Gripping my eyes tight, I wished myself away from here. Away from my father, his minions, and his control. The only place I wanted to be was back at the farm, with Aaron. I wished myself back to that morning we laid in bed. Where he held me in his arms and I felt safe.

For the first time since my mother died, I felt connected, wanted, loved. My body wept at the thought of never feeling that again. My chest sobbed silently, but my eyes stayed dry.

I couldn’t lose him. I couldn’t let any of them die, but especially not him.

Looking up, I studied my father as he busied himself with the papers on the desk. His cold eyes flitted down the page he was reading, and his jaw clenched as frustration appeared to bite at his thoughts.

My father was an evil man, capable of such inhuman acts. What he did to my mother was unspeakable, and I wouldn’t put it passed him to do the same to me. It didn’t matter I was his daughter. He’d crush me without a second thought.

He never loved me. Hell, I was unsure if he’d ever loved anyone. I wasn’t even sure if he was capable of it. All he cared about was himself, and his business. It shouldn’t matter he was my father. I had to kill him, and soon.

Stroking my hands through Alice’s hair, I turned back and kissed her head while she cowered into my chest. She hadn’t looked up since Wallis was taken away. She was too frightened to move. Too scared to breathe.

I lowered my head and whispered in her ear. “I’ll get us out of this, I promise. When it all kicks off. Whenever you get the chance. I need you to get out and hide.”

She raised her head against mine and her soft breath tickled my ear. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know, yet, but I don’t want you to see it.”

“I can’t leave you.”

“You have to. Don’t worry about me. Just find somewhere safe.”

She pulled herself up and looked me in the eyes. Her delicate features were twisted with worry. Her brow furrowed and her lips pursed. Alice nodded then glanced down. She didn’t like it, but she trusted me. She’d do as I asked and get out of the way as soon as possible. I held her hands in mine.

Now, I needed to figure out how to give her that opportunity. Then, how the hell I’d kill my father.

The two thugs were still behind us. They were tiring of being stood on guard, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t be on point. They’d pull us back from any attempt at movement. The thugs were both carrying, too. My father had that flick knife in his pocket, and he had a gun in his desk drawer. None of which I could get to.

Fuck. Think, Woman.

I searched the room for inspiration. Mahogany bookcases lined the walls, stacked high with old texts. There were a few hunting trophies, two leather armchairs in the corner, and the decanter on his desk. Nothing useful.

I looked behind and glanced the thugs over. Both held a menacing stare on me as soon as I moved. The one behind Alice wore a gun belt, the one behind me had a shoulder holster beneath his jacket. I couldn’t see myself getting a gun off them.

Then my eyes fixed behind. On the bookshelf, my father had a Samurai sword on display. It wouldn’t be easy to get, or easy to use for that matter, but it looked like my best bet.

Right on cue, the distraction arrived. I heard my sister’s voice out in the hallway. So did my father. He looked up from his papers and glared at the door.

Her voice carried louder into the room. “I do live here, too.”

The door opened and Andy, her bodyguard, walked through first. Milena saw me immediately and stopped in the doorway. Unsure if she should come through.

She glanced across at our father. “What’s going on?”

He dropped the papers on his desk, and sat back in his chair, staring at her with his cold, intense glare.

“Come in.” Then he addressed Andy. “Leave us. Close the door behind you.”

Andy hesitated. He was close to Milena, and no doubt knew what was going on. Milena bit her lip and nodded at him.

“I’ll be right outside.” He turned and left the room.

Milena drew a breath, held her head high and came forward with defiance in her shoulders. Standing before his desk, she folded her arms and looked at him expectantly. She would still play the innocent card.

“What do you want me for? I’m guessing it has something to do with my sister.”

My father sat forward and rested his elbows on the desk, spinning the wedding ring on his finger.

“Where have you been all day?”

“Out, running errands. At the office. The usual. Why?”

He huffed. “At the office? Don’t add insult to injury, Milena. Tell me where you were.”

