The Broken Promise
Chapter 07 - The Broken Promise
The rain was falling in relentless sheets as Adrian’s SUV skidded to a halt in the driveway of Marcus Vance’s private estate on the outskirts of the city.
Adrian didn't bother using the intercom. He shoved the iron security gate open, marched up the brick steps, and pounded his fist against the heavy mahogany door until Marcus’s elderly butler opened it in sheer shock.
Adrian pushed past the butler, stepping straight into the grand marble foyer. “Marcus! Get out here!”
Marcus Vance stepped out of his study, holding a glass of scotch. He looked frail, his hair noticeably whiter than it had been six months ago, but his eyes widened in genuine surprise when he saw Adrian’s bloodshot, furious face.
“Adrian? What on earth is going on?” Marcus asked, setting his glass down.
“You lied to me!” Adrian shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the old man’s chest. “You swore she was in London! You swore your firm stripped her of her assets and kept her under surveillance!”
Marcus blinked, confused. “She is in London, Adrian! She’s undergoing mandated psychiatric therapy at a private clinic in Kensington! I receive weekly updates from her doctors!”
Adrian pulled out his smartphone and slammed it screen-up onto the foyer table, displaying the photograph of Mia on the playground along with the threatening text message.
Marcus leaned over, reading the text. As his eyes scanned the red words, his face drained of all color. The glass in his hand slipped, shattering across the polished floor.
“My God...” Marcus whispered, his voice trembling. “She... she fled the clinic three days ago. Her doctor told me she had been cleared for a short countryside retreat... they lied to me.”
“She tried to snatch Mia from her school an hour ago, Marcus!” Adrian growled, stepping into the old man’s personal space. “She used an embassy plate! Who is helping her? Who gave her foreign diplomatic immunity?!”
Marcus stumbled backward, sinking into a armchair, burying his face in his hands.
“It’s Julian...” Marcus choked out, a ragged sob escaping his throat.
Adrian froze. The name hit him like a physical blow.
Julian Sterling—Adrian’s former business partner who had vanished years ago after embezzling millions from their architectural firm. The man who had tried to destroy Adrian’s reputation long before Vanessa ever entered the picture.
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“Julian?” Adrian whispered, horror dawning over him. “Julian is back?”
“He never left,” Marcus confessed, looking up with tear-filled eyes. “When Vanessa went to London, Julian contacted her. He’s been running an illegal money-laundering network through diplomatic channels in Europe. He used Vanessa’s hatred for you... he fed her madness, Adrian! He promised her that if she helped him seize control of your firm’s intellectual property, he would help her take Mia away from you forever!”
