Chapter 2 - The House Behind the Iron GatesI had never imagined living somewhere like Elias Vance's home.
Calling it a house felt ridiculous.
It was a private estate overlooking the Hudson, surrounded by iron gates, security cameras, armed guards, and black vehicles that seemed to appear whenever I looked outside.
The first morning I woke there, I thought I was dreaming.
Then I heard crying.
My daughters.
I immediately pushed myself out of bed.
Pain shot through my body.
Before I could reach the nursery, the door opened.
A woman in her sixties stepped out carrying Elise.
She smiled.
“She just finished feeding.”
I froze.
“Who are you?”
“Mrs. Romano.”
She handed me my daughter.
“I've worked for Mr. Vance for twenty-two years.”
I looked down at Elise.
She was warm.
Clean.
Safe.
The sight nearly made me cry.
“Where's Jonah?”
“Sleeping.”
I blinked.
“Jonah?”
Mrs. Romano smiled.
“I'm sorry. I assumed you had named them.”
I looked down.
I hadn't.
My husband had refused to discuss names.
He had said naming girls was pointless.
I whispered,
“Elise.”
Mrs. Romano nodded.
“And the other?”
I looked toward the nursery.
“Jonah.”
She smiled.
“Beautiful.”
I hugged Elise.
For the first time, my daughters had names chosen with love.
At breakfast, Elias was already working.
He sat at the enormous dining table with three men around him.
They immediately stopped talking when I entered.
Elias looked up.
“You should still be resting.”
“I couldn't sleep.”
He stood.
The others left without being asked.
I sat across from him.
“I need answers.”
“You'll get them.”
“Everything.”
He nodded.
“My father wasn't poor?”
“No.”
“Who was he?”
“Your father was Daniel Miller.”
“I know his name.”
“You know the name he used after leaving the organization.”
I stared.
“Organization?”
Elias leaned back.
“Your father built one of the largest private shipping companies on the East Coast.”
I laughed nervously.
“That can't be true.”
“He disappeared when he discovered his partners were laundering money through the company.”
“Why didn't he tell me?”
“Because he believed keeping you ignorant would keep you alive.”
I looked at the table.
“And my husband?”
“Your husband married you for more than love.”
The words hurt.
“Did he know about my father?”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
Suddenly, years of strange questions made sense.
Why Daniel had always asked about my father's papers.
Why he had become interested whenever I mentioned family history.
Why he had insisted that I sign certain financial documents after our wedding.
I whispered,
“I was a doorway.”
Elias didn't deny it.
“You were the key.”
My eyes filled with tears.
“Then why save me?”
He looked directly at me.
“Because I know what it means to be used by people who claim to love you.”
I looked at him.
“What happened to you?”
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he answered quietly.
“My father taught me that weakness gets people killed.”
He looked toward the nursery.
“I believed him.”
“But?”
“But I was wrong.”
A baby's cry came from upstairs.
Elias immediately looked toward the sound.
I noticed something strange.
The feared Mafia boss of New York looked genuinely concerned.
He stood.
“I'll get her.”
I followed.
When we entered the nursery, Jonah was crying.
Elias picked her up awkwardly.
She immediately stopped.
I stared.
He looked embarrassed.
“What?”
I smiled despite myself.
“Nothing.”
He glanced at the baby.
“She likes me.”
“She does.”
He looked at me.
Then quietly said,
“So do I.”
My heart skipped.
Before I could respond, his phone rang.
His expression changed instantly.
He answered.
“Speak.”
A pause.
May you like
Then:
“They found us.”
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