Chapter 461
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Chapter 461:
But a roommate’s terrified memory was not evidence. It was not power. It was just a story. To face a man like Justin Collins, she needed a weapon forged in irrefutable science. As the first gray light touched her window, she had retrieved a burner laptop from a hidden compartment in her closet — a relic from her ruthless corporate days. She logged onto a secure dark web portal, her fingers moving swiftly across the encrypted keyboard, and typed a single message to a contact she prayed was still active: I need access to a sealed medical file. Geneva. No questions asked. Unlimited budget. The reply came within seconds: a secure server address and a wire transfer code. She sent the money without hesitation, but a digital breadcrumb trail was not enough. She needed something physical.
Carmen walked into the bathroom and turned the faucet to cold. She splashed the freezing water across her face, and the shock forced her lungs to open.
Crying was useless. Screaming was useless. She was dealing with a United States Senator who possessed the wealth and the will to erase people from existence. She needed absolute, undeniable proof.
She returned to her closet, bypassed her sharp corporate suits, and pulled out a low-key camel cashmere coat. She needed to look like a concerned friend — not a woman preparing for war.
Thirty minutes later, she parked her Porsche on the Upper East Side, stopped at a high-end bakery, and purchased a box of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. Aaden’s favorite. The perfect, innocent excuse.
When she arrived at the massive iron gates of Justin’s townhouse, her heart hammered violently against her ribs.
R𝗲𝘢𝗱 on an𝘆 𝖽e𝘃𝗶се 𝘰𝗇
The security guards recognized her immediately. Justin had previously established her as his girlfriend, and they didn’t ask for her ID. They simply buzzed her through without a word.
Carmen stepped into the luxurious, silent foyer.
From the second floor came a sound that made her breath catch — a raspy, excited cheer.
She climbed the thick-carpeted stairs, her legs moving as though through wet cement, and pushed open the door to the children’s bedroom.
Aaden sat on the plush rug, surrounded by the sprawling architecture of a massive Lego spaceship. The moment he saw her, his dark eyes blazed with light. He dropped the plastic bricks, scrambled to his feet, and launched himself across the room, hitting her legs like a small cannonball.
Carmen dropped to her knees and caught him.
The impact of his small body against her chest sent a violent, biological shockwave through her. It was a primal, undeniable recognition. Tears burned at the back of her throat. She swallowed them down.
“Auntie Carmen!” Aaden beamed, his breathing still slightly shallow from the asthma attack, his face radiant with joy.
“Hey, sweetie,” Carmen whispered, holding her voice perfectly steady. “I brought you some cookies. How is your chest feeling p>
“Much better,” Aaden said, already pulling her down to sit on the rug beside him.
The bedroom door opened. A young nanny entered carrying a tray with a glass of warm milk. Carmen looked up and offered a flawless, warm smile. “I can take that — why don’t you go take a ten-minute break? I know how exhausting the morning shift can be p>
The nanny looked relieved but adhered to her security protocols. “I’ll take my ten minutes right outside the door, Ms. Golden.” She handed over the tray, stepped into the hallway, and left the heavy oak door cracked just enough that her shadow remained visible on the carpet. Carmen and Aaden were not entirely alone. They were under a narrow window of observation.
Carmen’s eyes began moving quietly across the room. She needed DNA. A toothbrush was too risky — the nanny might notice it missing. A drinking glass was too easily contaminated.