Chapter 79: The Burden of Truth

The silence in the safe house was deafening, each second stretching longer than the last. My breath came in shallow bursts, my hands trembling as I tried to steady myself against the weight of everything we had just learned.

Dominic stood by the table, his hand gripping the edge so tightly his knuckles turned white. His jaw was clenched, and I could see the muscles in his neck tense, the fury building inside him like a storm waiting to break.

“They’ve known everything,” I whispered, more to myself than to him. The implications of the phone call hit me hard, like a punch to the gut. Someone was watching us. Someone knew exactly where we were, what we were doing, and they weren’t afraid to make their move.

Dominic glanced over at me, his eyes dark with a mix of anger and something more—something I didn’t have the strength to name. “They’ve been playing us from the start,” he muttered, shaking his head. “We’ve been two steps behind, and they’ve had us right where they wanted us all along.”

I felt the walls of the room closing in. I wanted to scream, to run, to escape this nightmare that was getting worse with each passing minute. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t run from Dominic, not when the truth we were chasing was so much bigger than either of us.

I stepped forward, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. “Who is it, Dominic? Who’s behind all of this? Who’s playing us?”

Dominic’s gaze turned cold, his eyes flashing with a dangerous resolve. “Someone close,” he said, his voice steady but full of menace. “Someone I thought I could trust.”

The words hit me like a slap. “Who?” I demanded, feeling the sudden surge of panic rising in my chest.

He hesitated, his fingers drumming absently against the table as if he was trying to piece it all together in his mind. Finally, his gaze locked onto mine, and I could see the weight of the decision pressing on him, the burden of the truth he was about to reveal.

“It’s Liam,” he said, his voice low and filled with unmistakable certainty.

I blinked, trying to process his words. “Liam?” I echoed, disbelief coursing through my veins. “Your brother?”

Dominic nodded, his expression grim. “He’s been feeding information to them, Elena. All along.”

The room seemed to tilt beneath me. Liam? Dominic’s own brother? The one person he trusted more than anyone else?

“But… why?” I stammered, my mind spinning. “What could he possibly want with them? Why would he betray you like this?”

Dominic didn’t answer right away. Instead, he rubbed a hand over his face, looking more exhausted than I had ever seen him. “Liam’s been struggling with the family business for years,” he finally said. “He’s always felt like he wasn’t good enough, like he was always in my shadow. I guess it was too much for him. And somewhere along the way, someone offered him a deal. I don’t know who, but they promised him power, influence—everything he ever wanted.”

I felt the sickening weight of the truth settle in my stomach. This wasn’t just about money or revenge. This was about ego, about the desperate need for control that had driven Dominic’s brother to make the unthinkable choice.

“Why didn’t you see it, Dominic?” I whispered, the question hanging heavy between us. “Why didn’t you see it coming?”

Dominic’s eyes darkened with something I couldn’t quite place. “I didn’t want to. He’s my brother, Elena. The last thing I wanted to believe was that he would betray me. But the truth is, I’ve been blind to it. Blind to him, to everything he’s been planning.”

The confession cut through the tension in the room, and I could see the guilt flashing across Dominic’s face. He was struggling, the weight of his family’s betrayal crushing him from every angle.

“But we need to act fast,” he said, his voice suddenly sharp, the cold edge of a man who knew what had to be done. “Liam’s already moved against us, and if we don’t stop him, we’ll be out of time.”

I nodded, my mind racing. “What’s our next move?”

Dominic’s eyes flicked to the array of screens in front of us, all flashing with information about the League and their moves. His fingers hovered over the keys for a moment before he turned back to me, his gaze intense. “We get to Liam before he makes his next move. We find out who he’s working with, and we take him down.”

My breath caught in my throat as I processed his words. This was it. The moment we had been heading toward all along. But I had no idea how deep this would go. I didn’t know who else was involved, who else could be playing both sides.

“You’re sure he’s the one?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper. “You’re sure he’s the one who’s been leaking information?”

Dominic met my gaze, his eyes unwavering. “I’m sure. And I’ll do whatever it takes to stop him.”

The cold determination in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. This wasn’t just about business anymore. This was about family, betrayal, and power. The stakes had just become personal, and there was no turning back.

We didn’t waste any more time. Dominic’s mind was set, and once he had a plan, there was no stopping him. He moved with the precision of someone who had spent years in the business of getting things done, no matter the cost.

I followed him, though every part of me screamed for a break, for some time to process everything. The man I thought I knew—the man I had been falling for—had just told me his brother was behind the entire conspiracy.

And yet, even with that knowledge, I couldn’t walk away. I couldn’t just leave him to face this on his own. Not when we had come so far. Not when I had so much to lose.

We arrived at a nondescript building on the outskirts of the city, its gray exterior a stark contrast to the luxury that had once been the hallmark of the Caldwell family. Dominic didn’t hesitate as he pulled the car to a stop and jumped out, motioning for me to follow.

I hesitated for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest. “This is it?” I asked, my voice tight with apprehension.

Dominic nodded, his face cold with determination. “This is where Liam’s hiding. And we’re not leaving until we get answers.”

The door to the building was unlocked, but Dominic didn’t wait for an invitation. He stormed inside, his movements deliberate and forceful. I followed him, my steps faltering slightly as I took in the sight before me.

It was a small, cramped office, with stacks of paperwork scattered across the desk. The walls were bare, the windows covered with thick blinds. But there, in the corner of the room, was Liam. His back was to us, his hands trembling as he flipped through a folder.

When he turned, his face was pale, his eyes wide with shock. For a split second, I saw something in his gaze—fear, regret, maybe even guilt. But it was gone just as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a coldness I hadn’t expected.

“Well,” Liam said, his voice hoarse, “I knew you’d come for me eventually.”

Dominic’s jaw clenched, his fists balled at his sides. “I should have seen it, Liam. I should have known it was you.”

Liam’s lips twisted into a smirk, though there was no humor in it. “You were too busy playing the hero, Dominic. Too busy trying to save the world to see what was right in front of you.”

The tension in the room was thick, suffocating. But I wasn’t afraid. Not anymore. Not when I knew what I had to do.

“We know everything,” I said, my voice steady, my heart pounding with a fierce resolve. “And now, it’s time to make you pay.”