Chapter 2 - The Arrival of the Black SUVs
The heavy wooden door click-locked into place, cutting off the damp West Virginia air and the sight of the only man I had ever loved.
Inside the small apartment above Pike’s Bakery, the air was warm, smelling faintly of the morning's leftover cinnamon rolls and fresh dough.
I pressed my back against the solid wood, my chest heaving as the adrenaline crashed through my system in violent waves.
Mila wrapped her small arms tightly around my leg, while Leo walked over to the window, his amber eyes narrowing as he peered through the lace curtains.
"Mama," Leo said, his voice carrying a quiet precision that always reminded me of his father.
"The big man didn't leave. He's looking at the road."
Before I could walk over to pull him away from the glass, a sharp, mechanical screech echoed from the gravel street below.
Three heavily armored black SUVs tore around the corner of the block, their tires kicking up mud as they swerved to surround my porch.
The vehicle doors flew open in unison, and six men clad in dark suits and tactical gear stepped out onto the wet asphalt.
Marco didn't panic; his broken expression vanished instantly, replaced by the ruthless, calculating mask of the Chicago syndicate leader.
He reached into his tailored black coat, his hand emerging with a silver firearm that caught the dim light of the streetlamp.
"Elena! Stay inside!" Marco’s voice boomed through the wooden door, completely stripping the quiet silence from the small town.
One of the men from the lead SUV stepped forward, holding a high-grade data tablet that was flashing a bright, glowing tracking sequence.
"Mr. Bellini," the man shouted, his voice rough. "The contract has been finalized. Your sister ordered the collection of the children."
The words sliced through the door, freezing the blood inside my veins as I looked down at my twins.
My sister, Brittany, hadn't just slept with my husband three years ago to break my heart.
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She had staged the entire betrayal to drive me out of the city, ensuring I would hide away while she systematically rewrote the family inheritance.
And now that Marco had finally located my position, her digital tracking loop had triggered, sending her collection squad to erase us permanently.
