Chapter 9 — The Night Ethan Disappeared
Chapter 9 — The Night Ethan Disappeared
At 11:47 p.m., Victor was standing in front of thirty-seven cameras.
At 11:48, Ethan disappeared.
The timing was too perfect to be an accident.
Victor had just finished the press conference.
The footage of Serena hurting Ethan had been broadcast nationwide.
The medical records had been exposed.
The employees who had been silenced had spoken.
For the first time, Serena's carefully constructed image was collapsing in public.
And Victor had promised the city one final revelation.
He had told reporters:
“Tomorrow morning, I will release the financial records.”
He had not said what those records contained.
He hadn't needed to.
Everyone already understood that the Blackwood family was hiding something enormous.
But Victor had one more piece of evidence.
A document that connected Serena directly to the offshore accounts.
A document that could end her.
He kept it inside a locked case in his study.
He planned to release it at nine the next morning.
He never got the chance.
The mansion was under maximum security.
Eight guards outside.
Four inside.
Two stationed near Ethan's room.
Every entrance was locked.
Every vehicle was inspected.
The cameras had been upgraded.
Victor had personally ordered the security team to protect Ethan at all costs.
Lily had barely slept.
She sat beside Ethan's crib.
His cast had been removed two days earlier.
He was healing.
Slowly.
He had started smiling again.
That small smile had become Lily's reason to keep going.
At 11:46 p.m., Ethan was asleep.
At 11:47, Lily checked the monitor.
Everything was normal.
At 11:48—
the screen went black.
Lily stood immediately.
“What?”
She walked closer.
The monitor flickered.
Static.
Then darkness.
She picked up the phone.
“Security?”
No answer.
She tried again.
Nothing.
Her heart began pounding.
She opened Ethan's bedroom door.
“Ethan?”
The crib was empty.
Lily froze.
For one terrible second, she couldn't breathe.
Then she screamed.
“VICTOR!”
Victor heard the scream from downstairs.
He ran.
Two guards followed.
Lily stood inside the nursery.
Her face was white.
Victor entered.
“Where is he?”
She pointed.
“He's gone.”
Victor stared at the empty crib.
“No.”
He crossed the room.
Checked beneath the crib.
The bathroom.
The closet.
Nothing.
“Who was guarding the door?”
Lily shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Victor turned toward the hallway.
“Where are the guards?”
Silence.
Then Marcus came running.
“Boss!”
Victor stepped outside.
“Where are the guards?”
Marcus looked confused.
“They were here.”
“Where?”
“Outside the nursery.”
“Find them.”
Marcus disappeared.
Victor looked at Lily.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Lily.”
“I am coming.”
He looked at her.
She was shaking.
But she didn't move.
“I'm not leaving Ethan again.”
Victor nodded.
“Then stay behind me.”
They found the first guard in the service corridor.
He was unconscious.
No visible gunshot.
No blood.
Just a small puncture mark on his neck.
The second guard was found in the security room.
Also unconscious.
Victor crouched beside him.
“Sedative.”
Marcus nodded.
“Looks like it.”
Victor stood.
“How did they get past the cameras?”
Marcus looked at the monitors.
“They didn't.”
“What?”
“They disabled them from inside the system.”
Victor stared.
“Who has access?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Only you.”
“Who else?”
“Daniel.”
“Anyone else?”
Marcus shook his head.
Then Lily spoke.
“Serena.”
Victor turned.
“She had access before.”
“But she's gone.”
“Her credentials might still be active.”
Victor's eyes hardened.
“Check them.”
Marcus ran.
A minute later, his voice came through the radio.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“Serena's credentials were used eleven minutes ago.”
Victor's blood ran cold.
“From where?”
A pause.
“Inside the mansion.”
The security room went silent.
Lily stared at Victor.
“She came back.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who used her access?”
Victor didn't answer.
He was already thinking.
The attacker knew the security system.
Knew the mansion.
Knew Ethan's routine.
Knew where the guards stood.
Knew exactly when Victor would be distracted by the press conference.
This wasn't a random kidnapping.
It had been planned for months.
Marcus suddenly shouted.
“We found something.”
Victor turned.
“What?”
“A vehicle.”
“Where?”
“North gate.”
“License plate?”
“Fake.”
“Show me.”
The monitor displayed a black SUV leaving the property.
Victor watched.
Then froze.
A familiar figure sat in the passenger seat.
Serena.
Lily covered her mouth.
“She has Ethan.”
Victor's face became terrifyingly calm.
“Where is the vehicle going?”
Marcus tracked it.
“East.”
“How far?”
“Five minutes.”
Victor grabbed his coat.
“Get the cars.”
They reached the north gate in less than three minutes.
The SUV was gone.
But something had been left behind.
A white blanket.
Ethan's blanket.
Lily picked it up.
It was still warm.
She pressed it against her chest.
“He's alive.”
Victor looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because they wouldn't leave this behind if…”
She couldn't finish.
Victor nodded.
“He's alive.”
A phone rang.
Not Victor's.
Lily's.
Unknown number.
She stared at it.
Victor said:
“Answer.”
She did.
“Hello?”
Serena's voice came through.
“Hello, Lily.”
Lily's face went pale.
“Where is Ethan?”
Serena laughed softly.
“Safe.”
“Give him back.”
“You don't get to make demands.”
“Please.”
“You protected him.”
“Yes.”
“You ruined everything.”
