Chapter 3 - The Unseen Watcher
Mark didn’t argue; the sheer terror in Evelyn’s eyes was enough to bypass his logic.
He scooped Lily into his arms and grabbed a duffel bag from the hall closet.
"Take only cash," Evelyn instructed, leaning heavily against the kitchen island. "No credit cards, no phones. They track everything."
"Who tracks everything?" Mark asked, sweeping a stack of emergency bills from his office safe into the bag.
"Arthur Vance," Evelyn said, spitting out Vanessa’s father's name like poison.
She opened the black ledger, flipping through pages filled with names, dates, and offshore account numbers.
"My family's tech patents didn't fail, Mark," she explained rapidly. "Arthur stole them. He orchestrated my crash to seize the assets, then used Vanessa to marry you and control the rest."
Mark’s mind reeled as he shoved his wallet into the bag.
For three years, he had believed Vanessa was a wealthy heiress who swooped in to save a grieving widower.
"The basement camera," Mark realized aloud, the puzzle pieces clicking together. "It wasn't for security."
"No," Evelyn said, her voice hollow. "It was a live feed to Arthur’s private server."
"He was watching you?" Mark asked, nausea twisting his stomach.
"He was making sure his daughter kept her prize securely locked away," Evelyn replied.
Suddenly, the motion sensor light in the driveway clicked on, flooding the front windows with harsh, bright light.
Tires crunched gravel just outside.
"They're here," Evelyn whispered, slamming the ledger shut.
"The police just left!" Mark hissed, peering through the blinds.
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A sleek, black SUV idled in the driveway, and four men in dark suits stepped out, moving with chilling precision.
"They aren't police," Evelyn said, grabbing Lily’s hand. "Out the back door, Mark. Now."
