The Devil's Forbidden Secretary

Chapter Fourteen : The Heir

Lucien

Lucien stared at Augustus.

Seventeen years of grief collapsed in a single instant.

The man standing before him was older, thinner, but unmistakable.

His grandfather.

The man whose funeral Lucien had attended at twelve.

The man whose death certificate had been kept in the family vault.

The man whose grave he had visited every year.

Alive.

Augustus smiled.

"You're looking at me as though you've seen a ghost."

Lucien raised his gun.

"Stay where you are."

Elias laughed.

"Still predictable."

"Shut up."

Augustus lifted a hand.

Elias stopped.

"Put the weapon down, Lucien."

"No."

"You won't shoot me."

"Try me."

Augustus's smile disappeared.

"Your father said the same thing."

Lucien's jaw tightened.

"Where is he?"

"Alive."

"Where?"

"Somewhere you cannot reach."

"You lied about his death."

"I protected him."

"You murdered him."

"I saved him from a worse fate."

Lucien took a step forward.

"What did you do to my family?"

Augustus looked toward the safe house.

"I built it."

"You destroyed it."

"No."

His voice became cold.

"I made it strong."

Lucien's finger tightened around the trigger.

"You killed Alexander."

"Alexander betrayed me."

"He tried to protect Elena."

"He tried to steal what belonged to the family."

"She doesn't belong to you."

Augustus's eyes hardened.

"That is where you're wrong."

He looked toward Elena.

"She belongs to the bloodline."

---

Elena

Elena heard voices from the corridor.

She stepped out of the room.

Lucien turned immediately.

"Get back inside."

She ignored him.

Then she saw Augustus.

Her body went cold.

She didn't know him.

Yet something about his face triggered a strange sensation.

A memory.

A dining room.

A little girl sitting beneath a table.

A man's shoes approaching.

A voice saying:

"Don't let her remember."

Elena grabbed the wall.

Augustus noticed.

"You remember."

Lucien moved between them.

"Don't look at him."

Elena stared at Augustus.

"Who are you?"

He smiled.

"Your grandfather."

The word struck her.

"No."

"Yes."

"My grandfather is dead."

"So you've been told."

Elena looked at Lucien.

"He's alive."

Lucien nodded.

Augustus stepped closer.

"Come with me."

"No."

"I won't hurt you."

"You've been trying to kill me."

"Not you."

His eyes narrowed.

"Never you."

"Then who?"

"The people around you."

Elena's heart pounded.

"What does that mean?"

Augustus looked at Lucien.

"Ask him."

Lucien's expression hardened.

"Don't listen to him."

Augustus laughed.

"He's been lying to you since the day you met him."

Elena stared at Lucien.

"Have you?"

"No."

Augustus interrupted.

"He knows who your father is."

Lucien's face changed.

"Stop."

"He knows who killed Camille."

"Enough."

"He knows what happened seven years ago."

Elena looked at Lucien.

"What happened?"

Lucien didn't answer.

Augustus smiled.

"Ask him what he did."

---

The Truth About Camille

Elena turned to Lucien.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Then say it."

"I didn't kill Camille."

"That's not what I asked."

Lucien looked away.

"I found her."

"When?"

"The night she died."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was trying to protect you."

Augustus laughed.

"Still hiding behind that excuse."

Lucien turned toward him.

"You don't get to speak."

Augustus's expression became serious.

"Seven years ago, Camille discovered Elena was alive."

Elena's breath caught.

"She came looking for you."

"What happened?"

"She found you at the hospital."

Elena closed her eyes.

The memory returned.

Camille.

A baby photograph.

A knife.

A man.

Blood.

Then—

a scream.

Elena stumbled.

Lucien caught her.

"I remember."

"What?"

"Camille."

Augustus watched her carefully.

"You remember now."

Elena pushed Lucien away.

"Don't touch me."

His expression broke.

"Elena."

"You knew."

"I knew she was investigating your past."

"You knew I knew her."

"I didn't know."

"You saw the footage."

"Yes."

"And you still didn't tell me."

"I was trying to find out the truth first."

Elena's eyes filled with tears.

"Everyone keeps deciding what I deserve to know."

Lucien had no answer.

Augustus smiled.

"Come with me."

Elena looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because I can give you everything."

"I don't want your money."

"Not money."

He paused.

"Your memories."

Elena froze.

Augustus continued:

"I can tell you exactly who you were before Seraphina took you."

---

Elias

Elias stood silently beside Augustus.

Elena looked at him.

"You knew."

He shrugged.

"I knew some of it."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I needed you to find the truth yourself."

"Why?"

"Because if I told you, you'd never believe me."

She stared at him.

"You're my brother."

