Chapter 15:A Promise Written In Blood
585 Words
The warehouse fell silent.
Isabella knelt beside Charles Hart, her hands trembling as she pressed against the wound in his chest.
"Stay with me!" she cried.
"Please... don't leave me."
Charles struggled to breathe.
His lips trembled as he forced out a weak smile.
"I... never deserved... to be called your father..."
Tears streamed down Isabella's face.
"You raised me."
"You tucked me into bed when I had nightmares."
"You taught me how to ride a bicycle."
"For a long time... you were my father."
Charles closed his eyes in pain.
"I let... greed... destroy everything."
"I should have protected you..."
Instead...
"I betrayed your mother."
His breathing became weaker.
Edward and Damien rushed into the warehouse with dozens of guards.
"Call an ambulance!" Damien shouted.
A medic knelt beside Charles.
After checking his pulse, his expression became serious.
"We're losing him!"
Charles slowly reached into his jacket.
With shaking hands, he pulled out a small silver key.
He placed it in Isabella's palm.
"This..."
"...belongs to your mother."
"There's... a safety deposit box..."
"National Royal Bank..."
"Locker..."
His voice faded.
"What number?" Isabella asked desperately.
"What locker?"
Charles struggled to speak.
"Number..."
"...307."
"Inside..."
"...you'll find..."
"The..."
Before he could finish...
His hand slipped from hers.
The monitor the medic had connected fell silent.
Charles Hart was gone.
Isabella lowered her head.
Although he had made terrible mistakes...
He had died trying to tell her the truth.
Edward gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
Isabella wiped away her tears.
"I won't let his death be meaningless."
She looked at the silver key in her hand.
"Tomorrow..."
"I'm going to that bank."
Meanwhile...
Miles away...
Raven entered an abandoned church.
The mysterious leader sat in the front pew, facing the altar.
Without turning around, he asked,
"Is Charles dead?"
"Yes."
"And the flash drive?"
Raven's confident smile disappeared.
"I couldn't get it."
Silence filled the church.
The man slowly stood.
"You've failed twice."
Raven lowered her head.
"It won't happen again."
"It can't."
He turned just enough for the moonlight to reveal part of his face.
A long scar ran behind his left ear.
Raven noticed it immediately.
"The description Charles was about to reveal..."
She froze.
The mysterious man smiled coldly.
"Exactly."
"He was seconds away from exposing me."
He walked toward the stained-glass window.
"Now..."
"Only one piece of evidence remains."
"The bank locker."
He looked at Raven.
"Burn the bank to the ground if you have to."
"But Isabella must never open Locker 307."
Raven nodded.
"Consider it done."
Back at Lancaster Mansion...
Isabella couldn't sleep.
She sat alone on the balcony, holding the silver key tightly.
Damien quietly walked over.
"I thought you might need some company."
She didn't look at him.
"I keep losing everyone."
"My parents..."
"My father..."
"My family..."
Damien's voice was soft.
"You're not alone anymore."
She looked at him.
"Why are you helping me after everything?"
He took a deep breath.
"Because I loved you once."
"And because I never stopped."
"I was too blind to see the truth."
"I can't change the past."
"But I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make up for it."
Before Isabella could reply...
Edward rushed onto the balcony.
His face was pale.
"Isabella!"
"What happened?"
Edward held up his phone.
"The National Royal Bank..."
"It's on fire."
Isabella's eyes widened.
"No..."
Edward looked at the silver key in her hand.
"They know about Locker 307."
"They're trying to destroy whatever your mother left behind."
- Writer
