Chapter 46 Conversation with Richard
"You know what type of person Grant is? What do you know about him, Father?" Eva asked.
"Grant is involved in things I wanted nothing to do with. The Consortium he works for isn't just a criminal group. It's a network that spreads across businesses, governments, and countries."
Richard hesitated before continuing. "They control markets, pay off officials, and get rid of anyone who opposes them. Their power is so strong that even the police and politicians ignore what they do.
Once the Consortium marks someone, that person rarely escapes unscathed." Richard met her eyes.
Eva was caught off guard. Richard had known about the Consortium long before any of this, but he had never brought it up in their conversations.
"I thought I'd escaped that world when I turned him down. I thought marrying Helena was starting fresh."
He laughed, but there was no joy in it.
"Instead, I invited the darkness right into my home."
Eva reached out and took her father's hand. "Don't blame yourself, father. You couldn't have known."
"No, I should have. I should have seen through Helena." Richard's voice cracked. "She killed your mother, Eva. Maybe not directly, but she hastened her death somehow. I'm sure of it. And I was too blind to see that."
"Father…"
"Helena always wanted something—maybe control of the family, or power she couldn't have while your mother was alive. I think Helena saw her as an obstacle to her plans, and once your mother was gone, nothing stopped her from getting what she wanted."
Eva felt her heart drop. "What do you mean?"
Richard took a deep breath. "Your mother was healthy and strong."
"What? But…”
"Listen to me. Yes, your mother was sick, but the doctors said she wasn't really in mortal danger. That she had years left. Years, Eva." Richard's grip tightened. "And then suddenly, one day, she was gone. Just like that."
Eva's heart constricted. "You think Helena...?"
"It's just my feeling. I think Helena saw your mother as a problem for her plan. And I think she got rid of that problem by making your mother disappear." Richard's eyes burned with old grief.
Eva gasped, covering her mouth as tears formed in her eyes.
"But, I can't prove it. I may never be able to prove it. But I know, in my bones, I know for sure she is the reason for your mother's death."
Eva sat quietly, struggling to take in this new horror as tears ran down her face.
Her mother, gentle and loving, had been killed by the woman who took her place.
A cold, clear rage filled Eva's heart, stronger than anything she had ever known.
"Those bastards, I am going to destroy them. We're going to take them down," Eva said, her voice steady. "Helena. The Consortium. Victor Chen. All of them."
"This is why I didn't tell you anything about this. Don't let your anger take over, Eva. Be careful." Richard's eyes were haunted. "These people... they don't play fair. They don't have limits they won't cross."
"Neither do I. Not anymore."
Richard looked at her for a long moment.
A faint smile slowly appeared on his face. He realized his daughter had become a strong woman, ready to protect her family.
He understood she no longer needed his protection.
"Your mother would be proud of you," he said softly. "The woman you've become. The fighter you've grown into." He squeezed her hand. "She always knew you had strength in you. Even when you didn't know it yourself."
Eva blinked away her tears and gave a small, sad smile.
"I miss her."
"So do I." Richard pulled her into a hug. It was the first real hug they'd shared in years. "Every day. But she's still with us, Eva. In you. In your children. In every battle you fight and every victory you win."
Eva hugged her father tightly and found comfort in his arms.
Tomorrow, she would face Victor Chen.
Tomorrow, she would go even deeper into the unknown.
But tonight, she let herself be a daughter again, safe in her father's arms.
Just for tonight.
Later that night, Eva couldn't sleep.
She wandered the quiet halls of the Fransis estate.
As she passed Lily and Ethan's room, she paused for a moment, listening to the faint sound of their gentle breathing through the door.
The thought of her children, safe and peaceful for now, filled her with fierce determination and a pang of longing for simpler days.
She continued, passing the security station where guards watched the cameras, until she reached the library.
Adrian was there.
He stood by the window, framed by the night sky, holding a glass of whiskey he hadn't touched. When she walked in, his face softened.
"You are here again. Can't sleep either?"
"Hm, had too much on my mind." Eva moved to stand beside him. "I'm scared of tomorrow..."
"I know," Adrian said.
It could be a trap set by them. They might be waiting for us, ready to kill us or take the children if things go wrong. I keep thinking about every bad possibility, afraid we could lose everything tomorrow."
"I'm almost certain it is."
"What should we do? My mind won't stop thinking about everything that could go wrong. I keep imagining every possible result. I feel like I'm losing control. I can't stop worrying that we might not get out."
"It's possible we might not come out of there." Adrian set down his glass and turned to face her fully. "What's on your mind? Are you having second thoughts?"
"No," she replied quickly. "I'm just facing reality. I know this could be the last night before everything changes."
"Eva..."
"Don't worry. I'm not being morbid." She touched his face. "I'm just being honest. Tomorrow we meet Victor Chen. I don't know if we'll be enemies or something else, but either way, everything will change."
Adrian covered her hand with his. "Whatever happens tomorrow, I want you to know something."
"What?"
"These past weeks, even with all the chaos, danger, and uncertainty, have been the best of my life." His voice was thick with emotion.
He cupped her cheeks. "Being with you, with the children, being part of your family—even in the middle of all this—has been the best time of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Eva felt her heart swell.
"Adrian..."
"I love you." The words came out raw. "I've loved you since that night seven years ago. From the moment I found you in that hallway, broken and crying, I felt something change in me. I've loved you through seven years apart, seven years of watching you suffer, seven years of hating myself for leaving."
"Please don't. You didn't have a choice."
Adrian gave her a sad smile. "I could have found a way. No, I should have found a way." He shook his head slowly.
"But I was a coward and let you suffer. I've spent every day since then trying to become someone worthy of you."