Chapter 6
Vincent turned toward the window.
Chicago spread below him in a field of lights.
For years, he had believed control was the same thing as strength.
Control the business.
Control the information.
Control access.
Control emotion.
Control everything.
And now he understood what that system had cost him.
His wife had stood downstairs carrying his twins.
And his own people had turned her away.
Because he had built a world where nobody reached Vincent Moretti unless someone else decided the matter was important enough.
But Vanessa wasn’t solely responsible.
That truth burned deepest.
He had created PR-7.
He had ignored Claire’s calls.
He had let pride become policy.
He had chosen silence because silence was easier than asking whether he had misunderstood the woman he loved.
Vanessa had lied.
But Vincent had created the empty space where her lies could live.
His phone rang.
Everyone froze.
Vincent looked at the screen.
Hospital.
He answered immediately.
“Moretti.”
“Mr. Moretti?”
“Yes.”
“This is Dr. Patel from St. Catherine’s.”
Vincent straightened.
“Claire?”
“She’s awake.”
His eyes closed for half a second.
Relief.
Raw and immediate.
“I’m coming.”
“Mr. Moretti, there’s something else.”
Vincent’s hand tightened around the phone.
“What?”
“Your wife is asking for her children.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“What happened?”
A pause.
Then the doctor said, “Your son developed an acute intestinal complication. We’ve taken him downstairs for emergency surgery.”
Vincent forgot Vanessa existed.
He was already moving.
“Is he stable?”
“He’s being monitored closely, but the surgical team needs to intervene immediately.”
“I’ll be there.”
He ended the call.
Ethan stood.
“I’ll drive.”
Vincent looked at Vanessa.
She took one step toward him.
“Vincent, please. Let me come. I can explain everything after—”
“No.”
The single word stopped her.
“Go home.”
“But—”
“You no longer work for me.”
Her face collapsed.
“Vincent.”
“Your access ends tonight. Building credentials. Accounts. Vehicles. Everything.”
“I gave you twelve years.”
“And Claire gave me children I didn’t even know existed.”
Vanessa stared at him.
Vincent opened the door.
Then paused.
Without turning around, he said, “If you contact Claire, her sister, the hospital, or anyone near my children, Ethan will handle it.”
Ethan’s expression told Vanessa exactly what that meant.
No threats.
No violence.
Just lawyers.
Security.
Distance.
Permanent distance.
Vincent left.
Claire woke to the sound of a monitor.
For several seconds, she didn’t know where she was.
Then memory returned.
The dizziness.