Chapter 7 - The Reckoning
"Victor!" I sobbed, collapsing in relief as the door clicked open.
Victor reached into the car, stepping over Marcus’s body, and pulled me and Ellie into his massive, warm embrace. He held us so tight I could barely breathe, but I didn't care. He was covered in rain and blood, radiating power and vengeance, but to me, he was our savior.
"Are you hurt? Did he touch you?" Victor demanded frantically, his hands checking my arms, my face, and then carefully inspecting Ellie.
"No, no... we’re okay," I gasped through my tears. "You came... how did you find us?"
"I put a secondary GPS tracker inside Marcus’s phone yesterday," Victor explained, his voice dark and dangerous. "I already suspected him. Tonight was a trap to force the traitor to reveal himself."
He looked at Marcus's dead body with total indifference, then turned back to me, his blue eyes softening. "I’m sorry I put you through this, Lena. It’s over now."
"Is Moretti dead?" I asked, wiping my tears.
"Moretti's men were wiped out at the hotel," Victor said coldly. "Moretti himself escaped, but my men are hunting him as we speak. He has nowhere left to run."
Victor helped me out of the wrecked SUV and guided us into a second black vehicle parked nearby, driven by his most trusted lieutenant, Leo. We drove back to the estate under heavy security escort.
When we arrived, the mansion was on high alert. Dozens of heavily armed men were stationed at every corner.
Victor led us straight to the master study. He sat me down on the plush leather couch, wrapped a warm woolen blanket around my shoulders, and handed me a cup of warm tea. Then, he gently took Ellie, cradling her in his arms until she fell back asleep in his lap.
For a long time, neither of us said a word. The sound of the rain beating against the large glass windows was the only noise in the quiet room.
"Why did you do it, Victor?" I asked quietly, breaking the silence.
Victor looked up from Ellie's sleeping face. "Do what?"
"Risk your life to save us tonight," I said, looking into his eyes. "You could have stayed back at the hotel. You could have sent your men after Marcus. But you came yourself."
Victor stayed quiet for a moment, his gaze searching my face.
"When Julian left ten years ago, I hated him," Victor confessed, his voice heavy with emotion. "I thought he was a coward for abandoning our family business. But when I saw how he lived with you... how happy he was in that tiny, cheap apartment, eating takeout on the floor... I realized he wasn't a coward. He was the bravest one of us all. He chose love over power."
He reached out, his long fingers gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His touch was warm, soft, and filled with a emotion that made my heart leap into my throat.
"When Julian died, I felt like a part of me died with him," Victor whispered. "I swore I would protect the only good thing he left behind in this world. But over the last three weeks, Lena... it stopped being just about Julian."
My breath hitched. "Victor..."
"I didn't just save you because you’re his widow," Victor said, his voice dropping into a deep, intense hum. "I saved you because I cannot bear the thought of a world where you and Ellie do not exist."
My heart pounded frantically in my chest. The tension between us was electrifying, thick with unspoken feelings that had been building up over weeks of shared grief, protection, and quiet late-night conversations.
Before either of us could say another word, the study door flew open.
Victoria rushed into the room, her face pale, holding a encrypted tablet in her hands.
"Victor!" she gasped, breathless. "We have a massive emergency. Moretti just launched a final attack. He didn't run away."
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Victor’s eyes narrowed instantly. "Where is he?"
Victoria looked at me with genuine terror in her eyes. "He’s at the city hospital. He took the entire pediatric wing hostage—and he’s demanding Lena and Ellie in exchange for the lives of fifty children."
