Chapter 20 - The knock in the storm
Three weeks later, peace had finally returned to the coastal estate. The damaged nursery had been completely restored, with reinforced armored glass and state-of-the-art defenses that rendered the estate an impenetrable fortress. Noah ran through the grand living room, laughing as his puppy chased a red rubber ball, his small face glowing with pure childhood happiness.
Grace stood before the grand fireplace, looking at the newly framed family portrait hanging above the mantel. In the center was Marcus, dignified and proud, with Grace seated beside him, Noah on her lap, and Julianna’s portrait hanging gracefully on the adjacent wall—a united family bound by sacrifice and unbreakable loyalty.
Marcus walked into the room, wearing a tailored navy suit, carrying a velvet jewel box. He walked behind Grace, wrapping his arms around her waist, kissing the scar on her neck where the crescent birthmark lay.
"Tomorrow, the council in Rome officially ratifies the merger of the Sterling and Moretti estates," Marcus whispered, opening the box to reveal a platinum ring bearing an emerald surrounded by diamonds. "You are not just my wife, Grace. You are the foundation of everything I hold dear."
Grace smiled, tears of joy welling in her eyes as Marcus slipped the ring onto her finger. "We did it, Marcus. Noah is safe. Julianna’s soul can finally rest."
The thunderstorm outside rattled the tall French doors, lightning illuminating the stormy ocean in flashes of brilliant silver.
Suddenly, the security console on Marcus’s desk flashed an amber alert.
Lucas appeared on the intercom monitor, his expression filled with total bewilderment and dread.
"Boss... you need to see the main gate camera right now," Lucas’s voice shook—something Grace had never heard from the hardened soldier.
Marcus pressed the screen, switching to the high-definition perimeter feed. Standing in the pouring rain outside the iron gates was a lone woman dressed in a soaked white trench coat. When she lifted her face toward the camera, lightning struck, illuminating her features in blinding clarity.
She had the exact face, the exact green eyes, and the exact crescent birthmark as Grace.
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And in her hand, she held a silver tape recorder, speaking into the gate speaker with Julianna's unmistakable voice:
"Marcus... open the gates. The woman inside your house is an imposter."
