Chapter 6 - The Betrayal at Pier 4
The fragile peace shattered three weeks later.
It was a rainy Thursday night. Dominic had been called away to an emergency meeting at the harbor district to settle a dispute over a hijacked cargo container.
Inside the Hanover Street estate, Belle was tucking Micah and Sienna into their beds in the nursery wing.
Suddenly, the house lights flickered and went black.
BZZZT.
The heavy hum of the mansion's backup generator failed to kick in.
Down in the main foyer, the sharp sound of suppressed gunshots echoed through the stone hallways.
POW. POW. POW.
Belle’s blood ran cold. She sprinted into the nursery, locking the heavy mahogany door behind her, pulling both children into the walk-in closet behind a rack of heavy coats.
"Mama..." Micah whispered, his body trembling as he squeezed Sienna’s hand. "Is it bad men?"
"Shh," Belle whispered, pressing her hands over their mouths. "Stay quiet. Don't make a sound."
Outside the nursery door, heavy footsteps approached.
"Search the floor!" a rough voice shouted. It was Julian Ashford. "Rossini said the maid and the kids are up here! Find them!"
The nursery door was kicked open with a deafening crash.
Through the gaps in the closet door, Belle watched as three armed men in black ski masks stormed into the room, tearing apart the bedsheets and smashing the lamps.
"They're not in here!" one guard yelled.
"Check the closet!" Julian ordered, stepping into the room with a crowbar in his hand.
Belle knew they had seconds before the closet door was yanked open.
She looked at her son. She remembered the lesson Dominic had taught him in the garden.
Belle reached into her coat pocket, pulling out the heavy brass candlestick she had carried with her from the basement apartment weeks ago—the one object she had kept to remind herself of where she came from.
She looked at Micah, her eyes burning with pure, unyielding maternal instinct.
"Stay behind me," Belle whispered.
As the closet door swung open, revealing Julian Ashford’s sneering face, Belle didn't scream. She didn't beg.
She lunged forward with everything she had, slamming the heavy brass candlestick straight into Julian’s jaw.
CRACK!
Julian let out a bloody shriek, stumbling backward onto the floor, dropping his crowbar.
Belle didn't stop. She grabbed the heavy crowbar from the floor, swinging it wildly, catching the second gunman across the knee. The man collapsed, screaming in agony.
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"Micah! Sienna! RUN!" Belle screamed.
The children bolted out of the closet, sprinting toward the rear emergency staircase that led down to the gardens.