"Yes."

"Do you love me?"

Elias's expression softened.

"More than you know."

"Then help me."

He hesitated.

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because you're not ready."

Elena laughed bitterly.

"Everyone keeps saying that."

She looked at Lucien.

"And I'm tired of being treated like I'm fragile."

Lucien's eyes softened.

"You're not fragile."

"Then let me choose."

Augustus stepped forward.

"Choose wisely."

Elena looked between them.

One was the man she loved.

One was her grandfather.

One was her brother.

And all of them had lied.

She didn't know whom to trust.

---

The Recording

Augustus took a small device from his pocket.

"Listen."

He pressed play.

A woman's voice filled the corridor.

Camille.

"If anything happens to me, Elena must never know what she did."

Elena froze.

The recording continued.

"She was manipulated. She wasn't responsible."

Lucien's eyes widened.

Camille's voice continued.

"Tell her I forgave her."

The recording ended.

Elena stared.

"What did I do?"

Augustus smiled.

"Now you understand."

Lucien shook his head.

"He's manipulating you."

"Then explain the recording."

Lucien was silent.

Elena looked at him.

"Tell me."

"I don't know."

"You're lying again."

"No."

"You always say that."

Lucien stepped closer.

"Elena, please."

"Don't."

She stepped backward.

"Not until you tell me."

Augustus watched them.

Then he said:

"She killed Camille."

Elena's breath stopped.

"No."

"You were there."

"I don't remember."

"You stabbed her."

"No."

"You watched her die."

"No!"

Elena covered her ears.

"Stop!"

Lucien grabbed Augustus by the collar.

"You don't get to do this."

Augustus smiled.

"You know it's true."

Lucien's fist tightened.

"You manipulated her."

"Of course."

Lucien froze.

Augustus whispered:

"Because it was necessary."

---

The Forgotten Night

Elena suddenly remembered.

Not everything.

Just fragments.

Camille crying.

A man standing behind her.

A syringe.

Her own hands shaking.

Someone whispering:

"You have to do this."

Camille looking at her.

Not afraid.

Sad.

Then Camille saying:

"I know you don't mean it."

Elena screamed.

Lucien caught her before she fell.

"I remember."

"What?"

"I was holding the knife."

Lucien's heart broke.

"But you didn't kill her."

"How do you know?"

"Because Camille's wound wasn't caused by the knife."

Elena looked at him.

"What?"

"I examined the medical report."

"Then what killed her?"

Lucien looked at Augustus.

"A gunshot."

Silence.

Augustus smiled.

"Exactly."

Elena stared.

"Who shot her?"

No one answered.

Then Elias spoke.

"Victor."

Elena looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because Camille knew too much."

"Who ordered him?"

Elias looked at Augustus.

Augustus said nothing.

Elena understood.

"You."

Augustus smiled.

"Yes."

Lucien's expression became murderous.

"You killed her."

"I ordered it."

"And blamed Elena."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Augustus looked at Elena.

"Because I needed everyone to fear her."

Elena stared.

"Why?"

"Because fear makes people obedient."

---

The Real Heir

Augustus stepped toward Elena.

"You are the rightful heir to the Voss-Laurent fortune."

"I don't care."

"You will."

"I won't."

"You already do."

He pointed toward Lucien.

"Look at him."

Elena did.

"Everything he has will eventually be yours."

She shook her head.

"I don't want it."

"You don't get to choose."

"I do."

Augustus smiled.

"That's what your father said."

Lucien stepped forward.

"What did you do to Alexander?"

Augustus looked at him.

"I gave him a choice."

"What choice?"

"Disappear or watch his children die."

Lucien froze.

"You threatened Elena and Elias."

"Yes."

"So he disappeared."

"Yes."

"And you kept him alive."

"Yes."

"Where is he?"

Augustus's eyes darkened.

"Where he belongs."

Lucien raised his gun.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Then I'll find him."

Augustus smiled.

"You already did."

Lucien frowned.

"What?"

Augustus looked toward the hallway.

"He's been watching you the entire time."

A voice came from behind them.

"Enough."

Everyone turned.

A man stepped from the shadows.

Older.

Scarred.

His eyes were tired.

Elena recognized him immediately.

The face from the photograph.

The man from her childhood.

Her father.

Alexander.

He looked at Elena.

His eyes filled with tears.

"My little girl."

Elena couldn't breathe.

"Papa?"

Alexander nodded.

Then he looked at Lucien.

"My son."

Lucien stood frozen.

Alexander smiled sadly.

"I am sorry."

Then he pulled out a gun.

And aimed it directly at Lucien.

Elena screamed.

"NO!"

A single shot echoed through the corridor.