Chapter 2 - The House of GlassBy midnight, the flashing red and blue lights of police cruisers painted the floor-to-ceiling windows of my Lincoln Park estate in jagged strokes of color.
The security gates were locked tight. Detectives swarmed the main hallways, collecting bank statements, hard drives, and security logs.
Dr. Helen Ward, our family physician—whom Vanessa had threatened to call earlier—arrived under police escort. She spent an hour in the guest suite examining my mother, cleaning the infected wound on her ribs, and documenting every bruise, chemical burn, and sign of chronic malnutrition.
When Dr. Ward finally stepped out into the hallway, her expression was grim.
“Daniel, I had no idea,” Dr. Ward said, her voice shaking slightly. “Whenever I came for checkups, Vanessa always insisted on being present. She claimed Margaret preferred privacy. If I had known—”
“You didn't know because Vanessa built a cage around her,” I interrupted, my hands clenched into fists. “Is my mother going to be alright?”
“Physically, yes, given time and proper care,” Dr. Ward said. “She’s suffering from severe exhaustion, dehydration, and trauma. But emotionally... it’s going to take a very long time for her to feel safe in this house again.”
I nodded slowly and walked into the guest suite.
Margaret was propped up against several pillows, sipping warm broth. The twins were asleep in a double crib near the window, breathing softly. When she saw me enter, her tired eyes softened.
“Daniel,” she whispered.
I sat on the edge of the bed and took her frail, calloused hand in mine. The raw skin around her wrists made my chest ache.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “I was so busy building an empire that I left you unprotected in my own home.”
“You were working for our future, sweetheart,” she murmured, squeezing my fingers with surprising strength. “I didn't want to bother you. Vanessa said... she said if I ruined your business trips, you would stop coming home entirely.”
“I’m never leaving again,” I vowed. “And Vanessa will never come near you or the boys again. Not ever.”
Just then, Marcus knocked softly on the open door and stepped inside.
“Sir, the police have taken Vanessa into custody. Her brother, Eric, was picked up at O’Hare trying to board a private flight to Zurich with three million dollars of your transferred funds.”
I stood up, adjusting the cuffs of my shirt. A cold, absolute clarity settled over my mind.
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“Freeze every single account tied to Eric’s name,” I instructed Marcus. “File civil asset forfeiture motions on every property he owns. I want them completely dismantled by morning.”
“Consider it done, Mr. Mercer,” Marcus replied.
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