Chapter 5 - The Shattered Glass
The world seemed to stop moving. The air left Natalie’s lungs in a painful gasp as Damian’s grip on her waist tightened before he released her and moved with lethal speed toward the hotel suite.
The suite was in disarray. One of the security guards lay unconscious near the doorway. The window leading to the fire escape was forced open, rain blowing into the luxurious room.
On the floor near the bed lay Ava's favorite blue ribbon, torn in half.
Damian dropped to one knee, picking up the ribbon. His entire body shook with an terrifying rage. The gentle man who had held Natalie on the terrace vanished entirely, replaced by a cold, calculating warlord whose eyes burned with ruthless vengeance.
"Find Julian Moretti," Damian commanded, his voice low, steady, and terrifyingly calm as his men poured into the room. "Block every port, every airfield, every exit out of Cook County. If a single hair on my daughter's head is harmed, I will burn down everything Julian has ever touched."
Natalie knelt beside the bed, picking up a piece of paper left on the nightstand. It was a ransom note written in jagged handwriting:
The docks and ten million in cash by midnight, DeLuca. Or the little silent girl never speaks again.
"He doesn't know her," Natalie cried out, tears streaming down her face as she looked at Damian. "Damian, he doesn't know how to handle her! If she suffers sensory overload in a terrifying place, she'll lock down, she won't eat, she won't..."
Damian stepped over to Natalie, taking her hands in his. His hands were cold, but his gaze was fiercely locked onto hers. "Listen to me, Natalie. I am going to get our girl back. I need you to stay safe—"
"No!" Natalie demanded, standing up, her voice ringing with absolute determination. "I am coming with you. She knows my voice. If she is having a breakdown, you need me there to pull her back. I am not staying behind!"
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Damian stared at her, seeing no fear in her eyes—only fierce, protective love for his daughter. For the first time, he saw that Natalie wasn't just a caregiver; she was a fighter who would risk everything for the child they both loved.
"Viktor," Damian barked, pulling a hidden holster from his coat and checking his firearm with practiced precision. "Get the armored SUVs. Natalie comes with us."
