I’m Always His Second Priority Novel

Chapter 7 The announcement broke on national television . Dad was watching the evening news when it aired . He called me immediately , his voice shaking . " Julia , turn on the TV ! Now ! " I grabbed the remote and switched it on . On the screen , a spokesperson in uniform stood at a podium , expression grave . " After a joint investigation by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security , authorities successfully dismantled a large - scale international money laundering and financial crime network .

" The primary suspect , Oliver Mendoza , formerly convicted in a local financial fraud case , faked his death three years ago while in prison . He has since been operating abroad , managing an extensive underground banking network . " Oliver . The name hit me like a thunderclap . He wasn't dead ? He faked his death ? The spokesperson continued , " Following his escape , Oliver worked through his domestic associate , Isabelle Mendoza , who posed as his grieving sister . " She manipulated prominent Mr.

Lucas Campbell , using his legal expertise and professional network to launder money and transfer assets for the criminal organization . " The TV screen showed a photo of Oliver being taken into custody , followed by a picture of Isabelle , the same one taken when she was in the hospital ., I felt my whole body go cold . A man who'd been " dead " for three years was alive . 0.00 % 11:02 The pitiful " sister " was his accomplice . And the brilliant lawyer who had ruined his own life out of guilt had become the punchline to a cruel joke .

Dad's voice thundered over the phone , trembling with anger . " Those two bastards ! They played that fool Lucas like a damn puppet ! " I hung up and sat on the couch for a long time , motionless . When Adriel came home , he found me still sitting there . He didn't say a word . He just walked over and wrapped his arms around me . " I saw the news , " he said softly . I rested my head against his chest . I didn't cry . I just felt ... absurdly hollow . It was all too absurd . Lucas ' life had turned into a dark comedy written by fate itself .

He had sacrificed his career , his family , and his dignity to protect a lie crafted by the very people who had used him from the start . The next day , Lucas was taken into custody for questioning as a key associate in the case . He looked dazed as officers led him away . Even then , I didn't think he understood that the " responsibility " he had destroyed everything for had never existed at all . Isabelle was arrested , too . Her so - called mental illness cleared up quickly after some time under the care of federal authorities . And then , she confessed everything .

It had all been a setup from the very beginning . 34.84 % 11:02 Oliver had orchestrated the entire scheme years ago . He needed someone inside the country to assist him , and someone powerful enough to provide high - level legal protection . He chose Lucas . Because Lucas was brilliant , arrogant , and easy to manipulate through guilt . That trial years ago ? Oliver had lost it on purpose . He had planted false evidence , deliberately steering Lucas toward a doomed defense . He didn't want to win the case . He wanted Lucas to lose so completely that the guilt would haunt him forever .

Then , Isabelle made her entrance , exactly as planned . While Oliver operated overseas , she stayed behind to keep Lucas under control . Together , they played him like a puppet . Every " breakdown , " every " suicide attempt , " every " illness " Isabelle had was all staged . Even the baby . The child wasn't Lucas ' at all . It was fathered by another man in Oliver's criminal network . The so - called induced abortion was planned , too . Because when Lucas got married and became a father , he had started to pull away . He was beginning to live for himself again . They couldn't allow that .

They needed something stronger , something devastating enough to shatter him completely and bind him to them forever . That unborn child was their weapon and bargaining chip . 67.76 %