Outside the house…
The guards exchanged nervous glances as they stood, helpless, facing the closed door.
"Shit!" one of them muttered. "They are trapped inside. What are we going to do now?"
"We need to inform Mr. Sullivan," the other guard said quickly. Without wasting a second, he pulled out his phone and dialed Silas—the call connected after a few rings.
"Sir, we have a serious problem," he said, each word laden with tension. "Those two men have taken Mrs. Shaw and baby Ellie hostage inside. They've already killed one of our men." He hesitated for a heartbeat before continuing, his voice thick with dread. "They are demanding Madam Esme in exchange for her mother if we want Ellie to stay safe."
Esme heard every word through the speaker. The blood drained from her face, leaving her pale and trembling. "Ellie," she whispered, breaking into sobs as a wave of panic crashed over her.
