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Jasper stood frozen on the Denver tarmac, the chill of the mountain air doing nothing to dull the sudden, violent racing of his heart. The three boys clinging to Clara weren't just similar—they were mirror images of his own childhood photographs. Same unruly dark hair, same sharp jawline, same distinct dimple on the left cheek when they laughed. / Chapter 5 / 8

Chapter 5 - Shadows in the NightTwo days passed. Jasper refused to give up. He stayed at a hotel only five minutes away from Clara’s private estate in the suburbs of Denver. He didn't approach with lawyers or media; instead, he sent flowers, simple letters of apology, and genuine gifts for the boys—toys he had researched based on their age groups, without any attached demands.

On Thursday night, a heavy thunderstorm rolled over the Rockies.

Jasper was staring out his hotel window when his phone rang. It was an unlisted number.

"Jasper..." Clara’s voice sounded frantic, laced with terror.

Jasper straightened up instantly. "Clara? What's wrong?"

"It's Richard... he made bail two hours ago through an anonymous offshore backer," Clara gasped. Sirens were wailing faintly in the background of her call. "The security system at my house was tampered with. The power is out, and... Jasper, someone is inside the house! Julian is stuck across town in a mudslide—"

"I'm coming! Stay hidden!" Jasper shouted.

He threw on his jacket, sprinted to his SUV, and sped into the stormy night. His heart hammered against his ribs as he drove through torrential rain, running every red light between his hotel and Clara's estate.

When he pulled up to the gated mansion, the security gate was smashed open. The entire house was pitched in darkness.

Jasper reached under his seat, pulled out a heavy flashlight, and hurried into the house through the broken front door.

"Clara!" he yelled, his voice echoing off the high ceilings.

"Jasper!" A voice cried out from the upper floor.

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Jasper rushed up the grand staircase, turning the corner into the master suite. There, standing near the window, was Richard Thorne, holding a heavy steel tire iron, his face twisted in madness. Clara was cornered near the closet, shielding the three young boys behind her back. The boys were crying, terrified by the thunder and the intruder.

"Stay back, Sterling!" Richard screamed, waving the metal bar wildly. "She ruined my life! She took everything I built! I'm taking her research, and if I can't have it, nobody will!"

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