Chapter 4 - Two Sisters, One Dangerous Lie
Fallon entered the library wearing crimson.
Of course she did.
Fiona immediately understood why everyone feared her.
Fallon didn’t walk into rooms.
She claimed them.
Her eyes moved first to Ronan.
Then Patrick.
Then Fiona.
For the first time, her confidence cracked.
“God.”
Fiona stared at her.
“Six years.”
Fallon swallowed.
“Fi.”
Fiona slapped her.
Patrick looked away.
Ronan didn’t move.
Fallon touched her cheek.
“I deserved that.”
“You deserve another one.”
“Probably.”
“Why me?”
Fallon’s expression changed.
“What?”
“The photograph. Plan B.”
Ronan tossed it onto the table.
Fallon looked down.
Her face went pale.
“That wasn’t mine.”
Ronan’s eyes narrowed.
“You wrote it.”
“No.”
“I know your handwriting.”
“You know the handwriting I wanted you to know.”
Silence.
Fallon picked up the photograph.
“Victor took this.”
Fiona felt cold.
“Why?”
“Because he knew about you.”
“How?”
Fallon looked at her sister.
“Because Victor knew us before Ronan did.”
Fiona shook her head.
“I’ve never met him.”
“Yes, you have.”
Fallon reached into her coat.
Patrick moved.
“Easy.”
Fallon slowly produced an old photograph.
Their mother stood outside a hospital.
Beside her was a younger man.
Fiona recognized him.
“Mr. Dane?”
“He paid Mom’s hospital bills sometimes,” Fiona whispered.
Fallon nodded.
“He wasn’t helping her.”
Ronan stepped closer.
“What did he want?”
“Our father left something behind.”
Fiona frowned.
“Our father was an insurance salesman.”
“No.”
Fallon laughed bitterly.
“That’s what Mom told us.”
She opened her handbag and removed a small encrypted drive.
“Our father handled offshore accounts for Victor’s organization. Before he died, he copied everything.”
Ronan understood first.
“The three million.”
“Was bait.”
“The ledger?”
“Insurance.”
Fiona stared at her sister.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were safe.”
“Safe?”
Fiona’s voice rose.
“I spent six years wondering whether you were dead!”
“And you spent those six years alive.”
Fallon’s eyes filled.
“That was the point.”
Fiona went silent.
Fallon turned to Ronan.
“Victor found out Fiona existed four months ago.”
“That’s why you ran.”
“Yes.”
“You could have told me.”
“Would you have believed me?”
Ronan didn’t answer.
Fallon smiled sadly.
“Exactly.”
Patrick folded his arms.
“You still shot me.”
“You were blocking the door.”
“You could have asked me to move.”
“You wouldn’t have.”
Patrick considered it.
“Fair.”
Fiona stared at them.
“Are all of you insane?”
“Yes,” Patrick said.
Ronan ignored him.
“Where’s the money?”
“Gone.”
His expression hardened.
Fallon shrugged.
“I donated most of it through shell charities.”
“You donated my three million dollars?”
“Technically.”
Ronan took one slow step toward her.
Fallon lifted a finger.
“Before you become dramatic, I can recover something more valuable.”
“What?”
“Victor’s entire financial network.”
Ronan stopped.
Fallon held up the drive.
“But I need Fiona.”
“No.”
Ronan answered before Fiona could.
Fallon raised an eyebrow.
“Protective already?”
“She’s a civilian.”
“So was I once.”
“That isn’t an argument.”
Fiona stepped between them.
“What do you need me to do?”
“Fiona.”
She looked at Ronan.
“You kidnapped me because of this mess. I’m finishing it.”
Fallon smiled faintly.
“There’s my sister.”
“Don’t make me regret saving your life.”
Fallon’s smile disappeared.
“I need you to pretend to be me.”
Fiona stared.
“You’re joking.”
“Victor believes Ronan grabbed me.”
Ronan understood.
“He doesn’t know about the scar.”
“Exactly.”
Fallon looked at Fiona.
“He’ll expect you to behave like me.”
“I don’t know how.”
Fallon’s smile returned.
“You fooled my husband for three days.”
Ronan’s jaw tightened.
Fiona looked at him.
“He had his doubts.”
“I discovered you because of a scar.”
Fallon looked between them.
Something amused her.
“Interesting.”
“Stop,” Fiona and Ronan said together.
Fallon smiled wider.
May you like
“Oh, this is going to be fun.”
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