Chapter 2 - The Woman Behind the GateEvelyn Vale stepped onto the driveway beneath a black umbrella.
Alexander’s mother was seventy-one, elegant, composed, and terrifyingly calm.
She wore a dark green coat.
Not a wrinkle.
Not a strand of hair out of place.
She looked at the destroyed sedan.
Then at Thomas lying motionless beside it.
Then at Alexander.
Finally, her eyes settled on Mia.
For the first time, her expression changed.
Only slightly.
Recognition.
Alexander saw it.
“You know her.”
Evelyn’s grip tightened around the umbrella.
“I know what she is.”
Mia buried her face against Alexander.
He looked at his mother.
“What does that mean?”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“Bring the girl inside.”
“No.”
“Alexander.”
“No.”
His mother’s eyes hardened.
“You have no idea what you are standing in the middle of.”
“I know my wife just threatened a child.”
“You think Elena wrote that message?”
“I saw her name.”
“Names can be forged.”
Alexander stared at her.
His mother walked toward the shattered car.
She knelt beside Thomas.
Two fingers touched his neck.
“He’s alive.”
Alexander exhaled.
Then his mother looked toward the woods.
“Move.”
“What?”
“Move now.”
The urgency in her voice shocked him.
“Why?”
Evelyn looked at Mia.
“Because they were not aiming at the car.”
Alexander froze.
“What?”
“They were aiming at you.”
Mia suddenly grabbed his hand.
“No.”
Alexander looked at her.
“What?”
“The bullet.”
She pointed toward the driveway.
“It wasn't from the woods.”
Everyone went silent.
Mia’s small finger moved upward.
“To the roof.”
Alexander looked at the mansion.
The giant Victorian house towered above them.
And there, on the third floor, behind the stained-glass window of his private study, something moved.
A silhouette.
A person watching them.
Alexander’s stomach dropped.
“Mom.”
Evelyn whispered.
“Run.”
The glass window shattered.
Another bullet slammed into the stone beside Alexander’s head.
He grabbed Mia and sprinted.
Evelyn followed.
They reached the mansion doors.
Alexander shoved them open.
The alarm system was silent.
Too silent.
He locked the doors.
Mia was shaking.
Evelyn looked at Alexander.
“You cannot stay here.”
“This is my house.”
“It stopped being your house two weeks ago.”
Alexander stared at her.
“What happened two weeks ago?”
His mother’s face tightened.
“Your father’s old vault was opened.”
Alexander blinked.
“My father’s dead.”
“I know.”
“What vault?”
Evelyn stared at him.
“The one you were never supposed to know existed.”
A sound came from upstairs.
Three slow knocks.
Mia gasped.
“No.”
Alexander turned.
“What?”
She whispered:
“That’s how they tell us they found you.”
Then the mansion lights went out.
Every window became black.
Alexander reached for his phone.
No signal.
Evelyn pulled a small revolver from beneath her coat.
Alexander stared at it.
“You carry a gun?”
“Only when I know tonight is coming.”
A floorboard creaked upstairs.
Then another.
Someone was walking down the staircase.
Slowly.
Alexander held Mia behind him.
Evelyn raised her gun.
The figure appeared through the darkness.
It was Thomas.
Blood ran down the side of his face.
But he was smiling.
Alexander stared.
“You were shot.”
Thomas continued descending.
“I wasn't shot, sir.”
He lifted one hand.
Something metallic flashed between his fingers.
“I was replaced.”
A voice came from behind Alexander.
A whisper.
“Run.”
He turned.
Mia was staring at the front door.
It had unlocked itself.
May you like
And someone outside was standing in the rain.
Elena.
