Chapter 3 - Fifteen Days Too Late
The signature belonged to Vincent.
Madison's first instinct was terror.
Her second was rage.
Rachel read the document carefully before speaking.
“This isn't enforceable as written.”
“Why does it exist?”
“That matters more.”
The document named Vanessa as emergency guardian if both parents became incapacitated.
It had been prepared before Madison gave birth.
Vincent had signed.
Madison hadn't.
Yet a signature resembling hers appeared beneath his.
Another forgery.
Madison called Vincent.
He answered immediately.
“What did you sign?”
“Where are you?”
“Answer me.”
“Madison—”
“Why is Vanessa Reed named as guardian of my child?”
Silence.
Then:
“What?”
For the first time, Vincent sounded genuinely confused.
Madison almost believed him.
Almost.
“Daniel has documents with your signature.”
“What documents?”
She sent him the page.
Thirty seconds later, Vincent's voice changed.
“Don't go anywhere.”
“I wasn't planning to.”
“Madison, listen carefully. Do not open your door for anyone.”
Her stomach tightened.
“Why?”
But Vincent had already hung up.
Across Chicago, Vincent walked into Daniel Cross's office without knocking.
Daniel wasn't there.
His computer was gone.
Files were missing.
His assistant had been sent home.
Vincent called his security chief.
“Find Cross.”
Then he called Vanessa.
No answer.
For fifteen days, Vincent had convinced himself that helping Vanessa was a debt from his past.
She had arrived frightened.
Claimed someone overseas was following her.
Claimed Vincent was the only person she trusted.
He had put her in the condo.
He had stayed because she cried.
He had told himself Madison was surrounded by doctors and family.
Vanessa had nobody.
Now Vincent understood how convenient that reasoning had been.
He drove to the condominium.
The door was unlocked.
“Vanessa?”
No answer.
Her suitcase remained.
Clothing filled the closet.
But her passport was gone.
On the kitchen counter sat Daniel Cross's business card.
Vincent picked it up.
On the back was an address.
And a time.
9:00 p.m.
That evening, Madison received a package.
No return address.
Rachel insisted on opening it.
Inside was a flash drive.
They connected it to an isolated laptop.
One video file appeared.
The recording showed Daniel Cross sitting across from someone outside the camera frame.
“You don't need Vincent to agree,” Daniel said. “You need him distracted.”
Vanessa's voice answered.
“And Madison?”
“If she files before the transfer clears, we have a problem.”
“What about the baby?”
Daniel smiled.
“The baby is leverage.”
Madison's blood turned cold.
Then another voice spoke.
A man's voice.
Older.
Controlled.
“Vincent Carter took everything from my family. I'll take his family from him.”
Madison recognized it.
Not from Vincent's world.
From hers.
Her father.
Charles Bennett.
The video ended.
Madison stared at the black screen.
Rachel whispered, “Madison?”
“My father died eight years ago.”
A knock sounded at the apartment door.
Three slow knocks.
Grace was holding the baby.
Rachel reached for her phone.
Madison walked toward the security monitor.
A man stood outside.
Gray hair.
Dark overcoat.
A face Madison had buried eight years earlier.
May you like
Her father raised his eyes directly toward the camera.
Then he smiled.
