Chapter 4 - The Night Our Son Arrived
Everything happened at once.
Doctors moved quickly.
Nurses rushed around Clara.
Machines beeped.
My wife gripped my hand so tightly that her fingernails cut my skin.
"Sebastian."
"I'm here."
"I'm scared."
"So am I."
She looked at me.
"Don't leave."
"I won't."
Outside the operating room, I heard the doctor give instructions.
Our son wasn't supposed to arrive yet.
But he had decided he was done waiting.
The next hour was the longest of my life.
Then I heard a cry.
A tiny, furious cry.
My knees nearly gave out.
"He's here."
The nurse brought him close enough for me to see.
Small.
Red-faced.
Fighting.
Alive.
I cried.
I didn't care who saw.
My son had survived.
Then I looked toward Clara.
She was exhausted but smiling.
"He's beautiful."
I kissed her forehead.
"You saved him."
She shook her head.
"We saved each other."
For the first time in weeks, I believed we might actually be okay.
But the relief lasted only minutes.
A police officer entered the waiting area.
"Mr. Vance?"
"Yes."
"We need to speak with you."
"About what?"
"Your mother."
I stood.
"What happened?"
"She attempted to access your company headquarters."
My stomach tightened.
"Why?"
"She presented documents claiming you had granted her authority over Vance Global."
I looked at Marcus.
He nodded.
"We stopped her."
The officer continued.
"She also filed a complaint alleging that you assaulted her."
I almost laughed.
Almost.
"Of course."
Then another officer arrived.
"We have more."
He handed me a folder.
Inside were photographs of Eleanor transferring money from an account connected to Vance Global.
Millions.
I stared at the numbers.
"Where did this go?"
"Several shell companies."
Marcus leaned closer.
"We recognize one."
"Which?"
He whispered:
"Mercer Holdings."
Daniel.
My closest executive.
The man who had warned me.
The man whose signature appeared on the transfers.
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
"Sebastian."
"Daniel."
"I know what you're thinking."
"Then explain."
"I didn't steal anything."
"Your name is on the transfers."
"Because your mother used my identity."
"Why would she do that?"
"Because she needed someone inside the company."
I closed my eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because she threatened my daughter."
Silence.
That changed everything.
Daniel continued.
"She said if I went to the police, my daughter would disappear."
"Where is your daughter?"
"Safe."
"Who is protecting her?"
"I don't know."
I looked at Marcus.
He immediately understood.
"Bring Daniel here," I said.
Within an hour, Daniel arrived.
He looked exhausted.
"I made mistakes," he admitted.
"You helped her."
"I did."
"Why?"
"At first, I thought it was just financial manipulation."
He handed me a flash drive.
"Then I discovered the real plan."
I plugged it into my laptop.
There were recordings.
Eleanor speaking.
Arthur speaking.
Daniel speaking.
And then Clara's voice.
My wife's voice.
Recorded secretly.
She was crying.
Eleanor was threatening her.
"You will never convince Sebastian."
Clara answered:
"He'll know."
"No."
Eleanor laughed.
"He'll choose his company."
Then Arthur spoke.
"Once the baby is born, things become complicated."
My blood froze.
"Why?"
Arthur answered:
"Because the child becomes the next heir."
I looked at Daniel.
"What were they planning?"
Daniel swallowed.
"To make you believe Clara was unstable."
"Then divorce her."
"Then isolate you."
"Then control the company through the trust."
I stared at the screen.
"And my son?"
Daniel looked away.
"They wanted custody leverage."
The room went silent.
I thought of Clara beneath the table.
The fear in her eyes.
The apology.
The way she had protected my mother.
I stood.
"No one gets near my wife or my son."
Marcus nodded.
"Agreed."
But before we could do anything else, my phone received an unknown message.
A photograph appeared.
It showed our newborn son.
Taken inside the hospital.
May you like
Below it were six words:
You haven't won yet, Sebastian.
