Chapter 13 - Truth in the Cold
Julian dropped the spent firearm onto the gravel, swaying on his feet. His hands were blistered red from the falling beam, his face covered in soot, and his shirt shredded. But his eyes were focused entirely on Emma.
"Daddy!" Emma broke away from Maria and ran toward him, slamming into his legs with all her strength.
Julian fell to his knees in the mud, wrapping his arms around her tightly, burying his face in her wet hair, his shoulders shaking with silent, ragged sobs. "I've got you. I've got you, baby. You're safe."
Maria limped toward them, collapsing onto the wet grass beside Julian, exhaling a breath she felt she had been holding for days. "Victoria?" she asked quietly.
Julian slowly looked back toward the burning manor in the distance. Blue and red emergency lights were finally beginning to flash through the dense trees near the main gates. "She got out. With the bonds. But she won't get far. The state police have already cordoned the perimeter."
"And Marcus Kane?" Maria asked, her voice trembling.
"He's heading for his yacht at the marina," Julian said, his voice turning to steel as he gently stood up, helping Emma to her feet. "He thinks he can disappear again. He thinks the Kane name makes him untouchable."
Julian reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, burned leather-bound notebook he had salvaged from the study before the roof collapsed. It was Clara’s personal diary—the one Victoria had kept hidden for seven years.
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"This proves everything," Julian whispered, looking down at the charred cover. "The ship, the clinic, the bribes. Everything Victoria and Marcus did to hide Emma."
Before they could take another step toward the gravel path, the low rumble of a heavy diesel engine purred nearby. A pair of high-beam headlights snapped on, blinding them completely. A black armored SUV blocked the river trail, and three armed men in unmarked tactical gear stepped into the rain.
