Chapter 49 The Plan
"Does it matter that he manipulated us if we get what we want?" She met his eyes. "Helena destroyed my family. Tried to have my father killed. Probably murdered my mother. She needs to face justice—and now we know where to find her."
"Are you saying the ends justify the means?"
"I don't know, for me, the ends are my children's safety. My family's future. Our lives." Eva's voice hardened. "Yes. And for that, I'll accept being manipulated. I just care about the result now."
But next time, I won't let anyone control me.
Adrian stayed silent for a moment.
Then he nodded slowly.
"Then let's go to France."
They returned to the Fransis estate early in the morning, tired but excited about what they had found.
Within an hour, Richard, Daniel, Leonard, and Adrian's security team leaders met together.
As Eva explained what they had discovered, Richard pressed his lips together, silent but alert, his eyes darting between the others as the implications sank in.
Daniel leaned forward, brow furrowing in concentration, tapping the table with one finger as he began to mentally piece together a response.
Leonard listened carefully, going through all the evidence, and as Helena's location was revealed, the tension in his shoulders faded into resolve.
Adrian sat silently, watching them all, the corners of his mouth set in a thin line, but his gaze sharpened with each detail, quietly assessing next steps.
He exchanged nods with one of the security personnel.
Eva saw their expressions shift from worry to focus, then to determination.
"She is in France. That makes things harder," Daniel said, looking at the villa address. "We can't just send in a special team. Different countries have different rules and authorities."
"Yes, first, we have contacts in French law enforcement," Adrian replied. "I have some connections. There are people in France who owe me favors."
"That's good. We just need to provide them with the proofs we have about Helena's crime." Leonard said.
"Yeah, we just need to give them the documents, the records of Helena's financial transfers, and the surveillance photos we collected, which will be enough as solid proof, Adrian said. "With that, the local police can get a warrant and legally arrest Helena in France."
"But it will be a different team, different people. Will they act fast enough for us?" Eva frowned. "Helena might be hiding now, but she has help. As soon as she senses something is wrong, she'll run again."
"Then we don't let her suspect a thing." Adrian opened a map on his tablet. "The villa is in a quiet area. That gives her privacy but also makes it hard to get away. If we work with the French police and act quickly, we can catch her before she knows what's going on."
"What about the Consortium?" Richard asked. "Victor Chen gave us this information, but how do we know it's true? This could still be a trick."
"It could be," Eva admitted. "But it's the only clue we have. And Victor or the Consortium has no reason to protect Helena now. Because of her greed, she's become a problem for him." She hesitated.
Eva continued, "Of course, it wouldn't surprise me if Victor has some other goal in mind, something he's not telling us. Maybe he thinks keeping us focused on Helena helps him in some way. We need to remember that and stay alert."
"Unless this is all part of a larger plan we can't see."
"Then we prepare for that too," Eva said firmly. "We have to expect the worst and make extra backup plans. But we still need to act and catch Helena."
Richard looked at his daughter for a long moment.
"You've changed, Eva," he said softly. "The little girl I knew would never have walked into a meeting with someone like Victor Chen. Would never have negotiated with criminals or planned tactical operations."
"I'm not that girl anymore, Dad. I can't afford to be." Eva looked at him. "Because I have spent seven years being broken by people who should have kept me safe and protected me."
A hint of pride showed on Richard's face.
"Yes, I understand," he agreed. "I understand that you can't be that girl anymore. And I'm sorry that my failures made that necessary for you. You had to grow up early," He straightened in his chair. "But I'm proud of who you've become. Your mother would be too."
Eva felt her throat tighten.
"Thanks, Dad. Then let's finish this. For her."
Before they left for France, Eva had one last thing to do.
She found Lily and Ethan in the playroom, playing with stuffed animals and building blocks. When Eva walked in, they looked up, their faces bright with the simple happiness of kids who felt safe.
"Mommy, you are here!!"
"Let's play!!!"
They were so precious, Eva promised herself she would protect that trust.
"Hey, sweethearts." She settled onto the floor beside them. "Let's play later. First, can we talk?"
Eva was dressed to leave after talking with her children.
As she adjusted the straps of her bag, a tight feeling of worry twisted inside her, guilt mixed with hope.
Eva wanted to stay longer, enjoying the feeling of safety she had created for them, but thinking about what was coming made her chest feel tight.
Always sharp, Lily noticed, and with a pout, she asked a question.
"Are you going somewhere, Mommy?" Lily asked, her expression turning worried. "You are looking pretty and have your serious face."
Eva couldn't help but smile. "Hm hm.. Lilly is such a smart girl. She guessed right. I do have to go somewhere. Just for a few days." Eva pulled both children close. "But for guessing right, you will get lots of kisses as a reward."
She stated showering them with kisses.
"Mommy, stop. It tickles," Lily giggled.
"Where are you going, Mommy?" Ethan asked.
Eva stopped kissing and looked at her son. "Remember how I told you about the mean lady? The one the police are trying to find?"
Both children nodded.
"Well, we found out where she's hiding. And I need to go help make sure she gets caught so she can never bother us again."
"But why should you go? Can't the police do it?" Ethan asked quietly.
"The police are helping, dear. But I need to be there too. To make sure everything goes as planned."
"Then, is Mr. Adrian going with you?" Lily's voice was small.
"Yes, sweetheart. Adrian is going with me."
"Okay." Lily nodded firmly. "Then Mommy will be safe. He will protect you. Mr. Adrian is strong."
Eva smiled despite the ache in her chest. "Yes, he is."
"And when will you come back?" Ethan said, his dark eyes serious.
"I'm not sure."
"Will the mean lady be gone forever after you come back? We won't have to hide anymore, right?"
"Yes, that's the plan, baby. When I come back, we're going to start a new life. No more hiding. No more bad people trying to hurt us." Eva kissed his forehead. "Just our family, living our lives."
"Will Mr. Adrian still be with us?"