Chapter 30 Chapter 30
THIRTY~
The next few days were a nightmare of anxiety. Every time the phone rang, every unexpected noise, I jumped. The kids could sense my stress, and they started acting out.
"We can't live like this," Declan said after Liam had a massive tantrum about going to school. "This constant fear is poisoning our family."
"What choice do we have?" I asked. "There are people out there planning to hurt us. How am I supposed to just relax and pretend everything's fine?"
"We fight back," Declan said. "We stop being victims and start being warriors."
"What does that even mean?"
"It means we take control of the narrative," Declan explained. "We go public with everything. Tell the whole story—Victoria's obsession, Marcus's revenge plot, Catherine's harassment. We make it so well-known that anyone who tries to hurt us will have the whole world watching."
"That could backfire," I said. "Make us an even bigger target."
"Or it could protect us," Declan countered. "Hard to attack someone when everyone knows your face and your motive."
I thought about it. Going public had risks, but staying silent while unknown enemies plotted against us had risks too.
"Okay," I said finally. "Let's do it."
We hired a publicist and scheduled interviews with major news outlets. We told our story—all of it, holding nothing back.
The response was immediate and overwhelming.
"Billionaire CEO and Wife Targeted by Revenge Plot" the headlines read. "Family Survives Multiple Murder Attempts—Still Being Hunted."
The story went viral. Everyone wanted to know more about the couple who'd survived so much chaos.
Some people were sympathetic. Others accused us of exaggerating for attention. But everyone was talking about us.
"Do you think this will work?" I asked Sarah after our third interview.
"I think it's making you harder to attack quietly," she said. "Which was the goal, right?"
Detective Morrison's team continued investigating Victoria and Catherine's associates. They found three people with solid connections and questionable motives.
Marcus Winters' ex-business partner, who blamed Declan for his financial ruin.
Victoria's college roommate, who'd stayed obsessed with her all these years.
Catherine's sister, who felt her family had been disgraced.
"We're watching all three of them," Detective Morrison assured us. "If any of them make a move, we'll know."
But weeks passed, and nothing happened.
"Maybe going public worked," Declan suggested. "Maybe they're too scared to try anything now."
"Or maybe they're being patient," I countered. "Waiting for us to let our guard down."
I hated being so cynical, but our history had taught me to expect the worst.
The kids' third birthday (for the twins) and sixth birthday (for Liam) came and went. We had a huge party, and for a few hours, I actually forgot to be afraid.
Watching Maya and Nathan demolish their cake while Liam tried to teach them how to blow out candles properly, I felt genuinely happy.
"This is worth fighting for," Declan said, watching the same scene. "Whatever we have to do to protect this, it's worth it."
I agreed completely.
That night, after the kids were asleep and we were cleaning up the party debris, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I almost didn't answer, but something made me pick up.
"Hello?"
"Anita Harris?" a familiar voice said.
My blood ran cold. "Jake?"
"I'm sorry to call so late," Jake said. "But I needed to warn you. I've been tracking the people investigating you—the ones working with Victoria and Catherine. They're planning something for tomorrow."
"What? How do you know?"
"I've been monitoring their communications," Jake explained. "They think because you went public, you're weak. Desperate. They're planning to grab one of the kids tomorrow at school."
"Which kid?" I demanded. "Which school?"
"Liam," Jake said. "They know he goes to kindergarten at Riverside Elementary. They're planning to snatch him during the walk from the building to the car."
I felt sick. "We need to call Detective Morrison—"
"I already did," Jake interrupted. "He's putting a team together now. But Anita, you need to keep Liam home tomorrow. Don't risk it."
"We will," I promised. "Jake, thank you. Again. Why do you keep helping us?"
"Because Liam deserves better than I got," Jake said simply. "He deserves a family that protects him. And because maybe, by helping you, I'm making up for some of the terrible things I did."
After he hung up, I told Declan everything.
"Liam stays home," Declan said immediately. "We're not taking any chances."
The next morning, we called the school and told them Liam was sick. Then we waited, watching the news and checking with Detective Morrison for updates.
Around 10 AM, Detective Morrison called.
"We got them," he said. "All three suspects—Marcus's ex-partner, Victoria's friend, and Catherine's sister. They were waiting outside the school with a van and chloroform. We caught them red-handed."
Relief flooded through me. "All three?"
"All three," Detective Morrison confirmed. "And they're cooperating, giving us information about others who might be involved. This network was bigger than we thought, but I think we've finally broken it."
"Is it really over this time?" I asked, almost afraid to hope.
"I think so," Detective Morrison said. "These three were the last active threats we knew about. With them in custody and talking, we should be able to wrap up anyone else who was involved."
I started crying—not from fear this time, but from relief.
It was really over.
Finally, truly, completely over.
I called Jake back to thank him again, but his number was disconnected.
Detective Morrison told me Jake had left the country again immediately after warning us, probably to avoid being questioned by police.
"He's gone," I told Declan. "Disappeared again."
"Maybe that's for the best," Declan said. "He helped us, but I don't know if I could ever fully trust him."
"Me neither," I admitted. "But I'm grateful he was watching out for Liam."
The trials for the three new conspirators were quick. The evidence against them was overwhelming, and they all pled guilty to attempted kidnapping.
The judge sentenced them each to fifteen years.
"Justice," I said when I heard the verdict. "Finally, real justice."
That night, Declan and I went out for the first time in months—a real date, just the two of us, while my parents watched the kids.
"How does it feel?" Declan asked over dinner. "Knowing it's really over?"
"Surreal," I admitted. "I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. For someone else to emerge from the shadows with a grudge."
"That might take a while to get over," Declan said gently. "The hypervigilance, the fear. But Anita, we can start healing now. Really healing."
"I hope so," I said.
Three months later, I finally started to believe it was true. No more threats. No more attacks. No more mysterious messages or suspicious strangers.
Just life. Normal, beautiful, occasionally chaotic life with our three kids and each other.
Dr. Martinez said I was making excellent progress in therapy.
"You're learning to live without constant fear," she said. "That's huge."
I was even sleeping through the night most nights.
One evening, as I was tucking Liam into bed, he asked me something that took me by surprise.
"Mama, do you think my first mama is doing better now?"
I thought about Rebecca, Liam's biological mother, still in prison for drug charges.
"I hope so, baby," I said honestly. "I hope she's getting help and finding a way to heal."
"I hope so too," Liam said. "Because everyone deserves a second chance, right? That's what you always tell me."
"That's right," I agreed, feeling tears prick my eyes. "Everyone deserves a second chance."
Including us, I thought. A second chance at happiness. At peace. At a normal life.
And this time, I was determined to protect it.
But as I walked out of Liam's room and checked my phone, I saw a news alert that made my heart stop.
"Victoria Laurence Found Dead in Prison Cell—Apparent Suicide."
I showed Declan the article.
"It's over," he said quietly. "She's really gone now. She can't hurt us anymore."
But I couldn't shake the feeling that Victoria's death was going to complicate things in ways
we hadn't anticipated.
And I was right.
The next morning, I got a certified letter from a law firm.
Victoria had left a will.
And apparently, she didn't left me something