PART 6 — The Night They Came For My Sons
PART 6 — The Night They Came For My Sons
For a few seconds…
I forgot how to breathe.
The words repeated in my head.
WE KNOW WHERE YOUR SONS ARE.
Not my company.
Not my money.
Not my reputation.
My babies.
I looked at Sarah.
She saw my face change.
“What happened?”
I didn’t answer.
I was already moving.
“Marcus.”
My voice was barely controlled.
“Get them out.”
A pause.
“Now.”
His answer came instantly.
“They’re already being moved.”
Good.
Because if anything happened to my sons…
Nothing else mattered.
Not Vance Global.
Not billions of dollars.
Not revenge.
Nothing.
I rushed toward the exit.
Sarah followed.
“Audrey, wait.”
I stopped.
“What?”
She looked at me seriously.
“You need to understand something.”
“I don’t have time.”
“You do.”
Her voice became urgent.
“This isn’t random.”
I stared at her.
“Someone broke into my home and threatened my children.”
“I know.”
She stepped closer.
“And that means they’re desperate.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
“Because they know you found the letter.”
The letter.
My mother’s warning.
The truth about Julian.
The truth about the Mercers.
I held it tightly.
“Who?”
Sarah looked terrified.
“The person who has been controlling the Mercers for years.”
I felt a chill.
“Eleanor?”
Sarah shook her head.
“No.”
A pause.
“Someone above her.”
The hallway suddenly felt colder.
“Above Eleanor?”
Sarah nodded.
“Your mother never told you everything because she was trying to keep you alive.”
My anger rose.
“Everyone says that.”
A pause.
“Everyone says they were protecting me.”
I looked at her.
“But I’m the one who gets hurt.”
Sarah’s expression softened.
“I know.”
A pause.
“And your mother knew too.”
That stopped me.
“What?”
Sarah looked down.
“She knew one day you would hate her.”
My heart tightened.
“She wrote something else.”
“What?”
Sarah opened another envelope.
Smaller.
Older.
My name written across the front.
My hands shook as I took it.
I opened it.
Only one sentence.
My mother’s handwriting.
Audrey, if they force you to choose between power and your children, choose your children.
I closed my eyes.
Because even after death…
She still knew me.
She still knew what mattered.
I folded the letter.
Then walked out.
I had answers waiting.
But first…
I had sons to protect.
The drive back felt endless.
Marcus kept me updated.
“Security team is at the residence.”
“Children are secured.”
“Medical staff checked them.”
I finally exhaled.
Then Marcus added:
“But we found something.”
My eyes opened.
“What?”
“Someone accessed your private files.”
My jaw tightened.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“How?”
Silence.
Then:
“Using an internal authorization.”
I felt cold.
“Internal?”
“Yes.”
Only a handful of people had access.
My executives.
My security team.
My family.
Someone close.
Too close.
“Find who.”
“We are.”
The car stopped.
I looked outside.
My private residence stood ahead.
Lights everywhere.
Security everywhere.
Safe.
At least it looked safe.
I rushed inside.
The first thing I saw was my sons.
Sleeping.
Alive.
Perfect.
I walked to their crib.
Touched their tiny hands.
And finally allowed myself to breathe.
“I’m here.”
I whispered.
“Mommy’s here.”
A tear fell.
Not because I was weak.
Because I had almost lost them.
Behind me, Marcus entered.
“Ms. Vance.”
I didn’t turn.
“What did you find?”
He placed a tablet on the table.
“The person who accessed the files.”
I looked.
A name appeared.
My heart stopped.
“No.”
Marcus watched me carefully.
“Yes.”
I stared.
Because the person listed…
Was someone I trusted.
Someone who had worked beside me for years.
Someone who had been there through every success.
Every crisis.
Every loss.
Christian Hale.
My general counsel.
My closest advisor.
The man who had helped me destroy Julian’s plans.
The man who knew everything.
I shook my head.
“No.”
Marcus stayed silent.
Because he knew.
I didn’t want to believe it.
“That’s impossible.”
He handed me more evidence.
“His credentials were used.”
I looked through the records.
Messages.
Access logs.
Private files opened.
Including:
My mother’s documents.
My children’s information.
My location.
Everything.
My stomach turned.
“Where is he?”
Marcus hesitated.
That was worse.
“Marcus.”
“He’s gone.”
My blood ran cold.
“Gone?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“His office was empty.”
“His apartment too.”
I stared at the screen.
The man I trusted most…
Had betrayed me.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone froze.
I answered.
Silence.
Then a familiar voice.
Christian.
“Audrey.”
My hand tightened.
“Christian.”
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Where are you?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead he said:
“I’m sorry.”
The words hit harder than anger.
Because guilt sounded real.
“Why?”
A long silence.
Then:
“Because your mother asked me to do something years ago.”
I frowned.
“What?”
His voice shook.
“She knew this day would come.”
My heart raced.
“What day?”
“The day the Mercers came for you.”
I looked at Marcus.
He was listening.
Christian continued:
“I was supposed to protect you.”
A pause.
“And I did.”
I gripped the phone.
“Then why did you access my files?”
Silence.
Then:
“Because I found something.”
“What?”
His voice became quieter.
“Something your mother hid from everyone.”
My chest tightened.
“What?”
A pause.
“Your father.”
I froze.
“My father?”
Christian continued:
“He wasn’t killed in an accident.”
The room went silent.
I couldn’t move.
“What did you say?”
Christian’s voice broke.
“The crash that took your father…”
A pause.
“It was planned.”
I whispered:
“By who?”
No answer.
Then he said:
“The same person who is after your sons.”
My fingers went numb.
“Who?”
The line crackled.
Then Christian whispered:
“Eleanor Mercer.”
The call ended.
I stood there.
Frozen.
Because now I understood.
My mother’s warning.
The fake marriage.
The attack.
The threats.
Everything led back to one person.
My mother-in-law.
The woman who had thrown me into the snow.
The woman who smiled while my babies cried.
But before I could process it…
The security alarm screamed.
Marcus turned toward the entrance.
His face changed.
“What is it?”
He checked his device.
Then looked at me.
“Someone is inside.”
My heart stopped.
“Where?”
He looked toward the nursery.
May you like
And whispered:
“They’re heading toward the babies.”
