Chapter 10 - MIDNIGHT
Julian stared at his phone.
Victoria stared at hers.
Dr. Warren’s buzzed in his pocket.
Rachel’s, confiscated on the table, lit up too.
News alerts.
Emails.
Incoming calls.
Julian answered first.
“What?”
Emma couldn’t hear the speaker.
She didn’t need to.
His face drained.
“What do you mean they have documents?”
Victoria checked her phone.
Twenty-three missed calls.
Cole Industries board members.
Her attorney.
Two senators.
Three reporters.
Then a headline appeared.
COLE FOUNDATION LINKED TO SECRET PSYCHIATRIC PAYMENTS.
Another.
FORMER PATIENT RECORDS RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT BILLIONAIRE JULIAN COLE.
Then Sarah’s photograph appeared.
Emma stopped breathing.
Her sister.
Alive.
Smiling.
Before Julian broke her.
Rachel whispered, “You did it.”
Emma’s eyes filled.
But she didn’t cry.
Not yet.
Julian threw his phone across the room.
“You stupid little—”
He rushed Emma.
This time there was no calculation.
Just rage.
Emma blocked the first swing.
Moved inside his reach.
Hooked his arm.
Used his momentum.
Julian hit the floor.
Hard.
He tried to rise.
She controlled his wrist and pinned him without striking.
“Stay down.”
He screamed.
“GET OFF ME!”
“Stop fighting.”
“I’LL KILL YOU!”
The room went silent.
Emma looked at Victoria.
“So everyone heard that.”
Julian realized what he had said.
Dr. Warren backed toward the exit.
Rachel pointed.
“Don’t let him leave!”
Warren ran.
Emma couldn’t release Julian.
Rachel grabbed the black key card and chased him.
“Rachel!”
Too late.
She disappeared into the corridor.
Victoria stepped toward the wall controls.
Emma saw her.
“Don’t.”
Victoria pressed a button.
A security alarm sounded.
Not a fire alarm.
A building evacuation warning.
Julian laughed from the floor.
“Thirty seconds.”
“For what?”
“Private elevator clears the building.”
Emma tightened control on his wrist.
“You think you’re escaping?”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“You are.”
Emma frowned.
Then smelled it.
Smoke.
Not from the penthouse.
From ventilation.
Chemical smoke.
Victoria had activated a suppression system.
White vapor began flooding the medical level.
Emma coughed.
Julian twisted violently.
She lost her grip.
He kicked free.
Emma staggered.
Victoria ran toward the private elevator.
Julian followed.
Emma grabbed the edge of a table.
Her vision blurred.
Whatever was entering the air wasn’t ordinary smoke.
She heard Rachel scream in the hallway.
Then a body hit the floor.
“Rachel!”
Emma stumbled toward the sound.
Julian reached the elevator.
Victoria entered.
“Come!”
He stopped.
Looked back at Emma.
She was barely standing.
He smiled.
Then, instead of entering the elevator, Julian picked up the fallen syringe.
Victoria shouted, “Leave her!”
Julian walked toward Emma.
“No.”
May you like
He removed the cap.
“She doesn’t get to win.”
