Chapter 14 - The City That Burned for an Heir
Chicago erupted.
Within thirty minutes, rival crews moved into Voss territory.
Within an hour, banks froze accounts.
Judges signed emergency warrants.
Police surrounded properties.
And every news channel repeated one sentence:
Declan Voss is dead.
But Declan was standing in a farmhouse basement, alive and furious.
Gavin arrived at midnight.
Real Gavin.
He removed his bulletproof vest.
“I tracked Anthony's network.”
Declan looked at him.
“Who betrayed us?”
Gavin's eyes lowered.
“Everyone.”
Declan almost laughed.
“Helpful.”
“I found the accounts.”
He placed a hard drive on the table.
“Victor. Anthony. Callaway.”
“Savannah?”
“No.”
Declan looked at Savannah.
She stood beside Amelia.
Gavin continued.
“Savannah has been redirecting money away from her father's operation for years.”
Savannah nodded.
“My mother told me to.”
Declan looked at her.
“Why help us?”
She glanced at Amelia.
“Because I know what happens when men like my father decide a woman is inconvenient.”
Amelia touched her stomach.
A sharp pain hit her.
She gasped.
Declan turned instantly.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
Another pain.
Stronger.
Matthew moved closer.
“How far along?”
“Twenty-six weeks.”
Declan's face tightened.
“Hospital.”
“No.”
“Amelia.”
“They'll find me.”
Gavin shook his head.
“There is a private maternity unit outside Chicago.”
Everyone looked at him.
“Owned by someone I trust.”
Three hours later, Amelia was in a hidden medical facility.
The doctor examined her.
“Contractions.”
Declan's face went pale.
“Is the baby okay?”
“Stable.”
He exhaled.
Then the doctor looked at Amelia.
“But stress can trigger premature labor.”
Declan reached for her hand.
She hesitated.
Then let him.
For the first time in months, she didn't pull away.
At 3:00 a.m., Gavin burst into the room.
“We found Anthony.”
“Where?”
“Voss Tower.”
Declan stood.
“We go.”
Amelia gripped his hand.
“Come back.”
He looked at her.
“I will.”
“And Declan?”
“Yes?”
“Don't kill him.”
He stared.
“You're asking me to spare him?”
“I’m asking you not to become him.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Declan kissed her forehead.
“I'll try.”
He left.
At Voss Tower, the doors were wide open.
No guards.
No cameras.
No staff.
Declan entered alone.
The elevator carried him to the top floor.
Anthony waited beside the windows.
“You came.”
“You wanted me here.”
“Yes.”
Declan raised his gun.
“Where is everyone?”
“Gone.”
“Why?”
“Because the empire was never the point.”
Anthony smiled.
“You still don't see it.”
Declan took another step.
“What do you want?”
“The child.”
“Never.”
Anthony sighed.
“Then I'll take the mother.”
A hidden screen came alive.
Amelia appeared on it.
Lying in a hospital bed.
Eyes closed.
Machines surrounding her.
Declan's blood froze.
“No.”
Anthony pressed a button.
The screen zoomed closer.
The doctor stood beside Amelia.
But there was something wrong.
The room was empty.
The machines were fake.
A recording.
Anthony smiled.
“She isn't there.”
Declan turned.
A gunshot rang out.
He fell.
May you like
And the final thing he heard before darkness took him was Anthony whispering:
“Now you know what it feels like to lose everything.”
