Chapter 6 - The Day Claire Refused to Be Rescued
Elias Varga reached Manhattan before Vincent did.
Claire discovered that at 4:13 in the afternoon.
She had just finished presenting the Westbridge restructuring plan when the building’s emergency alarm activated.
Nobody panicked at first.
Fire drills were common.
Then Claire’s phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Leave through the west stairwell if you want Alexander Hayes to survive.
She stopped walking.
Alexander noticed.
“What?”
Claire handed him the phone.
His expression changed.
“Security.”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“If Varga is watching, calling security may trigger something.”
Alexander stared.
“You cannot possibly be considering following instructions from a criminal.”
“I married one. I know how leverage works.”
“That is not reassuring.”
Claire immediately called Vincent.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
She called Marco.
“Claire?”
“Someone is in the building.”
Marco swore.
“Lock yourself in your office.”
“They threatened Alexander.”
“I don't care about Alexander.”
Alexander heard.
“Charming.”
Claire ignored him.
“Varga is using the fire alarm.”
Marco’s voice became sharp.
“Vincent is thirty minutes out.”
“I don't have thirty minutes.”
“Claire, do not play hero.”
She ended the call.
Alexander looked at her.
“That man dislikes me.”
“He’s loyal to Vincent.”
“That doesn't explain the enthusiasm.”
Claire moved toward the internal security terminal.
“What are you doing?”
“Checking cameras.”
The hallway camera feeds showed employees evacuating.
Then Claire noticed one man moving against the crowd.
Gray maintenance uniform.
Wrong badge placement.
She zoomed in.
His face turned slightly.
She recognized him from photographs.
Elias Varga.
“He's here.”
Alexander swore.
Claire thought quickly.
“What does he want?”
“You.”
“No. If he wanted me dead, he had opportunities.”
“Comforting.”
“He wants Vincent.”
She stared at the camera.
“He expects Vincent to rescue me.”
Alexander understood.
“So don't give him the script.”
Claire nodded.
They moved toward the executive secure room.
The office had a reinforced panic suite installed after an activist investor incident.
Alexander entered the code.
Red light.
Denied.
Again.
Denied.
“The system is locked.”
“He hacked it?”
“Or someone inside did.”
Footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Claire and Alexander exchanged a look.
“Stairwell,” she whispered.
They ran.
At the corner, Varga appeared.
He was younger than Claire expected.
Forty perhaps.
Tall.
Calm.
He held a gun low beside his leg.
“Mrs. Moretti.”
Claire stopped.
Alexander moved in front of her.
Varga smiled.
“That is brave.”
“Leave her alone.”
“I have no interest in you.”
“Then why threaten him?” Claire asked.
Varga looked at her approvingly.
“Because you came.”
Claire’s pulse pounded.
“What do you want?”
“Your husband.”
“Soon to be ex-husband.”
Varga laughed.
“So I've read.”
He tilted his head.
“Does he know you still protect him?”
“I don't.”
“You defended him publicly.”
“Truth isn't protection.”
“Interesting.”
Sirens sounded faintly outside.
Varga’s smile vanished.
“Walk.”
Claire's mind raced.
“What happens if I don't?”
He raised the gun slightly.
Alexander tensed.
Claire moved.
They entered a conference room.
Varga locked the door.
“You're going to call Vincent.”
“No.”
The gun pointed toward Alexander.
Claire swallowed.
“Fine.”
She called.
Vincent answered instantly.
“Claire.”
“Varga is here.”
Silence.
Then a terrifying calm.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Where?”
“Forty-third floor conference room.”
Varga reached for the phone.
Claire pulled back.
He pointed the gun at Alexander.
She handed it over.
“Moretti.”
Vincent's voice was audible.
“You touch her and I will erase everything you have ever built.”
Varga smiled.
“That's the Vincent I remember.”
“What do you want?”
“The terminal. Twenty million. Safe passage.”
“Done.”
Claire looked at the phone.
Varga blinked.
“Too easy.”
“You have my wife.”
Claire’s chest tightened.
Not estranged wife.
Not Claire.
My wife.
Varga paced.
“You'll come alone.”
“Yes.”
“No police.”
“Yes.”
“Thirty minutes.”
“I need forty.”
“You have thirty.”
