CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 1
THE FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK
One inch.
Then another.
Lily’s fingers dragged across the cold marble floor, leaving a faint trail of tears and blood behind her.
Her body screamed at her to stop.
Her ribs burned where Serena’s heel had crushed into her.
Her stomach twisted with every breath.
But Ethan was crying.
Or at least… he was trying to.
That frightened Lily more than anything.
A baby’s cry was supposed to be loud. Angry. Impossible to ignore.
But Ethan’s cries had become weak.
Broken.
Like his tiny body was slowly giving up.
“No…” Lily whispered, crawling faster. “No, Ethan. Stay with me. Please, sweetheart. Stay with me.”
Serena watched her with an amused smile.
It was not the smile of someone who had lost control.
It was the smile of someone who believed she had already won.
“You really are pathetic,” Serena said.
She slowly removed her heel from Lily’s stomach and adjusted the expensive diamond bracelet around her wrist, as if she had merely stepped on a piece of dirt.
“You actually think Victor will believe you?”
Lily froze.
Victor.
Even hearing his name made fear run through the mansion.
Everyone in Chicago knew Victor Blackwood.
The man who owned half the underground world.
The man whose enemies disappeared without a trace.
The man who never showed mercy.
But Lily also knew something most people didn’t.
Victor Blackwood loved his son.
More than anything.
And that was why Ethan had survived the last six months.
Because behind the terrifying reputation, behind the cold expression and ruthless decisions, Victor was just a father trying to protect the only family he had left.
Serena stepped closer.
“You’re a nanny, Lily. Nothing more.”
Her voice lowered.
“You think a powerful man like Victor will choose your word over mine?”
Lily looked up at her.
For a moment, she saw the truth.
Serena wasn’t afraid.
Not even a little.
Because she had planned this.
She believed she was untouchable.
“You hurt him because you’re jealous,” Lily whispered.
Serena’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Lily noticed.
“You hate that Ethan loves Victor more than he loves you.”
Silence.
A dangerous silence.
Then Serena laughed.
A soft, beautiful laugh.
The kind of laugh people at charity events adored.
The kind of laugh that fooled everyone.
“You should have learned something during your time here.”
Serena leaned down.
“People like me don’t lose.”
Lily forced herself to stand.
Her legs shook violently.
But she stood.
Because Ethan needed her.
“You’re wrong.”
Serena raised an eyebrow.
“You think Victor will believe you?”
“No.”
Lily looked at the baby.
“I think he’ll believe his eyes.”
For the first time, Serena’s smile disappeared.
“What did you say?”
Lily swallowed.
Then she heard it.
A sound.
Something distant.
Something that did not belong.
The sound of the mansion gates opening.
Serena turned.
Her face changed.
Only for a second.
But Lily saw it.
Fear.
Real fear.
“No,” Serena whispered.
The entire mansion became silent.
The servants froze.
The security guards near the entrance lowered their heads.
Because everyone knew that sound.
The arrival of the owner.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the marble hallway.
Slow.
Controlled.
Terrifying.
Victor Blackwood had returned.
Hours earlier than expected.
And he was walking toward them.
Serena immediately changed.
The monster disappeared.
The elegant woman returned.
She rushed toward Ethan, pretending to panic.
“Oh my God,” she cried dramatically. “Someone help! Lily attacked him!”
Lily stared at her in disbelief.
The audacity.
The cruelty.
Serena pointed toward Lily with trembling hands.
“She became angry when I tried to stop her from being careless with Ethan.”
Lily’s heart dropped.
She knew exactly what Serena was doing.
Creating the story before Victor entered.
Making herself the victim.
Making Lily the villain.
But then—
The footsteps stopped.
A shadow appeared at the entrance of the foyer.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Victor Blackwood stood there.
Tall.
Cold.
Deadly.
His dark coat was still covered with traces of rain from outside.
His eyes moved slowly across the room.
First to Serena.
Then to Lily.
Then finally…
To Ethan.
Everything changed.
The terrifying mafia boss disappeared.
The ruthless man feared by thousands vanished.
Because he was looking at his son.
His baby boy.
Lying on the marble floor.
Crying weakly.
With an injured arm.
Victor’s face became completely expressionless.
And that was when everyone in the room became afraid.
Because the most dangerous version of Victor Blackwood was not the man who screamed.
It was the man who became silent.
“Victor…” Serena began softly.
But he didn’t look at her.
“Why,” Victor said quietly, “is my son on the floor?”
No one answered.
Serena opened her mouth.
“Lily—”
“Stop.”
One word.
But it carried enough power to silence the entire mansion.
Victor walked forward.
Every step made Serena’s confidence disappear.
He knelt beside Ethan.
His hands trembled slightly as he picked up his son.
“Ethan…”
The baby’s eyes opened weakly.
And the moment he recognized his father…
He cried.
A real cry.
A desperate cry.
Like he had been waiting for someone safe to come.
Victor’s jaw tightened.
He looked at the injured arm.
Then at Lily.
Then back at Serena.
“What happened?”
Serena immediately stepped forward.
“I told you, Victor. Lily lost control—”
“No.”
Victor finally looked at her.
And Serena stopped breathing.
Because she had never seen that look before.
Not anger.
Not rage.
Something worse.
Disappointment.
“Try again.”
The room became silent.
Victor held Ethan carefully.
“Tell me what happened.”
Serena’s lips parted.
For the first time that night…
She had no perfect answer.
And Lily knew.
The truth was finally coming.
But before she could speak, another sound echoed through the mansion.
A phone ringing.
Victor reached into his pocket.
His security chief was calling.
Victor answered.
A few seconds later, his expression changed.
“What?”
Everyone watched him.
Then his eyes moved toward Serena.
The security chief continued speaking.
And whatever he said…
Destroyed the last piece of Serena’s confidence.
Victor slowly lowered the phone.
“Play the footage.”
Serena went pale.
“What footage?”
Victor stared at her.
“The footage from the hidden camera in the nursery.”
Lily’s breath stopped.
Serena’s face turned white.
Because she knew.
She knew exactly what Victor was about to see.
And she knew there was no way to escape.
Victor looked at the guards.
“Bring the screen here.”
The mansion fell into darkness.
May you like
The recording began.
And everyone watched the truth reveal itself.
