The cold October air hit my skin the moment the front door closed behind us, carrying with it the scent of burning leaves and an unmistakable feeling of finality. Behind us, the muffled sounds of chaos erupted inside the dining room—Margaret’s high-pitched gasps, Vivian’s shrill protests demanding to know why no one was defending her, and Daniel’s frantic footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor.

"Open up, you bitch! You took everything from us! You destroyed our lives!" Vivian shrieked, her voice cracking into a manic shriek as she struggled to pull the door open.

I didn't hesitate. I raised the aluminum bat and swung it down hard against the wooden doorframe right beside her hand. The loud metallic echo vibrated through the room.

Vivian shrieked and yanked her hand back just in time.

"Step away from my house, Vivian, or the next swing won't miss your fingers," I shouted through the cracked glass, my voice ringing with absolute authority.

Sirens wailed in the distance, cutting through the suburban night air like a beacon of rescue. Marcus Vance’s security detail—whom I had retained on a 24-hour rotation following Margaret’s collapse—had already been automatically dispatched via our smart-home alarm integration the moment the glass fractured.

Within thirty seconds, flashing red and blue lights illuminated the backyard. Two armed private security guards rounded the corner of the house, instantly pinning Vivian against the brick patio wall as she thrashed and screamed obscenities into the night sky.

"Get your hands off me! Do you know who I am?! I am a Mercer!" she roared, kicking wildly at the guards.

"You're a trespasser facing felony burglary and destruction of private property charges," one of the guards stated flatly, slapping steel handcuffs onto her wrists with practiced efficiency.

As they dragged her away toward the waiting squad car, Vivian turned her head, fixing me with a venomous glare through the broken glass door.

"This isn't over, Claire! Daniel is getting out on appeal! He'll destroy you!" she screamed into the darkness before being shoved into the back of the cruiser.

I lowered the bat, letting out a long, slow breath as my legs momentarily trembled. I walked over to the kids, dropping to my knees and pulling them into a tight, protective embrace.