Chapter 16 - Chapter 16 - THE SHADOW PATRIARCH
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Elena spun around, shoving the letter behind her back.
Marcus stood in the doorway, wearing a clean shirt. His eyes were red, his expression haunted. "Elena? The paramedics are downstairs. They need to examine you and the baby."
Before Elena could answer, the roaring sound of heavy tires echoed from the driveway outside.
Marcus frowned and walked to the window, pulling back the heavy velvet drapes.
Down below, three sleek black sedans had pulled up through the estate gates. A tall, silver-haired man in a bespoke charcoal suit stepped out of the lead vehicle, surrounded by four broad-shouldered men in dark suits.
Marcus’s jaw tightened instantly. "Julian Vance."
Elena stepped up beside him, holding the letter tightly in her pocket. "Who is he?"
"My late wife’s uncle," Marcus spat. "The CEO of Vance Global. The most powerful land developer in the state."
Down in the driveway, Julian Vance looked up toward the second-floor nursery window. A faint, terrible smile crossed his face as he adjusted his gold watch.
"What is he doing here at two in the morning?" Elena asked, feeling a chill run down her spine.
"He brought Victoria into my life after Sarah died," Marcus murmured, his eyes filled with sudden realization. "He recommended her as a companion to help me grieve."
Suddenly, Marcus’s phone buzzed on the windowsill. It was a call from the chief of police.
Marcus answered on speakerphone. "Detective?"
"Mr. Sterling," the detective's panicked voice came through the speaker. "I'm calling to warn you. Julian Vance just stepped into the precinct with a team of high-powered attorneys. He posted a five-million-dollar cash bond for Victoria. She's been released."
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Elena gasped. Marcus gripped the windowsill so hard his knuckles turned white.
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