Chapter 2 - THE NANNY STOPPED CRYING Maria waited until Julian entered his private study.
Then she carried Leo upstairs.
The moment the nursery door closed, her tears stopped.
Completely.
She placed Leo inside his crib.
“Your mother is smarter than they told me.”
Leo whimpered.
Maria walked into the bathroom.
She locked the door.
The blood on her cheek disappeared beneath warm water.
Fake.
She removed a transparent capsule hidden beneath her tongue.
Inside was a micro-SIM.
She inserted it into a burner phone.
One message waited.
STATUS?
Maria typed:
WIFE REMOVED. FATHER DESTABILIZED. CHILD ACCESS CONFIRMED.
Three dots appeared.
Then:
PHASE TWO BEFORE DAWN.
Maria stared into the mirror.
For eighteen months, she had studied the Sterlings.
Julian’s business schedule.
Eleanor’s charities.
Leo’s pediatric records.
The household security rotation.
Even the marriage.
Every argument.
Every weakness.
Every fear.
But tonight something bothered her.
Eleanor had not broken.
Maria had expected screaming.
Begging.
Collapse.
Instead, Eleanor had looked at her as though she were memorizing her face.
That was dangerous.
Maria returned to the nursery.
Leo was staring at her.
“Your father thinks money makes him powerful.”
She leaned closer.
“It doesn’t.”
Her phone vibrated again.
ARTHUR WILL HANDLE STERLING. YOU HANDLE THE HEIR.
Maria frowned.
Arthur?
She had never been told another operative was inside the house.
Downstairs, Julian stood alone beside the fireplace.
Eleanor’s wedding ring remained in his hand.
He told himself he had made the only decision a father could make.
But one sentence kept returning.
You are leaving him alone with the person who wants him dead.
Then the mansion lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
May you like
And somewhere upstairs—
Leo suddenly screamed.
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