The Devil's Forbidden Secretary

Chapter Fifteen : The Bullet Between Them

Elena

The gunshot echoed through the underground corridor.

Elena screamed.

"Lucien!"

Lucien staggered backward.

For one horrifying second, she thought he had been hit.

Then she saw the blood.

It wasn't his.

Mara stood behind him, clutching her shoulder as she collapsed against the wall.

She had thrown herself between Lucien and the bullet.

"Mara!"

Elena ran toward her.

Lucien caught her arm.

"Don't!"

"But she's hurt!"

"Stay behind me."

Alexander lowered his weapon.

His face was expressionless.

Elena stared at him.

"You shot her."

"I missed."

"You aimed at Lucien."

"Yes."

Her heart shattered.

"Why?"

Alexander looked at her.

"Because he cannot be allowed to take you."

Lucien stepped forward.

"You don't get to decide that."

Alexander raised the gun again.

"Stay away from my daughter."

Lucien's eyes hardened.

"She isn't a possession."

Alexander's jaw tightened.

"You have no idea what I've sacrificed for her."

Elena looked between them.

"Stop."

Neither listened.

Alexander's gaze remained fixed on Lucien.

"You're exactly like Augustus."

Lucien laughed bitterly.

"That's funny coming from you."

"You think you know what happened."

"I know enough."

"No."

Alexander's voice cracked.

"You know nothing."

Elena stepped between them.

"Then tell us."

Alexander looked at her.

For the first time, the coldness disappeared from his face.

He looked like a father.

Not a criminal.

Not a ghost.

Just a broken man staring at the daughter he had lost.

"I wanted to tell you."

"Then tell me now."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because you're still being watched."

Elena's eyes narrowed.

"By whom?"

Alexander looked at Augustus.

Then Elias.

Then Lucien.

"Everyone."

---

Lucien

Lucien couldn't take his eyes off his father.

The man he'd mourned for seventeen years stood only meters away.

Alive.

Armed.

And threatening him.

"Why did you shoot?"

Alexander's eyes hardened.

"Because I know what you feel for her."

Lucien froze.

Elena looked at him.

Alexander continued.

"You think it's love."

"It is."

Alexander's expression changed.

"No."

Lucien stepped forward.

"Don't tell me what I feel."

"I know exactly what you feel."

"Then you know I would die protecting her."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"Why?"

Alexander looked at Elena.

"Because if you love her, they can use you."

"Who?"

"Augustus isn't the only one."

Lucien's expression darkened.

"Who else?"

Alexander didn't answer.

Augustus laughed.

"Still protecting your secrets, Alexander?"

Alexander turned toward him.

"You're the reason she has no childhood."

Augustus's face became cold.

"And you're the reason she has no father."

The two men stared at each other.

Elena finally understood.

Their hatred wasn't new.

It had been growing for decades.

---

Elena

"Enough!"

Her voice echoed through the corridor.

Everyone turned.

"I've had enough."

She looked at Alexander.

"You are my father."

He nodded.

"You abandoned me."

"I protected you."

"You let me believe you were dead."

"I had no choice."

"You always have a choice."

Alexander looked away.

"You don't understand."

"Then make me understand."

He was silent.

Elena's eyes filled with tears.

"Did you love me?"

Alexander looked at her.

"More than anything."

"Then why didn't you come back?"

"Because every time I tried, someone died."

Elena swallowed.

"Who?"

"People who helped me."

"Camille?"

Alexander's face changed.

"Yes."

Elena's heart tightened.

"Did you kill her?"

"No."

"Did you order her death?"

"No."

"Then who did?"

Alexander looked at Augustus.

"I thought he did."

Augustus smiled.

"You were always wrong."

Alexander's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

Augustus looked at Elena.

"Ask your father what happened after Camille died."

Elena turned toward Alexander.

"What happened?"

Alexander's silence was answer enough.

"You know."

"I know what I was told."

"By whom?"

Alexander looked at Elias.

Elias's face remained unreadable.

"By him."

Elena turned toward her brother.

"Elias?"

Elias didn't respond.

"What did you tell him?"

"Only what I was instructed to tell him."

"By whom?"

Elias looked at Augustus.

Elena's stomach dropped.

"You work for him."

Elias shook his head.

"I work for myself."

Augustus smiled.

"He's lying."

Elias looked at his grandfather.

"So are you."

---

The Secret Alliance

Suddenly, the underground doors opened.

Three armed men entered.

Lucien immediately pulled Elena behind him.

Alexander raised his weapon.

Augustus didn't move.

The men aimed their guns.

"Everyone put your weapons down."

Lucien looked at Alexander.

"Who are they?"

Alexander whispered:

"Not mine."

Augustus smiled.

"Finally."

One of the men stepped forward.

"Mr. Voss."

Augustus nodded.

"You took long enough."

Lucien's eyes widened.

"You know them?"

Augustus laughed.

"Of course."

The men lowered their weapons.

Then something unexpected happened.

They turned their guns toward Augustus.

The smile disappeared from his face.

"What are you doing?"

The leader removed his mask.

Mara gasped.

"Adrian."

Lucien froze.

His uncle.

Alive.

Again.

Adrian looked at Augustus.

"Your reign ends tonight."

Augustus slowly stepped backward.

"You wouldn't."

"I already did."

Adrian looked at Lucien.

"I've been waiting seventeen years."

"For what?"

"For the right moment."

Adrian's gaze moved toward Elena.

"And she is the reason."

---

Adrian

Adrian walked toward them.

Lucien couldn't move.

"You were alive."

"Yes."

"Why did everyone believe you were dead?"

"Because Augustus needed me dead."

"And you let him believe it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Adrian's eyes hardened.

"Because I was building something."

