CHAPTER 4 — THE SECRET INSIDE THE ENVELOPE
CHAPTER 4 — THE SECRET INSIDE THE ENVELOPE
Gunfire erupted.
The forest exploded into chaos.
Dominic's men opened fire from behind the wreckage.
Bullets tore through trees.
Emily dropped to the frozen ground, covering Aurora with her own body.
The baby's tiny cries were nearly drowned out by the shooting.
One attacker fell.
Another immediately replaced him.
"There are too many!" a bodyguard yelled.
Dominic fired twice.
Two perfect shots.
Two enemies collapsed.
Even injured, he moved with terrifying precision.
Emily had never seen anyone so calm in the middle of death.
Then Dominic shouted,
"Emily!"
She crawled toward him.
He grabbed her wrist.
"Listen carefully."
"I'm listening."
"If I die..."
"No."
"Listen."
His voice left no room for argument.
"The envelope isn't money."
"Then what is it?"
"It's proof."
"Proof of what?"
"Every politician I ever bought."
Emily stared.
"Every judge."
"Every police commissioner."
"Every crime family."
She slowly realized what she was holding.
Not cash.
Not diamonds.
A complete map of corruption.
"It can destroy hundreds of powerful people."
Dominic nodded.
"Or protect Aurora."
Emily looked at him in disbelief.
"Why would you trust me?"
He gave a sad smile.
"Because when everyone else was afraid of me..."
He looked at his sleeping daughter.
"...you only saw a hungry baby."
Before Emily could answer—
A gunshot rang out.
Dominic jerked violently.
Blood spread across his white shirt.
"No!"
Emily caught him before he collapsed.
The bodyguard screamed,
"Boss!"
Dominic struggled to breathe.
His lips turned pale.
He grabbed Emily's hand with surprising strength.
"They must never get Aurora."
"I promise."
"If I don't survive..."
His breathing became shallow.
"Raise her."
Emily froze.
"What?"
"Give her... the life... I never could."
Another explosion shook the forest.
The attackers were getting closer.
One bodyguard rushed over.
"We have to move! They're surrounding us!"
Emily looked at Dominic.
Then at Aurora.
Then at the envelope hidden beneath her coat.
Only hours ago she had boarded a private jet as a grieving widow with nothing left to lose.
Now she was carrying:
A mafia boss's daughter...
A secret powerful enough to bring down an empire...
And a dying man's final promise.
Behind them, flashlights appeared between the trees.
A voice shouted through a loudspeaker.
"Dominic Walker!"
"You have one minute to surrender the child."
Emily slowly stood.
She looked at the tiny girl sleeping peacefully against her chest.
Then she looked toward the armed men closing in from every direction.
For the first time in months...
She felt something stronger than grief.
May you like
She felt a reason to fight.
TO BE CONTINUED...
