Chapter 7 - The Fortress on the Lake
Within twenty minutes, Melanie was swept into a motorcade of armored SUVs that sliced through the snowy streets toward the north shore. She sat in the back of Lucian's personal vehicle, draped in a cashmere blanket while a private doctor checked Sophia and Lily on the opposite leather seat.
"They have slight frostbite on their fingers, Mr. Vance," the doctor reported gently. "But whoever wrapped them up and gave them warm fluids saved them from severe tissue damage. They are going to be completely fine."
Lucian turned his dark eyes toward Melanie. He had discarded his bloody suit jacket, wearing a clean charcoal sweater that made his broad shoulders look even more imposing.
"You work at that diner?" Lucian asked quietly, his tone softer than anything his men had ever heard him use.
"I did," Melanie said, staring down at her worn boots. "I don't think Mr. Henderson will take me back after missing my shift."
Lucian let out a grim, dark chuckle. "Mr. Henderson no longer owns that diner. I bought it fifteen minutes ago. And then I fired him."
Melanie stared at him in disbelief. "You... you bought the Rusty Fork?"
"I bought the block," Lucian corrected flatly. "Nobody fires the woman who saved my children."
The motorcade pulled through massive iron gates into a sprawling estate overlooking Lake Michigan. High stone walls, security towers, and armed guards lined the perimeter. It wasn't just a mansion; it was an impregnable fortress.
As they stepped inside the grand foyer, heated floors instantly warmed Melanie’s frozen feet. Servants rushed to take their coats, while Lucian personally carried Lily, holding Sophia’s hand.
"This is your home for as long as you want it to be, Melanie," Lucian said, standing in the marble hall. "My enemies tried to take my family last night. They failed because of you. But until I eliminate the snake who leaked my daughters' location, this estate is the safest place on earth."
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"Who was it?" Melanie asked, sensing the dangerous aura that suddenly radiated from him. "Who is the wolf?"
Lucian’s eyes darkened into black ice. "A man who thought he could take my chair. Someone inside my own circle."
