Chapter 2 - Safe Haven
I knelt down to the boy's eye level, fighting the hot tears burning in my vision.
I told him in the softest voice I could muster that I would never let anything bad happen to them.
Evelyn quickly pulled the boy behind her leg, her trust in me clearly shattered.
I knew I had to get them out of this busy airport terminal before security took notice of the tense situation.
I pleaded with Evelyn to let me take them to one of my private, secure hotel suites downtown.
She hesitated, her eyes darting nervously around the crowded boarding area as if searching for a trap.
Exhaustion clearly outweighed her fear, and she finally gave a small, defeated nod.
We walked in complete silence to my waiting town car idling on the curb outside.
The boys fell asleep almost immediately as they sank into the plush leather seats.
I watched Evelyn stare out the tinted window at the gray, passing Chicago skyline.
I quietly pulled out my phone and sent a secure message to my private attorney.
I demanded an immediate, ruthless audit of all legal documents filed under my name six years ago.
Ten minutes later, as we pulled into the underground garage, my phone vibrated with his reply.
The text message made the blood run completely cold in my veins.
My lawyer confirmed that a secret trust fund in my name had been quietly drained six years ago.
Two million dollars had been transferred out to supposedly buy Evelyn's silence and secure my parental surrender.
I looked at Evelyn's worn-out coat and cheap shoes, realizing she never saw a single penny of that money.
Then, my lawyer sent a follow-up message that made the entire situation infinitely worse.
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The message warned me that whoever forged my signature had also legally transferred full ownership of my company to my mother if I ever breached a specific morality clause.
And abandoning a major business acquisition to harbor an undocumented family was exactly the trigger she needed to destroy me.
