Page 88 of Unfulfilled Promises
Rhys and Hannah were on the other side of James as I began to open the outer bag, explaining to everyone. “I don’t remember everything I wrote down in here. Sometimes he would ramble for hours about things that didn’t make sense, and other times, he would speak directly about Syndicate business, or other families within the organization. He loved to collect information on people so he could use it later for his gain.” The first bag did a great job of keeping the moisture out, and as I opened the second bag, I continued, “It was when he had me begin to memorize the account numbers that I realized how important they were to him, so I needed to make sure they were recorded, just in case something happened to me. I hoped there would be evidence of me in the house, and then one of you would find the notebook.”
I removed the second bag and pulled out the final one. Unzipping the plastic fastened, I pulled the book out and placed it onto the table with my hands on top. “I’m not asking to keep anything in here a secret, but please realize I wrote downpersonal thoughts and feelings as well, so if you can spare me the embarrassment of speaking about it to anyone who doesn’t need to know, I’d appreciate that courtesy.”
Devlin and Lucian nodded as James looked at me and said, “I swear what’s inside there isn’t anyone’s business, and I’ll make sure it’s never spoken of.”
“Thank you,” I remarked and saw the worried expression on my brother’s face. I needed to reassure him, so I explained. “When I was with him, he convinced me I was a burden to you and I wasn’t missed. I was lonely a lot of the time, so I used the book as a diary as well as a ledger. But please understand that I was in a dark place, and it was a dark time. I’m not there anymore, and that person doesn’t exist now. I’m better, I’m happy, I’m safe, and,” looking at Seth, I exclaimed, “I’m loved.”
Rhys nodded his understanding, so I lifted my hands and opened the book, looking for the entry I made about the accounts. They were scattered, but I located the first one, mixed into the notes from the days around the number’s appearance. They were given to me all at once. He taught me one, then another, always circling back to make sure I didn’t mix them up or mess them up.
“Caymen,” I began then listed the sixteen numbers he made me memorize.
James entered them into the computer as everyone stared up at the screen on the wall, waiting for the results. The passcode popped up, and when he went to enter the last one, I grabbed his arm. “Stop.”
Everyone looked at me and I said, “It’s not the same passcode.”
“How do you know that?” Devlin asked with curiosity.
“This was the first account he made me memorize. Every morning for an hour, I’d repeat the number until I had it downpat, but at night,” I ran my hand along the entry, “he was speaking about Lucian.”
Lucian sat up and leaned his forearms onto the table as Rylee wrapped her arm around his. “What was he saying?”
I looked up at the oldest of us, the first born and the one Sergey laughed about when he spoke of Rylee’s initiation with Lucian and how much he knew it hurt his son. I wasn’t going to dump that information on him, especially since I only remembered his evil comments after reading the entry.
“He was speaking about how he wanted you to become the head of the family, and he didn’t know where he went wrong with you.” Lucian went to speak, but I held my hand up. “We can get into the rest later, but I don’t believe this account is mine. I think . . . I think it’s yours.”
“Then what’s the passcode?” James asked.
I scanned the entry and responded with a hunch, praying I was right. “Heir.”
James typed it into the computer, and it took a minute or so for the account information to update. The balance was the same as the account in my name and I now believed it would be the same for the rest.
“Almost thirty million dollars,” Lucian remarked in a stunned tone.
We repeated the process with Devlin. “Genius.”
As the system analyzed my guess, I watched Devlin, and when the screen showed his account, reflecting a huge sum of money, he shook his head and cast his eyes to the table. Feeling the overwhelming shock and sadness that seemed to be radiating from them, I looked at James for advice.
“Keep going,” he whispered.
Finding the next entry, I read the notes around that time and when I looked up at Stella, I saw her eyes were filled with tears. I hated to do this to any of them, especially knowing whatkind of hell Sergey cast each of them into. But this needed to be finished, once and for all. Whatever we all decided to do with the money was up to each person, and once it was all concluded, I’d answer whatever questions they had about Sergey, even if it had to sugar-coat it.
I refused to let that bastard reach out from the grave and cause pain to anyone I loved.
“Princess,” I said to James after he typed in the account number, and Stella’s tears fell down her cheeks.
Hawk took her hand, and she leaned on him as the screen showed her account. It was the same as the rest, and I felt bad about having to be the one to decipher the past. Looking down, I turned the page and toward the back, I saw handwriting that wasn’t mine. Lifting it up so I could read it, I was stunned with what was scribbled on one page buried behind dozens of blank pages.
‘For the one who was kept safe from the curse of our bloodline.’
Chapter 40
Regan
James was watching me from my left, but I turned to my right to face Seth. He gave me a quizzical look, and I moved the book so he could see it. His eyebrows raised in shock and he nodded to James.
Turning, I covered the message and showed James the numbers scrawled on the page. He began to type them into the computer as Devlin, Lucian, and Stella turned their attention to us.
“What’s going on, Regan?” Devlin inquired as he leaned forward.
