Chapter 3 - The Cage of GoldThe Vance Estate rose out of the mist on the cliffside shores of Long Island like a Gothic fortress built from granite and iron. High stone walls topped with security cameras surrounded acres of manicured lawns, illuminated by soft landscape lights.
When the SUV pulled up to the grand front entrance, Nora was still shaking, her mind numb with shock.
Julian stepped out and offered her his hand. She ignored it, climbing out on her own, her cheap sneakers squeaking against the wet flagstones. She looked up at the towering manor, feeling smaller and more vulnerable than she ever had in her life.
“Welcome to my home,” Julian said, walking beside her as the massive oak doors were pulled open by a silver-haired butler in a pristine suit.
“Mr. Vance,” the butler bowed slightly, his eyes never flickering toward Nora’s grease-stained uniform or wet hair. “The East Wing guest suite has been prepared.”
“Thank you, Arthur,” Julian said. “Bring up warm tea, fresh clothes, and have the physician stand by in case she has shock symptoms.”
Nora stopped dead in her tracks on the polished marble floor of the grand foyer. The chandelier above cast warm, golden light over priceless oil paintings and Persian rugs.
“I don't want a physician,” Nora said, her voice echoing in the vast space. “I want to go home.”
Julian stopped and turned to face her. He took off his heavy wet overcoat, handing it to Arthur, revealing the sharp, muscular contours of his shoulders beneath his suit.
“You don't have a home in Queens anymore, Nora,” Julian said flatly. “Marcone’s men raided your apartment twenty minutes after we left the diner. They burned it.”
Nora felt the world tilt on its axis. Her breath caught in her chest. “Burned it?... My sister’s letters... my mother’s watch... everything?”
Julian took a slow step toward her, his dark eyes filled with a heavy, somber gravity. “I’m sorry. I tried to reach you before they found the link, but I was too late.”
Tears finally overflowed Nora’s eyes, spilling down her cheeks. She felt her strength completely give out. She sank toward the floor, but Julian was there in an instant, catching her before she hit the marble.
He didn't pull away this time. He lifted her into his arms, carrying her up the grand staircase as if she weighed nothing at all. Nora buried her face in his chest, her hands clutching his pristine suit jacket as she wept for the quiet, invisible life she had spent five years trying to rebuild—a life that had just been reduced to ash.
Julian carried her into a spacious suite filled with warm wood tones, a roaring fireplace, and a massive king-sized bed. He set her down gently on the edge of the mattress.
He knelt on one knee in front of her, unlacing her wet sneakers and removing them, setting them aside.
“You’re safe here, Nora,” Julian whispered, his rough fingers gently brushing the wet hair away from her tear-stained face. “Nobody touches you in this house. My men guard every foot of this perimeter.”
Nora looked down at him through her tears. “You ruined my life.”
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Julian didn't flinch. He accepted the words like a physical strike.
“I know,” he said softly. “Five years ago, I gave you a death sentence and didn't even know it. But I swear to you on my life, Nora... I will rebuild everything you lost. Ten times over.”
