Chapter 7 - The House Where Stellan Learned to Fear His Father
The old Cross estate stood abandoned near Lake Geneva.
Stellan had not entered it in fifteen years.
We arrived after dark.
Fern remained hidden with Marisol and Dr. Hale.
We brought an empty carrier.
Rafe was expecting a trade.
We intended to give him a war.
Inside, Victor Cross waited beside the fireplace.
He was older than Stellan.
White-haired.
Elegant.
Alive.
Stellan stopped when he saw him.
Victor smiled.
“Hello, son.”
Stellan raised his gun.
“You should have stayed dead.”
Victor laughed.
“You always were emotional about family.”
“Where is Rose?”
“Safe.”
“And Lily?”
“Also safe.”
Victor poured himself a drink.
“You’ve become impressive, Stellan.”
“Don’t.”
“I built you.”
“You destroyed us.”
“I made you strong.”
“You killed Cassandra.”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“She betrayed her blood.”
Stellan fired.
The bullet shattered Victor’s glass.
Everyone froze.
“Next one goes through your face.”
Victor calmly looked at the broken glass.
“There he is.”
I hated him instantly.
Not because he was loud.
Because he wasn’t.
Cruelty seemed ordinary to him.
He looked at me.
“Selene Ward.”
I stiffened.
“You have your father’s eyes.”
“You killed him.”
“He made unfortunate choices.”
Stellan stepped forward.
“Where is Rose?”
Victor smiled.
“Bring me Fern.”
“No.”
“Then the Ward baby dies.”
My blood went cold.
A television turned on.
Rose appeared on-screen.
Sleeping in a crib.
A masked man stood beside her.
I moved toward the screen.
“Don’t hurt her.”
Victor studied me.
“Interesting, isn’t it? You love Fern despite learning she isn’t yours. Yet you’re willing to endanger her for a child who shares your blood.”
“They are both my daughters.”
Stellan looked at me.
Victor laughed.
“No. Biology is inconveniently specific.”
“Family isn’t.”
His smile faded.
That answer bothered him.
Good.
We stalled.
Stellan’s men were moving through the property underground.
Then Victor revealed why he needed Fern.
Cassandra had created a biometric lock using blood markers from both daughters.
Fern and Lily.
Together, their DNA unlocked a digital archive containing the Cradle Ledger.
“But Lily is already yours,” Stellan said.
“Yes.”
“So you only need Fern.”
Victor nodded.
“Give her to me.”
“No.”
Gunfire erupted outside.
Victor sighed.
“You never learned patience.”
The lights died.
Stellan grabbed me.
We moved.
Rafe appeared from a side corridor.
He raised his gun.
Stellan aimed back.
Old friends.
Now enemies.
“Where is Rose?” I demanded.
Rafe looked at me.
For the first time, guilt appeared on his face.
“Upstairs.”
“Why did you take her?”
“To keep Victor from killing Anna.”
“You could have told us.”
“You don’t understand him.”
Stellan’s voice was cold.
“I understand cowardice.”
Rafe flinched.
Then Victor shouted from the darkness.
“Rafe!”
Something changed in him.
He looked at Stellan.
Then lowered his gun.
“Second floor. East bedroom.”
A shot exploded.
Rafe jerked.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Victor had shot him.
Stellan returned fire.
I ran upstairs.
Rose was exactly where Rafe said.
I lifted her.
“My baby.”
She cried.
I held her tightly.
Downstairs, chaos exploded.
Then I heard Stellan shout.
I returned to the balcony.
Victor had escaped.
Rafe lay dying.
Stellan knelt beside him.
Rafe whispered something.
Stellan leaned closer.
Then Rafe died.
Later, Stellan told me his final words.
“Check the grave.”
May you like
“What grave?”
“Cassandra’s.”
