Chapter 4

I needed to leave the city immediately.

I needed to reach the Smith family countryside manor.

It was thirty miles outside of London.

I walked for hours through the freezing night.

I finally found a slow delivery truck parked behind a grocery store. The driver was asleep in the front seat.

I climbed silently into the cold, open back. I hid behind a stack of wooden crates.

The truck eventually started moving.

By midnight, the truck stopped at a rural intersection. I slipped out into the dark woods. I walked the rest of the way.

The Smith manor was a massive, imposing stone fortress. High iron gates surrounded the entire property.

Security cameras watched every single entrance.

Heavily armed guards walked the perimeter with large dogs. It looked completely impenetrable. It was designed to keep the world out.

But they forgot one crucial detail.

Troy and I drafted the architectural renovations for this exact house three years ago. I knew every single inch of this building.

During the massive renovation, we discovered an old servant's passage hidden behind the grand library.

Mrs. Smith ordered us to seal it up with solid brick. She hated the idea of hidden spaces.

But Troy was incredibly lazy. He told the contractors to just cover the opening with heavy oak paneling. He wanted to save time. He thought no one would ever know.

I crept through the dark, manicured bushes.

I avoided the sweeping security lights. I held my breath every time a guard walked past.

I reached the side of the massive stone house.

I found the small, rusted iron grate hidden behind a thick wall of ivy.

I pulled it open with my freezing, bleeding fingers.

The metal scraped loudly, but the wind hid the sound.

I crawled into the narrow, pitch-black tunnel. Thick dust and old cobwebs choked my lungs. The sharp stones tore at my knees. I crawled blindly for what felt like hours.

Finally, my hands touched smooth, polished wood. I reached the wooden panel.

I pushed hard with both hands. The heavy oak swung open silently.

I stepped into the grand library.

The house was completely silent. I reached the heavy white door. I turned the brass handle slowly. It was unlocked. I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

A soft yellow nightlight glowed in the corner. A large, expensive wooden crib sat in the center of the room.

I walked toward it. My legs shook violently. My heart hammered against my ribs. I looked down.

Arthur was fast asleep.

Hot tears flooded my eyes. They spilled down my cold, dirty cheeks. I reached into the crib. I scooped his small, warm body into my arms.

I held him tightly against my chest. He stirred slightly, but he did not wake up. He smelled like baby powder and pure innocence. He was my entire world.

"I am here, my sweet boy," I whispered into his soft hair. "Mommy is here. I will never let anyone separate us again. I promise you with my entire life."

I wrapped a thick, warm blanket tightly around him.

I carried him out of the nursery. I walked quickly back toward the library.

Suddenly, a massive, deafening alarm shattered the silence.

Red lights flashed violently in the hallway.

I heard heavy boots running up the grand staircase.

I panicked. I could not go back through the narrow, dirty tunnel with Arthur. I would crush him. I ran toward the back stairs. I sprinted down the steps and burst through the kitchen doors. I ran out into the sprawling, maze-like gardens.

The cold night air hit my face. The alarm blared loudly across the massive property.

Dogs began to bark viciously in the distance.

I clutched my baby tightly to my chest. I sprinted blindly into the dark, wooded edge of the property. The sharp branches whipped against my face.

The cold mud sucked at my bare feet. I did not stop running. I ran on pure, absolute adrenaline. I was a mother protecting her child. I would fight anyone who tried to stop me.

I looked back over my shoulder. Bright flashlight beams cut violently through the dark trees. The guards were hunting me. They were getting closer. I could hear their angry shouts.

I turned my head forward.

Suddenly, I collided hard with a wall of solid muscle.

I bounced back. I almost dropped Arthur. It was a man. He stood completely still in the dark woods.

I opened my mouth to scream.

Before a single sound could escape my lips, a large, gloved hand clamped tightly over my mouth. The man pulled me hard against his broad chest.

"If you want to keep that child, you will not make a sound," a deep voice whispered directly into my ear.