The night was calm. Too calm.
Lucien had just tucked Daniel into his nursery bed, the soft melody of the music box weaving a gentle lullaby through the nursery. Seraphine nestled in the rocking chair, her gaze fixed on the tiny rise and fall of her baby's chest, each breath a whisper of innocence. Somewhere down the hallway, Asher's laughter echoed faintly, teasing one of the new guards. In that moment, it felt almost… normal.
Then it was as if life was like: Nah man! Why let them experience peace for longer than a month?
Just like a thunderclap, the glass shattered.
It wasn't the sound of a single window breaking; it was every pane in the east wing erupting into a cacophony of chaos. The estate's alarms shrieked, piercing the calm, while heavy boots pounded against the marble floors, a sinister drumroll heralding their doom.
Lucien sprang to his feet, pulling Sera against him with fierce urgency. "Oh holy shit! Go! Now!" His voice was steady, but his eyes burned with a fierce determination that sent a chill down her spine, as they made their way out of the nursery.
"Wait, Daniel!" Seraphine cried, her voice breaking, desperation clawing at her throat.
Asher came barrelling around the corner, a pistol gripped tightly in one hand, a knife glinting menacingly in the other. "This isn't a fire drill!" he barked, seizing her arm. "We're moving!"
But the enemy was already inside. Shadows surged down the hallway—men clad in black tactical gear, their faces obscured, movements sharp and precise like a predatory pack. Lucien fired the first shot, a crack that echoed in the chaos, dropping one man to the floor. But for every adversary that fell, two more surged through the shattered windows, relentless and hungry. Seraphine was about to running towards the nursery, but suddenly she fell a little dizzy and gripped Lucien's bicep for support. "Angel, you okay? Go get Daniel. I am going with Asher to clear out the men."
Then, one of them slipped into the nursery completely unnoticed—tall, broad, with a cruel grin peeking from beneath his mask. Seraphine's heart plummeted as she watched him lift Daniel from the bassinet, treating her child as if he were nothing more than a mere bundle of cloth.
"No—NO!" She lunged forward, fuelled by primal instinct, but two men seized her, yanking her back as she screamed.
Lucien roared the word no, a sound more beast than man, tearing through his captors with brutal strength, a whirlwind of fury. But in the chaos, the leader backed toward the broken glass, clutching Daniel, and vanished into the night, Sera's scream trailing helplessly behind him.
They ran—not out of fear, but out of a desperate strategy. Lucien dragged Seraphine through the chaos, past bloodied guards and into the smoke-filled west corridor. Asher covered their retreat, firing in short bursts, his curses a constant murmur against the backdrop of chaos.
Outside, a black Lamborghini awaited, engine purring ominously. The driver was gone—likely dead—but Lucien didn't hesitate. He shoved Seraphine inside, then slid in next to her, hitting the gas as the tires screamed against the stone driveway, tearing into the night.
Inside the car, Seraphine's hands shook violently, her heart racing. "They have him—Lucien, they have him!"
Lucien's jaw was clenched so tightly she could hear his teeth grind, his focus unwavering. "We're getting him back."
She hit Lucien sharp in the head before furiously stating, "You promised me nothing will happen to Daniel. To our child. LUCIEN! You broke that promise."
Lucien felt really guilty deep down. He did not look at the misery clear in her eyes. After all, there is no stronger love than a mothers. I am so sorry, my angel. I let our baby get into their hands by just a few minutes of carelessness. I would never forgive myself if something happens to him. He thought.
Her fury now turned into helpless, pitiful cries, "Lucien, look at me! Why won't you say anything after you made us lose our child? My beautiful Daniel. God knows where he is right now in what condition."
Asher sighed.
Then the phone rang—her phone, the screen illuminating with a name that sent ice through her veins. Unknown number. Lucien answered, his expression darkening as he heard the voice on the other end, low, cold, and deliberate.
"You know who this is. We have your son. We're willing to give him back… for a price."
"What do you want?" Lucien hissed, his voice a venomous whisper.
A pause hung heavily in the air. Then, the voice continued, almost amused. "We want Seraphine. My son has taken a liking to her. He wants her… but not while you're alive, Castellano. So, here's the choice: she kills you herself, or the boy suffers for every day you breathe."
The line went dead.
Lucien's grip on the steering wheel turned white-knuckled. "It's not happening," he said flatly, his gaze fixed ahead, unyielding.
But Seraphine sat frozen, her mind spiralling into a dark abyss. Daniel's tiny laugh echoed in her memory, his warm little hands grasping at her fingers, his little round eyes lighting up whenever she entered the room.
Now, the thought of those eyes closing forever twisted her stomach, each breath feeling like a betrayal.
The sleek Lambo halted at an abandoned park, far from the city. Lucien got out of the car screaming. He screamed as he knelt down and smacked his arms on the soft, bushy grass. Seraphine came out close behind him, alongside Asher. She knelt down too, her hand on Lucien's shoulder. She held his chin and moved his face towards her, only to find his once fierce face full of tears. He grabbed her hand and cried on her shoulder, "Tell me my angel,"
"Yes?"
"Why aren't we meant to have peace? Since the day I was born disasters keep on happening. My parents' business downfall, my aunt's death, Ashers abandonment, my parents' death and now Seraphine, our son's put in the harm's way!"
"Lucien! You know very well none of this has happened because of you. Stand up this moment you old man! What you're thinking is not going to happen! Sera won't be able to live without you!" Asher exclaimed.
"Lucien," she whispered, her voice trembling, "please… we can't let this happen. We are going to do this together, like you said"
He turned to her; desperation etched across his face. "You don't understand. They'll hurt him, my angel. If it comes down to it, I'll do anything to protect our son. Even if it means…" His voice faltered, emotion choking him. "Even if it means you have to kill me."
