The Memory Keeper: Twisted Roots

Chapter 26: Leverage and Lies

I nodded. "It means we have a way out. A way to destroy him."

Khai was still, processing. Then, as if something clicked, her eyes darkened with something lethal.

"If we do this," she murmured, voice low and dangerous, "there's no turning back."

I knew that.

So I met Khai's gaze, unwavering.

"I know."

For the first time in a long time, Khai Stanton smiled.

But it wasn't amusement.

It was war.

Khai's eyes remained locked onto mine, unreadable, yet heavy with unspoken thoughts. Then, after a beat of silence, she asked, "Who else knows about this? Aside from you and me?"

I hesitated for a moment before answering. "Therese," I admitted. "But I told her to keep her mouth shut until this is over."

Khai exhaled sharply, her jaw tightening as she ran a hand through her hair. "Shit, Rain," she muttered under her breath, rubbing her temple as if piecing together a puzzle that was far bigger than either of us.

Then she looked at me again, her tone more urgent this time.

"The Black Book. Where is it?"

I swallowed, glancing around to make sure no one was listening before leaning in slightly. "It's in Waddle's hidden pocket."

Khai blinked. "Waddle?"

"My stuffed penguin," I clarified.

For a second, she just stared at me, and if the situation weren't so serious, I would've laughed at the way her expression twisted between disbelief and exasperation. "Jesus Christ, Rain," she muttered, shaking her head. "Only you would hide the most dangerous evidence against Lucious Stanton inside a damn stuffed animal."

But then, her amusement faded, replaced by something far more serious.

"Listen to me," Khai said, her voice dropping lower, more urgent. "Do you even know what's in that book? I mean, really know?"

I frowned. "It's everything. The transactions, the contacts, the proof of Lucious's crimes—"

"It's more than that," she cut in. "The book itself isn't just a ledger of Stanton's operations. It's a cipher."

I stilled. "What do you mean?"

Khai exhaled, leaning in. "The Black Book contains codes—encrypted folders—linked to the biggest drug cartels in Colombia, North America, the U.S., Mexico, and Europe. It's not just about Stanton's empire; it's about every major syndicate he's ever dealt with. If this thing gets exposed, it won't just take Lucious down. It'll burn the entire underworld to the ground."

A chill ran through me. I thought I had understood the power of the Black Book, but I hadn't realized it was this big.

Then Khai's expression turned even graver.

"And that USB?" she continued. "The one that came with the book?"

I nodded. "Yeah. What about it?"

Khai let out a slow breath, as if bracing herself for the weight of what she was about to say.

"It doesn't just contain documents," she said. "It holds billions of dollars in offshore accounts. Shell companies, ghost investments—the entire financial backbone of Lucious's empire."