Chapter 16 - The Shadow on Mercer Island
The rain that had plagued the Pacific Northwest for weeks finally gave way to a cold, watchful quiet over Mercer Island.
At the Vance estate, Eleanor worked tirelessly to transform the house into a fortress. She hired a private security team to patrol the manicured perimeter around the clock, while inside, she spent every moment helping seven-year-old Chloe and nine-year-old Leo rebuild their lives.
For the first time in four years, Leo’s night terrors began to fade. He slept in a room filled with light, his hand often resting in Chloe’s as she read him stories. Yet, despite the physical safety, an uneasy tension hung over the household.
In his jail cell, Julian had activated Protocol B through Marcus Miller—his long-time dirty fixer and former syndicate enforcer. Marcus was paid handsomely to eliminate Eleanor before she could take the stand in the upcoming federal trial.
On a foggy Tuesday evening, as the sun dipped behind Puget Sound, the estate's main power lines were suddenly severed.
The towering iron gates lost power, swinging open silently in the damp wind. The outdoor floodlights plunged into absolute darkness, and the security monitors inside the guardhouse flickered out one by one.
May you like
Inside the grand house, emergency lights clicked on, casting long, eerie shadows across the marble foyer.
Eleanor stood at the top of the grand staircase, her heart dropping into her stomach as she heard the faint sound of glass breaking in the rear conservatory.
Related Stories
