She pushed a pregnant woman into the pool—without knowing who owned the villa or her company.

Chapter 9

The figure stepping through the doorway wasn't Julian.

It was a woman in a pristine, white tailored suit.

Victoria.

She held a customized, suppressed submachine gun, aiming it directly at Elias.

"I thought I told you to liquidate my assets by noon today, Elias," Victoria sneered, her red lips curving into a wicked smile. "It seems you missed the deadline."

Elias stared at her in absolute disbelief. "You?"

"Me," Victoria laughed. "Did you really think I was just some greedy step-aunt? I funded Julian's 'death'. I orchestrated his return. And I bought Clara's contract from the Syndicate years ago."

Clara stayed on the floor, shivering behind Elias. "She took my little girl, Elias. She said if I didn't marry you and get the vault codes, she would kill her."

Elias realized the true scale of the deception. The entire pool incident... Victoria hadn't been tricked by Clara. Victoria was the puppet master orchestrating the entire distraction.

"Where is Julian?" Elias demanded, sizing up the distance between him and Victoria.

"Julian is currently transferring the Genesis Vault into my private accounts," Victoria said, checking her diamond-encrusted watch. "He’s brilliant, but he’s weak. He thinks he’s getting his empire back. He doesn't realize the yacht is wired with C4."

She pointed the gun at Clara. "You played your part beautifully, darling. But loose ends are so messy."

Victoria pulled the trigger.

Elias lunged.

He didn't dive for cover. He dove directly into the line of fire, tackling Clara to the ground.

Two bullets ripped through Elias’s shoulder and side. He grunted in agony but instantly returned fire with his sidearm as he fell.

His bullet grazed Victoria's cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.

She hissed in pain, ducking behind the doorframe.

"They're going to find your bodies at the bottom of the ocean!" Victoria yelled, slamming the heavy steel bulkhead shut and locking them inside the engineering bay.

A digital panel on the wall suddenly flared red.

DETONATION: 60 SECONDS.

Elias bled profusely onto the wet grated floor, his strength fading fast.

Clara pressed her hands desperately against his wounds. "Elias, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Elias grabbed her wrist, his eyes burning with a terrifying resolve.