Chapter 5 - The Night Claire Was Taken, Dominic Realized Losing Her Was the One Thing He Couldn’t SurviveClaire disappeared on a rainy Thursday.
She left a board meeting at 6:20.
At 6:27, her driver lost sight of her car.
At 6:34, the police found it abandoned.
At 6:40, Dominic received a video.
Claire was sitting in a chair.
Her hands were tied.
Richard stood behind her.
“You always thought my nephew was powerful.”
Richard smiled.
“Let's find out how powerful he is without you.”
Dominic watched the screen.
Claire looked directly into the camera.
Her face was bruised.
But her voice remained steady.
“Don't give him what he wants.”
Richard laughed.
“Always the strategist.”
Dominic's hands shook.
Anthony noticed.
“Dom.”
“Find her.”
“We will.”
“Now.”
They traced the video.
A warehouse in Pennsylvania.
Dominic flew there himself.
Anthony tried to stop him.
“You're going in blind.”
“I don't care.”
“You could die.”
“I don't care.”
“Dominic—”
“My wife is inside.”
That was enough.
They entered.
Richard was waiting.
Claire was there.
So was Marcus.
He had been kidnapped too.
Richard had planned to force both companies into a transfer.
Claire and Marcus were the keys.
“You have a choice,” Richard said.
“Sign.”
Dominic looked at the contract.
Then at Claire.
She shook her head.
“No.”
Richard raised a gun.
“Sign.”
Claire shouted,
“Don't!”
Dominic signed.
Every page.
Everything.
He transferred control.
Claire stared at him.
“Why?”
He looked at her.
“Because you're worth more than all of it.”
Richard laughed.
Then Marcus attacked.
Security rushed in.
The building erupted.
Richard escaped.
But Claire was free.
Dominic grabbed her.
He held her so tightly she could barely breathe.
“You're safe.”
She whispered,
“You gave him everything.”
“I'd give him more.”
“Why?”
He looked at her.
“Because losing you would kill me.”
She began crying.
He kissed her forehead.
Not her mouth.
Not yet.
Just her forehead.
May you like
Then they stood together in the rain.
For the first time, Claire believed him.
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