Chapter 2 - The Escape
Elias did not wait for Mia to gather her bearings completely.
Every second they spent in the Whitmore estate was a dangerous gamble.
He kept one arm wrapped tightly around her waist to keep her steady.
Mia’s legs were incredibly weak after three days in that dark, cramped space.
She leaned heavily against his side.
Lily clung to her mother’s other hand, her small face pale with worry.
"Where are we going?" Mia asked, her voice still trembling.
"My car is parked just outside the main gates," Elias replied.
"I didn't want to alert the security cameras near the driveway."
They moved quickly through the grand foyer.
The sheer size of the mansion suddenly felt like a trap.
Elias constantly scanned the heavy mahogany doors and the sweeping staircases.
He expected Nathan or his security men to appear at any moment.
They reached the heavy front doors.
Elias carefully turned the brass handle and pushed the door open.
The bright morning sunlight hit Mia's face, causing her to wince and close her eyes.
"Keep your eyes closed for a moment," Elias instructed gently.
He guided them down the sweeping stone steps of the front porch.
The manicured lawns stretched out before them, green and pristine.
It was a stark contrast to the nightmare hidden beneath the floorboards.
They hurried along the gravel path that skirted the edge of the property.
Elias kept them close to the tall hedges to avoid being seen from the upper windows.
Lily stumbled over a small stone, but Elias caught her before she fell.
He scooped the little girl up into his arms without breaking his stride.
Mia pushed herself to walk faster, driven by pure adrenaline and fear.
They reached the towering wrought-iron gates at the edge of the estate.
Elias had bypassed the electronic lock earlier by slipping through a gap in the stone wall.
He guided Mia through the same narrow opening.
He carefully passed Lily through to her mother.
Once they were all on the other side, Elias let out a sharp breath.
A sleek, dark sedan was parked discreetly behind a thick grove of oak trees.
Elias unlocked the doors with a quick press of his key fob.
"Get in the back," he told them, opening the rear door.
Mia climbed in first, pulling Lily tightly onto her lap.
Elias slammed the door shut and sprinted to the driver's side.
He started the engine, the quiet hum of the motor a comforting sound.
He threw the car into drive and accelerated down the winding country road.
He kept his eyes glued to the rearview mirror.
No one was following them.
The imposing iron gates of the Whitmore estate slowly disappeared behind a bend in the road.
Mia let out a long, shaky exhale in the backseat.
She buried her face in Lily's blonde hair, breathing in the scent of her daughter.
"You are safe now," Elias said, glancing back at them.
"He will never stop looking for us, Elias," Mia whispered, her eyes meeting his in the mirror.
"Nathan will use all his money and power to find me."
Elias tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
He knew Nathan Whitmore was a dangerous and ruthless man.
Nathan had built his empire on intimidation and control.
"Let him try," Elias said with a cold, hard edge in his voice.
"He does not know what I am capable of."
"Where are we going?" Mia asked again.
"To a place he does not know about," Elias assured her.
"I have a safe house upstate."
"It is completely off the grid."
Mia nodded slowly, the exhaustion finally pulling her under.
She leaned her head against the window, her eyes fluttering shut.
Lily was already asleep on her lap, exhausted by the morning's emotional toll.
Elias drove in silence, calculating their next moves.
He had to disable the GPS tracker on Mia's phone if she still had it.
He needed to get cash, supplies, and a new vehicle.
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The war with Nathan Whitmore had officially begun.
But for now, his only mission was to keep Mia and Lily breathing.
