Chapter 5 - The Last Threat
Friday evening, Victor arrived at Noah’s school carrying flowers.
Elena stared at them.
“Those are excessive.”
“They’re for Noah.”
“You bought a five-year-old twelve roses?”
Victor frowned.
“Was I supposed to bring fewer?”
She laughed.
Then Victor’s phone vibrated.
He checked the screen.
His expression changed.
Elena noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Victor.”
He looked toward Noah’s classroom.
“Marco found something connected to Luca.”
“What?”
“A second account.”
Her smile disappeared.
“Meaning?”
“Luca wasn't working alone.”
Victor called Marco.
“Who?”
Marco’s answer made Victor go silent.
Elena grabbed his wrist.
“Tell me.”
Victor ended the call.
“My former attorney.”
“Daniel Reeves?”
Victor nodded.
The man who had handled their divorce.
Elena felt sick.
“He knew where I went.”
“Yes.”
“He helped me change my name.”
“Yes.”
Victor suddenly understood.
“He didn’t help you escape.”
“He helped Luca track me.”
Before Elena could respond, the school lights went out.
Children screamed inside.
Victor immediately grabbed her.
“Stay behind me.”
“Noah.”
“I know.”
They ran.
Teachers were moving children toward emergency exits.
Elena pushed through the crowd.
“Noah!”
No answer.
“NOAH!”
Victor grabbed a teacher.
“Where is Noah Cross?”
“He was just here!”
Elena went pale.
Victor’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Daniel Reeves spoke calmly.
“Six years, Victor.”
Victor’s face became deadly still.
“Where is my son?”
Elena grabbed his arm.
Daniel laughed.
“You finally got something worth losing.”
“Tell me where.”
“Old Moretti warehouse. Come alone.”
The call ended.
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
Victor turned.
“I have to go.”
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“You promised.”
“This is different.”
“You promised Noah you wouldn’t disappear.”
Victor stopped.
Elena stepped closer.
“You don’t protect us by deciding everything alone anymore.”
He stared at her.
Then nodded.
“Fine.”
The old warehouse sat thirty minutes outside the city.
Police surrounded the area quietly after Victor shared the location.
That alone showed Elena how much he had changed.
The old Victor would never have involved them.
Daniel stood inside with Noah.
The boy was frightened but unharmed.
“Dad!”
Victor’s entire body tightened.
“I’m here.”
Daniel held Noah close.
“Stay where you are.”
Victor stopped.
Elena emerged beside him.
Daniel stared.
“You brought her?”
Elena spoke.
“You wanted Victor.”
“No. I wanted what Victor has.”
“Money?”
“Control.”
Victor shook his head.
“You and Luca destroyed six years of our lives for money.”
Daniel laughed.
“Don’t pretend you're innocent.”
“I’m not.”
The answer surprised him.
Victor continued.
“I spent years being exactly the kind of man people expected me to be.”
He looked at Noah.
“But my son won't.”
Daniel backed toward a side exit.
Elena saw movement behind him.
Police.
Victor saw it too.
He kept Daniel talking.
“You hurt Elena because you thought she was weak.”
Daniel smiled.
“She ran.”
Victor shook his head.
“She survived.”
Elena looked at him.
“And you took my son because you thought he was leverage.”
Victor’s voice hardened.
“That was your final mistake.”
Officers moved.
Daniel turned.
Noah twisted free.
“Dad!”
Victor ran forward.
Noah crashed into him.
Victor lifted him and turned his body protectively.
Elena reached them seconds later.
“Mama!”
She wrapped both arms around Noah.
Victor held them both.
Police took Daniel into custody behind them.
Noah buried his face against Victor’s shoulder.
“I knew you’d come.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“I will always come.”
Noah looked at him.
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
Elena touched Victor’s face.
He looked at her.
This time she kissed him.
Not because she had forgotten the past.
May you like
Because for the first time, she believed they might have a future.
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