Chapter 6 - The Wrath of the Master
Adrian’s gaze swept across the scene in a single fraction of a second: Mr. Vance holding a raised weapon, Clara cornered against the stone balustrade, and little Lily—alive, breathing, and clinging desperately to Clara’s neck.
Vance froze, the brass candlestick slipping from his trembling fingers and clattering loudly against the flagstones.
"Mr... Mr. Vale," Vance stammered, his face draining of all color. "I can explain. The girl... she broke into the restricted wing, she was trying to—"
"Shut your mouth," Adrian whispered.
It wasn't a shout. It was a death sentence.
Before Vance could take another breath, two massive security guards materialized behind Adrian, grabbing Vance by the arms and slamming him face-first against the stone wall with bone-cracking force.
Adrian didn't look at the butler. He walked slowly across the terrace, his eyes fixed entirely on Clara and the small child in her arms. When he reached them, his broad shoulders were trembling—not with anger, but with an overwhelming, suffocating wave of emotion.
He knelt down on the cold stone, ignoring the wind tearing at his tailored coat.
"Lily?" Adrian whispered, his voice cracking violently as he reached out a shaking hand to touch the child's cheek. "My... my baby. You're alive."
Lily looked at her father, tears spilling over her lashes. "Daddy... I'm sorry. I tried to be quiet. I didn't want Selene to hurt you."
Adrian pulled his daughter into his arms, burying his face in her hair as a sob broke from his chest—the first tear he had shed since the day his late wife had supposedly died. He held her as if letting go for even a second would cause her to vanish into thin air.
After a long, agonizing moment, Adrian lifted his head. His eyes, swimming with fierce, unyielding protection, turned toward Clara.
"You knew," Adrian said, his voice deep and reverent. "When everyone told me she was gone... you knew she was here."
"I heard her crying, Mr. Vale," Clara said softly, her voice steady despite her exhaustion. "And when Dr. Harrison said her legs were paralyzed, I knew he was lying. She isn't paralyzed. She’s been poisoned with long-acting muscle relaxants administered daily through her meals."
Adrian’s expression darkened into something terrifying. He stood up slowly, gently handing Lily back into Clara’s safe embrace, and turned toward the guards holding the trembling butler.
"Dante," Adrian called out to his head of security, who had just stepped out onto the terrace.
"Boss," Dante replied crisply.
"Lock Vance in the lower vault. And send a team to Dr. Harrison’s private clinic in Manhattan. Bring him to Blackwater House. Dead or alive, I want him in my study within the hour."
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Adrian then turned back to Clara, his dark eyes softening with profound gratitude and a newfound, absolute trust.
"Clara," Adrian said quietly. "You saved my daughter's life. From this moment forward, no harm will ever touch you in this house. But our work here isn't finished yet. Selene is still downstairs."
