Chapter 2 - The Master Blueprint
The leather seats of our black SUV swallowed the sound of the screeching tires as Daniel pulled away from the curb of Willowmere. He took one look at Emma’s tear-stained cheeks and the red bruise blooming on her knee, and the temperature inside the cabin plummeted.
“Did Vivian touch her?” Daniel’s voice was dangerously low, the knuckles of his hands whitening against the steering wheel.
“She shoved her onto the hardwood,” I replied, my voice steady, though my heart hammered like a war drum. “And Beatrice cheered her on.”
Daniel reached across the console, his warm palm gripping my trembling hand. “The grace period ends today. No more extensions. No more hiding behind corporate shadows.”
“Execute the clause,” I whispered.
Daniel nodded once, tapping the dash screen to connect with his chief legal counsel, Marcus Vance. “Marcus, it’s Daniel. Veritas Capital is calling in the entire debt portfolio on Willowmere effective immediately. Freeze their operating accounts, cancel their credit lines, and ensure the formal notice is delivered to Vivian’s front gates by eight o’clock tomorrow morning.”
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“Consider it done, Mr. Vance,” came the crisp response over the speaker.
I looked down at Emma, who had finally quieted down, clutching her stuffed bunny. I kissed her forehead, whispering, “Mommy’s got you, sweetheart. No one will ever hurt you in our home again.”
