Chapter 4 - The North Wing Bastion
By dawn, Mason Vale had been transferred to the heavily fortified north wing of the Vale estate.
The estate was a sprawling Gothic revival mansion set upon a jagged cliff overlooking the crashing gray waves of the Atlantic Ocean in Bellweather County. For over a century, it had served as the undisputed fortress of the Vale family. Now, it was a war zone.
Evelyn had turned the entire north wing into an armed bunker. Fifty loyal soldiers from the outer docks were stationed around the perimeter. Bulletproof glass had been retrofitted into the tall arched windows within two hours. Every servant, cook, and gardener had been thoroughly vetted, searched, and restricted to designated zones.
Hannah and Lily were given a luxurious suite of rooms directly across the hall from Mason’s private recovery quarters. It was larger than their entire former apartment in the city—flooded with morning sunlight, featuring plush velvet furniture, a private bathroom with marble floors, and a walk-in closet filled with brand-new clothes for Lily.
Yet, despite the luxury, Hannah felt like she was walking on a minefield.
"Mama, can we go to the kitchen?" Lily asked, sitting on the edge of a massive four-poster bed, swinging her legs back and forth. "I'm hungry. And Mr. Vale promised to help me find my shoe."
"Not yet, baby," Hannah said softly, kneeling in front of her daughter to button a new cotton cardigan. "We stay in this suite unless Mrs. Vale or Mr. Vale's nurse calls for us. Understand?"
"Why are the men outside with the big guns?" Lily asked, tilting her head.
"Because... people are being very silly," Hannah evaded gently, smoothing Lily's dark hair.
Before Hannah could say more, a soft knock came at the door.
Hannah’s heart skipped a beat. She stood up quickly and opened it.
Standing in the hallway was Evelyn Vale, flanked by two armed guards. The matriarch looked immaculate, as though she hadn't spent the entire night managing an attempted assassination and a high-stakes family betrayal.
"Hannah," Evelyn greeted smoothly. "I trust the accommodations are satisfactory?"
"They're... they're more than satisfactory, Mrs. Vale, but we really don't need—"
"Save your protests, Hannah. You earned every square inch of this wing," Evelyn interrupted, stepping into the room. Her eyes drifted to Lily. "And how is my favorite detective this morning?"
"I'm good," Lily said cheerfully, sliding off the bed. She ran over and held up her cloth doll. "Mr. Vale is going to help me find my shoe today."
Evelyn smiled faintly—a rare, genuine expression. "He will. But right now, Mason is having a very important meeting in his study across the hall. And he specifically requested that you and your mother join him."
May you like
Hannah froze. "Us? In a security meeting?"
"Especially you," Evelyn said, her expression hardening. "Because Daniel Cross is downstairs in the courtyard, and Mason is about to find out exactly how deep the rot goes."
