Chapter 1
I stormed out of the security room.
Hector followed close behind.
"Mr. Vance," he said. "What do you want me to do?"
I didn't answer.
I was seeing red.
Every step I took toward the main house felt like walking through fire.
Chloe.
The woman I'd planned to marry.
The woman I'd brought into my home.
Into my daughters' lives.
She'd been abusing them.
And I'd been too blind to see it.
I burst through the back door.
I could hear voices from the living room.
Chloe's voice.
Sharp.
Cold.
"You think that little housekeeper can protect you?" she was saying. "She's nothing. She's replaceable. And if you tell your father anything, I'll make sure she's gone before the sun sets. Do you understand?"
I walked into the living room.
She was standing over my daughters.
Valeria had her arms wrapped around Sofia.
Both girls were crying.
Marisol was standing between them and Chloe.
Her face was set.
Brave.
Chloe turned when she heard me enter.
Her face went white.
"Alexander?" she whispered. "You're supposed to be in Toronto."
"I never got on the plane," I said.
My voice was low.
Dangerous.
She took a step back.
"I can explain—"
"Explain what?" I said. I walked toward her. "Explain why you're screaming at my daughters? Explain why you took Sofia's rabbit? The last thing their mother gave her? Explain why you've been abusing them behind my back?"
Tears filled her eyes.
Fake tears.
"Alexander, it's not what you think. They were being difficult. I was just disciplining them—"
"Disciplining them?" I pointed at Sofia. "She's six years old. She was reading. You grabbed her wrist. You terrorized them."
I looked at Marisol.
She was still standing protectively in front of the girls.
Her eyes met mine.
And I saw everything in that look.
The fear.
The relief.
The quiet strength.
"Thank you," I said to her.
She nodded.
Chloe tried to touch my arm.
"Alexander, please. Let's talk about this. Privately."
I pulled away.
"Don't touch me."
I turned to Hector, who was standing in the doorway.
"Get her out of my house," I said. "Now."
Hector stepped forward.
"Miss Chloe," he said. "I'll need you to come with me."
Chloe stared at me.
Her face twisted with rage.
"You're making a mistake," she said. "You'll regret this."
"Get her out," I repeated.
Hector escorted her out.
She was screaming now.
Threats.
Accusations.
Promises of revenge.
I didn't listen.
I knelt down in front of my daughters.
Valeria was holding Sofia tightly.
Sofia was crying into her sister's shoulder.
"It's okay," I said. My voice broke. "Daddy's here. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
Valeria looked at me.
Her eyes were full of pain.
"Did you see everything?" she asked.
"I did," I said. "I saw it all. And I'm never leaving you alone with her again. Never."
Sofia lifted her head.
"Can I have my bunny back?" she whispered.
I stood up.
I reached for the shelf.
The rabbit was there.
I handed it to her.
She clutched it to her chest.
And then both girls threw themselves into my arms.
I held them.
Tightly.
I never wanted to let go.
Marisol stood back.
Giving us space.
I looked at her over my daughters' heads.
"Thank you," I said again. "For protecting them. When I couldn't."
She smiled sadly.
"They're good girls," she said. "They deserve to be safe."
That night, I put the girls to bed myself.
I stayed with Sofia until she fell asleep.
Her little hand clutching mine.
The rabbit pressed between us.
Then I sat with Valeria.
She was quiet.
Too quiet.
"How long has she been like that?" I asked.
Valeria looked down at her hands.
"A few months," she said. "At first it was just mean words. But then… she started grabbing us. And she said if we told you, she'd make Marisol go away. And we couldn't let that happen. Marisol is the only one who protects us."
Tears ran down my face.
My nine-year-old daughter had been carrying this burden.
For months.
Because she was afraid.
Because she was trying to protect the woman who was protecting her.
"I'm so sorry," I said. "I should have seen it. I should have known."
Valeria looked at me.
"Marisol said you would," she said. "She said you loved us. That you just needed to see it for yourself."
I held her.
And I made a promise to myself.
No one would ever hurt my daughters again.
And Marisol would never have to stand alone.
The next morning, I called my attorney.
I told him everything.
The engagement was off.
I wanted Chloe gone from my life completely.
And I wanted to make sure she could never hurt anyone else.
But as I hung up the phone, Hector came to find me.
His face was grim.
"Mr. Vance," he said. "You need to see this."
He handed me a piece of paper.
It was a text message.
From Chloe.
May you like
Sent to someone I didn't recognize.
*He found out. He's kicking me out. But I'm not going down without a fight. I have the documents. And if he won't give me what I want, I'll destroy him. And those little brats will pay too.*
