Chapter 2 - The Exit Strategy
Julian’s posture shifted from devastated father to coiled predator within a split second. His fingers gripped Elena’s elbow with measured urgency, pulling her slightly behind the shadow of a decorative partition.
""Don't look at the entrance,"" Julian murmured, his tone dropping an octave. ""Keep Leo against your chest. Walk toward the service corridor.""
Elena’s mind spun into vertigo. ""Leo... his name is Leo?"" She looked down at the tiny face pressed into her collar. The boy bore Julian’s square jawline and the unmistakable shape of her own brow. ""Who is that man, Julian? Why are they tracking you here?""
""My brother didn't waste any time,"" Julian replied, adjusting the cuff of his suit to hide the tremor in his hands. ""When my father’s will was read three days ago, Julian Vance wasn't supposed to inherit the estate. Leo was. And Marcus made sure the entire board believed you died during childbirth.""
Elena felt nausea wash over her. Seven months ago, she had been smuggled out of the private clinic under the cover of heavy rain, told by Julian’s own security team that the newborn had not survived respiratory distress. She had fled across the country to rebuild her life from ashes, unaware that the grave she mourned was empty.
""He lied to you, and he lied to me,"" Julian continued, guiding her past the swinging double doors into the bustling, clattering kitchen. Cooks shouted orders over roaring burners, oblivious to the drama unfolding behind the service station.
Elena untied her apron, dropping it to the floor like a shed skin. ""Where are we going?""
""Out the loading dock. My driver is circling the block.""
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They reached the heavy steel emergency doors at the back of the alley. Julian shoved the push-bar, letting in the biting chill of the autumn night. A black sedan idle on the curb clicked its locks.
Julian stepped out first, scanning the alleyway. Just as Elena stepped across the threshold, the harsh beam of high-powered headlights cut through the darkness, pinning them against the brick wall. A sleek black SUV roared into the narrow alley, blocking their car completely.
