Chapter 7 - A Mother's Strength
Daniel did not move. He stood slowly, his body shifting to completely block Hannah from Claire’s line of sight. His hands were open, held away from his sides, his gray eyes turning to absolute stone.
“Put the gun down, Claire,” Daniel said, his voice carrying a deadly, vibrating calm. “Your fight is with me. Let her go.”
“Let her go?” Claire laughed, a high, hysterical sound that was swallowed by the wind. “She ruined my life! She took my fiancé, she embarrassed my family in front of the entire city, and she’s carrying a bastard that’s going to inherit everything that was supposed to be mine! I’m going to kill her, Daniel. And then I’m going to watch you crawl.”
Hannah felt a sudden, sharp pain tear through her lower abdomen—not a Braxton-Hicks contraction this time, but a deep, tearing pressure that made her gasp and fall to her knees.
“Daniel,” she whispered, clutching his leg. “The... the baby.”
Daniel’s heart froze. He looked down at her, seeing the sheer pain on her face. The primal, protective instinct of a father took over, erasing any trace of hesitation.
“Claire,” Daniel said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “If you shoot, my men will tear your father’s empire to pieces before the sun comes up. You won't live to see the trial.”
“I don't care!” Claire screamed, her finger tightening on the trigger.
Before she could pull it, the glass window behind her shattered into a thousand pieces.
Marcus crashed through the window from the external gantry, his heavy body slamming into the two bodyguards. A deafening gunshot echoed through the tower as Claire’s gun discharged into the ceiling.
Daniel moved with lightning speed. He lunged forward, his large hand catching Claire’s wrist, twisting it until the silver pistol clattered to the floor. He threw her back against the wall, his arm pressing against her throat.
“You’re done, Claire,” Daniel growled, his face inches from hers. “Marcus, get the ledger.”
“Got it, Boss!” Marcus shouted, wrestling the last bodyguard to the floor.
But Hannah’s scream of pain cut through the sounds of the struggle.
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Daniel let go of Claire, turning to run to Hannah’s side. She was curled on her side on the dusty floor, her dress stained with water and a dark, terrifying smudge of blood.
“Daniel,” she sobbed, holding her stomach. “It’s happening. The baby is coming.”
