Chapter 5 - What Regina Wanted From My Children
Marek Kowalski arrived at 11:00 the next morning.
Not at my house.
At an abandoned law office three neighborhoods away.
He came alone.
So did I.
Old habits die hard.
We stood across a dusty conference table.
“Never thought I'd see you asking me for help,” he said.
“I didn't.”
He smiled.
“Catherine did.”
I hated hearing her name from him.
“Explain.”
Marek sat.
“Your wife discovered Mercer was selling confidential information.”
“To Regina?”
“To her father first.”
I frowned.
“Her father was dead.”
“By then, yes. But the daughter inherited the obsession.”
Marek slid a file toward me.
Regina Vale had spent years trying to recover assets her father believed the Verona family had taken from him.
The truth was uglier.
He had embezzled money.
Catherine had found it.
Regina blamed her.
“When Catherine created the twins' trust,” Marek said, “Regina saw two things.”
“Money and revenge.”
“Exactly.”
“How much?”
“If both children eventually inherit, hundreds of millions.”
I said nothing.
Marek continued.
“Regina could never access it directly. But as your legal spouse, then potential guardian, she could influence trustees, management decisions, property control.”
“And if I died?”
Marek's eyes met mine.
“She'd have much more.”
The room went quiet.
“Was Catherine's death connected?”
“We don't know.”
That answer was worse than yes.
“Don't guess.”
“I'm not.”
Marek leaned back.
“Catherine was already ill. The surgery was legitimate. But she suspected someone had obtained information about her medical schedule.”
I felt sick.
“You're saying Regina—”
“I'm saying we don't have proof.”
I stood.
“Then don't say it.”
Marek remained calm.
“Your wife told me the same thing about you.”
I looked at him.
“She said you'd rather attack uncertainty than live with it.”
I almost laughed.
“She really trusted you?”
“No.”
That surprised me.
“She trusted my self-interest.”
He smiled slightly.
“I hated Mercer. Catherine knew it.”
“So she made you witness.”
“She made me difficult to remove.”
That sounded like her.
“What does Regina think Julieta has?”
“Enough to destroy the guardianship plan.”
“Which is why she wanted her gone.”
“Yes.”
I returned home at noon.
Julieta's suitcase waited by the service entrance.
Regina stood nearby.
“She should leave now.”
I looked at Julieta.
“Car is coming.”
Regina folded her arms.
“I can call one.”
“No need.”
Ten minutes later, a black sedan arrived.
Julieta hugged Noah.
Then Gianna.
She tried not to cry.
The children did not understand.
Gianna screamed when Julieta handed her to me.
“No!”
Julieta kissed her forehead.
“I'll see you soon.”
Regina watched.
I hated her for being able to watch that child cry without changing expression.
Julieta looked at me.
Our eyes met.
I wanted to tell her she would be back by nightfall.
Instead, I said, “Go.”
She flinched.
Then walked out.
The sedan took her to a secure apartment owned by Vince.
Regina believed she had won.
That was exactly what we needed.
At 2:00, she made the first call.
“She is gone.”
Mercer answered, “Good.”
“At what time do we file?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Why not today?”
“We need one more incident.”
“What kind?”
“Something involving the children.”
Regina went quiet.
I leaned closer to the monitor.
Mercer continued.
“Nothing serious.”
“No.”
“Regina—”
“I said no.”
For the first time, she sounded almost human.
“You wanted this,” Mercer said.
“I want control of the trust.”
“And revenge.”
“Yes.”
“Then we need proof Emilio is unstable around the children.”
Regina paced.
“He already threatened Julieta.”
“Not enough.”
“What do you want?”
Mercer's answer was simple.
“Make one of the children disappear for ten minutes.”
My blood turned to ice.
Regina stared at the phone.
“No.”
“Then find another way.”
She ended the call.
For five minutes, she stood still.
Then she looked toward the nursery.
I called Vince.
