Chapter 2 - The Timeline
Vincent slowly lifted his head at the sound of the voice.
His dark eyes traced the beige wool coat up to the beautiful, terrified face of the woman standing before him. The ruthless, impenetrable exterior of the billionaire mafia boss completely shattered into a million pieces.
"Claire?" Vincent whispered, his voice breathless and cracking with an overwhelming, agonizing weight.
He had spent five grueling years turning the city upside down looking for her. He had burned down rival territories, poured millions into private investigators, and destroyed anyone who stood in his way. He thought she was dead. He thought she had betrayed him.
Claire didn't say a word. She lunged forward, grabbing Lily by the arm.
"Mommy!" Lily squeaked innocently, hugging her white stuffed rabbit as Claire instinctively ripped the child out of Vincent's grasp.
Claire shoved Lily directly behind her beige wool coat, violently shielding the four-year-old girl from the towering syndicate boss. She backed away, her hands trembling, her posture radiating the fierce, desperate energy of a hunted animal preparing to fight to the death.
Vincent remained frozen on one knee. He looked at Claire hiding the child.
Then, his brilliant, tactical mind snapped the puzzle pieces together. The girl was four years old. Claire had vanished exactly five years ago.
His ruthless demeanor was instantly replaced by genuine fear and an earth-shattering realization. The child wasn't a stranger. She was his flesh and blood.
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He slowly stood up to his full height. He didn't yell. He didn't reach for her. He looked dead into Claire's terrified eyes, the profound weight of the moment suffocating them both.
👉 How will Vincent prevent his missing family from escaping him again?
