Adrian's roar shook the mansion.
"Get me Ava and her mum!" His voice thundered through the hall, sharp as a whip.
The nanny appeared instantly, her trembling hands folded at her waist.
"Dad, please!" Isabella stepped forward, her voice desperate. "Leave her out of this. She has nothing to do with it. If you want to punish anyone—let it be me!"
Adrian's chest heaved as his furious eyes narrowed on her. "Get me Ava and her mum!" he bellowed again, so loud the poor servant flinched back and stumbled as if the weight of his rage had physically struck her.
She scurried away in fear, her slippers sliding against the polished floor. Within minutes, she returned, gasping for breath.
"Sir—" her voice cracked, her hands clutching her apron. "Their rooms… they're empty. Ava and her mother aren't in the house."
Adrian froze. For a moment, silence thickened the room like suffocating smoke. His eyes twitched, his jaw clenched, and his hands curled into fists.
Flashback – The Night Before
Claire had been restless all evening. She had seen it in her husband's eyes—the way Adrian had started to notice things he should never notice. The photographs in his office confirmed what she had long feared. Isabella and Ava. Their closeness. Their bond. Something dangerous flickered in Adrian's gaze, a calculation she recognized all too well.
She had known this day would come since those two girls were children. And now, it was here.
When Adrian finally collapsed into sleep, Claire silently slipped from the bed and walked to his office. The soft glow of the desk lamp in his office revealed the photos scattered across his desk—Isabella's smile, Ava's laughter, captured in moments that Adrian had no business keeping. Her stomach twisted. She didn't hesitate. She gathered them, stacked them neatly back, and left the office with her pulse hammering in her ears.
Moving quickly, she went straight to Joyce's room. She didn't bother to knock. She flung the door open, urgency radiating from every step.
"Joyce, wake up!" Claire shook her shoulder until the young woman blinked into awareness.
"Claire? What is it?" Joyce rubbed her eyes, confused.
Claire pressed a finger to her lips. "Shh. No questions. Just listen." Her voice was sharp but trembling with restrained panic. "You must take Ava and leave this house tonight. Right now."
Joyce sat up straighter, alarm spreading across her face. "Why? Claire, you want to get rid of me now? what's—"
"There is no time!" Claire cut her off, thrusting a set of car keys into her palm. Her other hand held a sleek black card. "I've parked one of my cars by the garden gate. No guards will stop you—it's arranged. This card holds enough money for you to start over. Buy a house, disappear, live quietly—whatever it takes. Just keep Ava safe."
Joyce's lips parted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Safe? From what?"
Claire's eyes glistened, her composure cracking. "From Adrian."
The weight of that name hung in the room. Joyce paled, her grip tightening around the keys.
"My daughter will never forgive me if anything happens to Ava," Claire whispered hoarsely, glancing toward the door as if Adrian could appear at any second.
"But—" Joyce's voice trembled—"Ava won't leave Isabella. She'll never go without her."
Claire's throat tightened. She had known that too. She had been preparing for this. As a nurse, she understood exactly what needed to be done.
She reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a small vial and syringe. The liquid shimmered faintly under the dim light.
Joyce's eyes widened. "What is that?"
"Only a sedative," Claire reassured her quickly. "A small dose—just enough to calm her, make her sleep. Nothing more. It won't harm her lungs or her heart, I promise you. But it will give you the chance to get her out before Adrian wakes."
Joyce hesitated, torn between fear and trust, but the fierce determination in Claire's eyes silenced her doubts. She nodded.
Together, they moved quietly to Ava's room. Claire's hands were steady as she filled the syringe. She bent down beside the sleeping girl, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead.
"I'm sorry, Ava," she whispered, her voice breaking. "But this is the only way."
The needle slid into her skin with practiced precision. Ava stirred slightly, then exhaled and slipped deeper into unconsciousness.
Joyce's eyes filled with tears as she lifted Ava into her arms, her body trembling with the weight of both fear and responsibility.
Claire opened the door to the corridor, signaling the security guard she had bribed earlier. Without a word, the guard stepped in, strong arms lifting Ava and carrying her gently toward the hidden car.
The night was quiet, heavy with the scent of damp earth after the evening rain. The car's engine was already running, its headlights dimmed. Claire pressed the card into Joyce's hand one final time, her voice urgent.
"Go. Don't look back. When you're safe, explain everything to Ava. Tell her Isabella will be fine. But no matter what—protect her."
Joyce nodded, swallowing her fear. She slid into the driver's seat, her hands shaking as she adjusted Ava's unconscious form beside her. The guard shut the door firmly, giving her a curt nod before stepping back into the shadows.
Claire watched as the car rolled away, its taillights shrinking into the darkness. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, tears slipping down her cheeks.
"Forgive me, Isabella," she whispered to the night. "But this is the only way I can save you both."
And then the car disappeared beyond the gates.
****
Adrian froze. The servant's trembling voice still echoed in the air.
"Sir… their rooms are empty. Ava and her mother aren't in the house."
For a heartbeat, silence thickened the office like suffocating smoke. Adrian's eyes twitched, his jaw clenched hard enough to crack bone, and his fists curled into trembling knots at his side.
Across the desk, Isabella's eyes widened. No… no, that can't be true.
Her chest heaved, her breath caught in her throat, and without another word she spun around and bolted out of the office.
"Bella!" Claire called after her, but her daughter was gone before she could stop her.
Her footsteps echoed in the hallway like thunder until they reached Ava's door. Isabella flung it open and stumbled inside.
The room was… empty.
The closet doors swung open to reveal nothing but hangers. No clothes. No bags. The little pairs of shoes she had laughed about with Ava just yesterday, gone. The scent of Ava's perfume lingered faintly in the air, haunting her like a cruel ghost.
"No…" Isabella whispered, her voice breaking. "No, no, no, no! This is a dream, wake up Bella!"
The truth crashed down on her chest like a collapsing ceiling.
She screamed. A raw, guttural sound that tore through the mansion like a storm breaking loose.
"AVA!!!" Her voice cracked, heavy with rage and heartbreak. "WHERE IS AVA?!"
Her fists struck the dresser, sending framed photos shattering onto the floor. She ripped blankets from the bed, tossed pillows across the room, pulled drawers from their hinges and flung them until wood splintered.
Back in Adrian's office, Claire spread her arms across her husband's chest as he made to storm out.
"Adrian, no!" she hissed, pushing against him.
"She's destroying the house!" he thundered, his face red with fury.
"Let her vent!" Claire snapped back, her voice fierce, eyes burning with protective fire. "She just lost the person she loves most in this world. Let her scream if she has to!"
Adrian's nostrils flared. His fists shook violently at his sides. He wanted to hit something. To shake his daughter until the 'madness' fell out of her. But Claire's body stood like an unmovable wall between him and Isabella.
His face twisted in frustration, and instead, he snatched his phone from the desk, dialing sharply.
"Bring her to me," he barked into the receiver. "Now."