Chapter 4 - SHE CAME BACK THROUGH THE STORM “COME ON, JULIAN. ANSWER!”
Eleanor drove through rain so violent the highway almost disappeared.
Nothing.
Julian’s phone went offline.
Then the estate network vanished.
At the Sterling gates, Eleanor slammed the brakes.
Locked.
She abandoned the car.
Her evening dress became soaked as she crossed the wooded perimeter and found an old service entrance near the greenhouse.
She had discovered it years earlier.
Julian had forgotten it existed.
The mansion was almost completely dark.
Eleanor entered.
“Julian?”
No answer.
Then—
Leo cried upstairs.
She ran.
Halfway up the staircase, she saw Julian lying beside the nursery door.
“Julian!”
His eyes opened weakly.
“Eleanor…”
A syringe lay beside him.
She dropped to her knees.
“What happened?”
“Maria.”
A shadow moved behind her.
Eleanor turned.
Maria stood inside the nursery.
Leo was in her arms.
“Give me my son.”
Maria smiled.
“You really should have stayed gone.”
“Give him to me.”
“You sound like your mother.”
Eleanor froze.
“My mother?”
Maria’s expression changed.
“You don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?”
Maria reached beneath her coat.
Metal flashed.
May you like
A knife.
Then she attacked.
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