Chapter 76 PETTY THIEF
By the time the car turned onto her street, the flashing red and blue lights were visible from halfway down the block.
Vivienne felt her pulse begin to pound in her ears.
The sedan had barely come to a complete stop before she opened the door and stepped out. The cold night air hit her face, but she hardly felt it.
Marcus was standing near the entrance to the building.
He looked shaken.
The moment he saw her, he crossed the sidewalk quickly. “Are you okay?” he asked, gripping her shoulders before he seemed to realize how tightly he was holding her. “I have been trying to reach you for hours. Your phone was dead.”
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “But it’s back on.”
Marcus stepped aside slightly so she could see the entrance clearly. The front door to the building stood open, and an officer was stationed just inside.
“Rebecca took Noah to grab a few things,” Marcus said. “When they came up, they found the apartment door forced open. She called the police immediately. She tried calling you, then she called me.”
Vivienne felt her throat tighten. “Noah. My poor baby.”
“He is fine,” Marcus said quickly. “Rebecca took him back to her place. He did not see much.”
Vivienne nodded once, forcing herself to breathe.
Two officers were waiting inside her apartment. One of them approached her as she stepped through the doorway.
“Ms. Cross,” he said. “We have processed the scene, but we need to ask you a few questions.”
She followed him down the hallway toward her bedroom.
The door was splintered near the lock. The wood had cracked cleanly, as if someone had known exactly where to apply pressure.
Inside, her bedroom had been thoroughly searched. Drawers had been emptied onto the floor. Clothes were scattered across the bed. Jewelry boxes were overturned. The closet doors stood wide open.
It was not just chaotic, but deliberate.
Her eyes lifted automatically to the top shelf of the closet.
The space above the coats was empty.
For a moment, she did not understand what she was seeing. Then the realization settled slowly and completely.
The baby box was gone.
She stepped closer to the shelf as though she might have missed it. There was nothing there.
“Was anything of value taken?” the officer asked from behind her.
“It contained sentimental items,” she said. Her voice sounded distant, even to her own ears. “From when my son was born.”
“Anything expensive?”
“No.”
The officer made a note. “We did not find usable fingerprints. Whoever entered knew how to avoid leaving evidence. Has anyone been threatening you recently?”
Her phone felt heavy in her hand.
“No,” she answered.
Marcus, who had followed her into the room, looked at her sharply but said nothing.
“Have you noticed anyone following you?” the officer continued.
She hesitated. “I have felt watched recently,” she admitted. “But I cannot say for certain.”
“Any former partners? Disputes? Anyone who might want to intimidate you?”
“No.”
The officer finished writing. “We will file the report tonight. I strongly recommend changing your locks immediately and installing a security system if you do not already have one. We will increase patrols in the area for the next several days.”
“Thank you,” she said automatically.
Within minutes, the officers gathered their equipment and left. The apartment fell into a strained silence.
Marcus remained in the doorway of her bedroom.
“This is not some petty thief,” he said carefully.
Vivienne did not respond.
She continued staring at the empty shelf.
“Vivienne,” Marcus said more firmly. “You disappear from the gala. No one could reach you. And tonight someone breaks in and takes one specific box from your bedroom. That is not coincidence.”
She turned slowly to face him.
“What is going on?” he asked. “Are you in trouble?”
“How did you know I disappeared from the gala?” she asked him.
Her phone suddenly rang.
The sound cut through the room sharply.
Alexander’s name filled the screen.
Marcus glanced at it. “Is that him?”
She did not answer.
The phone continued to ring, vibrating faintly in her hand. Before she could decide whether to answer, the call ended.
A second later, a message notification appeared.
Unknown number.
Her stomach dropped.
She opened it.
“Did you enjoy your homecoming?”
Another message appeared immediately after.
“You should have stayed longer at the gala. I couldn’t finish my assignment. But next time.”
Her pulse quickened.
Marcus was watching her closely now. “Who is it?” he asked.
She still did not answer. Her phone began ringing again.
Alexander.
Marcus stood in front of her, watching her like a hawk. He was demanding answers and had information about her night that she had not even told him yet.
Alexander was calling. The blackmailer was tormenting her.
Vivienne felt the pressure closing in from every side at once.
Her son’s memories were gone.
The blackmailer had entered her home.
They had proven they could reach her and her son anywhere.
“Vivienne,” Marcus said quietly. “Tell me what I do not know.”
Her phone vibrated again in her hand.
She needed to take action. She needed to do something before they harmed her son.
And right now, staying silent might no longer be an option.