Chapter 10 - The Sanctuary
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The threat from the Cole family wasn't entirely neutralized. While Richard had resigned, Vanessa was wealthy, vindictive, and deeply humiliated.
"You cannot go back to Astoria," Ethan stated firmly as the SUV glided through the Manhattan traffic. "Vanessa knows where you live. She is unstable. I won't risk Micah's safety."
"Ethan, I can't just uproot my son," Grace protested weakly, though the thought of Vanessa's hired thugs showing up at her peeling apartment terrified her. "He has school. His routines."
"I have already had Marcus dispatch a team to pack your belongings," Ethan said, pulling out a tablet. "I enrolled Micah in the Dalton Academy an hour ago. It has the best private security of any school in the state. You are both moving into the penthouse."
Grace opened her mouth to argue, but the sheer logistical efficiency of his protection overwhelmed her. She had spent her entire adult life fighting alone, scraping by to keep her son breathing. To have a billionaire suddenly throw a fortress around them was deeply disorienting.
When they arrived at the penthouse, Micah was already there.
Marcus had brought the boy over, and Micah was currently sitting on the plush living room rug, staring in wide-eyed awe at the sprawling view of Central Park.
"Mom!" Micah cheered, scrambling to his feet. He coughed slightly, reaching for his pocket inhaler.
Grace rushed forward, kneeling to hug him tight. "Are you okay, baby? Were you scared?"
"No way, Marcus let me ride in a car that looks like a tank!" Micah grinned. Then, his eyes fell upon Ethan.
The eight-year-old didn't look at the billionaire with intimidation. He looked directly at the high-tech, motorized wheelchair.
"Whoa," Micah breathed, walking slowly toward Ethan. "Is that carbon fiber? Does it have a turbo button?"
Ethan, who usually hated when people stared at his chair, let out a warm, genuine laugh.
"It is carbon fiber," Ethan smiled, lowering the chair slightly to be at eye level with the boy. "And if you want, I can show you how to program the joystick to do a 360-degree spin."
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"Really?!" Micah's eyes lit up like fireworks.
Grace watched from the rug, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Ethan wasn't looking at Micah as a burden or a PR prop. He was looking at her son with a gentle, patient kindness that broke down the final walls guarding Grace's heart.
