Chapter 7 – Blood and Betrayal
Chapter 7 – Blood and Betrayal
The city of Chicago had seen Victor Blackwood angry before.
But nobody had ever seen him afraid.
That was the difference.
Anger made him dangerous.
Fear made him unstoppable.
And tonight, every person who had ever betrayed the Blackwood family was about to learn that lesson.
The war room beneath the Blackwood mansion had not been used in years.
It was built for emergencies.
A place where decisions were made without mercy.
Maps covered the walls.
Security screens displayed every street, every highway, every possible escape route.
Victor stood at the center.
His face was expressionless.
But everyone in the room could feel it.
The storm inside him.
“Tell me again.”
His voice was low.
“Who entered the mansion?”
Marcus looked at the files.
“Six men.”
“Names.”
“We identified four.”
Victor waited.
“Two are connected to Richard Blackwood.”
A pause.
“And the other two?”
Marcus hesitated.
“That’s the problem.”
Victor looked up.
“Explain.”
“They were former Blackwood security.”
Silence.
Everyone understood.
Someone inside had helped them.
Someone had opened the door.
Someone had betrayed them.
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“Find them.”
Marcus nodded.
“We will.”
“No.”
Victor looked at him.
“I will.”
For the first time in years, Victor personally entered the hunt.
His men knew what that meant.
This was no longer a business operation.
There would be no negotiations.
No deals.
No second chances.
Because someone had touched the one thing Victor Blackwood would destroy the world to protect.
His son.
And the woman who had protected him.
Inside the abandoned warehouse, Lily fought against the ropes around her wrists.
She had stopped counting the hours.
The room was cold.
The air smelled like dust and metal.
Ethan was asleep on a small blanket nearby.
Every few minutes, Lily checked his breathing.
Every time he moved, her heart calmed.
Because he was still alive.
Still safe.
For now.
Serena stood near the broken window, watching the city lights.
“You’re surprisingly calm.”
Lily looked at her.
“You kidnapped a baby.”
Serena turned.
“You make it sound terrible.”
“It is terrible.”
Serena smiled.
“You always were dramatic.”
Lily stared at her.
“How can you say that?”
“Say what?”
“That you love Victor while hurting his child.”
Something flickered in Serena’s eyes.
Anger.
“You don’t understand anything.”
“Then explain.”
Serena laughed softly.
“You really think this is about love?”
Lily remained silent.
Serena walked closer.
“Victor Blackwood is not a normal man. He doesn’t love like normal people.”
She looked at Ethan.
“He loves because he owns.”
“That’s not true.”
“You think you know him?”
Serena smiled.
“You’ve known him six months.”
She leaned closer.
“I’ve known him for three years.”
Lily looked away.
Because a small part of her wondered.
Was Serena right?
Did Victor really love people?
Or did he only protect what belonged to him?
At that moment, Ethan woke up.
His eyes opened slowly.
Then he started crying.
Lily immediately moved toward him.
“Hey.”
Her voice softened.
“I’m here.”
The baby reached for her.
“Lily…”
The sound broke something inside Serena.
Because even now…
Even kidnapped…
Ethan wanted Lily.
Not her.
Serena’s face darkened.
“You see?”
Lily looked at her.
“What?”
“He chooses you.”
A bitter laugh escaped Serena.
“Even though I’m the one who was supposed to become his mother.”
Lily shook her head.
“You were never his mother.”
The words were quiet.
But they destroyed Serena’s last bit of control.
“Be careful.”
Her voice changed.
“You’re still just a nanny.”
Lily looked directly at her.
“No.”
A pause.
“I’m the person who stayed.”
Meanwhile, Victor found the first traitor.
His name was Daniel Ross.
Former security captain.
A man who had worked for the Blackwoods for eight years.
Victor found him in an apartment on the south side.
Daniel barely had time to open the door.
Victor was already inside.
“You sold access to my home.”
Daniel immediately fell to his knees.
“Sir, I can explain.”
Victor looked around.
Money.
Documents.
A new car key on the table.
Proof.
“There is nothing to explain.”
Daniel shook his head.
“I didn’t know they would take Ethan.”
That sentence stopped Victor.
