Chapter 10 - The Horizon of Iron
The lead driver stepped forward immediately, opening the rear door of the armored sedan as Elena approached. She slid gracefully onto the plush leather interior, settling Lily beside her and pulling a soft cashmere blanket over her daughter's shoulders. As the heavy door clicked shut with a solid thud, sealing out the damp night air, the driver accelerated smoothly down the long, winding driveway toward the iron gates.
Elena looked out the tinted window as the illuminated Bellevue Estate shrank into the distance. The warm, golden light streaming from the grand ballroom windows looked small, fragile, and pathetic against the vast, dark expanse of the night.
She reached out and squeezed Lily's small hand, her jaw set in an iron line that would never break again. Tonight was not the end of the conflict; it was merely the opening move of a total war. They had tried to hurt her child to take her legacy, but in doing so, they had unlocked the one force in High Ridge they could never hope to contain. As the sedan merged onto the highway heading toward the city skyline, Elena knew one truth with absolute certainty: no one would ever lay a hand on her family again.