"What?"

"A way to destroy him."

Augustus laughed.

"You think these men will protect you?"

Adrian smiled.

"They aren't here for me."

He looked at Elena.

"They're here for her."

Elena's blood ran cold.

"Why?"

Adrian took a small black box from his coat.

"Because this belongs to you."

He handed it to her.

She stared at it.

"What is it?"

"The original Voss trust."

Lucien's expression changed.

"The inheritance documents."

Adrian nodded.

"The documents proving Elena is the legal heir."

Augustus's face darkened.

"Give me that."

Elena stepped backward.

"No."

Adrian smiled.

"Good."

Augustus suddenly pulled a hidden weapon from beneath his coat.

He fired.

Adrian ducked.

Chaos erupted.

Men shouted.

Gunfire filled the corridor.

Lucien grabbed Elena and pulled her behind a concrete pillar.

"Stay down."

She clutched the box.

"What's inside?"

"The truth."

"That's not helpful."

"It doesn't need to be."

Another bullet struck the wall.

Lucien looked at her.

"Can you run?"

"Yes."

"Then when I say go, you run."

"Where?"

"Anywhere away from here."

"I won't leave you."

His eyes softened.

"You have to."

"No."

"Elena—"

"I already lost my family once."

She grabbed his hand.

"I'm not losing you too."

---

The Escape

Alexander suddenly appeared beside them.

"There's a tunnel."

Lucien looked at him.

"Where?"

"Behind the old records room."

"Does it lead outside?"

"Yes."

Alexander looked at Elena.

"Go."

She stared at him.

"What about you?"

"I'm staying."

"No."

"Elena."

"You're my father."

His face crumpled.

"Exactly."

He touched her cheek.

"I've spent seventeen years keeping you alive."

"Then come with me."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because someone has to stop Augustus."

Lucien stepped forward.

"I'll stay."

Alexander shook his head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because if you stay, Elena will stay."

Lucien looked at Elena.

She was crying.

Alexander whispered:

"Take care of her."

Lucien nodded.

"I will."

Alexander smiled faintly.

"Then go."

---

The Tunnel

Lucien pulled Elena into the tunnel.

They ran.

Behind them, gunshots continued.

Elena held the black box tightly.

"Lucien."

"What?"

"What if my father dies?"

"He won't."

"You don't know that."

"I know him."

She looked at him.

"You barely knew him."

"I know what a man looks like when he's willing to die for his child."

They reached the end of the tunnel.

A steel door opened into an alley.

Cold night air hit Elena's face.

She stopped.

Lucien turned.

"What?"

She looked at the box.

"I need to know what's inside."

"Not here."

She opened it anyway.

Inside was a single document.

A seal.

Several signatures.

And one sentence.

Elena read it aloud.

"Upon the death or disappearance of Alexander Gabriel Laurent, all Voss-Laurent assets shall be transferred to his first surviving biological heir."

She stared.

"That's me."

Lucien nodded.

"Yes."

She continued reading.

Then stopped.

Her face went pale.

"Lucien."

"What?"

She handed him the document.

His eyes moved down the page.

His expression changed.

"What?"

He looked at her.

"The second heir."

Elena's breath caught.

"There is another."

"Yes."

"Who?"

Lucien pointed to the final line.

The name was written clearly.

Elias Gabriel Laurent.

Elena stared.

"But Elias is my twin."

Lucien nodded.

"Which means the inheritance belongs to both of you."

She exhaled shakily.

Then noticed something else.

A handwritten note had been tucked beneath the document.

She unfolded it.

Four words.

Trust no one. Especially Lucien.

Her heart stopped.

She looked at him.

He stared at the note.

"I didn't write that."

"I know."

"Then who did?"

Before he could answer, Elena's phone rang.

Unknown number.

She answered.

No one spoke.

Then a man's voice whispered:

"Elena."

She froze.

"Who is this?"

The voice laughed softly.

"You should ask Lucien what happened seven years ago."

Her blood ran cold.

"What happened?"

A pause.

Then:

"He didn't find Camille's body."

Elena looked at Lucien.

The voice continued.

"She found him."

The call ended.

---

Lucien

Lucien's face had gone pale.

Elena stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"You knew something."

"I knew Camille was investigating you."

"That's not what he said."

Lucien stepped closer.

"Elena, listen to me."

"No."

She backed away.

"You promised you would tell me the truth."

"I will."

"When?"

"Now."

He swallowed.

"The night Camille died..."

He stopped.

Elena waited.

"She wasn't alone."

"Who was with her?"

"Me."

Her heart sank.

"You were there."

"Yes."

"What happened?"

Lucien looked away.

"I found her."

"And?"

"She was alive."

Elena's eyes widened.

"Alive?"

"Yes."

"What did she say?"

Lucien's voice broke.

"She told me something."

"What?"

He looked at her.

"She told me that if I ever found you..."

He paused.

"...I was supposed to kill you."

Elena stepped backward.

"No."

"I refused."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't believe her."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was afraid."

"Of what?"

Lucien looked at her.

"Of the possibility that Camille knew something about you that I didn't."

Elena stared at him.

Then her phone vibrated.

A new message.

A photograph.

Camille.

Alive.

Taken seven years ago.

Standing beside Lucien.

And beneath it:

She survived the shooting.

Another message appeared.

Lucien was the last person to see her alive.

Elena's blood ran cold.

Then the final message:

Ask him where he took her.

Elena slowly lifted her eyes toward Lucien.

He said nothing.

Because he knew.

And for the first time since she had met him, Elena saw something in Lucien's eyes she had never seen before.

Fear.

Not fear for himself.

Fear of what she would think when she learned the truth.

A truth he had buried for seven years.

And one that could destroy whatever remained between them.