Chapter 13 - DAMIAN’S CHOICE
Victor had lost Monarch Capital.
His accounts were exposed.
His allies were being arrested.
His political network was collapsing.
But one final piece remained.
The original server.
Without it, prosecutors had evidence of recent crimes.
With it, they could prove the network had existed for decades.
They could connect Victor to Alexander Voss.
And Thomas Cross.
Damian wanted that more than anyone.
The server was hidden beneath Alexander’s estate.
Elena and Adrian activated it together.
The archive opened.
Thousands of documents appeared.
Then the screen displayed a warning.
REMOTE DELETION INITIATED.
Marcus reacted.
“Victor.”
A countdown appeared.
Five minutes.
Damian moved toward the terminal.
“Disconnect it.”
“We can’t.”
“Why?”
“The deletion protocol is internal.”
Adrian scanned the system.
“There’s a manual override.”
“Where?”
Adrian pointed toward the lower server chamber.
Marcus looked at the building plans.
His expression hardened.
“That chamber was sealed after a fire fifteen years ago.”
Damian was already moving.
Elena grabbed his arm.
“No.”
“My father’s evidence is down there.”
“So is an unstable electrical system.”
Damian looked at her.
“You asked me to do something without expecting anything afterward.”
“This isn’t what I meant.”
“Maybe it’s what I needed.”
He pulled away.
Damian entered the lower corridor.
Smoke began filling the server chamber as the old cooling system overloaded.
The countdown continued.
Three minutes.
Damian reached the manual control.
“Tell me what to do!”
Adrian guided him through the radio.
“Panel seven.”
Damian opened it.
Sparks erupted.
He pulled back.
“Now what?”
“Blue switch.”
“There are four.”
“The one labeled secondary archive.”
Damian found it.
Two minutes.
He pulled the switch.
Nothing happened.
“Again!”
Damian forced it downward.
The countdown stopped.
The archive stabilized.
Then the lights in the chamber went out.
“Elena?”
Damian’s voice came through the radio.
“Damian?”
Silence.
Marcus rushed downstairs with his team.
They found Damian unconscious near the panel.
Alive.
When Damian woke hours later in the hospital, Elena was sitting nearby.
He looked around.
“Did we get it?”
“Yes.”
“All of it?”
“Yes.”
He closed his eyes.
“Good.”
Elena studied him.
“You could have died.”
Damian looked at her.
“My father died trying to expose Victor.”
He swallowed.
“I spent half my life helping the man responsible.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I should have.”
Elena said nothing.
Damian looked toward her.
“Are you giving my company back?”
“No.”
Damian laughed weakly.
“I figured.”
“But Cross Meridian won’t be liquidated.”
His smile disappeared.
Elena continued.
“The employees didn’t commit your crimes.”
“What happens to it?”
“It becomes independent.”
“And me?”
“You own nothing.”
Damian nodded slowly.
Strangely, he did not look angry.
“What am I supposed to do now?”
Elena stood.
“That’s the first decision you’ll have to make without an empire making it for you.”
She walked toward the door.
“Elena.”
She stopped.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked back.
Damian continued.
“For what I did to you.”
Elena held his gaze.
Then she answered.
“I know.”
She left.
May you like
It was not forgiveness.
But for Damian, it was the first honest thing left in his life.
