Chapter 4 - Shadows at Little Harvest
The victory in the boardroom felt hollow. The moment Sebastian defended me, I saw the deadly venom in Olivia’s eyes. A humiliated narcissist backed into a corner was far more dangerous than an open enemy.
That evening, I arrived home to pick up the triplets from my trusted neighbor, Mrs. Gable. As soon as we stepped into our hallway, Sophie stopped abruptly, tugging hard on my jacket.
“Mommy, look,” Sophie whispered, pointing toward our front door.
The brass lock on our apartment had deep scratch marks around the cylinder. The door frame was cracked near the top bolt. Someone had attempted to pick the lock while we were away.
A cold panic seized my chest. I ushered the children back behind me, pulling my phone from my pocket. I immediately dialed Marcus Vance.
“Hannah, where are you?” Marcus answered on the first ring, his voice tight.
“Outside my apartment. Marcus, someone tried to force their way into my home.”
“Get out of that hallway right now,” Marcus ordered. “Take the kids to a crowded public space. I just received word from my contact at the Cook County clerk’s office. An emergency petition for temporary emergency protective custody was filed twenty minutes ago by Olivia Bennett’s personal legal team, claiming you are an unfit mother harboring children in an unsafe environment!”
“What?” I gasped, grabbing Ethan and Sophie’s hands while Lucas held onto my coat. We rushed back down the stairwell into the cold evening street. “She’s trying to seize my children before the court even establishes paternity!”
“She’s trying to force a physical swab while having custody of them, or worse, use state custody to intimidate you into signing away parental rights,” Marcus warned. “Get somewhere secure. Somewhere with private security that Olivia’s money can’t buy off.”
I stood on the sidewalk, rain misting around streetlights, looking down at my three bewildered children. Ethan’s little shoulders were shaking from the cold, but he held his chin up, trying to be brave for Sophie.
My phone vibrated in my palm. It was Sebastian.
I stared at the screen. Calling the man who broke my heart five years ago felt like surrendering, but my children’s physical safety mattered more than my pride. I swiped the green button.
“Hannah,” his voice came through, heavy with exhaustion. “Where are you?”
“Your fiancée just sent men to break into my apartment, Sebastian,” I said, my voice shaking with raw fury. “And her attorneys just filed an emergency motion to seize Ethan, Sophie, and Lucas into state foster care.”
A loud crash echoed on the other end of the line—the sound of glass shattering against a wall.
“Give me your location,” Sebastian breathed, the words dripping with murderous intent. “Right now.”
Ten minutes later, a convoy of armored black town cars pulled up to the curb. Sebastian stepped out of the front passenger seat himself, ignoring the rain, and walked directly toward us.
When Lucas saw him, he didn't run away. The little boy took one step forward and looked up into the face of the billionaire who held his destiny in his hands.
“Are you going to make my mommy cry again?” Lucas asked solemnly.
May you like
Sebastian froze. He slowly dropped to one knee on the wet sidewalk, putting himself at eye level with the little boy. A tear slipped down the billionaire’s cheek, cutting through the polished mask he wore for the world.
“No, buddy,” Sebastian whispered, his voice cracking into pieces. “I’m going to make sure nobody ever makes your mommy cry again. I swear it on my life.”