She unfolded her arms and placed her hands on her hips. “I’ve told you.”

She was trying to act confident, but the movement wasn’t natural, and it only highlighted the anxiety she was desperate to hide.

He shook his head. “You can’t even admit it. You can’t show the respect to admit it to my face.” He stood and pointed over to me. “Say what you like about Olivia. At least she had the balls to tell me she was working with Marcus.”

Milena looked at me with hate burning in her eyes. Then turned back at our father. “She would. She’s just like him.”

What the fuck did she mean by that?

He growled and lunged across the desk, pulling Milena down and holding her head on the top. She thrashed and yelped, trying to get away, but he held her tight. His weight pressed down onto her skull.

I looked back at the sword, debating if I should make my move. The thug behind me followed my sight then stepped forward. This wasn’t the right time.

“So you weren’t at Wallis’ club then?”

She fought against him, avoiding an answer. “Let me go.”

“You haven’t been meeting with Marcus?”

Her voice strained. “You’re hurting me.”

“I guess you haven’t been plotting to take me down, either?”

“No. Let me go. I’ll explain.”

He released her head, and she stumbled backwards away from the desk. Unsteady on her heels and her hair ruffled around her face. Tears laced her darting eyes.

I felt for her. She was in an impossible situation, just like me. I didn’t like my sister, but I didn’t hate her. If I could get her out of this, I would.

“Explain quickly before I do hurt you.”

She drew another deep breath, and brushed the hair from her face, trying to compose herself. “She’s lying. Whatever she’s told you, she’s lying. It was all her.”

Fucking bitch.

She had no qualms about throwing me under the bus. Although, to be fair, she didn’t know about Wallis. She must have thought I was the one who told our father everything. She had to tread lightly here. He already knew her game. She’d just wind up pulling herself in deeper.

I kept my expression and my voice soft. “Milena, be careful. This isn’t going to work out for you.”

She scowled at me then averted her eyes back to the floor. She was working out excuses.

Our father looked between the pair of us. “Well, I’m waiting to hear what you come up with.”

He knew what she was doing, but he was playing with her, wanting to see how far she’d go to save herself.

She sighed and glared at him. Determination hard on her face. “Since she found out about our mother, she’s been planning to take you down.”

My father closed his eyes and twisted his ring. He didn’t like this subject being brought up.

“She called me and tried to bring me in on it. She said we’d be better off without you. That you deserved to die for what you did to her. I don’t blame her fully. Marcus and that new boyfriend were spurring her on.”

My jaw gaped, I couldn’t believe her audacity.

“I went along with it so I could find out what she was planning.”

“You’re a fucking piece of work, Milena.” If I said I didn’t hate my sister, I take it back.

My father leant forward and rested his hands on the desk, staring at her with a half-grin curling on his lips. “You were at Wallis’ club for my benefit?”

Milena nodded. “I needed to know what they were planning before I could tell you. That way, you can take down Marcus and anyone else that was working with him.”

Our father cleared his throat and stood back from the desk. The amusement clear on his face. He walked around to the front and picked up the decanter, pouring himself another drink as he sat on the top.

Milena adjusted her clothing, cautious of his closing presence, but more confident in herself after her little speech. She was sure she’d created a convincing tale.

I was dumbfounded at how manipulative she was. It was no surprise she was conniving and self-centred, but I hoped deep down she’d do the right thing when it came to it. I was wrong.

He replaced the stopper on the decanter and lifted the glass to his nose, swirling the brandy up the sides as he stared into the rich liquid. “You expect me to believe all that.”

He looked at her over the glass. The amusement gone and his eyes cold. Milena bit her lip, and a chunk of the confidence ebbed away.

“It’s the truth.”

“Unfortunately, Milena, you wouldn’t know the truth if it smacked you in the face.” He knocked back the brandy and placed the glass on the desk. “You’re too wrapped up in your own scheming lies.”

