Chapter 6 - A Whisper in the Dark
The tension in the ballroom reached a boiling point by midnight. Harlan spent an hour trapped in discussions with city council members, leaving me near the champagne fountain under the watchful eye of two disguised guards.
"Excuse me, Miss Callaway?"
A young waiter pushed through the crowd, carrying a silver tray with a single glass of sparkling water. On the base of the glass was a small folded napkin.
"A gentleman near the balcony asked me to give this to you," the waiter whispered before disappearing into the crowd.
I unfolded the napkin. Inside was a tiny, faded photograph of a young woman holding a newborn baby in a hospital room. The woman had my eyes. The baby had a tiny silver birthmark on its left shoulder—the exact same mark I carried.
My breath hitched. My mother.
I looked toward the French doors leading out to the dark, snow-covered balcony. A tall figure in a heavy trench coat nodded to me before stepping out into the shadows.
Forgetting Harlan’s explicit instructions, forgetting the security detail, I moved instantly. I pushed through the glass doors, the freezing winter air striking my exposed back like a whip.
"Who are you?" I called out, my voice trembling as snow fell around my red heels. "Where did you get this picture?"
The figure stepped out of the shadow of a stone pillar. It wasn't Vance. It was an older man with a long scar across his throat.
"Your mother didn't abandon you in Grand Rapids, Rue," the man said hastily, looking around nervously. "She was hidden there by Harlan Voss’s father twenty years ago! You aren't a random bystander. Your family owned the Meridian Theater land before the Voss empire stole it!"
My mind reeled. "What? No... that's impossible. I was a foster kid!"
"Why do you think Vance dropped Belle at that exact garage?" the man pressed, stepping closer. "It wasn't random! They wanted you to find her! You are the legal heir to—"
A loud crack echoed through the night.
The man’s eyes went wide. A small red dot appeared in the center of his forehead, and he collapsed onto the snow-covered balcony without a sound.
I screamed, staggering backward.
Before I could fall, two massive arms grabbed me from behind, hauling me back into the warmth of the building. I was pulled against a broad chest, the scent of cedarwood and tobacco instantly surrounding me.
"I told you not to leave my sight, Rue," Harlan growled into my hair, his arms locking around me like steel bands as Marcus stepped out onto the balcony with a silenced weapon to clear the body.
"He... he said my mother knew your father!" I sobbed, clutching Harlan’s lapels as tears spilled over my eyelashes. "He said I wasn't supposed to be there by accident!"
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Harlan’s jaw tightened. He didn't deny it. He simply picked me up into his arms, carrying me straight past the shocked gala guests and out toward his waiting armored convoy.
"We're going home," Harlan said darkly. "It’s time I told you the truth."
