CHAPTER 3: THE FINAL NOTE
Victor Blackwood screamed as officers placed him in handcuffs.
His empire was collapsing.
His secrets were public.
His power was gone.
Nora wrapped her arms around Chloe as reporters fought for answers.
For the first time in five years, they were free.
Then a man approached from the shadows.
The same assistant who had handed Victor the sheet music.
Except now he didn't look like an assistant.
He looked like a soldier.
He handed Nora a black phone.
“The client is ready to speak.”
Nora answered.
Her hands trembled.
“Hello?”
A familiar voice replied.
“Nora.”
The world stopped.
It was Elias.
Alive.
Not dead.
Not missing.
Alive.
Moments later, a tall scarred man stepped from behind the piano.
Nora immediately recognized him.
The room vanished around her.
It was him.
The man she had mourned for five years.
The man Victor had tried to erase.
Elias looked at Chloe.
His eyes filled with tears.
Slowly, he opened his arms.
But Chloe stepped backward.
The entire ballroom froze again.
“You left us.”
The words struck harder than any prison sentence Victor would ever receive.
Elias lowered his arms.
“I did it to protect you.”
“No.”
Chloe's voice was calm.
Painfully calm.
“You did it for the music.”
The accusation shattered him.
For five years he had hunted Victor.
Gathered evidence.
Planned revenge.
But in doing so, he had left Nora and Chloe to survive alone.
The truth hurt because it wasn't completely wrong.
Chloe looked at her father.
Then her mother.
Then at the ruined ballroom filled with liars, victims, billionaires, reporters, and broken dreams.
She wanted none of it.
Not the money.
Not the fame.
Not the revenge.
Not even the reunion everyone else wanted.
Without another word, she turned and walked toward the doors.
Alone.
Into the cold Manhattan night.
Behind her stood a mother who had lost five years.
A father who had lost his daughter.
And a billionaire who had lost everything.
The empire had fallen.
May you like
The truth had won.
But Chloe was the only person who walked away free.
