Chapter 4: The Chase for Sophia
I had spent my entire life making people fear my name.
But that afternoon, none of that mattered.
Not the empire.
Not the money.
Not the men waiting for my orders.
I was just a father watching his little girl disappear in the back of a car.
"Get the vehicles ready," I told Marcus.
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
Marcus knew me well enough to understand what that meant.
"Vincent...""
"I want every exit covered.""
He nodded immediately.
Within minutes, three black SUVs moved through the city streets.
I sat in the passenger seat of the first vehicle, staring at the tracking screen.
The device Marcus had secretly placed on Sophia's backpack before she went to school showed her location.
She was moving east.
Away from home.
Away from me.
My hands were tight around the phone.
I kept seeing her face.
The fear in her eyes.
The way she whispered that Vanessa said I wouldn't wake up.
I had protected powerful men.
I had negotiated with criminals.
I had survived attacks that should have killed me.
But nothing had ever made me feel as helpless as hearing my daughter cry.
"We're getting close," Marcus said.
I looked out the window.
"Don't approach until I say.""
Marcus looked at me.
"Vincent, if she's hurting Sophia—"
"I know.""
My voice dropped.
"But I need answers.""
Because Vanessa wasn't acting alone.
Someone had helped her.
Someone had given her confidence.
Someone had convinced her she could take my daughter and walk away.
The SUV stopped two blocks away from an abandoned office building.
The location signal was coming from inside.
Marcus checked his weapon.
I stopped him.
"No.""
He looked surprised.
"You aren't bringing protection?""
I opened the door.
"I don't need it.""
For three months, I had pretended to be weak.
Now I needed Vanessa to see the truth.
I walked toward the building.
Every step felt like reclaiming something she had stolen from me.
My strength.
My control.
My identity.
The front door was slightly open.
Inside, I heard voices.
Vanessa.
And another man.
"I told you this would work," Vanessa said.
A man's voice answered.
"Not if Vincent finds out you're here.""
I froze.
I recognized that voice.
My stomach tightened.
I moved closer.
Through the cracked door, I saw Vanessa standing beside a desk.
Sophia was sitting in a chair nearby.
Her hands were tied loosely.
She was crying silently.
And standing beside Vanessa was someone I never expected.
My younger brother.
Adrian.
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
Adrian looked at Vanessa.
"You said he wouldn't recover.""
"He didn't," Vanessa replied.
Her voice was cold.
"He only pretended.""
Adrian's face changed.
"You knew?""
Vanessa smiled.
"I knew three weeks ago.""
My blood turned cold.
Three weeks.
She knew.
She had watched me pretend.
She had continued poisoning me even after knowing I could walk.
I stepped inside.
"Then you knew I was listening.""
Both of them turned.
Vanessa's face went pale.
Adrian stepped back.
Sophia immediately looked up.
"Daddy!""
She tried to run toward me.
Vanessa grabbed her shoulder.
"Don't move.""
That one sentence changed everything.
I didn't see my wife anymore.
I saw someone threatening my child.
"Take your hand off her.""
Vanessa laughed nervously.
"You really think you can intimidate me?""
I walked closer.
For the first time in months, I stood at my full height in front of her.
Her expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
"You were never disabled," she whispered.
"No.""
I looked at Sophia.
"I was testing who I could trust.""
Vanessa smiled bitterly.
"And you found out.""
Adrian looked between us.
"Vincent, listen—"
I turned toward him.
"You helped her.""
He swallowed.
"I didn't know she was going this far.""
"That's your excuse?""
His eyes dropped.
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Don't pretend you're innocent. You built an empire where everyone around you is disposable.""
I looked at her.
"And you became exactly what you accused me of.""
The room went silent.
Sophia started crying again.
"Daddy, please.""
I immediately softened.
"I'm here.""
Vanessa looked at Sophia.
Then back at me.
"You don't understand.""
She reached into her bag.
My body reacted instantly.
But she didn't pull out a weapon.
She pulled out papers.
"Your daughter isn't the only thing I can take from you.""
She dropped them on the desk.
I looked down.
My name was written across the top.
Legal documents.
A transfer agreement.
My eyes narrowed.
"What is this?""
Vanessa smiled.
"The reason I married you.""
I picked up the papers.
And then I saw the signature.
Mine.
But I never signed them.
Marcus rushed in behind me.
"Boss!""
He looked at the documents.
His face changed.
"These are forged.""
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
For the first time, she looked worried.
I looked at her.
"Who taught you how to do this?""
She didn't answer.
And that was when Adrian looked away.
I noticed.
He knew.
I stepped closer to my brother.
"You helped create this.""
May you like
Adrian stayed silent.
And that silence told me everything.
