Chapter 6 - Standing Tall
Vance’s eyes went wide with pure, unadulterated terror. "What... what the—"
Adrian didn't just stand; he lunged forward with explosive force. The sheer shock of seeing a man paralyzed for eight years leap from his chair froze Vance for a fraction of a second—and that fraction was all Adrian needed.
Adrian grabbed Vance’s gun wrist, twisting it violently downward. The gun discharged into the floorboards before clattering away. With his other hand, Adrian drove a devastating right hook straight into Vance’s jaw.
Vance crashed backward against the heavy oak desk, coughing up blood. "You... you can walk?!"
"I can do more than walk," Adrian growled.
He didn't give Vance a chance to recover. Adrian grabbed Vance by the collar and hurled him against the wall, smashing a glass display case. The physical strength that had been locked away in Adrian’s body for almost a decade roared back, fueled by adrenaline and unconditional love for his child.
Outside the study, two of Vance’s mercenaries heard the commotion and rushed down the hallway.
"Boss!" one shouted, raising an assault rifle.
Adrian acted on instinct. He grabbed Vance as a human shield just as the mercenary fired. Bullets slammed into Vance’s vest and shoulders. Adrian dropped Vance, picked up his sidearm from the desk, and fired three rapid shots. Both mercenaries fell to the floor, disarmed and neutralized.
Down in the basement, Emma, Lily, and Noah heard the gunfire slowly fade into silence.
"Is it over?" Noah whimpered, hugging his knees.
Emma held Lily close, her eyes fixed on the reinforced steel door of the panic room. "Stay behind me," she whispered.
Heavy, slow footsteps approached the door.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Emma’s heart stopped. She picked up a heavy metal flashlight, holding it like a club.
The electronic lock on the door beeped. The heavy steel door slowly swung open.
Standing in the doorway, framed by the red emergency lights, was Adrian.
He wasn't in his wheelchair.
He was standing on his own two feet, leaning heavily against the doorframe, his clothes torn, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but his eyes burning with intense, protective light. On his left shoe, the bright red, sparkly lace Lily had tied was covered in dust, but intact.
Lily gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Mr. Adrian... you're standing!"
Adrian looked down at her, a soft, tearful smile breaking through his bruised and bloody face. He took one step forward, then another, unsteadily, like a toddler learning to walk for the very first time.
He dropped to one knee in front of Lily, reaching out his arms.
May you like
"I told you," Adrian choked out, tears finally streaming down his cheeks. "I told you my legs would wake up."
Lily threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. Emma fell to her knees beside them, wrapping her arms around both of them, sobbing with relief.
