Chapter 2 - The Inheritance of Shadows
The world seemed to tilt on its axis.
"Your... brother?" I stammered, clutching Ellie tighter. "No. That’s impossible. Julian was an accountant! He was quiet, soft-spoken... he didn't have any family. He told me he was an orphan!"
Victor walked over to his massive mahogany desk and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Julian ran away from our family ten years ago, Lena. He hated the life we were born into. He changed his last name, cut all ties with the Vance syndicate, and lived as a ghost. He wanted a normal life. He wanted a life with you."
I felt as though the floor was collapsing beneath my feet. Julian—my loving, gentle Julian, who brought me tea every morning and cried when Ellie was born—was the younger brother of the city's most ruthless mafia kingpin?
"I didn't know," I whispered, my voice breaking. "He never told me."
"I know he didn't," Victor replied quietly. "He was protecting you. If my enemies had found out he had a wife and a child, you would have become targets. That’s why I stayed away. Even after he died in that car accident seven months ago... I forced myself to stay away. To keep you safe."
He took a step toward me, his blue eyes searching my face. "But then I see you working twenty-hour shifts, starving yourself to pay rent, hiding my niece in a dark supply closet because you have nowhere else to turn." A sudden warmth, mixed with a dark, dangerous undertone, flared in his eyes. "The blood of the Vance family does not hide in closets, Lena. And my brother's widow does not beg for crumbs."
"I don't want your money, Victor," I said defensively, backing up a step. "I don't know you. I don't know anything about your world. Julian left that life for a reason."
"Julian is dead!" Victor’s voice echoed sharply through the room, making me flinch, though Ellie remained asleep, lulled by the rhythm of my heartbeat. Victor immediately softened his tone, taking a slow breath. "Julian is gone, Lena. And you are drowning. Look at yourself. You’re exhausted. You’re terrified. Do you think you can survive another month like this?"
I swallowed hard. The truth hurt more than his harsh words. My bank account had twenty-four dollars in it. My landlord had given me a three-day eviction notice yesterday. I was at the absolute end of my rope.
"What do you want from me?" I asked, trembling.
"Come with me," Victor said plainly. "Move into the Vance estate. You and Ellie will have security, medical care, and everything you could ever need. You won't ever have to work another shift in your life."
"And what’s the catch?" I demanded, looking at him skeptically. "Men like you don't offer charity."
Victor’s eyes narrowed slightly. "The catch is that Julian’s death wasn't an accident."
The air left my lungs again. "What?"
"The car crash seven months ago," Victor said, his tone dropping into a terrifying chill. "Someone cut his brakes. I’ve been hunting the person responsible for half a year. And last week, I got a tip. The people who killed my brother... they know about Ellie."
A chill ran down my spine, cold as ice.
"They know Julian had a daughter," Victor continued, stepping closer until he was standing right in front of me. "In our world, an heir is a target—or a bargaining chip. As long as you stay out here in the open, living in a cheap apartment with no security, you and Ellie are sitting ducks. In my house, you are protected by fifty armed men and a fortress."
I looked down at Ellie’s sweet, innocent face. She was so tiny, so fragile. The thought of anyone hurting her made my blood run cold.
"Who... who wants to hurt us?" I asked, my voice barely a breath.
"The Moretti family," Victor answered. "Our main rivals. They are expanding their territory, and they want to extinguish the Vance bloodline entirely."
Before I could answer, the office door slid open. Marcus stepped in, his expression tense.
"Boss," Marcus reported quietly. "We have a problem. Anthony Moretti’s men just pulled up outside the restaurant. They brought a dozen guys. They claim they’re here for dinner, but they’re blocking the back exits."
Victor didn't even flinch. He slowly adjusted his cuffs, a cold, predatory smile spreading across his lips.
"They’re moving faster than I thought," Victor murmured. He turned to me. "Decide now, Lena. Stay here and try your luck with Moretti’s men... or come with me."
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I didn't have a choice. I gripped Ellie tightly against my chest and looked Victor in the eyes.
"Take us," I said.
