Chapter 9 - The Mother's Gambit
Eleanor was shaking, staring at the gun in Marcus’s hand. ""Marcus, this wasn't the arrangement! You said we would force her to sign a waiver! You said no one would be hurt!""
""Quiet, Eleanor,"" Marcus said without glancing at her. ""You’ve outlived your usefulness, just like my brother did. You spent twenty years spending money that didn't exist while Julian gambled the rest away. Arthur knew it was all over. That’s why he created this game—to see which one of you would destroy the other first.""
Jax stood between Marcus and Clara, shielding both her and the baby. ""You won't make it down the driveway, Marcus. I have three men stationed at the gate.""
Marcus smiled thinly. ""Your men were paid off forty minutes ago, Jax. You really shouldn't trust subcontractors from Philadelphia. Now, Clara, hand the child to Eleanor, and step into the study. Let's make this tidy.""
Clara looked at Eleanor. The older woman was pale, her proud, sculpted posture entirely ruined, staring at the child in Clara's arms with an expression of waking conscience. Clara saw the faint, desperate twitch in Eleanor’s jaw.
""Eleanor,"" Clara spoke softly, clearly, cutting through the standoff. ""Look at him. He has Arthur's eyes. He has your father's smile. If you let Marcus take him, the Vance name dies tonight in an offshore orphanage. You will be penniless, cast out into the street by your own brother-in-law.""
""She’s lying to you, Eleanor!"" Marcus barked. ""Take the child!""
Eleanor looked down at the brass key in her hand, then looked up at Marcus. ""You killed Arthur, didn't you? Dr. Sterling didn't give Julian that toxicology report. You gave it to him to point the finger at Clara.""
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Marcus took half a step forward, raising the gun. ""I said, take the child.""
Eleanor took a deep, shuddering breath, then lunged forward—not at Clara, but straight into Marcus's gun arm.