“Move now.”
“Noah and Gianna?”
“Yes.”
We had prepared a secure section of the house accessible through the old library corridor.
Julieta was already being brought back through the underground garage.
At 2:27, Regina entered the nursery.
The twins were gone.
She froze.
Then ran into the hallway.
“Emilio!”
I stepped out of my office.
“What?”
“The children.”
“What about them?”
“They're gone.”
I allowed one second of panic to show.
“Gone?”
“The nursery is empty.”
I pushed past her and ran.
The performance did not require much acting.
Even knowing my children were safe, the sight of empty cribs triggered something primal.
Regina followed.
“Call security.”
I turned on her.
“How did this happen?”
Her eyes widened.
“What?”
“You were here.”
“So were you.”
“Where are my children?”
“I don't know!”
I grabbed her arm.
Not hard.
But the camera saw it.
Exactly as Mercer wanted.
Regina looked frightened.
Then something changed.
She understood.
The camera.
She looked toward the hidden lens.
Her expression went blank.
She knew.
I released her.
“Where are they?” she whispered.
“Safe.”
Silence.
Her face changed completely.
No tears.
No softness.
No elegance.
“Since when?”
“Since the bruise.”
Regina stepped back.
“You watched me.”
“Yes.”
“All this time?”
“Yes.”
Her mouth tightened.
“And Julieta?”
“Safe.”
“You lied to me.”
The irony almost made me smile.
“You taught me.”
She stared.
Then whispered, “You have no idea what you've done.”
“I know exactly what you've done.”
“No.”
She reached into her pocket.
Pulled out her phone.
“You think Mercer is the whole plan?”
I froze.
“What does that mean?”
Regina smiled faintly.
“The documents were filed an hour ago.”
“That doesn't matter.”
“It does if someone else has temporary authority.”
My phone rang.
Our attorney.
I answered.
His voice was sharp.
“Emilio, we have a problem.”
“What?”
“A petition just hit family court.”
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
I looked at Regina.
The attorney continued.
“It includes an emergency medical declaration claiming you threatened to remove the twins from the state.”
“That's false.”
“Yes.”
“But there's a signed supporting statement.”
“From who?”
He paused.
“Your security chief.”
I turned.
Vince stood at the end of the hallway.
His face pale.
“That's impossible.”
Vince shook his head.
“I didn't sign anything.”
Regina smiled.
“Signatures can be copied.”
Our attorney kept talking.
“The court issued a temporary hold. No travel. No change of residence. The children must remain at the registered property until review.”
I exhaled.
“Fine.”
Then the house alarm sounded.
Not the main alarm.
The garage.
Vince looked at his phone.
“Vehicle exit.”
“What vehicle?”
His face went white.
“The secure van.”
My stomach dropped.
The van carrying Julieta.
And according to the internal tracker—
Noah and Gianna.
I looked toward Regina.
Her smile disappeared.
“I didn't do that.”
For once, I believed her.
Vince ran toward the stairs.
I followed.
The garage doors were open.
The van was gone.
A driver lay unconscious beside the wall.
His pulse was strong.
No blood.
Drugged.
Vince checked the security feed.
“Someone looped the camera.”
“Who has access?”
“Me. You. System administrator.”
“And?”
He hesitated.
“Mercer had access during Catherine's estate audit.”
Years ago.
But enough to learn the architecture.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Noah.
Gianna.
Julieta.
All three inside the van.
Julieta was awake.
Terrified.
A message followed.
BRING THE CATHERINE FILE.
COME ALONE.
Regina read it over my shoulder.
Her face drained.
“Mercer.”
I looked at her.
“You said he was only a lawyer.”
“He was.”
“Not anymore.”
Regina grabbed my arm.
“If he has the children, the trust changes everything.”
“How?”
She swallowed.
May you like
“Because he doesn't need me anymore.”
And for the first time since I had known her, Regina Ashford looked truly afraid.
