Chapter 268

ARIA'S POV

The silence inside the sedan on the drive back to the estate felt heavy, but for the first time in weeks, my chest didn't feel completely constricted.

I leaned my head back against the leather headrest, staring out the window as the city buildings blurred past.

I had watched the police officers shove a cuffed Leonie into the dark interior of the police van, watching her rights being read as she was hauled away to face the full force of the law.

Part of me felt an overwhelming wave of relief. She was finally going to answer for what she tried to do to Amelia. Yet, despite the relief, the ghost of her final words lingered in my mind.

“Enjoy today, Aria. It’s not over. I will be back.”

I swallowed hard, pulling my sweater tighter around my shoulders. Leonie wasn't the type to break easily. Even stripped of her freedom, that woman carried an unsettling amount of venom.

I knew I couldn't afford to relax entirely. I had to stay vigilant. I had to keep my guard up, for my daughter and for our home.

When Anthony pulled the car through the heavy gates of the estate and stopped in the front driveway, Brandon was already standing outside waiting for us.

The moment I opened the car door, his dark eyes locked onto mine, searching my face for any sign of distress.

I stepped out, and he immediately closed the distance between us, wrapping his long arms around my waist and pulling me against his broad chest.

"I'm proud of you, Aria," he murmured, his deep voice thick with pride as he leaned down and pressed a long, soft kiss to my forehead.

A gentle, genuine smile touched my lips as I held onto him, letting his warmth melt away the lingering chill of the morning. But before I could speak, the front doors burst open, and tiny footsteps came barreling down the stone steps.

"Mommy!" Amelia squealed, throwing her little arms around my legs and hugging me as tightly as she could.

I chuckled softly, crouching down to her level and wrapping my arms around her small frame. "Hey, my baby girl."

Amelia tilted her head, her bright, innocent eyes scanning my tired face. "Mommy, why do you look so tired?"

"Oh, sweetie... Mommy had a long morning," I told her, pressing a kiss to her soft cheek. "I'm just a little worn out, but I'm okay now that I'm back with you."

"Come on inside," Brandon said smoothly, putting a supportive hand on the small of my back as we all walked back into the grand house.

We had barely stepped into the foyer when Brandon's phone vibrated violently in his pocket. He pulled it out, and as soon as he saw the caller ID, his jaw set in a hard line.

He swiped the screen and brought the phone to his ear. "Dominic," Brandon answered, his voice turning cool and sharp.

Dominic had gone straight to the police station to oversee the booking process personally and ensure that Leonie was locked away without any rich-girl loopholes. I stood nearby, watching Brandon's face carefully.

As Dominic spoke on the other end, Brandon’s eyes widened slightly, and a dark, dangerous shadow crossed his features. His grip on the phone tightened so hard I thought the glass might crack.

"What do you mean?" Brandon growled into the receiver, his voice dropping into a terrifying low register. "How?"

He listened for a few more seconds before letting out a harsh exhale. "Keep me updated. Double the security around the city routes."

He ended the call and tossed the phone onto the entry table, turning to me with a dark, grim expression. "What happened?" I asked, my stomach dropping into a pit of ice. "Brandon, what did Dominic say?"

"Leonie escaped," Brandon said bluntly. "Her transport van was ambushed on the way to the precinct. A whole squad hit the van, ripped her out, and vanished. They don't know who helped her."

My breath hitched in my throat. "She... she escaped?"

"She was prepared," Brandon said, his eyes flashing with a fierce, protective anger. "She knew Anna was going to rat her out, so she already had an escape plan waiting before the police even knocked on Julian's door."

He took a sharp step toward me, his hands gripping my shoulders. "Aria, say the word, and I'll hunt her down myself. I'll deploy every resource I have left, turn the city upside down, and put her six feet under."

"No, Brandon! No," I said firmly, placing my hands over his heart. "You can't."

"Aria, she's out there—"

"I know she is, but Leonie is not worth you going back to the Mafia," I cut him off, looking him dead in the eye. "You promised me, Brandon. You promised you were done with that dark world, that you were leaving The Phantom Don behind for us, for our family. I won't let her drag you back into the gutter."

"Aria, I can protect you—" he tried to argue, his chest rising and falling heavily.

"We are safe here," I insisted softly, holding his gaze. "Leonie just fled a high-profile police ambush. She's a wanted fugitive now. She won't do anything reckless right away, she has to run and hide. All we need to do is stay prepared for whatever she might try to throw at us in the future. But you are not going back to that life."

Brandon stared at me for a long, quiet moment. The fierce storm in his eyes slowly settled, replaced by a deep, resigned respect for my boundaries.

He let out a long breath, nodding slowly. "Okay. Okay, sweetheart. You're right." He ran a hand through his hair, stepping closer and cupping my cheek. "But this doesn't mean we stop living our lives. Leonie Vance is not going to rob us of our peace or our happiness."

"I agree," I murmured.

