CHAPTER 2 — THE UNCLE
The elevator doors opened on the same floor.
But the man stepping out wasn’t hospital staff.
Or security.
Or anyone on Vivian’s mental checklist.
He was Rafael Vale.
Seraphina’s uncle.
Former intelligence contractor.
And the one man Julian never questioned.
He walked in without rushing.
Like he already knew what he would see.
His eyes scanned the room once.
Broken glass.
Pregnant niece on the floor.
Crimson dress woman standing too still.
That was enough.
Rafael didn’t ask questions.
He reached into his coat.
Pulled out a slim device.
Activated it.
A quiet tone filled the air.
Then—
A hidden panel in the ceiling blinked green.
Vivian’s face changed instantly.
“What is that?” she whispered.
Rafael didn’t look at her.
“Hospital suites like this,” he said calmly, “don’t exist without oversight.”
Julian’s eyes narrowed.
“You installed surveillance?”
Rafael finally glanced at him.
“I didn’t install it.”
He paused.
“I activated it.”
Vivian’s breathing became uneven.
For the first time, she looked around the room like it wasn’t hers anymore.
Rafael tapped the device again.
A holographic feed flickered mid-air.
Live recording.
Everything.
Every shove.
Every step.
Every lie.
Vivian’s voice echoed from seconds ago:
“She attacked me.”
Now it replayed.
Clean.
Undeniable.
Julian didn’t react.
He didn’t need to.
May you like
Because the war had already ended.
He just hadn’t declared it yet.
