Chapter 14 - THE ASHES OF THE PAST
A muffled explosion echoed from the basement beneath the art gallery.
Flames licked up the interior stairwell like hungry red serpents.
Thick black smoke began to fill the exhibition room instantly.
Elena laughed hysterically, turning toward the emergency exit.
"You can't burn down the truth, Daisy!" she screamed over the roaring fire.
Daisy didn't hesitate. She holstered her sidearm and lunged forward.
She tackled Elena hard to the gallery floor before she could reach the door.
Both women rolled through a cloud of soot and falling debris.
Daisy pinned Elena's arms to the floor with her knees.
"Where is the master ledger?" Daisy demanded, coughing from the smoke.
Elena spat blood, her eyes wild with adrenaline.
"Burned... it's all burned!" she choked out.
Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder by the second.
Red and blue emergency lights flashed through the high gallery windows.
Daisy didn't let go. She grabbed a heavy fire extinguisher from the wall bracket.
She smashed it against the electronic lock of the gallery's main vault.
The heavy steel door popped open, revealing rows of pristine paper archives untouched by the flames.
The original syndicate founding ledgers from fifty years ago.
The exact proof Evander needed to secure absolute, undisputed control.
Daisy scooped up the heavy leather-bound ledgers in her arms.
She hauled Elena to her feet by her collar and dragged her toward the front entrance.
Firefighters were already battering down the front glass doors with axes.
Water hoses sprayed a blinding wall of mist into the burning foyer.
Daisy stumbled out into the cool night air, coughing violently.
She dropped the heavy ledgers onto the sidewalk.
Police officers swarmed the alleyway, arresting Elena immediately.
Viktor's black SUV pulled up to the curb a moment later.
The rear door swung open, and Evander stepped out.
His dark eyes scanned the scene in a fraction of a second.
He spotted Daisy standing in the smoke and mist.
He rushed over, his strong arms wrapping around her instantly.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Evander yelled, his voice thick with panic and relief.
"What were you thinking going here alone?"
Daisy looked up into his intense, worried eyes and smiled faintly.
She pointed down at the heavy leather ledgers lying on the pavement.
"I was thinking that an empire needs its true history," Daisy whispered.
Evander looked down at the books, then back at her face.
A profound wave of respect and overwhelming emotion washed over him.
He pulled her into an even tighter embrace, kissing the top of her head.
"You are the most extraordinary woman I have ever known," Evander murmured.
"Let's go home," Daisy said softly.
"Our home."
They climbed into the back of the SUV together, leaving the burning gallery behind.
May you like
The shadows of the past were finally reduced to ash.
[CLIFFHANGER: As the SUV pulls through the repaired gates of the Cole estate, a package rests on the front steps—a single white envelope with a handwritten note: "For the future Mrs. Cole."]
