Chapter 28
The clock struck midnight,
but the lights in the study remained bright,
casting a sharp glow over the gathered maps and documents.
Elena was typing furiously on her laptop,
accessing confidential public records and corporate registries.
"I am tracking every major corporation that lost funding due to the courthouse safety bill,"
she explained,
not looking up from her screen.
"There are three main construction syndicates that were blacklisted for corruption,"
she continued,
"any one of them would have a motive to see us fail."
Marcus was examining the handwriting on the note,
using a magnifying glass to check for any distinct characteristics.
"The penmanship is precise,"
Marcus observed,
"this was written by someone educated,
someone who takes pleasure in intimidation."
Harrison paced around the room,
his mind working through a list of old associates and rivals,
filtering through memories of violence.
"It feels personal,"
Harrison muttered,
stopping by the window to stare out into the dark gardens.
"The wording implies they know the foundation of our current life,
they know about Khloe,
they know about the child."
Just then,
one of the security monitors flickered,
capturing a brief movement near the eastern wall of the estate.
Marcus immediately dropped his magnifying glass,
his hand moving to his side holster with practiced instinct.
"We have a breach,"
Marcus announced,
his voice instantly turning cold and professional.
Harrison moved to the monitor,
watching as a dark shape cleared the top of the iron fence,
moving with incredible speed and agility.
"He bypassed the motion sensors,"
Harrison noted,
impressed but alarmed by the intruder's skill.
"He knows our blind spots,"
Marcus added,
already heading toward the door to intercept the threat.
"Stay here with Elena,"
Harrison ordered,
"I am going with you."
"No,"
Elena interjected,
"one of you must stay near Khloe and the baby's room."
"She is right,"
Harrison conceded,
turning to Marcus,
"you take the grounds,
I will secure the upper floor."
Marcus nodded once,
disappearing into the dark corridor like a ghost,
ready to hunt the intruder.
Harrison sprinted up the stairs,
his heart pounding against his ribs as adrenaline surged through his veins.
He reached the nursery door,
opening it quietly to find his niece still sleeping peacefully in her bed.
He stepped inside,
closing the door behind him and standing in the shadows,
waiting for any sign of entry.
The window was locked,
but he knew a professional could shatter it in seconds without making a sound.
Outside,
the wind began to howl,
rattling the glass and adding to the intense suspense of the night.
He listened intently,
straining his ears past the sound of the wind,
searching for the scuff of a boot or the creak of a floorboard.
Seconds felt like hours as he stood there,
a silent sentinel protecting the innocent life before him.
Suddenly,
a faint scratching sound came from the balcony right outside the nursery window.
Harrison drew a concealed blade from his belt,
his grip tight,
his muscles coiled like a spring ready to release.
A shadow appeared against the frosted glass,
the outline of a person raising a tool to force the lock.
Harrison did not wait for them to break in,
he unlocked the window himself and threw it open with a violent shove.
The intruder gasped in surprise,
but before they could react,
Harrison grabbed them by the collar and dragged them into the room.
He slammed the figure against the floor,
pinning them down with his knee,
the blade pressed firmly against their throat.
"Give me one reason why I should not end you right now,"
Harrison hissed,
May you like
his eyes burning with a terrifying,
primal fury.
