Chapter 1 - The Escape in the Storm
The ice-cold rain sliced through the pitch-black midnight air like hundreds of tiny razor blades.
Evelyn ran completely barefoot down the endless, gleaming white marble steps of the private estate.
Her burgundy silk slip dress was entirely soaked through, clinging cold and heavy to her shivering frame.
Tears mixed with the freezing torrential rainwater, completely blurring her vision as she stumbled forward.
Behind her, the giant neo-classical mansion loomed in the shadow like an iron cage of horrors.
She could still hear the terrifying echoes of Julian’s cruel laughter ringing from the top-floor balcony.
He genuinely believed that he had completely broken her spirit over those excruciating days.
He was entirely convinced that she had nowhere left to hide and no strength left to run.
Suddenly, two blinding high-beam headlights aggressively cut through the curtain of downpour.
A massive, sleek black luxury sedan screeched its heavy tires to a sharp halt right at the foot of the staircase.
The rear passenger door swung wide open before the powerful engine even had the chance to cut off.
A tall, remarkably distinguished man with slicked-back silver-gray hair stepped gracefully out into the raging storm.
Harrison Vance lowered his large umbrella slightly, completely disregarding the rain soaking his customized suit.
His icy, laser-sharp eyes locked onto Evelyn’s battered and trembling figure in an instant.
Evelyn collapsed directly forward into his broad, steady chest, completely exhausted.
"Please... please take me away from here, take me home..." she sobbed, clutching his suit jacket desperately.
Harrison wrapped his thick, protective arms around her, holding her tightly against his solid chest.
"I caught you," Harrison whispered in a low, gravelly, yet incredibly soothing tone against her wet hair.
"You are safe now, my dear."
Evelyn squeezed her eyes tightly shut as a wave of warmth finally started to melt her frozen skin.
Harrison slowly lifted his head, his piercing gaze sweeping up toward the brightly lit upper floor windows.
His jaw tightened into a terrifying, rock-solid line of pure, lethal restraint.
His eyes burned with an absolute, terrifying aura of unadulterated fury.
"He forgot who the real owner of this house actually is," Harrison growled, his voice deep with promise.
He gently guided Evelyn into the back seat of the climate-controlled limousine and slammed the door shut.
The heavy luxury vehicle roared to life and violently sped off, disappearing straight into the dark night.
High up on the grand balcony, Julian stood comfortably, swirling a glass of expensive scotch in his hand.
He sneered condescendingly, fully assuming that Evelyn would freeze in the yard and come crawling back to him.
Then, his eyes narrowed as he caught the disappearing red taillights of the departing sedan down the drive.
At that exact moment, his cell phone began to vibrate violently against his thigh.
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It was an automated security alert from the central banking network of the Vance Estate.
Every single one of his luxury credit cards and emergency funds had just been completely, instantly frozen.
