Chapter 4 - The Men at the Door
The knock did not come.
There was no hesitation, no courtesy, no warning beyond the thunder of engines that had already announced their arrival.
The front door opened.
Not forced—unlocked.
Four men stepped inside, dressed in dark tailored suits that absorbed the room’s warm light instead of reflecting it. Their movements were precise, controlled, and eerily synchronized. Each of them scanned the room in seconds, taking in every detail—the shattered plate, the blood, the distance between each person.
They were not surprised.
They were expected.
Elara did not turn toward them right away. She let the silence stretch, let the weight of their presence settle into the bones of the room.
Victoria’s voice trembled. “You can’t just walk into our home—”
One of the men raised a hand.
Not threatening. Not aggressive.
Just enough to make her stop speaking.
And she did.
“Miss Vance,” he said calmly, his voice low and respectful. “Are you injured?”
Only then did Elara look at him.
“A little,” she replied.
Daniel stared, confusion turning into disbelief. “Miss… Vance?”
May you like
The man’s eyes shifted briefly toward Daniel. Not with anger—but with recognition.
The kind that changes everything.
