Chapter 2 - The Fortress
The sound of the gunshot rang in my ears as Damian shielded my body with his own.
His bodyguards reacted instantly, drawing their weapons and forming a protective wall around us and the stroller.
Damian pulled me upward by my arm, his grip tight and unyielding.
He ordered me to get into his armored black SUV before the hidden sniper could reload.
I scrambled into the back seat, gasping for air as one of the guards quickly secured the three crying toddlers beside me.
The heavy doors slammed shut, plunging us into a silent, bulletproof sanctuary.
Damian jumped into the front passenger seat and yelled at the driver to get us to the estate immediately.
The massive vehicle tore out of the alleyway, leaving my old life at the diner completely behind.
I sat frozen in the back seat, staring at the three beautiful children who were still weeping from the loud noise.
Instinct took over, and I unbuckled my seatbelt to reach across the leather seats.
I softly hummed a lullaby I used to sing to my pregnant belly, praying it would calm them.
Almost instantly, Leo and Max stopped crying and stared at me with wide, curious hazel eyes.
Lily reached her tiny hand toward mine, and I gently wrapped my fingers around hers.
Damian watched me through the rearview mirror, his intense gaze studying my every move.
We arrived at a massive stone mansion surrounded by high iron gates and armed security patrols.
The guards escorted us inside, leading me into a grand living room that looked more like a fortress.
Damian ordered his staff to take the children to the nursery on the second floor.
I panicked and tried to follow them, but Damian gently caught my wrist.
He promised me that they were safe, but we needed to have a very difficult conversation.
He led me into his private study and locked the heavy oak door behind us.
He poured two glasses of amber liquid, handing one to my shaking hands.
He told me the bullet in the alley was not meant for him.
Damian activated a large monitor on the wall, showing security footage from the alleyway just before the shot was fired.
The camera clearly showed the sniper standing on the opposite roof, aiming a rifle directly at my head.
Damian enhanced the image, zooming in on the shooter's face until the features became crystal clear.
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The glass slipped from my hand and shattered across the expensive hardwood floor.
The man holding the sniper rifle was Mark, my former fiancé and the father of my children.
