Chapter 12 - The Penthouse
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Two months later.
The Chicago skyline glittered like a sea of diamonds through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse. The winter snow had turned into a bitter February chill, but inside the sprawling, three-thousand-square-foot apartment, it was warm and perfectly silent.
Serena stood by the glass, resting her hand on her massive, swollen belly. She was thirty-nine weeks pregnant. The baby was due any day.
The penthouse was a fortress. It occupied the top floor of a high-rise owned exclusively by Silas Vance’s shell corporations. There was a private elevator that required biometric scanning, bulletproof glass on every window, and a detail of highly trained security personnel rotating shifts in the lobby.
Serena had everything she could possibly need. The nursery down the hall was fully stocked with the finest furniture, imported clothes, and toys. A private chef prepared her meals. A specialized OB-GYN visited twice a week for checkups.
The twelve million dollars Silas had extorted from Vargas had been fully laundered and placed into an irrevocable trust in Serena’s name. She was independently wealthy. She was completely safe.
She was also entirely alone.
Matthias and Fiona had completely vanished from the face of the earth. The Greenwich police had investigated the incident at the estate, but millions of dollars in bribes had turned the massacre into a "gas leak explosion." The old-money families had kept their mouths shut out of terror. The Dre family was ruined, their assets seized by mysterious creditors.
It was as if Matthias had never existed.
The private elevator dinged softly, breaking the silence of the penthouse.
Serena turned as the steel doors slid open. Silas stepped out.
He was wearing a tailored charcoal suit, looking just as formidable and immaculate as the night he had stormed into the Christmas party. He held a small, beautifully wrapped box in his hand.
“You’re up late,” Silas said, his deep voice warming the massive room.
“She won't stop kicking,” Serena smiled tiredly, rubbing her ribs. “I think she’s running out of room in there.”
Silas walked over, his eyes softening as he looked at her. Over the past two months, Silas had visited frequently. He never overstayed his welcome, never demanded anything from her. He was simply a quiet, immovable pillar of strength in her fractured world.
He handed her the small box. “I saw this today. Thought of you.”
Serena took the box and untied the silk ribbon. Inside was a delicate, custom-made platinum necklace with a small, beautiful diamond pendant.
It was an unspoken apology for the Cartier necklace he had crushed under his heel in Connecticut. A replacement for the tainted jewelry her husband had bought for his mistress.
“Silas,” Serena whispered, tears suddenly pricking her eyes. “It’s beautiful. But you don't have to keep buying me things. You’ve already given me my life back.”
May you like
Silas stepped closer, his physical presence overwhelming. He reached out, gently brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“I told you in that emergency room, Serena,” Silas said softly. “My life belongs to you. And I intend to spend the rest of it making sure no one ever hurts you again. If you'll let me.”
