Chapter 7 - The fracture
The mansion turned into a war zone overnight. Victor and a faction of the syndicate loyal to the old mentor turned against Elias. The loyal guards held the main gates, but the estate was under siege from within their own ranks.
Elias moved Adeline and Noah into the central reinforced study. Noah, still weak, sat quietly on the leather sofa, holding his sister’s hand. He looked at Elias, finally understanding the true nature of the man who had taken them in.
“You’re a criminal,” Noah said softly, no judgment in his voice, only quiet realization.
“I am,” Elias admitted, loading a heavy magazine into his weapon, his tailored black suit discarded for a tactical vest over his white shirt. “But right now, I am the only thing keeping you alive.”
Adeline watched Elias. The fear she felt earlier was shifting into something far more complex. He was a ruthless man, yes, but he was currently tearing down his entire empire, risking everything he had built, simply to protect the children of the man who had saved him.
Suddenly, Noah slumped forward on the sofa, clutching his chest. He was gasping for air, his face dangerously pale.
“Noah!” Adeline screamed, dropping to her knees. “Elias, something’s wrong! His heart!”
Elias rushed over, checking the boy’s pulse. The stress and lingering infection had triggered a severe complication. “He needs immediate surgery. The private clinic won't work, Victor has men watching the roads.”
“He’s going to die here,” Adeline sobbed, clutching her brother.
“No, he isn't,” Elias said fiercely, lifting Noah effortlessly into his strong arms. He looked at Adeline, his dark eyes blazing with an unyielding vow. “Follow me.”
They moved through the hidden servant passages of the mansion, bypassing the main halls where gunfire echoed. Elias led them to a subterranean garage where a reinforced, unmarked medical transport van was hidden.
Elias placed Noah in the back and turned to his most loyal driver. “Take them to the underground clinic in the warehouse district. Do not stop for anyone.”
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“What about you?” Adeline asked, grabbing Elias’s arm before he could close the door.
“I have to stay,” Elias said, gently brushing her dark brown hair back from her tear-stained face. “I have to finish Victor and the mentor. If I don't, you will never be safe.”
