Chapter 4 - The Strike in the Dark
Desperation makes dangerous people reckless.
Having lost his leverage over the company, Julian realized his entire future was evaporating. That evening, in a dark meeting room near the harbor, Julian met with David Dawson once more.
"The legal strategy failed," Julian hissed, throwing a thick envelope of cash onto the table. "Adrian has locked the estate down. But if the girl disappears, the inheritance clause becomes void, and the trust remains frozen in probate for years."
David eyed the money greedily. "What are you saying?"
"Take the child," Julian ordered coldly. "Get her out of La Jolla tonight. Demand ten million dollars in ransom. Once you have the money, leave the country. I’ll make sure the estate security is distracted."
Back at the mansion, the night was heavy with rain and thunder. Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the grand gardens through the tall glass windows.
In the nursery wing, nine-year-old Lily was snuggled in her bed, clutching her worn-out stuffed rabbit. Emma was downstairs in the kitchen, preparing warm tea for Adrian, who was undergoing an intense late-night physical therapy session.
At 11:30 PM, the mansion’s main power grid suddenly cut out. The lights flickered and died, plunging the entire estate into pitch-black darkness. Emergency backup generators clicked on two seconds later, but the security perimeter had experienced a brief, five-second reset window.
That window was all David Dawson needed.
Guided by an insider security map provided by Julian, David slipped through the side service entrance, wearing a dark raincoat and carrying a heavy flashlight. He moved silently through the dark corridors toward the children's wing.
He pushed open the door to Lily’s room.
The little girl woke up at the sound of the heavy footsteps, squinting into the glare of the flashlight. "Mom?"
"Keep quiet, kid," David growled, stepping forward with a thick blanket to cover her.
"Leave her alone!"
A sharp voice echoed from the doorway. Twelve-year-old Noah had been reading in his room down the hall. Seeing the intruder, Noah charged forward, tackling David around the waist!
David swore violently, shoving the twelve-year-old onto the rug. "Get off me, you little brat!"
Lily screamed at the top of her lungs. "MOM! MR. ADRIAN!"
The alarm system began to wail throughout the mansion. Red emergency lights flashed along the walls.
David grabbed Lily, picking her up as she kicked and screamed, and ran down the service staircase toward the subterranean garage. He reached his getaway car, throwing the girl into the back seat, but before he could slam the door shut, a blinding light illuminated the entire underground garage.
Standing near the elevator exit—supported only by a sturdy wooden cane in his right hand and sheer, unyielding willpower—was Adrian Cross.
May you like
His legs were shaking violently under the immense strain, but he was standing on his own two feet for the first time in eight years.
"Put my daughter down," Adrian commanded, his voice echoing through the concrete garage like a thunderclap.
