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“But you had people do it?” My throat jumped again. “Was it even Godfrey?”
“The particulars don’t matter there,” he said, his voice passive as if it really didn’t matter. As if this wasn’t my whole fucking life, and he’d, apparently, been the puppet master tugging the strings. “But yes, I orchestrated it. You being with Godfrey and Marilyn served a purpose, and it was something I made happen, yes.”
“Why?” I scanned Lucas when he moved to Callum’s side again. He simply stood by his charge, his master.
“That unfortunately lies with your dead grandfather, the why,” he said, his head tilted. “The origin of which started that day he asked me to help cover up the murder of one of my son’s friends.”
“Dorian’s aunt?”
His eyes flicked my way. “Yes. I wasn’t lying to you when I told you my son was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Prinze name couldn’t be associated with any of that.” He waved his hand, dismissive. “My son was foolish and got himself swept up in trouble. He needed to be rescued, and fortunately for him, I was around.”
He sounded like he had no remorse, none at all. “What does that have to do with me?”
“Oh, everything, dear girl.” He smiled, the cigar returning to his lips. He drew long and hard off it before pointing it in my direction. “You see, your grandfather was a cheat, and though I wanted to help my son, I valued what your grandfather offered a bit more. He said if I helped him and your great-uncle, he’d give me a sizable stake in his company Mallick Enterprises, a promise, in the end, he never fulfilled despite me holding up my end of the bargain.”
His phone rang, and he checked it, as if this conversation truly meant nothing to him. He chose not to answer and after, sat back.
“So, you’re saying this is revenge?” I asked and froze when he leaned forward. The move hadn’t been done like an old man, but one with physical power and influence.
And the look in his eyes…
Dorian had told me I’d always see a monster in him, but even with what he’d told me, I never saw that in his eyes. In fact, when we’d talked about that summer, I’d seen nothing but a scared little boy in his ebony irises. I’d seen someone who’d made a mistake and was remorseful. I saw no remorse in his grandfather’s eyes now.
Only vengeance.
“It shouldn’t have had to be that way, though,” Callum said, the words chilling me. He sighed. “But your grandfather was smart and picked up that I’d bribed quite a few of his shareholders out of their shares. Their stake and what your grandfather had promised me would have given me quite a bit of control over your family’s company.” He laughed a little. “Ibrahim obviously hadn’t liked that. He reneged on his promise, had his people tell me why, and though I understood, I gave him one last opportunity to make us square. We were both going to prison for what we did with the cover-up, but he could go an honest man. I said if he didn’t make us right, I’d take what I wanted anyway. Take what he loved and make him feel it.”
My lungs squeezed, his continued smoking not helping.
Callum wet his lips. “I think back then he thought I meant his company, but I wanted to take everything he loved.” He smiled as if recalling a fond memory. “Anyway, I’ll never know. I obviously didn’t see him after he and I went away to prison. I had people on the outside, though, and had them monitor him, as well as the rest of your family. I saw an opportunity with you and your brother Ares’s births, and I took it.”
He passed Lucas a look, and out of nowhere, the man pulled a file, paperwork. It was handed to me, but I didn’t open it. “What’s this?”
“Take a look for yourself,” Callum said.
I didn’t, feeling there was more games here. I already thought I was going to throw up, and Lucas had to physically open the file for me in the end.
I recognized the paperwork. There was a lot of it, but I did recall most. After Godfrey had initially died, I’d gotten this stuff at the will reading when Callum had been named Bru’s guardian. Bruno was a minor, so he needed one.
“You’ll recall your signatures,” Callum said, a lot of signatures in my face. Callum and his team had had me sign all this stuff that day, things for the funeral he’d said. I didn’t understand why he was giving me all this now, though. His lips lifted. “You gave me… everything you own, sweetheart.”
I said nothing, my mouth dry.
“Control over all your assets,” he continued, sitting back. “You signed everything you own over to me to aid your adoptive father’s funeral expenses.” A slight laugh escaped his lips. “You were so adamant about helping.”
“I…” I gazed down. I had wanted to help. He’d been a stranger, and I hadn’t wanted to take anything from him. He’d convinced me eventually, worn me down.
“You signed everything we gave you, but granted, I’m sure you didn’t know how much you were worth.”
I dropped the folder, all those documents I’d naively signed on the floor.
“What used to be yours is mine now, and thank you for that.” His eyes warmed. “Once you turned eighteen, you got access to your own shares in Mallick Enterprises, as well as what your late grandfather left for you, and since you’re still technically, legally Pilar Mallick you can do that.”
“This was about money,” I gasped, things suddenly blurry. I fought the tears, the heat in my throat. “You took me from my family over money!” I started to get up, but Lucas moved his hand.
He flashed his gun.
I wasn’t in control of this situation, Callum was, and it seemed like for quite a long time. I sat down, and he had Agnes come in. She picked up all the paperwork I’d dropped like a good little servant, placing it on the table between Callum and me.
