"There's something I need to tell you too," I said quietly.
Axel tensed slightly. "What is it?"
"Something I've been keeping from you." I took a shaky breath. "I have evidence against my father."
Axel's eyes widened. "What kind of evidence?"
"Enough to put him behind bars I guess. Financial records, witness testimonies, and..." I paused, my voice catching. "My mother's confession."
"Your mother's confession?"
"Before she died, she recorded everything she knew about his operations. Every dirty deal, every illegal transaction, every person he destroyed along the way." The words tumbled out of me. "She left it for me, along with documents proving his crimes going back decades."
Axel stared at me in disbelief. "Layla, that's... why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because I was scared. And because I didn't know who I could trust." I looked down at my hands. "But there's more, Axel. Something that makes me feel incredibly stupid."
"What is it?"
"Erica."
