Chapter 5 - Gregor Came Back for His Daughter
Gregor disappeared for three days.
Sarno’s organization began collapsing almost immediately.
Bank accounts were frozen.
Warehouses were searched.
Business partners stopped answering calls.
The ledger had done exactly what Ronan promised.
Iris moved into a small apartment of her own.
Not Ronan’s.
Not Gregor’s.
Hers.
Ronan stood in the kitchen while she unpacked mugs.
“You have six identical cups.”
“They were on sale.”
“You need six?”
“Normal people occasionally have friends.”
“I have friends.”
“Elias works for you.”
“He still counts.”
“No.”
A knock came at the door.
Three slow knocks.
Iris froze.
Ronan’s amusement disappeared.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
She sighed.
“We’ve had this conversation.”
They approached together.
Iris looked through the peephole.
Her breath caught.
“Gregor.”
Ronan’s expression hardened.
Iris opened the door only as far as the security chain allowed.
Her father stood outside.
He looked exhausted.
“Can I come in?”
“No.”
Gregor stared at the chain.
“You’re afraid of me.”
“I was afraid of you for years.”
His face tightened.
“Iris—”
“What do you want?”
Gregor noticed Ronan behind her.
His eyes hardened.
“You destroyed everything.”
Ronan answered quietly.
“No. You documented everything. We simply found the notebooks.”
Gregor looked back at Iris.
“You gave them to him.”
“Yes.”
“I’m your father.”
“That sentence isn’t magic.”
Gregor flinched.
For once, Iris did not soften the truth.
“You hit me. Controlled me. Lied to me. Then you tried to turn me into a bridge between you and Ronan without even telling me.”
“I was trying to survive.”
“So was I.”
Gregor had no answer.
After several seconds he said, “Sarno wants me gone.”
“That sounds like a consequence of your choices.”
“He’ll come after you.”
“His operation is collapsing.”
“You think that makes you safe?”
Ronan stepped closer.
“She isn’t your responsibility anymore.”
Gregor looked at him.
“She’s my daughter.”
Ronan’s voice stayed calm.
“She’s a grown woman.”
That silenced him.
Iris studied her father.
“What do you actually want from me?”
Gregor’s shoulders lowered.
“I wanted to see you.”
“Why?”
His answer took a long time.
“Because I think this may be the last time you let me.”
Iris swallowed.
Gregor continued.
“I spent years believing keeping you close meant keeping you safe.”
“You weren’t keeping me safe.”
“I know.”
“No, Dad. Say it.”
His eyes lifted.
“I was controlling you.”
“And hurting me.”
Gregor’s face broke slightly.
“Yes.”
Iris breathed through the ache in her chest.
She would not pretend those words repaired anything.
But she had waited her entire life to hear them.
Gregor placed an envelope on the floor outside her door.
“What is that?”
“Information on Sarno. Everything I kept outside the notebooks.”
“Why give it to me?”
“Because you were right.”
Iris stared.
“About what?”
“You escaped me.”
He stepped backward.
“And I think maybe you should keep going.”
Then Gregor turned and walked away.
Iris did not chase him.
Ronan remained silent.
Finally she closed the door.
“You okay?”
“No.”
He waited.
She wiped her eyes.
“But I think I will be.”
Ronan nodded.
No speech.
No attempt to fix her.
May you like
He simply remained beside her.
This time, Iris was the one who moved closer.
