Chapter 5 - The Night Vincent Almost Lost HerEdward Voss attacked at dawn.
Not the estate.
Emma's past.
Within hours, old photographs of Sarah Brooks appeared online.
False accusations followed.
Sarah was labeled corrupt.
A thief.
A traitor.
Emma's phone exploded with messages.
Vincent shut every device down.
Emma sat at the kitchen table, shaking.
“They're destroying her name.”
Vincent knelt beside her.
“They want you emotional.”
“She doesn't deserve this.”
“I know.”
“They're lying.”
“I know.”
Emma looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“Because your mother died protecting evidence.”
Emma cried.
Vincent reached across the table.
She took his hand.
The twins entered.
Lily climbed onto Emma's lap.
Noah stood beside Vincent.
“Are we safe?”
Vincent looked at them.
“Yes.”
He knew that was not entirely true.
But he would make it true.
For the first time, he told the twins about their mother.
Not the sanitized version.
The truth.
Claire had been brave.
Claire had been clever.
Claire had loved them.
She had left letters.
Vincent had never opened them.
He had been afraid.
That night, he opened one.
My love,
If you are reading this, something happened to me.
Vincent couldn't breathe.
Emma sat beside him.
He continued.
Please don't make our children inherit your anger.
Teach them kindness.
Teach them to trust.
And if someone comes into their lives who makes this house feel like a home again, don't push her away because you're afraid of losing her.
Vincent stared at Emma.
She had tears in her eyes.
He folded the letter.
Too late.
Emma whispered, “She knew.”
Vincent looked at her.
“She knew I would fall in love with someone else?”
“She knew you needed someone.”
Emma shook her head.
“I'm not replacing her.”
“I know.”
The silence between them became unbearable.
Vincent leaned closer.
Emma didn't move.
Their lips nearly met.
Then the twins screamed.
A window had shattered downstairs.
Vincent reached for his gun.
Emma grabbed the children.
A smoke device exploded.
Everything disappeared in white.
Vincent heard Emma coughing.
“Emma!”
No answer.
“Emma!”
He moved through the smoke.
A figure grabbed him.
They fought.
Vincent slammed the attacker into the wall.
The man escaped through the window.
Vincent turned.
The twins were safe.
But Emma was gone.
His blood froze.
“Emma?”
Nothing.
He ran.
The back door was open.
A black vehicle disappeared beyond the trees.
Vincent stood there.
For three seconds, he was completely still.
Then his rage erupted.
“LOCK DOWN THE COUNTY.”
Aaron stared.
“Vincent—”
“Find her.”
“We need a plan.”
“Find her!”
He threw his phone against the wall.
No one had ever seen him like that.
He didn't eat.
He didn't sleep.
For eighteen hours, he hunted.
Every surveillance camera.
Every highway.
Every private airport.
Every warehouse connected to Voss.
Finally, Aaron found the vehicle.
An abandoned textile mill outside Chester.
Vincent went alone.
Aaron refused.
Vincent ignored him.
Inside the mill, he found Emma tied to a chair.
She was bruised but conscious.
Edward Voss stood behind her.
Older.
Silver-haired.
Perfectly dressed.
“Vincent.”
“You should be dead.”
“I was.”
Voss smiled.
“Then I got better.”
Vincent raised his weapon.
“Let her go.”
“You always did have one weakness.”
“What?”
“Love.”
Emma whispered, “Vincent, don't.”
Voss laughed.
“She changed you.”
Vincent looked at Emma.
“Yes.”
Voss's smile faded.
“That makes you dangerous.”
“No.”
Vincent took a step forward.
“It makes me stronger.”
The fight lasted less than a minute.
Voss escaped through a hidden passage.
Vincent freed Emma.
She collapsed into his arms.
“I knew you'd come.”
“I'll always come.”
She looked up.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
He kissed her.
This time, there was no hesitation.
No fear.
Just everything they had been trying not to feel.
Emma kissed him back.
When they finally separated, she whispered, “This is probably a terrible idea.”
Vincent smiled.
“Probably.”
She laughed.
For the first time in years, Vincent felt alive.
But outside the mill, Voss watched them through a sniper scope.
He lowered the rifle.
May you like
Not today.
He had something much worse planned.
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