Chapter 9
The next morning,
Harrison met Marcus at a secluded diner.
The smell of grease and cheap coffee surrounded them.
Marcus slid a folder across the table,
his expression grim.
"Julian Vance has been off the grid for two years,"
Marcus said,
leaning in.
"But three months ago,
he returned to the city under an alias."
"He's using the name Thomas Wright,"
"and he's renting an apartment downtown."
Harrison opened the folder,
examining the recent surveillance photos.
Julian looked different,
with longer hair and a beard,
but the eyes were unmistakable.
"What is he doing?"
Harrison asked,
his voice low.
"He's been watching your house,"
Marcus dropped the bombshell.
"I found photos of Khloe and the baby on his digital drive."
Harrison felt a surge of pure rage,
his fists clenching beneath the table.
He wanted to find Julian immediately and end this threat.
But as a lawyer,
he knew he needed absolute proof to destroy him legally.
"Don't lose him,"
Harrison instructed Marcus.
"Watch every move he makes."
"If he goes near my family,
do whatever it takes to stop him."
Harrison paid the bill and left the diner,
his mind working at furious speed.
He needed a strategy,
a way to draw Julian into the open.
He decided to use himself as bait,
knowing Julian's hatred was focused on him.
He returned to his office,
calling a press conference for the next day.
He announced he was taking on a high-profile case against corporate corruption.
It was a public statement,
designed to trigger Julian's anger.
When the news aired,
Harrison sat in his office,
waiting for the reaction.
His phone remained silent,
but the air felt heavy with anticipation.
He knew Julian was watching,
seething with anger at his success.
That evening,
Harrison drove home via a different route,
checking for tails.
No one followed him,
but the sense of danger remained.
He entered the house,
finding Khloe in the kitchen.
She had heard about the press conference on the news.
"Why are you putting yourself in the spotlight?"
she asked,
her voice laced with worry.
"To protect you,"
he answered honestly.
"If he is focused on me,
he leaves you alone."
Khloe shook her head,
tears shining in her eyes.
"I don't want to lose you,
Harrison."
"You are all we have left."
He walked over,
pulling her into a tight embrace.
"You won't lose me,"
he promised,
staring over her shoulder into the darkness outside.
"I am the one who wins,
remember?"
But inside,
he knew this was the most dangerous case of his life.
One mistake could cost him everything he loved.
He stayed up late into the night,
checking the security monitors.
Every shadow seemed to move,
every sound seemed amplified.
May you like
He was ready for the storm,
even if it broke him.
