Chapter 1 - The Sanctuary of Law
The engine of my car hummed as I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. In the passenger seat, Rosa was trembling, her hands wrapped defensively around her stomach. Her tear-stained face was pale, looking at the passing city lights as if expecting Adrian’s sleek black sedan to appear in the rearview mirror at any second.
"You're safe now, Rosa," I said, keeping my voice as steady as steel. "He cannot touch you. I promise you that."
"He has power, Ms. Evelyn," Rosa whispered, her voice cracking. "He knows people in immigration. He told me if I ever told anyone about the baby, he would ensure I was sent back to a country I haven't seen since I was a child."
"He's a corporate executive, not a god," I replied, pulling into the underground parking lot of my nonprofit’s headquarters. "And he just made the biggest mistake of his life by threatening you in front of an employment attorney."
I brought Rosa into the private quarters of the foundation. I called Sarah, my head of casework, to arrange a comfortable room, hot food, and an immediate medical check-up for Rosa. Once Rosa was settled and resting, I locked myself in my office, staring at the video on my phone.
Adrian’s voice echoed through the quiet room: “Get rid of that baby... I'll tell immigration you stole from me.”
The phone buzzed in my hand. It was Adrian. I declined the call. A second later, a text appeared: Evelyn, don't be stupid. You're ruining our wedding over a misunderstanding. Delete the video and come home. We can talk about this like adults.
I deleted his text, but I didn't delete the video. Instead, I forwarded it to a secure, encrypted cloud server. Then, I dialed a number I knew by heart.
"Marcus," I said when the line picked up. Marcus Vance was my former senior law partner and the lead ethical auditor for the upcoming multi-billion dollar merger between Adrian’s firm, Cole & Sterling, and an international conglomerate.
May you like
"Evelyn? It’s late. What’s going on? Is everything okay with the wedding prep?" Marcus asked.
"The wedding is canceled," I said coldly. "And I have a file you need to see before you sign off on Cole & Sterling’s compliance certification. Adrian Cole is a liability. A criminal one."
