Chapter 7 - UNCLE VICTORClaire didn’t scream.
That probably saved them.
Victor Santoro stood between the children and the only obvious exit.
His expression remained pleasant.
Caleb reached for the chocolate bag.
Claire snatched it first.
“Actually, lunch is soon.”
Caleb frowned.
“You said we could have dessert.”
“I lied.”
Victor watched her.
Noah looked between them.
Children sensed tension before adults admitted it.
Victor moved toward the kitchen island.
“Something wrong, Claire?”
“Not at all.”
“You look pale.”
“Bad lighting.”
He smiled.
“Adrian mentioned you were amusing.”
Claire’s mind raced.
Phone upstairs.
Emergency button beneath the pantry shelf.
Rosa had shown her yesterday.
Too far.
Four children.
One adult male who likely had a weapon.
She needed distance.
Victor placed one hand inside his jacket.
Claire’s pulse jumped.
Then Sophie spoke.
“Mom?”
Claire looked at her daughter.
Sophie knew that look.
Claire had taught her after becoming a single parent.
A simple rule.
If Mom ever says red shoes, don’t ask questions.
Run.
Claire forced herself to smile.
“Sophie, sweetheart, can you show the boys your red shoes?”
Sophie froze.
Only for half a second.
Then she nodded.
“Okay.”
Victor frowned.
Noah rolled his eyes.
“Why would we care about shoes?”
Sophie grabbed his hand.
“Because they’re upstairs.”
Claire gave Noah a look.
He understood something was wrong.
The triplets might be chaotic, but they were not stupid.
Miles moved first.
Victor stepped in front of the door.
“No need to rush.”
Claire grabbed a ceramic mixing bowl and dropped it.
It shattered.
All four children jumped.
Victor instinctively looked toward the sound.
Claire moved.
She shoved the heavy kitchen cart directly into him.
“RUN!”
Sophie pulled Miles.
Noah grabbed Caleb.
They raced toward the pantry.
Victor recovered fast.
He seized Claire’s arm.
Pain shot through her shoulder.
“You should’ve stayed out of this.”
Claire drove her heel down on his foot.
Victor cursed.
She twisted free.
“PANTRY!”
Noah reached the hidden alarm.
Hit it.
Nothing happened.
Victor laughed.
“I disabled that twenty minutes ago.”
Claire’s heart sank.
Of course he had.
He reached into his jacket.
Gun.
Claire moved between Victor and the children.
“Whatever you want, they don’t know anything.”
Victor’s expression changed.
“I don’t want the boys.”
“Then let them go.”
“I want Adrian.”
“He’s not here.”
“That’s why I am.”
Claire understood.
Hostages.
“You’re using them to bring him back.”
Victor smiled.
“Now you understand.”
Noah stepped beside Claire.
“Our dad will kill you.”
Victor looked almost sad.
“Your father has spent his entire life believing he understands the people around him.”
Caleb whispered, “Uncle Victor?”
Something broke in his voice.
Victor’s face softened for real.
“I’m sorry, boys.”
Miles began crying.
Claire hated him for that more than the gun.
“You’re their godfather.”
“Yes.”
“They trust you.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re doing this anyway?”
Victor’s eyes hardened.
“You know nothing about loyalty.”
“I know it doesn’t look like pointing a weapon at children.”
Victor raised the gun.
“Enough.”
A bell sounded somewhere in the house.
Victor froze.
Claire heard the front doors.
Then Adrian’s voice.
“Claire?”
Victor swore.
“He’s early.”
Claire almost laughed.
“Apparently you don’t understand him as well as you thought.”
Victor grabbed Noah.
The child screamed.
Claire lunged.
Victor aimed the gun at her.
“Stop.”
She stopped.
Adrian’s footsteps approached.
Victor dragged Noah backward.
“Tell him to come alone.”
Claire looked at Noah.
His face was terrified.
“Adrian!”
Footsteps stopped.
Claire shouted, “Victor has Noah!”
Silence.
Then Adrian’s voice changed.
“Victor.”
The older man closed his eyes briefly.
Thirty years of history in one name.
“Come in,” Victor called.
Adrian entered.
Alone.
No weapon visible.
Claire knew better.
His eyes found Noah.
Then Victor.
Then the gun.
“Let him go.”
Victor smiled sadly.
“You always were impatient.”
“You’re holding my son.”
“You brought this on yourself.”
“By what? Trusting you?”
Victor flinched.
Good.
Claire noticed.
Adrian did too.
“Where is Elena?”