Tears streamed down Sera's cheeks, each drop a testament to the anguish tearing at her heart. "No! I can't do that! I won't!"
"Told you," sighed Asher.
Lucien's eyes softened, pleading, as if he were searching their soul for understanding. "You both have to! For Daniel! This isn't just about us anymore. It's about saving him."
Asher clenched his jaw, glancing between them as the tension mounted. "Lucien, think about this—"
"No! Asher shut up!" Lucien snapped, his voice a fierce growl. "This is the only way!"
The Lamborghini stood still on the sidewalk, but outside the car, the air thickened with dread. Seraphine's heart raced, torn between the love for her husband and the love for her child. Each beat echoed the weight of the impossible choice looming over them.
"Lucien, please," she begged, her voice cracking. "We'll find another way. We can fight back together. We can—"
But he shook his head, the determination in his gaze unwavering. "This is it, my angel. You have to trust me. If it comes to that moment, you must do it. For Daniel."
Her mind raced, grappling with the horror of what he was asking. "I can't lose you! I can't lose either of you!"
The silence that followed was deafening, each heartbeat a reminder of the impending darkness. Asher's voice broke through the tension. "We'll figure this out. We can't let them win."
But Seraphine felt the weight of Lucien's gaze, the resolute strength behind it. The thought of Daniel being hurt twisted her insides, and suddenly, she was paralyzed by the image of her baby's laughter fading into silence.
"Its fine if you don't. I will do it myself then," he breathed sharply before drawing out his weapon.
"No! Lucien," Both Seraphine and Asher lunged at him and tackled the gun away from him.
"I thought you were just an old man, now that I think of it, you are a crazy old man. We all will get Daniel to safety even if it's the last thing we do."
Seraphine nodded vigorously.
Then, the phone rang again, slicing through the tension like a knife. Seraphine's heart raced as she looked at the screen. It was an unknown number once more. He answered it.
Lucien answered, his expression hardening. "What now?"
The voice was cold, mocking. "You're still thinking, Castellano? You're running out of time. The clock is ticking. Make your choice."
"Leave my family out of this," Lucien growled, his grip tightening around the phone.
The voice continued, taunting. "We both know that's not an option. You have until dawn, to turn up you-know-where. If you haven't made your choice by then, the consequences will be… dire."
The line went dead again, leaving them in a suffocating silence. Seraphine felt a storm of panic swell within her, her hands trembling as she clutched Lucien's arm.
"Lucien, we have to find a way to outsmart them. We can't let them control us like this," she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucien turned to her, his eyes fierce yet filled with sorrow. "But what if there's no other choice? What if it's the only way to save him?"
Tears streamed down Seraphine's face, her heart breaking at the thought of losing him. "I won't let you do this. I refuse to choose between you two!"
"Then fight with me," he urged, his voice raw with emotion. "Fight for our son. Whatever it takes, we will get him back. But I need you to promise me… if it comes down to it, you'll do what needs to be done."
Seraphine shook her head vehemently, the storm of emotions crashing over her like a tidal wave. "I can't! I won't be the one to end your life. There has to be another way!"
Asher glanced between them, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "We need a plan. We can't let fear dictate our actions."
But Lucien's gaze remained locked on Sera, his expression pleading. "I'll do anything for you both. Just promise me that if it comes to it, you'll have the strength to do what needs to be done."
Seraphine's breath hitched, and she felt a deep chasm opening beneath her. The weight of his words threatened to pull her into darkness. "I… I can't promise that."
The car sped through the night, the engine roaring like a beast, but inside, the tension thickened, a suffocating silence settling over them. The stakes had never felt higher, and Sera's heart ached as she fought against the despair creeping in.
The Lamborghini tore down the empty road, the moonlight casting eerie shadows through the windows. Each passing moment felt like an eternity, each heartbeat a reminder of their fragile existence.
"Lucien," she whispered, her voice trembling. "What if we can find a way to turn this around? What if we can save Daniel and you at the same time?"
His expression softened, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes. "I want to believe that, Seraphine. I really do. But we have to prepare for the worst."
As they drove into the night, the darkness ahead loomed larger than life, a reminder of the choices they would soon face. Sera's heart ached with every thought of Daniel, each memory a blade twisting deeper into her soul.
And as the dawn approached, the weight of their predicament settled like a heavy fog, shrouding them in uncertainty. The world outside felt distant, each passing moment drawing them closer to an unthinkable choice that would define their fate.
In that heavy silence, they clung to hope like a fragile lifeline, each heartbeat a reminder of the storm brewing around them. The oppressive darkness outside pressed against the car, as if the very night itself conspired to suffocate their dreams. Every rustle of leaves, every distant echo of footsteps seemed amplified, a sinister soundtrack to their growing dread. Shadows danced just beyond the reach of the headlights, taunting them with the spectre of what lay ahead. They exchanged anxious glances, each one laden with unspoken fears, their minds racing with the weight of the choices that loomed over them like an executioner's blade.
Time stretched, each second feeling like an eternity, and the air grew thick with an unshakeable tension. They knew that the dawn would soon break, bringing with it the harsh light of reality—one that would force them to confront the unimaginable. Would they be ready? Could they find the strength to face the horrors that awaited them? The question gnawed at their insides, a relentless hunger for answers that felt just out of reach. As the engine roared on, drowning out the chaos of their thoughts, they felt the shadows close in, whispering dark possibilities that threatened to tear them apart. The anticipation of what was to come hung heavy in the air, a dark promise that made their hearts race and their palms sweat, leaving them craving the resolution that seemed tantalizingly close yet terrifyingly far away.