She bristled her shoulders and jutted her jaw at him. “I’m not lying. Look at her.” She glanced over to me. “She’s the one who doesn’t belong here. I just want to keep this family where it should be.”

“You mean you. You want to keep yourself where you think you should be.”

“Are you going to side with her, over me? Again?”

When has he ever sided with me? Was there something going on I didn’t understand? I let go of Alice’s hands and stood, not even considering the thugs until one grabbed me by my hair and pulled me back. “Get off me.”

My father looked over and nodded. “Stand down.”

I shrugged off the thug and stepped towards my father. “What the fuck is going on?”

He held my eyes then looked back at Milena. “Your sister has been playing a very dangerous game for a long time, and I need to put a stop to it.”

“There’s no fucking game.” Milena spat the words then pointed at me. “This is about her trying to take revenge for our mother.”

He stepped closer to Milena. His fists balled as his anger grew. “No, this is about you and your fucking inheritance. What was the plan this time? Were you trying to use Marcus to take my assets by force?”

My jaw dropped, and I huffed in surprise as I stared at my sister.

He looked across at me then shook his head as he stepped closer. “That’s it, isn’t it?”

Milena stepped back. Her eyes wide and her lips pressed tightly together. “She shouldn’t even be here!”

He dived for her neck and slammed her into the door. “You fucking selfish bitch. Do you think you have some special privilege? A fucking birthright? You fucking don’t!”

She clawed at his hands and gasped for breath. He wasn’t threatening her, he was choking her. Despite what she’d said, I didn’t want him to hurt her.

“You don’t deserve a damn thing. I should fucking kill you for what you’ve done.”

I lunged at my father and tried to pull him away. He wasn’t a big man, but he was strong, my efforts did nothing but piss him off.

“Let her go,” I screamed, and beat at his back with my fists.

He growled and threw Milena to the floor then turned on me. “Don’t you fucking start!”

I backed off, but readied myself to fight him. I knew he would lunge at me.

“Andy!” Milena cried with a pained, raspy voice.

The door opened, and he came through, looking between Milena and my father. “Leave ‘em alone, boss. Don’t make me come after you.”

My father huffed and turned to him. “Like you’d stand a chance. I guess we now know where your loyalties lie.” He gestured to the thugs behind me. “Get him out. I’ll deal with him later.”

It was my chance. Stepping back, I moved slowly until the thugs neared Andy. Then I turned and grabbed for the sword. By the time my father turned back, I’d unsheathed it and had it pointed at his chest.

He smiled and raised his hands, mockingly. “There’s quite some fight in you now, isn’t there, girl? I like to think I’ve had a good hand in that.”

One thug unclipped his gun and pulled it from the holster. My father turned his palm towards them and shook his head. “I’ll handle this.” He chewed his lip as he eyed me over. “Trying to save your sister? I wouldn’t.”

Keeping my resolve firm, I thought about why he needed to die. It was for Milena, yes, but mainly for Alice, for myself and for Aaron. I needed to do it, I couldn’t let him try to sway me. I held the handle so hard my palms hurt, but I couldn’t bring myself to plunge the blade through his chest.

“It’s about time you found out.”

My hands shook. “Found out what?”

“Who do you think hired Jack?”

My stomach lurched and my eyes darted to his. “It was Marcus.”

He cocked his head to the side and nodded. “Initially, yes, you’re right. Who gave the order to kill you?”

I swallowed hard knowing the answer wouldn’t be Marcus. “Who?”

“Your dear sister. She hired Jack wanting to get rid of you and Marcus at the same time.”

“What?” I looked across at her still laying on the floor. She held my eyes for a second then closed hers and turned away.

“Milena never was one for sharing. She’s resented you your entire life.”

I looked back at my father and studied his stern face. “Why would she want me dead?”

“She’s given me a few reasons. Mostly pertaining to your mother. How she loved you more than Milena, blaming you for her… leaving. My theory on her wanting to kill you, however, is that she doesn’t think you’re entitled to hold any of the estate.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re not my daughter.”

