
"Why?"
"Because we love her."
"All of you?"
"All of us."
Agent Chen stared at them.
"That's not possible."
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because men like them don't share. They don't love. They take what they want and destroy everything else."
"Maybe we're different," Adrian said.
"You're not different. You're criminals."
"So is Maya now."
Agent Chen looked at me.
"Is that true? Are you a criminal?"
I thought about the FBI agents I'd shot. About the choices I'd made. About the person I'd become.
"Yes."
"Then I can't save you."
"I don't need you to save me."
"Everyone needs someone to save them."
"Not me. Not anymore."
The door exploded inward.
FBI agents poured into the room.
"Everyone on the ground!"
But instead of getting on the ground, I did something that surprised everyone.
I walked over to Agent Chen and took the gun out of her hand.
"Maya, what are you doing?"
I pointed the gun at the FBI agents.
"Leave us alone."
"Maya, put the gun down!"
"No."
"You're making this worse!"
"It's already as bad as it can get!"
One of the agents raised his weapon.
"Drop your gun!"
"You drop yours!"
"Maya!" Agent Chen screamed. "Stop!"
But I wasn't stopping.
I was tired of everyone telling me what to do.
I was tired of everyone lying to me.
I was tired of being everyone's pawn.
"Here's what's going to happen," I said to the room full of people with guns.
"What?" the lead FBI agent asked.
"You're going to let us leave. All five of us."
"That's not happening."
"Then we have a problem."
"Maya," Agent Chen said quietly. "You don't have to do this."
"Yes, I do."
"Why?"
"Because for the first time in my life, I'm making my own choice."
"This is the wrong choice."
"Maybe. But it's mine."
I backed toward the window where the rope was still hanging.
The four heirs moved with me.
"Maya," Dante said quietly. "Are you sure about this?"
"No. But I'm sure about you guys."
"We might all die."
"We might."
"Are you okay with that?"
I looked around the room. At Agent Chen with tears in her eyes. At Vincent's body on the floor. At the FBI agents who wanted to arrest us. At the four men who had changed my entire life.
"Yeah," I said. "I'm okay with that."
We reached the window.
One by one, the four heirs climbed out and started up the rope.
I was the last one.
As I grabbed the rope, Agent Chen called out to me.
"Maya!"
"What?"
"I love you!"
"I know!"
"Then don't do this!"
"I have to!"
"Why?"
"Because this is who I am now!"
I started climbing.
Behind me, I heard Agent Chen sob.
But I didn't look back.
I climbed until I reached the roof.
The helicopter was waiting.
The four heirs were already inside.
"Come on!" Dante shouted over the noise of the rotors.
I ran toward the helicopter.
But as I got closer, I saw something that made my blood freeze.
The pilot turned around to look at me.
It was Isabella Romano.
And she was smiling.
"Hello, sweetheart," she said. "Ready to meet the rest of your family?"