Chapter 8 - The Shadow in the Woods
Rowan froze completely, the freezing rain dripping slowly down his tense face.
The man holding the gun stepped into the faint light spilling from the cabin window.
Rowan gasped as he recognized the scarred, familiar face of Selene’s ex-husband, David.
David had supposedly fled the country a decade ago after abandoning his family in massive debt.
Now, he was standing in the mountains, holding a lethal weapon to Rowan’s head.
David smiled wickedly, explaining that Selene had secretly contacted him to help facilitate the kidnapping.
They had planned to ransom Elara back to Rowan for enough money to escape the country together.
Rowan realized that Selene had always been a master manipulator, pulling strings from the shadows for years.
David ordered Rowan to slowly raise his hands and march into the cabin.
Rowan pushed the heavy wooden door open, stepping into the dim light of the kerosene lantern.
Selene spun around, her eyes widening in pure shock when she saw her brother standing in the room.
She looked at David, screaming that he was supposed to kill Rowan in the woods.
David laughed, stating that a dead man could not sign over the deeds to his massive corporate empire.
Elara let out a muffled, desperate cry when she saw her father standing helplessly at gunpoint.
Rowan locked eyes with his daughter, offering her a silent, tearful promise that everything would be okay.
Selene walked over to a rotting wooden table and picked up a stack of legal documents.
She demanded that Rowan sign over every single asset he owned in exchange for the little girl’s life.
Rowan did not hesitate for a fraction of a second.
He grabbed the pen and signed his name on every single page, completely surrendering his wealth.
He did not care about money, companies, or houses; he only cared about the child tied to the chair.
Selene snatched the signed papers, a psychotic, victorious smile spreading across her face.
She looked at David and nodded, signaling him to finally pull the trigger and eliminate her brother.
David raised the gun, aiming it squarely at Rowan’s chest with absolutely no remorse.
Rowan closed his eyes, bracing himself for the fatal, agonizing impact.
A deafening gunshot echoed through the small cabin, shattering the tense silence of the room.
Rowan opened his eyes, completely shocked to find himself entirely unharmed.
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David stood frozen for a second before collapsing heavily onto the dusty wooden floor.
Standing in the open doorway was Ivy, holding a smoking police-issue shotgun with absolute, terrifying authority.