“No.”
Lily's voice strengthened.
“You did that yourself.”
Serena went silent.
Then:
“Put Victor on.”
Lily handed him the phone.
“Where is my son?”
“You're finally asking the right question.”
“I'll find you.”
“You won't.”
“Try me.”
Serena laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
“Understand what?”
“This was never about the child.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“Then what is it about?”
“The trust.”
Victor looked at Lily.
Serena continued.
“Your father built a fortune that wasn't supposed to belong to you.”
Victor's voice became colder.
“You're wrong.”
“No.”
She whispered:
“I'm not.”
Then the line went dead.
Victor stared at the phone.
Lily asked:
“What does she want?”
“The trust.”
“She already knows about it.”
“She wants control.”
“Can she get it?”
Victor shook his head.
“Not unless I'm dead, incapacitated, or removed as Ethan's guardian.”
Lily froze.
“She took Ethan to force you into something.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
Victor didn't answer.
Then he remembered the message.
Marry Serena.
The demand wasn't about romance.
It was about legal authority.
If Victor married Serena, she could become Ethan's legal guardian under the trust.
And if Victor was forced to sign the appropriate documents—
she could control everything.
Lily whispered:
“She wants you to marry her.”
Victor nodded.
“And she has Ethan to make me agree.”
At 2:13 a.m., Victor received another call.
This time, the voice was male.
“Victor.”
He recognized it.
The same voice from before.
His father's voice.
“Where is my son?”
A soft laugh.
“Your son is exactly where he needs to be.”
“Give him back.”
“You're still making demands.”
“What do you want?”
“Your signature.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“On what?”
“The transfer documents.”
“Which transfer?”
“The Blackwood voting shares.”
Victor's face hardened.
“You want the trust.”
“I want what belongs to my family.”
“Ethan is my son.”
“And my grandson.”
Victor went still.
“You admit you're alive.”
Silence.
Then:
“You always were clever.”
“Where is Ethan?”
“Safe.”
“Let me hear him.”
A pause.
Then Ethan's cry came through the phone.
“Daddy!”
Victor closed his eyes.
His breathing stopped.
“Ethan!”
The baby cried again.
Then the line went silent.
Victor nearly smashed the phone.
“Bring him back!”
His father's voice returned.
“Tomorrow.”
“Where?”
“Saint Mercy Bank.”
Victor froze.
Lily looked at him.
Saint Mercy.
The same bank connected to Serena's financial records.
The same name Lily had seen beneath folder seventeen.
His father continued.
“Bring the trust documents.”
“And if I don't?”
“You'll receive your son in pieces.”
The call ended.
Lily's face went white.
Victor stared at the phone.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Boss…”
Victor looked at him.
“Prepare the cars.”
“Where are we going?”
“Saint Mercy.”
But Lily stopped him.
“Victor.”
He turned.
“Don't go alone.”
“I won't.”
“You're walking into a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then why go?”
Victor looked at her.
“Because my son is there.”
Lily nodded.
“Then I'm coming.”
“No.”
“Victor—”
“You stay here.”
“I know Ethan better than anyone.”
“I know.”
“Then you need me.”
Victor hesitated.
She was right.
But there was another reason he didn't want her there.
He had already failed to protect Ethan once.
He wouldn't risk Lily too.
“I can't lose you too.”
Lily stared at him.
“What?”
Victor looked away.
“You heard me.”
Her expression softened.
“Then don't.”
At 4:30 a.m., they arrived at Saint Mercy Bank.
The building had been closed for years.
Its windows were boarded.
The parking lot was empty.
Victor's men surrounded the building.
Lily stayed beside him.
They entered through the main doors.
Inside, the air smelled like dust and old paper.
A single light was on.
At the end of the hallway stood a man.
Older.
Tall.
Gray-haired.
Victor stopped.
Lily's heart raced.
The man stepped into the light.
Alexander Blackwood.
Victor's father.
Alive.
Victor stared at him.
For six years, he had imagined this moment.
He had imagined anger.
Violence.
Questions.
But when he finally saw the man standing in front of him—
he felt nothing.
Only emptiness.
“You're alive.”
Alexander smiled.
“You always were stubborn.”
Victor's hands tightened.
“Where is Ethan?”
Alexander nodded toward a locked door.
“Inside.”
Victor moved.
Alexander raised a hand.
“Not yet.”
Victor stopped.
“What do you want?”
“Your signature.”
“You'll never get it.”
Alexander smiled.
“You will.”
“Why?”
“Because you're a father.”
Victor stared.
Alexander stepped closer.
“You think you can choose between your empire and your son.”
He smiled.
“But I already made the choice for you.”
A child's cry came from behind the door.
“Daddy!”
Victor's entire body tensed.
He looked at the door.
Then back at Alexander.
“What have you done?”
Alexander's smile disappeared.
“Something your mother should have done twenty years ago.”
Victor froze.
“My mother?”
Alexander nodded.
“Ask her why she abandoned you.”
Lily looked at Victor.
His face had gone completely white.
Then another voice came from behind the locked door.
A woman's voice.
Soft.
Shaking.
“Victor?”
He stopped breathing.
Because he knew that voice.
He had heard it only once.
In an old recording from his childhood.
His mother's voice.
The woman everyone had told him was dead.
Victor stared at the door.
Alexander smiled.
“You wanted the truth.”
May you like
He stepped aside.
“Now you're going to get all of it.”
