Chapter 3 The First Strike

• Scarlett sat in the dimly lit café, a place she often visited just to have a cup of coffee and cappuccino, her fingers tightening around the ceramic coffee mug. The air smelled of freshly ground beans, but the scent did little to calm her nerves. Across from her, Olivia watched with wary eyes, concern flickering in her gaze.
• "You look like you haven’t slept in days," Olivia said, stirring her tea. "Still worried about him?"
• Scarlett let out a sharp breath, staring down at the dark liquid in her cup. "He knows. He saw them. And now, I don’t know what he will do." A deep sigh escaped her lips, one that barely made a dent in the weight crushing her chest.
• Olivia placed her cup down carefully, her expression tightening. "Damien’s not the kind of man to let things go. You need to be ready. You know what I mean by being ready, right?"
• Scarlett nodded, but deep down, she knew there was no way to prepare for Damien Cross.
• At the Cross Corporation headquarters, Damien leaned back in his leather chair, his fingers drumming against the polished desk. The dim glow of the computer screen illuminated his sharp features as he replayed the footage of the hacker who had broken into his system—a boy, no older than four or five, taunting him with a smug grin.
• His son.
• The realization settled deep in his chest, coiling like a viper ready to strike. Scarlett had hidden them from him. Deceived him. The betrayal burned hotter than anything he had ever felt before.
• A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. His assistant, Ethan, stepped in, a file in hand. "Sir, we traced the last digital imprint. It was wiped clean, but we have a location. A café downtown."
• Damien’s jaw tightened. "Is she still there?"
• "Our men are checking now. What do you want us to do?"
• His gaze hardened, steel and ice clashing in his expression. "Find out if she’s still there. If she is, don’t let her leave."
• Ethan nodded, stepping out with quick, purposeful strides. Damien clenched his fists, the weight of years of deception pressing down on him. Scarlett had taken what was his. That, he could never forgive.
• Scarlett felt the shift in the atmosphere before she saw him. The café grew quieter, as if sensing the presence of something—or someone—dangerous. Her pulse quickened, her fingers tightening around the mug.
• Then, he stepped inside.
• Damien Cross.
• Her breath caught in her throat as their eyes met. The last time she had seen him, he had sworn to kill any child they had. Now, he stood before her, his expression unreadable but intense, a storm brewing behind those cold, calculating eyes.
• Olivia stiffened beside her. "Scarlett"
• "Go," Scarlett whispered, never breaking eye contact with the man who had once shattered her world.
• Damien strode toward her, his movements slow and calculated. When he reached her table, he didn’t sit. He merely looked down at her, his presence suffocating.
• "We need to talk," he said, his voice dangerously low.
• Scarlett forced herself to meet his gaze, steeling her spine. "There’s nothing to say."
• He leaned in slightly, just enough to make her heart race. "Oh, I think there is. You kept my children from me. And now, you’ll pay for it."
• Scarlett stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. "They’re not your concern."
• Damien smirked, but there was no humor in it. "They are now."
• She turned to leave, but his hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. A shiver ran through her spine at the contact, memories she had long buried clawing their way to the surface.
• "Let go," she hissed, her voice trembling.
• Damien’s grip tightened for just a second before he released her. "You can run, Scarlett. But I always catch what’s mine."
• Her stomach twisted as she hurried out of the café, heart pounding against her ribs. She needed to get to her children before he did. But she had the sinking feeling she was already too late.
• Scarlett burst through the apartment door, her chest heaving. The twins were sitting on the floor, engrossed in their tablet screens.
• "Mommy?" Theo looked up, sensing her panic. "What’s wrong?"
• She forced a smile, trying to keep her voice steady. "Nothing, baby. Pack your bags. We’re going on a trip."
• Ava tilted her head, confusion flickering across her delicate features. "Now? But we just got here."
• Scarlett knelt beside them, cupping their faces. "We have to leave, okay? Just trust me."
• Before they could argue, a knock echoed through the apartment. Scarlett froze. Her heart pounded against her ribs like a war drum.
• Theo’s gaze darkened, his small hands clenching into fists. "He’s here, isn’t he?"
• Scarlett swallowed hard. "Go to the bedroom. Now."
• The twins hesitated before scampering off, closing the door behind them. Scarlett rose to her feet, forcing her trembling hands to still. She walked toward the entrance, dread creeping up her spine like icy fingers.
• With a deep breath, she unlocked the door and pulled it open.
• Damien stood there, hands in his pockets, a cruel smirk playing on his lips.
• "Going somewhere?"
• Scarlett’s hand clenched the doorknob, her nails digging into her palm. "You don’t get to barge in here."
• Damien stepped forward, his presence consuming the space between them. "I can do whatever I want. You stole years from me, Scarlett. Now, I take back what’s mine."
• "They’re not yours," she snapped, her voice laced with fury.
• A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. "They’re my blood. You had no right to keep them from me."
• Scarlett blocked the doorway, her body a barrier between him and the children. "You swore you’d kill them. And I believed you."
• Damien’s jaw tightened. "That was then. Things have changed."
• "Have they?" Scarlett’s voice wavered, pain bleeding into her words. "Because the man I knew wouldn’t hesitate."
• For a brief moment, something unreadable passed through his eyes, a flicker of something almost… human. But just as quickly, his mask slipped back into place, cold and unyielding.
• "I need to see them."
• "No."
• He took another step closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Scarlett. Move."
• "Or what?" she whispered back. "You’ll force your way in? Prove to them that everything I’ve said about you is true."
• Damien stilled. The weight of her words hung between them like a blade ready to drop.
• Then, he exhaled sharply, his lips pressing into a thin line. "This isn’t over."
• Scarlett kept her chin high, refusing to show weakness. "It never is."
• Damien turned, walking away. But Scarlett knew—this was only the beginning.
• And Damien Cross never walked away without taking what he wanted.