He ended the call.
Claire watched him.
“You're going to kill him.”
Varga smiled.
“Probably.”
Alexander shifted.
Claire spoke quickly.
“You won't get the terminal if he's dead.”
“I don't want the terminal anymore.”
She understood.
Revenge.
Varga leaned against the table.
“My father died believing Vincent destroyed our family.”
“Did he?”
“Yes.”
“Then why involve me?”
“Because men like Vincent only understand loss when it has a face.”
Claire’s fear turned to anger.
“You think I'm his weakness.”
“You are.”
“No.”
Varga studied her.
“I used to be.”
Claire moved slowly toward the conference table.
Varga watched.
“My husband’s weakness is pride.”
Alexander glanced at her.
Claire continued.
“He'll come through the main entrance because he thinks you expect a tactical team.”
Varga’s eyes narrowed.
“He’ll send Marco through service access.”
Varga looked toward the door.
Claire knew she had him.
“And you know what else?”
“What?”
“He knows this building.”
That was a lie.
But Varga did not know that.
His attention shifted toward the hallway.
Claire moved.
She grabbed a ceramic water pitcher from the table and threw it.
It struck Varga’s gun hand.
The weapon fired.
Glass exploded behind Alexander.
Alexander tackled Varga.
Claire kicked the gun across the floor.
Varga slammed Alexander into the table.
Claire grabbed a chair.
Before she could swing, the conference door burst inward.
Vincent.
He crossed the room like violence given human form.
He hit Varga once.
Twice.
Varga fell.
Vincent followed.
Claire saw murder enter his face.
“Vincent!”
He froze.
His fist hovered.
Varga laughed through blood.
“Do it.”
Vincent stared down at him.
Claire stepped closer.
“Don't.”
Varga smiled.
“She controls you.”
Vincent’s breathing was heavy.
Claire said quietly, “No. I'm asking you.”
There was a difference.
Vincent looked at her.
Then stepped back.
Marco entered with armed security.
Varga was restrained.
Alexander sat against the wall holding his ribs.
Claire rushed to him.
“You okay?”
“Fantastic.”
Vincent watched her touch Alexander’s shoulder.
Old jealousy flickered.
Then disappeared.
He crouched.
“You need a hospital.”
Alexander glared.
“I liked you better when you hated me.”
“I still do.”
Claire almost laughed.
Police arrived.
Statements were taken.
Varga was charged.
His evidence tied Sophia to the original extortion plot but also confirmed she attempted to stop him after he escalated.
Her attorneys negotiated.
The scandal exploded.
By midnight, Claire sat alone on the rooftop terrace of her building.
Vincent found her there.
“Marco said you were up here.”
“You tell Marco too much.”
“He tells me too much.”
Vincent stood beside her.
Neither spoke for a while.
Finally Claire said, “You came alone.”
“Yes.”
“You agreed to everything.”
“Yes.”
“You would have given him the terminal?”
“Yes.”
“The money?”
“Yes.”
“Yourself?”
Vincent looked at her.
“Yes.”
Claire swallowed.
“That's not romantic.”
“I know.”
“It's stupid.”
“I know.”
“You can't keep solving things by sacrificing yourself.”
He almost smiled.
“Claire Bennett giving me emotional advice.”
“Don't get used to it.”
Silence.
Vincent looked over Manhattan.
“I'm going back to Chicago tomorrow.”
She turned.
“What?”
“The threat is over.”
“You don't need to rush.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Why?”
He reached into his coat.
Claire’s heart tightened.
He handed her a document.
The finalized divorce decree.
Signed.
Filed.
Effective that morning.
Claire stared.
“You're free.”
The words hurt more than she expected.
Vincent continued.
“I meant what I said. I love you.”
Claire looked at him.
“But I finally understand that loving you doesn't entitle me to you.”
Her eyes burned.
“Vincent—”
He stepped back.
“I won't call unless it's necessary.”
She said nothing.
“I won't come to your office.”
Nothing.
“I won't use family to pressure you.”
Claire’s throat closed.
Vincent looked at her one final time.
“Happy anniversary, Claire.”
She frowned.
Then remembered.
Exactly six months since the night she left.
He walked away.
May you like
For the first time since their separation, Claire wanted him to turn around.
He didn't.
