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The silence in the master bedroom was suffocating. Arthur stared at the open velvet jewelry box on the vanity, his chest tightening. The vintage diamond tennis bracelet—a priceless heirloom that had belonged to his late wife, meant solely for Lily when she turned eighteen—was gone. / Chapter 5 / 8

Chapter 5 - THE DAWN RAID

The first rays of golden sunlight crested over the Hollywood Hills, painting the Los Angeles basin in brilliant hues of orange and pink. Inside the master suite, Arthur and Marcus finalized their digital counter-offensive.

"The guards outside the door are rotating shifts in three minutes," Marcus whispered, checking his watch. "When I give the signal, we take the service stairwell down to the panic room. That’s where Victoria keeps the hardware console for the house's master node."

"And Lily?" Arthur asked, his voice tight with anxiety. "We can't leave without my daughter."

"Lily is sleeping in the nursery, but look at your tablet screen," Marcus pointed to the nursery feed.

Arthur stared at the monitor in horror. Victoria wasn't sleeping. She was already dressed in a sharp power suit, standing inside Lily’s room, holding a packed overnight bag. A nursemaid stood beside her, holding a bewildered, sleepy Lily by the hand.

"She’s moving her out of the estate," Arthur hissed, rage boiling over. "She’s using Lily as leverage to guarantee her escape to the airport!"

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Hook: A desperate showdown in the grand foyer—will Arthur save Lily before Victoria boards the private jet? Find out in Chapter 6!

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