“You didn’t know?”
Daniel looked terrified.
“I thought they only wanted information.”
Victor stepped closer.
“Who paid you?”
Daniel remained silent.
Victor placed a photograph on the table.
Ethan.
A picture taken that morning.
“Your betrayal put this child in danger.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“Please.”
“Who paid you?”
Finally, he whispered.
“Richard.”
Victor’s eyes became cold.
“Where is he?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Victor grabbed him.
“Wrong answer.”
“I swear!”
Daniel cried.
“I only met the woman!”
“What woman?”
Daniel looked afraid.
Then said:
“Serena’s mother.”
Victor froze.
Because Serena’s mother had been dead for ten years.
The discovery changed everything.
This was bigger than Serena.
Bigger than Richard.
Someone else was moving pieces.
Someone who had been hidden for years.
Hours later, Marcus tracked a vehicle.
A black SUV.
Moving outside the city.
Victor followed immediately.
No backup.
No waiting.
Marcus tried to stop him.
“Sir, it could be a trap.”
Victor looked at him.
“It is.”
“Then why go?”
Victor opened the car door.
“Because my son is there.”
The warehouse appeared abandoned.
Too abandoned.
Victor knew immediately.
A trap.
The lights inside flickered.
He entered alone.
“Richard.”
His voice echoed.
A slow clap came from the darkness.
“Well.”
A man stepped forward.
Older.
Similar features.
Same cold eyes.
Richard Blackwood.
“I wondered how long it would take.”
Victor stared at him.
“You took my son.”
Richard smiled.
“No.”
A pause.
“I corrected your mistake.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“What mistake?”
Richard walked closer.
“Building an empire and leaving it to a child.”
“He’s fourteen months old.”
“Exactly.”
Richard smiled.
“He is weak.”
Victor’s eyes became dangerous.
“Where is Ethan?”
Richard laughed.
“You still don’t understand.”
He looked around.
“This was never about the child.”
Victor said nothing.
Richard continued.
“It was about you.”
Suddenly, the lights turned off.
A gunshot exploded.
Victor moved instantly.
The bullet missed.
Men appeared from the shadows.
Victor fought back.
The warehouse became chaos.
But then—
A scream.
Not from an enemy.
From Lily.
Victor froze.
Because he knew that voice.
He ran.
He found Lily on the ground.
One of the kidnappers was dragging Ethan away.
Victor’s world narrowed.
He didn’t think.
He reacted.
Within seconds, the man was on the floor.
Victor grabbed Ethan.
The baby immediately cried.
Then reached for him.
“Dad…”
A single word.
A tiny word.
But it destroyed Victor.
He held his son tightly.
“I’m here.”
For the first time all night, his voice broke.
“I’m here.”
Lily looked at him.
Relief filled her eyes.
But then she noticed something.
Blood.
Victor’s shirt was stained.
“Are you hurt?”
He looked down.
A bullet had grazed his shoulder.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does.”
She reached toward him.
Victor stared at her hand.
Even now.
Even after everything.
She worried about him.
Not herself.
Not her injuries.
Him.
Then a voice echoed.
Serena.
“You really came.”
Victor turned.
She stood near the exit.
Calm.
Almost disappointed.
“You ruined everything.”
Victor stared at her.
“You hurt my son.”
Serena smiled sadly.
“No.”
She looked at Lily.
“She did.”
Lily froze.
“What?”
Serena continued.
“She’s the reason you lost control.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you talking about?”
Serena smiled.
“You think Ethan was the only thing I took?”
A pause.
“I took something else.”
She raised a phone.
Victor’s face changed.
On the screen was a video.
A video of Lily.
Holding Ethan.
But edited.
Manipulated.
Made to look like she was hurting him.
Victor stared.
Serena smiled.
“Tomorrow morning, the world will see.”
She stepped backward.
“They’ll believe the nanny attacked your son.”
Lily’s face turned pale.
Victor looked at Serena.
And for the first time…
He wasn’t angry.
He was terrified.
Because he knew.
This wasn’t just a fight for his family anymore.
It was a fight for the truth.
And Serena had just launched her most dangerous weapon.
May you like
A lie.
End of Chapter 7
