Everyone watched Victoria raise her hand against a helpless elderly woman, but only one waitress dared to stop her—and seconds later, Chicago’s most powerful billionaire walked straight toward them. / Chapter 24 / 191

Chapter 24 - The Ashes of Betrayal

Within thirty minutes, the estate was locked down by a convoy of armored SUVs bearing the crest of the Moretti tactical division. The local police, quietly alerted through private channels, cordoned off the coastal roads under the guise of downed power lines and hurricane damage.

The great library had been transformed into a triage zone. Rain still lashed against the plastic sheeting Dominic’s men had hastily stapled across the shattered window frame, the heavy tarps snapping violently in the wind.

Marcus Vance sat bound in a steel chair in the center of the ruined room, a field medic roughly wrapping a pressure bandage around his wounded leg. The former titan of Chicago finance looked shriveled, the dignified facade stripped away to reveal a trembling, cornered old man.

Vincent stood over him, having changed into a clean black shirt, though the bruising on his jaw and the bandage on his hand remained visible. The warmth that had briefly surfaced when he checked on Emma and Liam was gone, replaced once more by the terrifying, glacial aura of Chicago’s apex predator.

"Thirty years, Marcus," Vincent said softly. The quietness of his tone was far more frightening than any shout. "My father treated you as a brother. When your son racked up eight million in gambling debts in Macau, my father cleared it without demanding a cent. And you held a gun to a child’s head."

Vance spat blood onto the floor, trembling with a mix of pain and bitterness. "Your father was weak, Vincent! He forgot who we were! Moretti Global wasn't built on solar farms and biotech labs! We ruled this city because people feared our shadow! Arthur offered to bring that power back. He promised us what we were owed!"

"Arthur gave you nothing but a grave," Vincent replied coldly. He turned to Dominic. "Where did Arthur go?"

"He had a secondary extraction team waiting on a zodiac boat at the base of the cliffs," Dominic reported, handing Vincent a secure tablet. "They navigated the storm surge and slipped past the harbor patrol before our boats could intercept. Our trackers indicate he's heading inland toward the industrial corridor along the Calumet River."

"He won't leave the city," Vincent stated, staring at the map. "Arthur's pride won't allow him to flee until he either takes the crown or burns Chicago to the ground."

In the adjacent sitting room, Emma sat on a plush sofa, holding a warm mug of cocoa between both hands. Liam was curled up beside her, wrapped in a thick wool blanket, sound asleep from absolute exhaustion.

The door opened quietly, and Vincent stepped in. The hard, merciless edge in his eyes softened the moment he saw Emma. He walked over, sitting on the low coffee table across from her, his long fingers gently resting on the edge of the sofa near Liam’s foot.

"The doctor examined Liam while he was dozing off," Vincent murmured gently. "No physical injuries. But I know the mental scars won't fade quickly."

"He was so brave, Vincent," Emma said, her voice catching. "He threw his flashlight at Vance. He tried to protect me."

"He learned that from his sister," Vincent said, his dark eyes fixing onto hers with an intensity that made Emma’s heart skip a beat. "You stood in front of a gun for him. And you called Arthur a coward to his face while a blade was at your throat."

Emma offered a tired, fragile smile. "I was terrified. I just... I couldn't let them take him. Or you."

Vincent’s breath hitched slightly at her last words. He reached out, his warm, calloused hand lightly brushing a stray strand of damp hair from her forehead. "You have survived two storms tonight, Emma. But Arthur is still out there, and he knows that you are the one thing in this city I cannot afford to lose."

Emma looked into his eyes, understanding the terrifying weight of what that meant. "What happens now?"