Victor’s face became blank.
“Luca found you.”
“Yes.”
“Then my mistake was not killing him properly.”
Noah whimpered.
Adrian’s hands curled.
“Where. Is. My. Wife?”
“Alive the last time I saw her.”
Claire inhaled.
The children looked at Adrian.
Noah whispered, “Mom’s alive?”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Victor had just destroyed the lie Adrian had tried to maintain.
“Where?” Adrian asked.
Victor shook his head.
“You think this is about Elena?”
“What is it about?”
“Your father built an empire. You weakened it.”
“By refusing to sell women?”
Victor’s face hardened.
“By becoming sentimental.”
“You call trafficking business?”
“I call money money.”
Adrian looked disgusted.
“My father would never—”
“Your father created it.”
Adrian went silent.
Victor laughed.
“You still worship him.”
“No.”
“Yes. Even dead.”
Claire saw Noah subtly move his hand.
Toward Victor’s pocket.
What was he doing?
Noah caught Claire’s eye.
Then she understood.
The phone.
Victor’s phone was sticking out of his jacket.
Noah slowly reached.
Claire needed distraction.
“You came through my daughter’s window.”
Victor looked at her.
“Yes.”
“The orange?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To frighten Adrian.”
“Using me?”
“You’re useful.”
Adrian’s eyes shifted.
Claire continued.
“You knew I’d stay.”
Victor smiled.
“After the fire prank? Yes.”
Adrian looked confused.
Claire kept talking.
“You knew because you had investigated me.”
“You’re predictable.”
Noah’s fingers touched the phone.
Victor didn’t notice.
“Single mother. Dead husband. Hero complex.”
Claire wanted to punch him.
Instead she smiled.
“You forgot stubborn.”
Noah pulled the phone free.
Dropped it.
Victor looked down.
Adrian moved.
Everything happened at once.
Noah dove.
Claire grabbed Caleb and Miles.
Adrian slammed Victor’s gun hand into the marble counter.
The weapon fired.
Sophie screamed.
Glass shattered.
Adrian hit Victor.
Victor struck back.
Noah crawled toward Claire.
She pulled him behind the island.
The two men crashed into the dining table.
Victor was older.
Adrian was faster.
Within seconds Adrian had him on the floor.
Gun pointed at his head.
Victor laughed through blood.
“Do it.”
Adrian’s chest heaved.
“Tell me where Elena is.”
“Kill me.”
“WHERE IS SHE?”
Victor smiled.
“You won’t.”
Adrian pressed the weapon harder.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victor looked toward the children.
“Because she changed you.”
Adrian’s finger tightened.
Claire stood.
“Adrian.”
He didn’t look at her.
Victor whispered, “Weak.”
Claire stepped closer.
“Your sons are watching.”
Adrian froze.
Noah stood beside her.
Caleb held Sophie’s hand.
Miles cried silently.
Adrian lowered the gun.
Victor’s smile disappeared.
Because mercy hurt him more than violence.
Security rushed in.
Victor was dragged away.
Adrian knelt before his sons.
Noah stared at him.
“Mom’s alive?”
Adrian swallowed.
“I don’t know.”
“You said she was gone.”
“I thought she was.”
“You lied.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
Noah stepped backward.
“No.”
Adrian’s face broke.
Claire wanted to intervene.
She didn’t.
Some wounds had to exist before they could heal.
Noah ran upstairs.
Caleb followed.
Miles remained.
He looked at his father.
“Did Mom leave because of us?”
Adrian dropped to his knees.
“No.”
“Because of you?”
That question nearly destroyed him.
Adrian whispered, “Maybe.”
Miles began to cry.
Adrian opened his arms.
For once, Miles went willingly.
Claire turned away.
Her own eyes burned.
Sophie slipped her hand into Claire’s.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Are we leaving now?”
Claire looked at Adrian.
At Miles.
At the blood on the marble floor.
At the mansion that had become more dangerous every day.
“Yes,” Claire whispered.
Sophie nodded.
But before Claire could pack, one of Adrian’s security men entered holding Victor’s phone.
“Sir.”
Adrian stood.
“We found something.”
On the phone was an encrypted folder.
Inside were photographs.
Dozens.
All of Elena.
Different locations.
Different years.
And one taken only forty-eight hours earlier.
Elena stood outside a small cottage.
Beside her was a little girl.
Maybe four years old.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
Adrian stared.
Claire’s breath caught.
The little girl looked exactly like the triplets.
May you like
Adrian whispered:
“I have a daughter.”
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