Chapter 4 - The Aftermath
That morning had been a masterclass in swift, merciless execution.
Victor’s security detail didn't call the police; they handled their own housecleaning. Within twenty minutes, Marcus Reed and his accomplice were dragged from the upper administrative offices down to the subterranean garage. The bomb—a sophisticated military-grade C4 charge wired to a digital transceiver—was disarmed by one of Victor’s own munitions specialists before it could ever complete its ignition cycle.
Marcus was thrown into the back of an unmarked van and driven out to an abandoned freight yard in Calumet City, never to be seen or heard from again.
When Victor returned to the main house an hour later with blood on his cuffs and cold fury in his eyes, he went straight to the third-floor suite to check on Emily.
She was sitting rigidly on the edge of the velvet armchair, clutching a cup of cold tea.
“It’s handled,” Victor said quietly, standing in the doorway.
Emily let out a long, shuddering breath that sounded like years of pent-up exhaustion leaving her body. “Are... are you okay?”
Victor stared at her, genuinely perplexed. In his world, people betrayed him, feared him, or used him. No one ever looked at him after a near-assassination and asked if he was okay.
“You saved my life today, Emily,” Victor said, stepping into the room. “You risked everything—your job, your safety, your very life—to warn a man who barely knew your last name. Why?”
Emily looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers together. “Because I know what it’s like to feel invisible, Mr. Callaway. And I know what it’s like when someone chooses to see you anyway.”
Victor stood in silence for a long moment, the harsh lines of his face softening just a fraction. He pulled a checkbook from his breast pocket, quickly wrote down a string of numbers, tore the paper free, and laid it gently on the coffee table before her.
May you like
“Your mother’s hip surgery is covered,” Victor said smoothly. “Your brother’s tuition is paid in full through his graduation. And you are no longer a maid in this house, Emily. Effective immediately, you are head of estate operations, with a salary that reflects what you’re actually worth.”
Emily stared at the check, stunned into complete silence.
