Chapter 5 - THE CHILD THEY WERE AFRAID OF
Julian raced toward the nursery.
Gabriella followed.
The room was empty.
The window was open.
Noah was gone.
Julian's heart stopped.
“NO!”
Gabriella dropped to her knees.
Then she noticed something.
A tiny blue blanket lay beneath the crib.
She picked it up.
“There.”
A hidden microphone was sewn into the fabric.
Someone had been listening to everything.
Julian stared at it.
“Who?”
Gabriella shook her head.
Then she noticed a message written on the nursery wall.
HE WAS NEVER THE TARGET.
Julian felt cold.
“What does that mean?”
Dominic appeared behind him.
“Noah isn't the target.”
“Then who is?”
“Me.”
She pointed toward herself.
Richard had wanted Dominic frightened enough to reveal the location of a second set of records.
Records she had hidden after discovering her father's involvement.
But why would Noah matter?
Dominic finally revealed the truth.
Before Noah was born, Adrian Cross had created an encrypted inheritance.
It wasn't money.
It was evidence.
Every transaction.
Every name.
Every crime.
The key was encoded into Noah's medical records.
Julian stared at her.
“You hid evidence inside your son's records?”
“I had no choice.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because the moment you knew, they would know.”
Julian looked toward Gabriella.
She was crying.
Then a sound came from the hallway.
A baby's cry.
Everyone froze.
Julian ran.
Noah was lying safely inside a basket outside the library.
Beside him was a note.
Julian picked it up.
YOU HAVE 24 HOURS. BRING DOMINIC TO THE OLD TRAIN STATION. COME ALONE.
Dominic shook her head.
“It's a trap.”
Julian folded the note.
“I know.”
“Then don't go.”
“I have to.”
“No.”
Julian looked at her.
“You've spent years protecting Noah alone.”
He gently touched the baby's forehead.
“You don't have to anymore.”
Dominic's eyes filled with tears.
“You still hate me?”
Julian looked at her for a long moment.
“I don't know.”
Then he turned toward Gabriella.
“Take Noah somewhere safe.”
Gabriella nodded.
Julian picked up the phone.
“I'm going to the police.”
Dominic grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
“Why?”
May you like
“Because one of them is already inside the police department.”
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