Clare’s fingers hovered a fraction of an inch above the small crescent-shaped mark on Lily’s neck. Her heart pounded against her ribs like a sledgehammer.

By 10:00 PM, Clare’s estate in Bel-Air was transformed into a fortress.

Dozens of armed private security guards patrolled the iron gates and perimeter walls. Inside the grand master suite, Lily and Rose slept soundly in a massive king-sized bed, wrapped in silk sheets, clutching plush velvet teddy bears Clare had ordered brought to the house.

Clare sat on the edge of the bed, watching the soft rise and fall of their chests, gently brushing their clean, soft brown hair away from their faces. Her heart ached with a mixture of intense love and agonizing guilt. Five years of missed birthdays, missed bedtime stories, missed scraped knees. Five years of cold pavement and rusted shopping carts.

Parker knocked softly on the bedroom door, stepping inside.

"The police are looking for Gary," Parker whispered. "We found his truck abandoned near an industrial park in Commerce. Someone picked him up."

"Julian," Clare said, without taking her eyes off her daughters.

"Likely," Parker agreed. "Clare, we have enough for an immediate arrest warrant for Julian and Dr. Thorne based on the DNA match and the forged death certificates. I can have the District Attorney file charges by morning."

"No," Clare said flatly, turning her head to look at him.

Parker blinked, caught off guard. "No? Clare, he kidnapped your children!"

"If we arrest him now, his high-priced lawyers will post bail within two hours," Clare said, her voice as hard as diamond. "He’ll burn the paper trails, silence Dr. Thorne, and claim he was an innocent party who was deceived by the hospital. I don't just want Julian in a courtroom, Parker. I want him ruined. I want every single person who touched my daughters’ lives dragged out into the light and crushed."

Parker looked at her, realizing that the gentle, grieving woman he had protected for five years was gone. In her place stood the true heir to the Lauron fortune—a woman of limitless wealth and ruthless determination.

"What do you want to do?" Parker asked.

"Dr. Aris Thorne is still practicing at St. Jude's," Clare said. "He’s hosting a high-profile medical charity gala tomorrow night at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Julian is the primary sponsor."