Chapter 2: The Speed Dial That Changed Everything
Emma’s small frame trembled as Liam squeezed her wrist, his grip tight enough to leave red marks, and Sarah felt a surge of rage she’d never felt before. She stood up, pushing Liam away from her daughter, and shouted, “Leave her alone, Liam! She’s just a kid!” But Liam just pushed Sarah back, causing her to stumble into the kitchen island, knocking over a stack of cookbooks. Eleanor sat at the island, sipping her wine, and said, “Liam, don’t waste your time on her. She’s not going to get away with this. Those trust documents belong to the family, not to her.” Sarah looked at Eleanor, her eyes filling with tears, and said, “You really believe this? You think I’d steal from the Voss family? I’ve spent two years building that trust to save the forests that your father spent his whole life protecting!” But Eleanor just shook her head, saying, “You’re not one of us, Sarah. You married my son for his money, and now you’re going to pay for it.”
As Liam reached back toward the envelope on the floor, Sarah noticed that Emma had freed her wrist, and she was standing right next to the wall-mounted telephone, her small finger hovering over the red speed-dial button. Sarah opened her mouth to scream a warning, but Emma pressed the button before she could speak, and the phone let out a loud beep, connecting to the security guard’s line. The room fell silent for three long seconds, and Sarah felt a wave of relief wash over her, until Liam lunged forward, slamming the phone back into its cradle, and shouted, “Emma! What did you do?!” He grabbed the phone, yanking it off the wall, and threw it across the kitchen, the glass shattering into a hundred pieces on the tile floor. Sarah grabbed Emma, pulling her into a tight hug, and said, “It’s okay, baby. You did the right thing.”
But Liam didn’t stop there. He walked over to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and poured himself a glass, his hands shaking with anger. “You think calling security is going to save you, Sarah? You’re wrong. I own this house, I own this estate, and I own you. You’re not going to leave this town until you sign over those trust documents.” Sarah stepped back, pulling Emma behind her, and said, “You can’t do this, Liam. This is illegal. You can’t seize my non-profit’s documents.” But Liam just laughed, taking a sip of his whiskey, and said, “Illegal? I’m the CEO of Voss Timber. I can do whatever I want. Those documents are mine, and I’m going to get them, one way or another.” As he walked toward Sarah, she felt a wave of fear wash over her, knowing that he was serious, that he would do anything to get his hands on the trust funds.
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Then they heard a knock on the front door.
At first, Sarah thought she was imagining it, but Liam froze, his face turning pale, and Eleanor set down her wine glass, her eyes widening. “Who could that be?” Eleanor said, her voice trembling, as she stood up from the kitchen island. Liam walked toward the front door, his hand reaching for the doorknob, and Sarah pulled Emma closer, her heart hammering in her chest. She had no idea who was at the door, but she knew it couldn’t be good, not after Emma had called the security guard. When Liam opened the door, a group of three men in black tactical vests stepped inside, their hands resting on the guns at their hips, and Sarah let out a sigh of relief. The lead man, a older man with gray hair and a stern expression, walked into the kitchen, his eyes scanning the room, and said, “Ms. Voss? We received your daughter’s call. We’re here to help.”
