Chapter 9 - The Broken Pawn
The SUV pulled up behind an unassuming single-story house in an older suburban neighborhood thirty miles outside the city. The rain had turned into a steady, gray mist. Clara killed the headlights and turned to Liam. ""Wait here with Maisie. I'm going inside to get Sophie.""
""Sophie?"" Liam’s brow furrowed. ""Vanessa’s former personal assistant? The one who quit two months ago?""
""She didn't quit, Liam. Vanessa fired her and threatened to ruin her life if she spoke up,"" Clara explained, unbuckling her seatbelt. ""Sophie is the one who smuggled the nanny-cam into your lake house. She knew what was happening to Maisie, but she was terrified of the Vance family. She only agreed to give me the footage when I promised to protect her.""
Liam felt a fresh wave of guilt crash over him. All these people around him had seen the danger, had recognized the cruelty festering in his home, while he had been blinded by grief, work, and the desperate hope of giving Maisie a mother figure. ""I'm coming with you,"" he said.
""Maisie is sleeping. Don't wake her,"" Clara said softly, her hand briefly touching his. ""I'll bring Sophie out. She has documents you need to sign to reclaim your corporate funds.""
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Clara stepped out into the damp chill and walked briskly up the brick path to the porch. Liam watched her through the tinted glass, marveling at her composure. She had stood by him through his wife’s funeral, through his corporate battles, and now through the collapse of his wedding. She had been his guardian angel, yet he had almost married a monster.
Suddenly, the front door of the house swung open violently before Clara could even knock. A young woman stumbled out onto the porch, clutching her side, blood staining her white sweater. It was Sophie. Behind her, a shadow moved swiftly inside the dark foyer. Clara drew her weapon instantly, but before she could fire, a loud shot cracked through the night, shattering the porch light into a thousand sparkling shards.
