Chapter 8 - The Weight of Four Years
Four years earlier, Ethan had been told that his wife, Eleanor, had perished in a sudden, tragic boat fire off the coast. A sealed casket had been buried in the family plot, and Claire—Eleanor’s younger step-sister—had moved into the manor shortly after to help care for a newborn Lily. Over time, Claire and her associate Damon had slowly taken over the management of the Sterling estate, claiming Ethan’s frequent military deployments left him unfit to manage the family's vast wealth.
Ethan had accepted the grief, throwing himself into his work while trying to provide a peaceful life for his daughter. But looking at the fresh scratches on the old lock, a terrifying realization began to form in his mind.
May you like
He turned his head slightly toward his lead bodyguard. "Mark. Give me your sidearm."
The bodyguard hesitated for a fraction of a second before drawing a heavy steel handgun from his shoulder holster and handing it to Ethan.
