The Untouchable Damien Royce

Chapter 8

The Power Couple Pact

The locks of the safehouse clicked into place with a loud noise, sealing out the noise of the city. Damien tossed his jacket onto the sofa and headed straight for the bar, pouring himself a glass of water. His hand was steady, but his mind was spinning.

Amelia stood in the middle of the room, her blue dress swaying behind her on the floor. She stopped walking and stood looking directly at Damien. She was staring at him like she was seeing him for the first time.

"No more games, Damien," she said, her voice firm. "I stood by you tonight. I watched you destroy a billionaire’s reputation with a few taps on a screen. A 'nobody' doesn't have the encryption codes for the Pierce Group. Who are you really?"

Damien took a slow sip of water and turned to face her. "You saw it tonight. I’m the man who is going to make them pay for every single thing they have done to me."

"That’s not an answer," Amelia snapped, walking toward him. "John Miller looked like he saw a ghost when you spoke to him. He mentioned a name. He mentioned the owner of SRI. That’s the most powerful medical and tech firm in the world. They call him the Shadow CEO."

Damien set the glass down. "I am the owner of SRI, Amelia. I built it from a prison cell while the world thought I was rotting. It’s my empire."

Amelia’s eyes widened. She stumbled back a step, hitting the edge of the table. "You... you’re the Sovereign? The man everyone has been trying to find for about three years?"

"I am," Damien said. "But now it’s your turn. You aren't just a girl who got cornered in an alley. You knew that poison. You knew how to handle yourself in that room tonight. Who are you?"

Amelia took a deep breath. She reached into a small, hidden pocket in her dress and pulled out a heavy, silver USB drive and a key.

"My name is Amelia Su," she said quietly. "My father is Donald Su. The head of the Su Faction."

Damien’s eyes narrowed. The Su family was the only rival powerful enough to challenge the Pierces. "The rival faction? Why were you running from your own father’s men?"

"Because my father isn't the man people think he is," Amelia said. She walked over to the desk and sat down. "I found records, Damien. Scary records. My father is linked to some very dark, illegal business. I don't know exactly what yet, but I have the encryption keys to his private safe. That’s why his men were after me. He knows I have his secrets."

Before Damien could respond, the front door burst open.

"Damien! Damien, tell me you saw the news!"

A man in a leather jacket and dark jeans ran into the room. He looked tired, with bags under his eyes, but he was grinning. He stopped dead when he saw Amelia sitting at the desk.

"Oh," the man said, blinking. "I didn't know we had company."

Damien sighed, "Daniel. When did you get back?"

"Just today," Daniel said, catching his breath. "I finalized that deal in Chicago just like you asked. Everything is signed and moved. We own everything now. We’re officially the kings of the transport route."

Damien turned to Amelia. "Amelia, this is Daniel. My best friend and my right hand. He’s the only person who stayed loyal while I was inside. Daniel, this is Amelia Su."

Daniel’s eyes went wide. "Su? As in... the Su Faction? Damien, what is going on?"

"We're making a pact," Damien said.

"Damien, wait," Daniel said, his face turning serious. He pulled out a tablet. "I did the research on Nicholas’ secret funding. I followed the money trail from the Pierce Group's emergency accounts. Nicholas is receiving 'charity' from an offshore foundation. When I cracked the shell company, I found a link to your mother’s former partner."

Damien felt a cold chill. "The man my mother told me about? Victor Vance?"

"That's the name she remembers," Daniel said, shaking his head. "But here’s the thing. I searched every database—government, criminal, even the dark web. Victor Vance doesn't exist. There’s no birth certificate, no tax records, no death certificate. It’s like the man was erased from the face of the earth. He’s a complete ghost."

"My mother wonders if he was even real," Damien muttered, rubbing his temples.

"She told me his face feels like a dream she can't quite catch. Like he was wearing a mask the whole time."

Amelia stood up, her face pale. "Damien... there’s something you need to see. This is why I ran away from my father’s house."

She opened a file on the computer from her USB drive and pulled up an image. It was an old photo taken from a hidden camera. It showed a man from the back, holding a small, unconscious boy in his arms.

Damien felt the air leave his lungs. He walked closer to the screen, his hands gripping the edge of the desk so hard his knuckles turned white. The child in the photo looked exactly like him at seven years old.

"That’s me," Damien whispered.

"My father took this photo," Amelia said, her voice trembling. "It was in a folder labeled 'The Asset.' I saw this, and I realized my father was involved in something that was off record. He was working with someone."

Damien looked from the screen to the key in Amelia’s hand. The pieces were finally falling into place, but the picture was bigger and darker than he imagined. His memory was mushy because of the trauma of the crash, but the truth was sitting in a safe inside the Su mansion.

"We need to get into that safe," Damien said, his voice dropping to a low growl.

"It won't be easy," Amelia said. "My father is onto me. But he’s hosting the Grand Winter Gala in exactly one month. Every big name in the city will be there. It’s the only time the house will be busy enough for us to move without being noticed."

Daniel nodded, checking his watch. "I can get the gear. We can use the Gala as a distraction. While Nicholas and Chloe are busy trying to save their falling stock, we’ll be under their noses stealing it."

Damien looked at Amelia. "One month," Damien said, looking at the photo of his younger self. "We get the truth about who erased Victor Vance, and then we burn it all down."