Chapter 50 France
The question was quiet but full of meaning. Eva knew what Ethan really meant. Would this man, who had come into their lives, stay or leave like so many other things they had relied on?
"Yes," Eva said firmly. "Adrian is part of our family now. He is not leaving."
Ethan's expression relaxed slightly.
"Okay," he said. Just that. Okay.
Lily threw her arms around Eva's neck. "Come back soon, Mommy. Promise?"
"I promise, sweetheart. I will always come back to you."
Eva hugged her children tightly, breathing in their scent and trying to hold on to the feeling of their small bodies next to hers.
This was the reason she kept fighting.
This was what made her believe she could win.
The private jet moved through the night sky, carrying them to France and the meeting with Helena that awaited them.
Eva sat by the window, watching the darkness outside. Far below, the Atlantic Ocean stretched toward Europe, toward the villa where Helena was hiding, and toward the end of this nightmare.
Adrian sat beside her, reading security updates on his tablet. He kept in regular contact with his team in France, making sure every detail was handled perfectly with no mistakes.
"You should try to sleep, it's a long flight," he said without looking up. "We will land in six hours."
"I can't sleep." Eva turned from the window. "Every time I close my eyes, I see her. Helena. Standing in my father's house, threatening everything I care about."
"That's why we're doing this. So she can never threaten you again. Don't worry, Eva. Everything will be fine."
"I know. But..." Eva hesitated. "What if we fail? What if she gets away again? What if this whole thing is a trick we haven't figured out yet?"
Adrian put down his tablet and took her hand.
"We've done everything we can to get ready. We have all the evidence we need, trusted friends who are willing to help, and backup plans." His thumb traced circles on her palm. "But you're right. We can't control everything. And there is always some risk that something unexpected might happen."
"Exactly. And it worries me. So how do you handle it? The uncertainty?" Eva asked curiously.
"I focus on what I can control and accept what I can't. I trust my team. I trust my instincts." He met her eyes. "And I trust you."
"Me?"
"Yeah, you've been through things that would have broken most people. You've faced your worst fears and come out stronger. No matter what happens in France, I know you can handle it."
Eva leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I'm scared," she said softly. "Not of Helena, not really. I'm scared of what happens next. If we succeed."
"What do you mean?"
"For so long, my whole life has been about surviving. Getting through Derek's abuse. Keeping the kids safe. Fighting Helena and Reena, who tried to destroy our family's reputation and take everything my father built, and everyone else who wanted to hurt us." She closed her eyes.
"I don't know who I am if I don't have someone to fight," Eva said with a sigh.
A small, unsure hope flickered inside her. Maybe once this was over, she could learn how to build something new.
Maybe she could find out who she was beyond the pain, and learn what it meant to live for herself and her children's future, not just to protect, but to hope.
Adrian stayed quiet for a moment.
"Maybe that's the whole point," he said finally. "You've spent seven years being shaped by your suffering. Now you get to define yourself by something else."
"Like what?"
"You have been a mother, a daughter, and a partner. Now it is time for you to find yourself." He pressed a kiss to her hair. "Like building the foundation you talked about. Writing the story you've always wanted to write. Living carefreely like you wanted, Eva. Actually living, instead of just surviving."
Eva felt tears well up in her eyes.
It sounded so simple when he said it.
Hearing his words made her believe it could really be possible.
"That sounds good. I want that life," she whispered. "I want it so bad."
"Then let's go get it. Together."
Eva lifted her head and kissed him, soft and tender, full of promise.
Then she settled back against his shoulder and closed her eyes.
For the first time in weeks, she slept peacefully.
The French Riviera shone in the morning sun as their group drove along the coastal roads.
Warm, salty air drifted in through the open window, carrying the distant cry of gulls.
The low hum of the engine mixed with the steady sound of tires on smooth asphalt, while the smell of blooming jasmine and pine trees blended, alive in the breeze.
Sunlight sparkled off the sea beyond, and Eva could almost taste the tang of the ocean on her tongue.
Eva had expected something dramatic, maybe storm clouds or a heavy, ominous feeling in the air.
Instead, the landscape was stunning: blue waters, white-sand beaches, and elegant villas perched on hillsides covered in Mediterranean gardens.
It felt wrong, somehow, that something so bad could be hidden in such a beautiful place.
"The villa is ahead," Adrian said, checking his device. "Our French contacts have set up a boundary. Helena's security team consists of six men, all private contractors. We don't know if they have noticed us or not, but they haven't tried to leave."
He lowered his voice as the car approached the last bend. "We're going in quietly, but if her guards spot us too early, things could get dangerous fast.
Our plan is to create a distraction at the north entrance and slip in from the garden side.
But if even one of them gets a warning out, Helena could disappear before we reach her, or someone could get hurt.
Stay close, and follow the signals. We can do this, but we have to be careful."
"She doesn't know we're coming."