Chapter 18 - THE CHAPEL
The first shot shattered a stained-glass window.
The second hit the altar.
Police moved.
I ran toward the boathouse because someone shouted that a man was escaping with the baby.
Dr. Chen grabbed my arm.
“Selene, stop!”
I saw Dr. Wynn carrying Fern toward a speedboat.
I stopped listening.
“FERN!”
Wynn turned.
Fern heard me.
She screamed “Mama!” for the first time in her life.
Wynn tried to climb into the boat.
I grabbed the back of his coat.
He shoved me down.
Then Stellan came out of nowhere.
He hit Wynn once and took Fern before she could fall.
Wynn reached for a weapon.
Elias tackled him into the dock.
Police swarmed both men.
I ran to Stellan.
Fern was crying against his chest.
He handed her to me immediately.
I held my daughter so tightly she protested.
Stellan touched the back of her head.
“You’re safe.”
Behind us, the chapel door burst open.
Malcolm staggered outside bleeding from the arm.
He pointed a gun at Stellan.
Celeste stepped between them.
“Malcolm.”
He froze.
Her face was wet with tears.
“You used me.”
“I loved you.”
“No. You studied me.”
Police shouted for him to drop the gun.
Malcolm looked at Fern.
Then at the water.
For one terrible second, I thought he would fire.
Instead, Celeste said softly, “If any part of you ever loved me, put it down.”
His hand shook.
The gun fell.
Police took him.
I thought it was over.
Then Elias’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“Stellan.”
“What?”
“Victor survived the tunnel.”
Stellan went still.
Elias continued.
“And he escaped the ambulance ten minutes ago.”
Stellan looked at Fern.
Victor had lost Malcolm, Wynn, the ledger, and the heir he wanted to control.
May you like
That meant he had nothing left to bargain with.
Only revenge.
