Chapter 108 Secrets in the Slum
DAVID
The morning sun streamed through the wide windows of the Copperfield mansion, but its warmth did little to ease the cold knot of anxiety in my chest. Janet stood by the doorway, dressed in a simple tracksuit. Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her jacket, a nervous habit she hadn’t shaken since childhood.
“You ready?” I asked, keeping my tone casual.
Her eyes flicked up to meet mine, uncertain but resolute. She nodded once.
“Good.” I stepped closer, brushing an invisible speck of lint from her shoulder. In the same motion, I adjusted the tiny tracker I had sewn into the inner seam of her jacket. It wasn’t much, but it would ensure I knew her every move.
“Remember,” I said, lowering my voice, “if anything feels off, just play along. Don’t give them any reason to suspect you.”
Janet’s lips pressed into a thin line. She nodded again, but the slight tremor in her hands betrayed her fear. I wanted to call the whole thing off, but I couldn’t—not this time.
As she walked down the long driveway, I turned to the communication device in my hand. “Everyone, stay in position. Eyes on her at all times. No mistakes.”
The voices of my guards crackled through the line. “Understood, sir.”
Leaning against the doorway, I watched her jog toward the park at the edge of the estate. Each step felt like a countdown to disaster.
Fifteen minutes later, the first update came through.
“Sir,” one of my guards said, his voice low, “a man in a hoodie is following her.”
“Distance?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.
“About ten meters behind.”
“Stay with him, but don’t let him notice you.”
Seconds felt like hours. Another voice cut through the static.
“Sir, he’s closing in. He’s right behind her now.”
I gripped the edge of the desk. “Is the car in position?”
“Yes, sir.”
The line went quiet for a moment, then erupted with urgency.
“He’s got her! He covered her nose with a handkerchief and dragged her into a bus!”
My heart slammed against my ribs. “Follow them. Do not lose that bus. And make sure he doesn’t notice you’re tailing him.”
“Yes, sir,” came the synchronized response.
I sat down heavily, my eyes locked on the tracker’s blinking dot on the screen. It was moving fast, heading toward the city’s outskirts.
By the time the dot stopped, my worst suspicions were confirmed.
“Sir,” a guard reported, “they’ve stopped at a slum near Org Orphanage Baby Home.”
I stared at the map, anger bubbling beneath the surface. “Secure the area. Make sure no one gets in or out.”
“Yes, sir.”
Grabbing my car keys, I left the mansion and sped toward the location. The roads blurred past me as I focused on the recording device linked to the hairpin I had given Janet.
“Hello, little Janet,” a familiar, venomous voice greeted her.
I gritted my teeth as I heard Janet’s voice tremble. “Don’t you dare touch me.”
“Is that how you greet an old friend?” Denise’s voice was dripping with mockery.
There was a sharp sound a slap and then Janet’s muffled groan. My knuckles turned white against the steering wheel.
“You let your brother send me to prison after everything I did for you!” Denise snarled.
Another slap. Janet cried out, and my pulse thundered in my ears.
“You’ll regret messing with the Copperfield family,” Janet spat, her voice defiant despite the pain.
Denise laughed cruelly. “Copperfield family? Have you forgotten? You’re just an adopted stray they picked up out of pity. You’re not one of them. And guess what? The real daughter doesn’t want you around anymore.”
Janet’s voice quivered. “Who is she?”
“Vivian,” Denise called out. “Come say hello.”
I nearly slammed the brakes when I heard a new voice Vivian’s voice.
“Hello, Janet,” she said, her tone sugary sweet.
“Vivian?” Janet’s disbelief was palpable. “How could you do this to me? I thought we were friends!”
“Friends?” Vivian let out a bitter laugh. “You took everything from me. Everything! You waltzed into the Copperfield house and stole the life I was meant to have!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, you don’t get it, do you?” Vivian sneered. “I made Denise date you. I orchestrated everything. And when you got pregnant, I made sure the doctor destroyed your womb after the abortion. You’ll never have children again.”
I slammed the brakes, the car screeching to a halt on the deserted road. My breath came in short bursts as the weight of her words sank in.
Vivian continued, oblivious to the storm brewing. “And now, you’re going to help us. We’ll bleed the Copperfields dry, and then you’ll never see me again.”
That was enough. I pressed the gas, my car roaring to life as I sped toward the slum.
When I arrived, my guards were already in position, their faces tense but determined. I stepped out of the car, a singular thought burning in my mind:
Vivian and Denise had just signed their death warrants.