Chapter 13 - The Silent Morning
By 5:00 AM, the storm had passed, leaving the city skyline bathed in pale, mist-shrouded gold. The Vance penthouse was eerie in its quietude. A specialized cleanup crew had already replaced the broken furniture, vacuumed the shattered glass, and patched the bullet holes in the plaster walls.
In the master suite, Dr. Mercer finished bandaging Clara's bruised ribs. Eleanor sat by her side, holding a cup of hot chamomile tea, her own hand wrapped in clean gauze where she had fired the sidearm.
""The bone isn't broken, Miss Vance,"" the doctor said softly, packing his surgical kit. ""Severe contusions, mild concussion. You were very lucky.""
""Luck had nothing to do with it,"" Clara said, touching the small butterfly bandage on her eyebrow. ""My father was home.""
The bedroom door clicked open, and Alexander walked in. He had showered, changed into a crisp white shirt, and looked once again like the unshakeable billionaire who commanded boardrooms. But the lingering shadow in his dark eyes betrayed the predator beneath the surface.
""How is she?"" he asked Eleanor, his voice dropping into tender warmth.
""She’s resilient. Like her father,"" Eleanor replied, offering a weary smile.
Clara swung her legs over the side of the mattress, looking at Alexander. ""Is it over, Dad?""
Alexander walked over, sitting beside her and gently brushing a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear. ""The Robas name no longer exists on any commercial registry in this city. Javier and his mother were booked at central holding thirty minutes ago. Bail was denied.""
Clara exhaled a breath she seemed to have held for twenty-four hours. ""And the wedding gifts? The society guests?""
May you like
Alexander smiled faintly. ""Donald informed the papers that you called off the wedding due to fundamental character incompatibilities. The city will mourn your broken heart, but none will dare ask further questions.""
Clara looked down at her hands, still raw around the knuckles. ""I don't want them to mourn my broken heart. I want them to know what happened to the people who tried to break me.""
