Chapter 10 - The Unbroken Vow
By nightfall, the girls were tucked into two adjoining king beds, curled together like kittens beneath heavy down duvets. Their breathing was deep, rhythmic, and safe. Dr. Reynolds had checked in one last time, confirming that with proper nutrition and medical care, their physical health would fully recover within weeks.
Ethan sat in an armchair between the two beds, an open storybook resting on his lap. He watched his daughters sleep, memorizing the peace on their faces—the way Ava’s little brow was no longer furrowed, the way Chloe slept without curling into a ball of fear.
He reached over and kissed each of them gently on the cheek.
"I won't fail you again," he whispered into the quiet room. "I swear it on my life."
He walked downstairs to the kitchen to pour a cup of black coffee. The grand house was eerily still, but for the first time, it didn't feel cold. Tomorrow, a team of contractors would arrive to completely renovate the west wing, tearing down the gloomy walls and turning it into a sunlit art studio and play area.
Mark Vance was standing by the kitchen island, his tablet in hand.
"Sir," Mark said quietly. "The forensic team finished examining Bianca's private safe in the guest annex."
"Did they find the rest of the embezzled funds?" Ethan asked, leaning against the counter.
"Most of it," Mark replied. "She had roughly four million in bearer bonds and offshore routing slips. But... that’s not why I waited up for you, Ethan."
Ethan paused, his coffee cup halfway to his mouth. "What is it?"
Mark set a small, tarnished metal lockbox onto the marble island. It was old—decades old—with rusted brass corners.
"This wasn't in her safe," Mark said, his voice unusually strained. "It was hidden inside the air duct of the children’s nursery. Taped to the inside of the vent shaft behind Mia’s bed."
Ethan’s heart gave a sudden, uneasy thud. "What's inside?"
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"It has Clara's initials engraved on the lid," Mark said. "And the seal was broken just a few days ago."
***
