Chapter 5 - The Safe House
Arthur did not hesitate for a single second as the armed mercenaries raised their tactical rifles.
He shoved me roughly into the back seat of the armored SUV and slammed the heavy door shut.
He jumped into the driver's seat, slammed the vehicle into reverse, and aggressively floored the accelerator.
The heavy SUV crashed violently into a concrete pillar, spinning the vehicle around to face a secondary, restricted exit.
Bullets sparked wildly against the bulletproof glass, creating terrifying spiderweb cracks right beside my head.
I curled my body completely over my sleeping son, praying that the reinforced armor would hold against the relentless gunfire.
Arthur drove with terrifying, calculated precision, smashing through a heavy chain-link fence and bursting out into the rainy city streets.
We sped through the dark, slick roads, losing the pursuing vans in a maze of narrow alleyways and sharp turns.
"Are you hurt?" Arthur asked, his eyes constantly checking the rearview mirror for any sign of pursuit.
I checked my baby, deeply relieved to find him completely unharmed and miraculously still asleep.
"We are both perfectly fine," I replied, my voice shaking with lingering adrenaline.
Arthur drove us to a highly secure, heavily guarded safe house located on the remote outskirts of the city.
The safe house was a massive concrete fortress hidden deep within a dense, private forest.
We were greeted by a team of elite private security contractors who immediately ushered us inside the warm, brightly lit building.
A private physician was waiting for us, providing me with necessary medical care and checking the baby's vital signs.
After I was finally cleaned up and dressed in comfortable clothes, I met Arthur in the main study.
He was standing by a roaring fireplace, pouring two glasses of warm, soothing tea.
"We need to retrieve your hidden documents before Eleanor realizes they exist," Arthur stated, handing me a mug.
I agreed, knowing those files were the only thing that could permanently guarantee our safety.
"I can send my best tactical team to your apartment right now to secure the folder," Arthur offered generously.
I gave him my keys and the exact location of the hidden compartment beneath my mattress.
As his men left the safe house, Arthur sat across from me and stared deeply into my eyes.
"I never thought I would have a child, Vivian," he confessed, his tough exterior melting away to reveal genuine vulnerability.
He promised that he would spend the rest of his life protecting us, regardless of the dangerous consequences.
I felt a strange, comforting warmth spreading through my chest, realizing I was no longer fighting this battle alone.
My moment of peace was violently shattered when Arthur's cell phone rang loudly on the coffee table.
May you like
He answered it, and his face instantly turned completely pale as he listened to his tactical commander.
"Eleanor's men beat us to the apartment," Arthur whispered, hanging up the phone in absolute horror.
