Chapter 9 Blood And Loyalty
They left the office, and Nathan hurried after Ronald, his pulse racing. Sweat slid down his neck—he feared Elizabeth had told him everything.
“Mr. Larson... is everything all right?” he asked quietly, pretending calm.
Ronald turned to him, eyes blazing with fury.
“You’re a useless pig, Nathan. How dare you treat Elizabeth that way? You’ll pay for it with your life.”
Nathan froze. One look at Elizabeth told him everything—Ronald knew.
“Ronald, I can explain—”
Two gunshots shattered the air before he could finish.
“Another time,” Ronald muttered coldly.
The sound of bullets was only the beginning. An invasion was coming. There was no time left for excuses—only for survival.
Ronald rushed to the sofa where Anne and their son Noah sat.
“Jonathan! Take your mother, Elizabeth, and the boys to the office. We’ll handle this here!”
Elizabeth grabbed Adam’s hand, her fingers trembling. The fear in her brother’s eyes tore at her, but she led him after Anne and Noah toward the office. Jonathan locked the door behind them.
“Jonathan...” she whispered, unsure if she should even speak.
“They’ll take care of everything out there. No one will get past me in here,” he said, his voice steady. But the terror in Elizabeth’s eyes cut right through him. He wanted to hold her—to promise she’d be safe—but there was no time for that.
She sat down, clutching Adam to her chest. Noah did the same with his mother. Outside, the gunfire was deafening, endless—the sound of war echoing through the mansion’s marble halls.
Jonathan stood guard by the door, his muscles tense. Every time he glanced at Elizabeth, she was trembling, eyes shut tight at each burst of gunfire. The way she clung to her brother broke him inside.
Meanwhile, chaos consumed the Larson mansion. Armed men flooded the luxurious halls, flipping tables and sofas for cover. The scent of gunpowder mixed with expensive perfume and blood.
One intruder crept through the back. Nathan saw him just in time—shot him before he could hit Marvin Larson, who stood beside him. The battle raged for minutes that felt like hours, until the last echoes of gunfire began to fade.
Ronald rose from behind the barricade, breathing heavily.
Then one final shot rang out.
The man from the back wasn’t dead. His bullet tore through Ronald’s chest. He staggered, clutching the wound, and fell. Nathan reacted instantly, killing the shooter—but it was too late.
In the office, Jonathan heard the sudden silence. His instincts screamed.
“I’m going to check outside.”
“Jonathan... please, be careful,” Elizabeth pleaded, her voice breaking.
He left—and returned moments later. His face was pale, his eyes wet. He took his mother’s hand.
“Come, Mother... you need to say goodbye.”
“Jonathan... no!” Anne ran past him, Noah right behind her.
Elizabeth followed, holding Adam’s hand. When they reached the living room, Ronald was lying on the floor, Anne kneeling beside him, crying uncontrollably.
“Ronald, darling... we’ll take care of you,” she whispered through her sobs.
He tried to smile, his voice barely a whisper.
“There’s no time left, Anne... I was happy with you.” He turned to his son.
“Jonathan... take care of Elizabeth. Never give up on her... for anything in this world. She—”
His words faded into silence.
The secret Elizabeth carried died with him.
Jonathan dropped to his knees, tears streaming as he held his father’s body. The man who had been his hero, his compass, was gone.