Chapter 6 - THE CONVENTThe convent was abandoned.
That was what the records said.
But the lights were on.
Julian entered with six armed men.
Nora stayed behind him.
The wooden doors creaked.
Inside, there was no one.
Then Lily whispered from behind them.
“Mama.”
Nora turned.
Lily pointed toward the altar.
“There.”
A small girl’s toy lay on the floor.
A blue ribbon.
Julian recognized it instantly.
Claire had used the same ribbon to tie her hair during their first date.
He followed the trail.
It led underground.
A tunnel.
At the end stood a metal door.
Julian opened it.
A woman stood inside.
Gray hair.
Thin face.
A scar along her jaw.
Julian forgot how to breathe.
“Claire.”
She looked at him.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Julian.”
He crossed the room.
For one second, he wanted to embrace her.
Then anger took over.
“You’re alive.”
“Yes.”
“You let me think you were dead.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“You had a daughter.”
“I know.”
“You took my child.”
“I saved her.”
Julian stepped closer.
“You don’t get to decide that.”
Claire looked at Lily.
Her face broke.
“She was supposed to be taken.”
“By whom?”
“Marcus.”
Julian went silent.
Claire continued.
“He knew she was your daughter.”
“Why does he care?”
“Because your blood gives him control over the family trust.”
Julian frowned.
“What trust?”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“You really don’t know.”
She explained that Vincent had secretly placed the DeLuca fortune into a trust.
The heir wasn’t Julian.
It was his first biological child.
Lily.
Marcus wanted control of the child.
If Lily died, the trust would transfer to him.
Julian felt sick.
“That’s why everyone wants her.”
Claire nodded.
“And that’s why I had to disappear.”
“Where were you?”
Claire looked away.
“Prison.”
Julian froze.
“What?”
“Marcus found me.”
She showed him the scar on her wrist.
“He kept me alive because he needed the evidence I had stolen.”
“Then how did you escape?”
“Someone helped me.”
“Who?”
Claire looked toward Nora.
Julian turned.
Nora lowered her head.
“You?”
Nora nodded.
“I got Claire out.”
Julian understood.
But before he could speak, the lights died.
A voice echoed through the tunnel.
“Family reunion.”
Marcus.
Julian drew his gun.
The voice laughed.
Then gunfire erupted.
Men rushed through the doorway.
Julian fired back.
Claire pulled Lily behind a concrete pillar.
Nora screamed.
Bullets tore through the walls.
Julian managed to take down two attackers.
Then someone grabbed Lily.
Julian turned.
“LILY!”
A masked man dragged the child into the darkness.
Julian ran after him.
He reached the tunnel entrance just as the man disappeared into a waiting car.
The rear window lowered.
Lily’s small hand appeared.
She screamed:
“Daddy!”
Julian ran into the street.
The car vanished.
Claire collapsed behind him.
“No…”
Julian turned.
“How did they know she was here?”
Claire stared at him.
Then she whispered:
“Because someone in this room told them.”
Everyone looked at Nora.
Nora slowly raised her hands.
“I swear it wasn’t me.”
Julian’s phone rang.
Marcus.
Julian answered.
His uncle laughed.
“Now you know what it feels like to lose someone you love.”
Julian gripped the phone.
“If you touch my daughter…”
“Oh, Julian.”
Marcus sounded amused.
“I already did.”
A pause.
“Tomorrow morning, you will bring me something.”
“What?”
“The evidence Claire stole.”
“And if I refuse?”
Marcus laughed.
“You’ll receive Lily’s first baby tooth.”
The call ended.
Julian looked at Claire.
Claire was crying.
But Julian wasn’t.
His expression had become terrifyingly calm.
“Where is the evidence?”
May you like
Claire whispered:
“Under your mother’s grave.”
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