Bound by fate and the billionaire

Chapter11

Elena's POV

"The zip ties are cutting off circulation to his hands," I said, nodding toward Dante. "He'll have nerve damage in twenty minutes."

Marcus didn't even glance at him. "You're a surgeon. You'll fix it."

"Not if he loses the hand."

"Then he loses the hand." Marcus leaned forward. "Do you know how long I've waited for this? Three years of playing second fiddle to a ghost. Three years of watching him grieve while I ran his company."

"So shoot him and take over. Why the theatrics?"

"Because shooting him makes me the obvious suspect." He pulled out a tablet, showed me a document. "This is Dante's will. Updated six months ago. Everything goes to Cassandra, with me as trustee until their child turns twenty-five."

"They don't have a child."

"No, but she's three months pregnant. Announced it yesterday to the board. Showed them ultrasound photos, medical records, the whole performance." His smile widened. "Except the baby isn't Dante's. It's mine."

The van hit a pothole. Dante groaned but didn't wake.

"You and Cassandra?"

"For two years. Right under his nose."Marcus traced a finger along the tablet screen. "She gets his fortune, I get control of Blackthorne Industries, and Dante gets to disappear. Everyone wins."

"Except Dante dies."

"Tragically. A boating accident off the coast. His body will never be found." He gestured to the van's interior. "This vehicle is registered to a shell company that traces back to you. Security footage shows you purchasing zip ties and industrial cleaner yesterday. Your fingerprints are all over his beach house."

"I was never there yesterday."

"The cameras say otherwise. Amazing what technology can do." He showed me another video. Me walking into a hardware store, buying supplies, acting nervous. The woman looked exactly like me, moved like me, but I'd been in surgery all day yesterday.

"Deepfake."

"Convincing enough for a jury. Especially when combined with your motive. Dante abandoned you, faked your death to cover up the pregnancy, and now you're back for revenge." Marcus pocketed the tablet. "The DA will love it. Brilliant surgeon snaps after years of trauma."

"Lucian knows I'm here."

"Lucian is currently being questioned about his own offshore accounts. Detective Cross found some interesting irregularities. He'll be busy for the next forty-eight hours." Marcus checked his watch. "We're almost there."

"Where?"

"The marina. Dante's yacht is waiting. You'll both get on board, sail out past the twelve-mile limit, and disappear. The coast guard will find the yacht abandoned tomorrow morning. Signs of struggle, your DNA everywhere, Dante's blood on the deck."

"You've thought of everything."

"I've had three years to plan." He pulled out a syringe. "This will keep him sedated during the boat ride. Can't have him waking up and fighting back."

"Let me do it."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Why would you help me?"

"Because I want a deal." I shifted, making the zip ties cut deeper into my wrists. Blood started dripping. "You're going to kill us both. I know that. But I have a son. Four years old. He's with Izzy right now."

"The bodyguard we left unconscious at the beach house?"

My stomach dropped, but I kept my voice steady. "She has instructions. If I don't check in every six hours, she disappears with him. New identities, new country. You'll never find them."

"I'll find them."

"Not before they're gone. But if you let me make one phone call, tell her to stand down, Aiden stays put. You can use him later, leverage against Cassandra if she gets greedy."

Marcus considered this. "One call. Supervised."

"And I inject Dante. My prints on the syringe, my involvement documented." I met his eyes. "I'm a survivor, Marcus. Always have been. If I'm going down, I want something in exchange."

He laughed. "You're cold. I respect that." He cut my wrist restraints, handed me the syringe and my phone. "Make it convincing."

I dialed Izzy's number. It went straight to voicemail, but I'd expected that. "It's me. Stand down. I repeat, stand down. Keep Aiden safe and wait for my signal. Don't do anything until you hear from me again."

I hung up, turned to Dante. His pulse was weak but steady. I found the vein in his arm, positioned the needle.

"Do it," Marcus said.

I pushed the plunger halfway, then jammed the syringe into Marcus's thigh.

He screamed, grabbed for his g*n. I kicked it away, threw myself on top of Dante as the van swerved. The driver shouted something. Marcus pulled the syringe out, stumbling.

"You b***h—"

The van's back doors exploded open. Lucian stood there, g*n drawn, two police officers behind him.

"Marcus Blackthorne, you're under arrest for attempted murder, k********g, and conspiracy to commit fraud."

Marcus lunged for me. I rolled sideways. One of the officers tackled him, slammed him face-first into the van floor.

Lucian cut Dante's restraints, checked his pulse. "He's alive. Ambulance is two minutes out."

"How did you find us?"

"You think I'd let you walk into a trap without insurance?" He showed me a small tracking device. "Planted it in your jacket lining this morning. The second you left the beach house, I knew something was wrong."

"Detective Cross—"

"Is in custody. We got him an hour ago. He confessed to everything once we showed him the evidence. Turns out he keeps excellent records." Lucian helped me sit up. "Marcus made one mistake. He trusted Cross to delete the security footage. Cross kept copies as insurance."

The ambulance arrived. Paramedics loaded Dante onto a stretcher. His eyes fluttered open, focused on me.

"Elena?"

"You're safe. We're both safe."

"Aiden?"

"With Izzy. Protected." I squeezed his hand. "I'll explain everything at the hospital."

He passed out again. The paramedics rushed him into the ambulance.

Marcus was screaming about lawyers and false arrest as the police dragged him away. Lucian watched them go, then turned to me.

"Cassandra's at the station. Volunteered a statement about her father's involvement in your disappearance five years ago. She's cooperating."

"Why?"

"Because Marcus promised her everything and gave her nothing. She figured out he was planning to kill Dante and frame her too." Lucian handed me my jacket. "She's not innocent, but she's smart enough to take a deal."

"And Aiden's custody case?"

"Still pending. But with Dante's paternity claim filed and Cassandra's credibility destroyed, I'd say his chances just improved significantly."

I looked at the ambulance driving away. "This isn't over."

"No," Lucian agreed. "But you won this round."