Chapter 3 - The Secret VaultVincent led me away from the grand foyer, past the sweeping staircases and deep into the private, heavily fortified wing of the mansion.
My mind was spinning. Every step felt like walking through a dream—or rather, a nightmare that had suddenly shifted into uncharted territory. For six months, I had lived as a ghost in this house. I was the nameless maid who cleaned the bloodstains, emptied the ashtrays, and kept her head down to avoid drawing the wrath of the Moretti empire.
Now, the master of the empire was holding my hand, leading me through a biometric steel door that slid open to reveal a massive, high-tech private office.
"Sit," Vincent instructed, pushing a velvet armchair toward me.
I sank into it, wrapping my arms around myself as the lingering shock of Julian’s sudden appearance began to wear off, replaced by a cold, sickening dread.
Vincent walked over to a dark mahogany liquor cabinet, poured two fingers of amber liquid into a heavy crystal glass, and downed it in one swallow. He turned back to face me, his sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing a network of old battle scars of his own.
"Julian Vance is a rising star in the state senate," Vincent began, his voice analytical and cold. "He preaches family values, law enforcement reform, and clean government. Behind closed doors, he’s knee-deep in human trafficking, illegal arms, and extortion through shell corporations."
I looked up, stunned. "You... you knew?"
"I know everything that happens in this city, Elena," Vincent replied, walking over and placing a warm cup of tea on the table beside me. "What I didn't know was that his sweet, tragic, deceased wife was hiding right under my nose as a scrubwoman."
"I had to disappear," I said, my voice cracking as the memories rushed back. "After our daughter, Lily, was born... Julian started changing. He wanted me to be a trophy wife, a silent doll. When I tried to leave with Lily, he locked me in the basement. He used those... those knives on me to teach me a lesson. He told me if I ever tried to run again, he would make sure Lily grew up an orphan."
I buried my face in my hands, the hot tears finally breaking through. "I faked my death by driving an old car off the cliff into Lake Michigan while he was away on a business trip. I left my wedding ring and a bloody piece of clothing in the wreckage. I thought he would stop looking for me. I thought we were safe."
"And Lily?" Vincent asked, his tone dropping an octave. "Where is she?"
My heart stopped.
The color drained completely from my face. I had been so focused on hiding myself that I had forgotten the cardinal rule of dealing with monsters like Julian Vance.
"She’s... she’s at the day-care downtown," I gasped, jumping to my feet in absolute terror. "Oh god. Julian knows I’m alive. If he sent his men to the mansion, he might have sent someone for Lily—"
Before I could finish the sentence, the private phone on Vincent’s mahogany desk buzzed violently.
Vincent strode across the room and slammed the speakerphone button.
"Boss," a panicked voice barked through the intercom. It was Marco, the head of Vincent’s external security team. "We’ve got a massive problem. Julian Vance didn't come to your mansion alone. He had a secondary extraction team waiting outside. They just hit the downtown daycare where the maid's kid is registered."
My knees buckled. I grabbed the edge of the desk to keep from collapsing. "No... no, please..."
"Status?" Vincent demanded, his voice turning into absolute ice.
"They grabbed the kid, Boss," Marco reported grimly. "They’re heading south toward the shipping yards in an armored black SUV. We’re in pursuit, but they’ve got hostages as leverage."
Vincent slowly cut the intercom. The silence in the office was suffocating.
May you like
He looked at me, standing frozen in absolute despair. Then, he reached down, picked up his heavy leather holster, and strapped it back across his chest.
"Get your coat, Elena," Vincent said, his eyes burning with a dark, terrifying fury. "Nobody takes a child from my city. And nobody touches anyone under my roof."