"Speaking of which," Brandon said, offering a small, faint smile to ease the tension, "the ice hockey team has a big game this afternoon. I'm going to head down to the arena to attend it."

I nodded, feeling a wave of relief that life was still moving forward. "Go. You should be there."

"Chloe is waiting for you inside your study, by the way," Brandon added, kissing the top of my head. "She brought over the revised documents you asked for."

Before I could reply, Anthony stepped forward with a rare, gentle smile on his rugged face. "Miss Aria, I can watch over Little Miss Amelia while you work in the study. You don't have to worry about anything."

Amelia's eyes lit up at Anthony's offer. "Uncle Anthony," she giggled, grabbing his large hand with her tiny ones and tugging with all her strength. "Come on. You have to help me build my block castle."

Anthony gave a soft, helpless chuckle as he let himself be dragged away down the hallway by a four-year-old. I couldn't help but laugh softly at the sight.

Once they vanished into the living room, Brandon turned back to me, his dark eyes growing serious once more. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close.

"Are you okay, Aria?" he asked quietly. "Really okay?"

I let out a soft breath, leaning into his touch. "If I'm being completely honest... I'm scared, Brandon. Knowing she's out there somewhere, free... It terrifies me. But I'm also ready. I'm ready for her, and I'm ready for whatever threats she tries to make." I looked up at him, offering a hopeful smile. "Hopefully, we at least get a few moments of peace to ourselves for a while."

Brandon nodded, his expression softening completely. "We will. I'll make sure of it."

He leaned down, pressing his lips to mine in a deep, slow, reassuring kiss that made my heart swell and wiped away every trace of fear lingering in my chest.

He pulled back slightly, his dark eyes shining with intense devotion. "I love you, Aria," he whispered softly against my lips.

"I love you too, Brandon," I replied, leaning up on my toes. He kissed me once more before finally pulling away. With a last reassuring smile, he turned and walked outside to head to the arena, leaving me standing in the quiet, safe warmth of our home.

I watched Brandon's car disappear down the driveway before turning around and making my way down the quiet hallway toward my study.

Opening the door, I found Chloe sitting at the large mahogany desk, her laptop open and several thick manila folders neatly stacked in front of her.

She looked up the moment I walked in, immediately standing up and giving me a warm, sympathetic smile. "Good afternoon, Miss Aria. How are you holding up?"

"I'm surviving, Chloe," I said, letting out a soft breath as I walked over and took a seat opposite her. "Just taking things one step at a time."

"I understand," Chloe said softly, tapping the stack of folders in front of her. "I hate to throw work at you after the morning you've had, Miss Aria, but we have a lot of documents that need your official signature today. Everything from the new estate security clearances to the updated corporate trust filings for Amelia."

I nodded, pulling a pen from the holder on the desk. "It's fine, Chloe. Honestly, having something practical to focus on right now is a relief. Let me see them."

We got straight to work. Page after page, Chloe walked me through the legal paperwork, highlighting where I needed to sign, initial, and date.

As the hours ticked by, the rhythmic sound of rustling paper and my pen scratching against the documents acted as a grounding anchor. Focusing on securing our future made the lingering nightmare of Leonie Vance feel just a little bit further away.

By the time I placed my pen down on top of the final signed agreement, the golden light of late afternoon was already stretching long shadows across the floorboards. I checked the clock on the wall, it was nearly six in the evening.

"And that's the last of it, Miss Aria," Chloe said, organizing the papers back into their folders and snapping them shut with a satisfied click. She stood up, gathering her laptop bag. "I'll drop these off with the legal team first thing tomorrow morning so everything is officially finalized."

"Thank you, Chloe," I said, offering her a genuine smile as I stood up to walk her to the door. "I appreciate you keeping everything organized while things have been so crazy."

"It's my pleasure, Miss Aria," she smiled politely. "Get some rest tonight, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."

After seeing Chloe out, I walked down the hall to the main living area. The house had grown quiet, the warm amber lamps casting a cozy glow over the rooms.

I found Anthony sitting cross-legged on the carpet near the play area, patiently stacking colorful wooden blocks while Amelia sat beside him, carefully placing a tiny plastic flag on top of their massive toy fortress.

My heart melted at the sight. "Look at that masterpiece," I said gently, leaning against the doorframe.

Amelia gasped, looking up with bright, excited eyes. "Mommy. Look. Uncle Anthony and I built a giant castle for the princess."

"It looks incredible, sweetie," I smiled, walking over and crouching down beside her. I ran a hand gently over her soft curls. "It's almost dinner time, my little princess. How about we get you washed up and go make something tasty to eat?"

"Okay!" she giggled, scrambling to her feet. But as she took my hand, she paused, looking around the empty living room before tilting her head up at me with curious, innocent eyes.

"Mommy... when is Daddy coming back?"

I smiled down at her, leaning in to press a warm kiss against her cheek as I squeezed her small hand. "Soon, baby. Very soon.”