The world around me stopped. Everything faded like the volume turned down on reality. Colours muted and shapes lost their edges. There were no sounds, no movements. Even my heartbeat gave up its rhythm. I felt like I didn’t exist, nothing existed, nothing was real.

“Marcus is your father.”

A switch flicked and my focus snapped back in an overwhelming rush. Everything made sense again, and I made sense along with it. I was a jigsaw piece placed in the wrong puzzle, and only now did I see the whole picture.

“How long have you known I wasn’t yours?”

“I’ve always known.”

I raised my head and looked across at the man who put me through hell for twenty-eight years. There was no anger or hate towards him. In fact, I respected him more. He didn’t bring me up well, but he did it the only way he knew, and did it knowing I was the daughter of the man he despised. Before, I was a burden. A wayward child dragged through life by duty. Now, it felt like I was a free woman raised by choice.

“You may not be my flesh and blood, but you still hold your place in this family. A place I expect you to keep. After Milena tried to have you killed, I punished her with the one thing that would hurt her the most. I took away her inheritance. Everything is in your name, Olivia.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want it, I never have.”

“It’s not a question of choice… Or, maybe it is?” He glanced down at the sword, stepped forward and placed the point against his chest. Then looked back up at me with an unnerving stare. “Now, you know everything. I’m not your father, and all the estate is in your name. If you have no allegiance to me, or your role in this family, then go ahead. Kill me. You can take your place or not. There’s nothing stopping you except yourself.”

My grip tightened on the handle as I stared back at him, trying to summon the will to push the blade forward. I thought about Aaron and what the thugs were doing to him right now. About my mother and what she must have gone through. I wanted to do it. I wanted to kill him, but I couldn’t. My grip loosened and I let the blade drop.

“Big mistake.” He ripped the sword from my hand and grabbed me by my hair. “See, that’s your problem, Olivia. You’re too emotional. Too forgiving.”

He dragged me across the room and over towards my sister, pointing the sword in her face. “Milena, on the other hand, is vindictive, manipulative and conniving. All qualities I wish you had a little more of. Unfortunately for her, she’s too reckless, and let’s face it… too stupid.”

She looked offended and opened her mouth to argue, but then focused on the blade in her face and decided better.

“Everything I’ve done, and everything I’ve worked for, has all been for you two. I’d hoped you’d both run this business together, but I now know that couldn’t happen. Milena is out. I can’t change who she is, but I can harden you up, Olivia.”

He looked over at the door and towards the thugs. “Bring over the girl.”

Oh, God. Alice.

I prayed she’d got away. My heart sank when I heard her shriek behind me. They brought her over and placed her next to Milena at my father’s gesture. She looked up at me terrified. Her eyes pleaded for me to help. It wrenched at my heart. There was nothing I could do now. I’d failed her.

“You’ve killed before, Olivia, but you’ve never done it objectively. If you’re to run this business, you need to make the hard decisions. You need to kill despite your emotions. So, here’s your punishment, and your lesson.”

He pointed the sword at each of them in turn. “Choose.”

“What?”

“Choose. You pick which one will die. If you don’t, I’ll kill both.”

“No!”

“Come on, girl. This choice is easy.” He pointed the sword at Milena. “On the one hand, you have your sister. Who not only used the man you loved to try to have you killed, but is also your biggest rival. She’ll stop at nothing to take this business off you.” He pointed the sword at Alice. “On the other hand, you have your best friend. A sweet and innocent civilian who couldn’t say boo to a goose. Your choice.”

“I’m not choosing. No fucking way.” I tried to fight away from him, but he pulled me in tighter.

“You will, or I’ll take them both.” He pressed the sword into Alice’s neck and I stopped fighting. “Do you think I won’t do it?”

“I know you will.”

“So, choose. All you have to do is say a name. Give me the order. You don’t even have to get your hands dirty.”

“I can’t.”

He huffed and leant into my ear. “If you think saying this name is hard, just wait until I make you choose between your real father and your boyfriend.”