Chapter 4 - THE WAR IN VALE TOWER
Sebastian stepped into the small apartment, his massive frame instantly dominating the space. He looked around—at the small pile of toddler shoes near the entrance, the plastic toys neatly stacked in a basket, the framed ultrasound photo sitting on the bookshelf that showed three tiny, translucent shapes from four years ago.
He walked toward the open door of the master bedroom. Through the soft glow of a nightlight, he saw them.
Three small beds lined up against the wall.
Noah was sleeping on his stomach, his arms sprawled wide. Ivy had her cheek pressed against a stuffed bunny. And Owen lay near the edge, his dark hair messy, his small gray eyes fluttering open as the floorboards creaked.
Sebastian stopped at the doorway. He didn't enter. He stood there as if held back by a holy, unbreakable barrier. His throat worked as he swallowed hard, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.
Owen sat up, rubbing his eyes with tiny fists. He looked at the tall stranger standing in the dark.
"Mommy?" Owen whispered softly. "Is the giant man lost?"
A sound escaped Sebastian’s throat—a choked, broken sob that he instantly covered with his hand. The most feared businessman in Manhattan was dropping to his knees on my creaky hardwood floor, his shoulders shaking silently as he stared at his son.
I walked over, resting a gentle hand on Owen’s shoulder. "Go back to sleep, baby. The giant man is just leaving."
Owen blinked, nodded obediently, and curled back under his blanket.
Sebastian stood up slowly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. When he looked at me again, the vulnerability was gone. In its place was a terrifying, icy rage that made the air in the apartment feel fifty degrees colder.
"They are coming with me," Sebastian said quietly.
"Over my dead body," I snapped.
"Not like that, Maya," he said, stepping closer and taking my hands in his. His grip was warm, desperate, and fiercely protective. "You are not staying in this apartment another night. Arthur knows I saw you today. Vance knows. If Arthur realizes the truth has come out, he will move to protect himself. He is dangerous, Maya."
"He's your grandfather!"
"He is a monster who stole four years of my children's lives!" Sebastian hissed, his gray eyes flashing like steel. "He made me believe the only woman I ever loved was a mercenary who betrayed me. He made you suffer in poverty while I sat in an empty penthouse drinking myself to sleep every night!"
My heart skipped a beat at his words—the only woman I ever loved.
"I am going to Vale Tower tonight," Sebastian continued, his voice dropping into a lethal whisper. "I am going to tear that building apart brick by brick until every person involved in this deception is ruined. But first, I need you and my children somewhere safe. Somewhere Arthur's men cannot touch."
"Where?" I asked, my defensive wall beginning to crumble under the sheer weight of his conviction.
"My private estate in Bedford," Sebastian said. "It’s fortified, off the grid, and guarded only by men who answer directly to me—men who have no allegiance to my grandfather."
He pulled out his phone and tapped a speed dial. "Gavin. Bring the armored Suburban to the rear alley of the Astoria address. Double security detail. If anyone follows us, neutralize them."
May you like
He hung up and looked back at me, his eyes pleading. "Please, Maya. Trust me one last time. Let me protect our family."
Looking into those gray eyes—the same eyes that looked back at me every morning from Owen’s sweet face—I knew I didn't have a choice. The war for the Vale legacy had begun, and my children were sitting right in the crosshairs.
