Chapter 3 - The Night Adrian Cross Declared WarGrace woke in darkness.
Her wrists were tied.
Her head hurt.
The room smelled like gasoline and wet wood.
She tried to move.
A man stepped into view.
“Your boss will come.”
Grace glared.
“He isn't my boss.”
The man smiled.
“He'll come.”
“You don't know him.”
“We know him very well.”
Grace swallowed.
“What do you want?”
“You.”
“Why?”
“Because he wants you.”
Grace's heart sank.
This wasn't about money.
It wasn't about the Cross organization.
It was about Adrian.
She had become his weakness.
The thought terrified her.
But another thought frightened her more.
Sophie.
She had no idea where her daughter was.
“Where is my daughter?”
The man smiled.
“Safe.”
“If you hurt her—”
“You'll do what?”
Grace stared at him.
“I'll kill you.”
The man laughed.
“You?”
Grace didn't blink.
“Yes.”
He left.
Meanwhile, Adrian was turning Grayhaven upside down.
Every road leaving the county was monitored.
Every warehouse connected to his enemies was searched.
Every person involved in the estate's security was interrogated.
But Adrian didn't torture anyone.
He didn't need to.
His silence was worse.
At 4:20 a.m., Marcus entered the command room.
“We found the vehicle.”
“Where?”
“Old Mill Road.”
“Alive?”
“Empty.”
Adrian stared at the screen.
“Who has access to the estate cameras?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Six people.”
“Name them.”
Marcus handed him a list.
Adrian read it.
Then stopped.
Grace's name wasn't there.
Mrs. Whitaker.
Two guards.
Three technicians.
One maintenance supervisor.
He looked up.
“Bring them.”
Twenty minutes later, one technician broke.
His name was Daniel Price.
He admitted he had disabled the cameras.
“Who paid you?”
He shook.
“Mr. Cross, please.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Who?”
“Someone called me.”
“Name.”
“I don't know.”
“Who?”
Daniel whispered:
“Victor Cross.”
Adrian went still.
His uncle.
The man Adrian had spent ten years believing was dead.
Marcus stared.
“Victor?”
Adrian's voice became almost inaudible.
“He's alive.”
Daniel nodded.
“He said he wanted your attention.”
Adrian's eyes darkened.
“He has it.”
Then Daniel said something else.
“He told me to give you a message.”
“What message?”
“He said...”
Daniel swallowed.
“Your father was right about you.”
Adrian's face changed.
His father.
The man who had betrayed him.
The man whose death had shaped Adrian's entire life.
Victor was bringing the past back.
Adrian left the room.
Marcus followed.
“What are you going to do?”
“Find Grace.”
“And Victor?”
Adrian stopped.
“I'll deal with him afterward.”
“No.”
Marcus looked at him.
Adrian's voice was cold.
“Grace first.”
Hours later, Adrian found the warehouse.
He entered alone.
Twenty men followed him.
Gunfire erupted.
Adrian moved through the building like a storm.
When he finally found Grace, she was bruised but conscious.
He cut her restraints.
She immediately grabbed his coat.
“Sophie.”
“She is safe.”
Grace's knees nearly gave out.
Adrian caught her.
“She is with Mrs. Whitaker.”
Grace buried her face against his chest.
He froze.
Then slowly wrapped his arms around her.
“I thought they had her.”
“I know.”
“I was so scared.”
“I know.”
“Adrian.”
“Yes?”
She pulled back.
“Don't ever let them use us against you.”
He looked at her.
“They already did.”
“What?”
He touched her cheek.
“They taught me what I have to lose.”
Grace's eyes filled.
Then a gunshot rang out.
Adrian shoved her down.
A bullet struck the wall.
Victor's voice echoed from the darkness.
“Beautiful, isn't it?”
Adrian looked up.
His uncle stepped into the light.
“Family.”
Adrian raised his gun.
Victor smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
“Explain.”
“You think you're protecting them.”
Victor's eyes moved toward Grace.
“But you're only making them targets.”
Then he disappeared.
Adrian stared after him.
Grace whispered:
“Who is he?”
May you like
Adrian answered:
“The man who destroyed my family.”
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