Chapter 6 - THE BRIDGE OF LIES
The Willow Creek bridge was an abandoned, rusted structure spanning a deep, churning river just outside the city limits.
The rain had stopped, leaving a thick, eerie fog rolling over the asphalt.
Dominic's SUV parked fifty yards from the bridge.
"Stay in the car, Nora," Dominic ordered, checking the magazine of his weapon.
"She wants you to come alone," I reminded him. "But she didn't say anything about a maid."
Dominic paused. He looked at me, a flicker of genuine respect in his dark eyes.
"You're brave, Nora. But this isn't your fight."
"Margaret stood up for me when nobody else would. It is my fight."
He didn't argue again.
We stepped out into the cold mist.
In the center of the bridge stood Lydia. She was holding a silver handgun, pressed firmly against Margaret's back.
Margaret looked exhausted, her faded blue dress soaked from the rain, but her eyes were defiant.
"Where is the child, Dominic?" Lydia shouted as we approached.
"The child is gone, Lydia," Dominic called back, his voice cutting through the fog. "Alexei gave her back to me. Your deal is dead."
Lydia's face contorted in absolute fury. "You fool! Alexei will slaughter us all without that treaty!"
"Alexei gave me my father's watch," Dominic countered, taking a slow step forward. "He told me exactly how my father died."
Lydia froze. The gun in her hand wavered.
Margaret gasped, looking over her shoulder at the woman who had ruined her life.
"You killed him?" Dominic asked, his voice echoing over the rushing water below. "You killed your own brother for money?"
"He was weak!" Lydia screamed, tears of rage spilling down her face. "He was going to give the empire to you! A boy! I built this family! I sacrificed everything!"
"You sacrificed everyone else," Margaret corrected softly.
Lydia shoved the gun harder into Margaret's spine. "Shut up! You were nothing! A pathetic seamstress who thought she could marry into royalty!"
"She's a better mother than you ever were," Dominic said.
"I raised Rose!" Lydia shrieked. "I gave her everything!"
"You gave her lies," a new voice echoed.
We all turned.
Walking out of the fog on the opposite side of the bridge was Rose.
She was still wearing her wedding dress, the hem soaked and muddy, the handmade veil fluttering in the wind. Beside her stood Daniel, looking resolute.
"Rose, get back!" Lydia shouted. "This isn't safe!"
"You stole my mother," Rose cried, stepping closer. "You stole my life. And you tried to sell Dominic's daughter."
Lydia shook her head frantically. "Rose, sweetheart, I did it to protect you. We belong together."
"I don't belong to you," Rose said firmly.
She reached up and unclasped the heavy diamond necklace Lydia had given her that morning. She threw it onto the wet asphalt.
Lydia stared at the diamonds, then at Rose.
For the first time, Lydia realized she had lost completely.
In her moment of distraction, Margaret drove her elbow backward, striking Lydia in the ribs.
Lydia stumbled, the gun firing wildly into the air.
Dominic lunged.
He tackled his aunt to the ground, pinning her wrist until she dropped the weapon.
Daniel ran forward, pulling Margaret into a protective embrace, shielding her and Rose.
Lydia lay on the wet ground, looking up at the nephew she had betrayed, the niece she had manipulated, and the seamstress she had tortured.
"It's over, Lydia," Dominic whispered.
He didn't shoot her. He simply pulled out a pair of heavy zip-ties and bound her wrists.
"The police have all your financial records," Dominic said coldly. "Alexei Romanov provided them. You're going to spend the rest of your life in a federal cell."
As the sirens wailed in the distance, Margaret collapsed into Rose's arms, both of them sobbing in relief.
Dominic stood up, brushing the dirt from his suit. He looked at me, standing in the fog.
"Are you okay, Nora?"
I nodded, feeling a strange sense of peace wash over me.
But as we turned to walk back to the cars, Daniel suddenly spoke up.
"Dominic. Wait."
Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, folded piece of paper.
"Margaret didn't just sew a veil for Rose," Daniel said quietly. "Lydia didn't know, but Margaret hid something inside the lining before I brought it to her."
Rose looked at her mother in confusion.
Margaret smiled through her tears. "I knew Lydia would never let me near you. So I hid the truth where only you would find it."
Dominic took the paper from Daniel and unfolded it.
He read it, his eyes widening.
May you like
Then he looked at me.
"Answer One, Open Two," he whispered.
