Chapter 29 - The Fortress of a Mother
The air in the room turned to ice.
Julian took the note from Marcus, his jaw clenching so hard a muscle twitched in his cheek. "It's Arthur's handwriting. No question."
"He made it to Asia," I said softly, staring at the cracked pocket watch. The message was unmistakable: Arthur was alive, he had recovered his strength, and he was rebuilding his network in the shadowy underbelly of Macau's gaming and shipping empire.
"We notify the FBI and Interpol immediately," Julian insisted. "We put a red notice on him."
"Interpol has been looking for men like Arthur for decades, Julian," I said, turning to look through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows at the glittering city below. "He has safe houses, corrupt officials on his payroll, and billions hidden in untraceable crypto wallets. A red notice won't stop him from sending assassins across the ocean."
Julian stepped beside me, his gaze fierce and protective. "Then what do you want to do?"
"I won't spend the rest of my life hiding in penthouses, jumping at shadows, waiting for him to strike at my son," I said, turning to face him. "I spent two years away from Leo because I trusted the wrong people. I will never let anyone threaten his safety again."
Julian reached out, his hand gently grasping mine. His touch was warm, steady, and filled with an unspoken devotion that had grown deeper through every trial we endured. "Whatever you decide, Clara, I am with you. To the end."
May you like
I looked down at our joined hands, then up into his honest, loyal eyes. For the first time in years, I felt a flicker of something beyond vengeance and survival—hope.
"We take the fight to his doorstep," I said firmly. "We cut off his money in Macau before he can build an army."
