Chereads / Vanished Hearts / Chapter 5 - No Safe Haven

Chapter 5 - No Safe Haven

Esmeralda

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Esmeralda's fingers tightened around her key card, her heart thundering against her ribs. The shadow at the end of the hallway remained still, watching. Years of protecting Luca had honed her instincts—this wasn't a casual hotel guest. This was a hunter, and she was the prey.

The elegant hallway, with its cream and gold decor, suddenly felt like a trap. Every luxury suite door offered potential sanctuary, yet none could provide the safety she needed. Not with her son fevered and vulnerable just floors away. Three years of running had taught her to read danger in the smallest details—the way the figure stood, the deliberate stillness, the patient waiting of someone who knew they had their target cornered.

She pulled out her phone, pretending to check messages while discreetly studying the reflection in her screen. The figure was tall, masculine, but definitely not Alex. One of his men? The cut of the dark suit, the professional stance, the barely visible earpiece—all hallmarks of Vale Industries' security team. Alex had always been thorough in his pursuits, whether in business or... other matters.

Making a swift decision, she walked past her door, her heels clicking purposefully against the marble floor. The sound echoed in the quiet hallway as she headed toward the ice machine room—and the service elevator she'd noted during check-in. Always have an escape route. That lesson had saved her once before, on another night when she'd fled from Alex's world, that time with an unconfirmed pregnancy test burning a hole in her purse.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, startling her.

A text from Julian appeared on the screen:

Julian: Are you alright?

Esmeralda quickly typed back:

I think one of Alex's men is here.

His reply was almost immediate:

Julian: I noticed someone watching you earlier. Are you safe? Do you need me to send help?

She frowned, her mind racing as she slipped the phone back into her clutch. Julian's concern was unexpected but not unwelcome. Still, this was her fight. I can handle it, she'd said. Whether she believed it was another matter entirely.

Her phone buzzed. Penny again:

Penny: Was that you in the hallway just now?

Esmeralda: No. Lock the door. I'm coming up the service elevator. Don't open for anyone else.

The shadow moved, footsteps following her at a measured pace. Esmeralda's pulse quickened, but she kept her stride steady. The emerald silk of her gown whispered against her legs with each step, a reminder of the glamorous facade she'd worn tonight—a facade that was quickly crumbling. The ice machine room was just ahead. Three more steps. Two. One.

She pushed through the door, immediately hitting the service elevator call button. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, harsh after the soft lighting of the hallway. The footsteps grew closer, unhurried, confident. Her finger jabbed the button again, harder this time. Where was security when you needed them? Though what could she possibly tell them? That she was running from her legally-still husband's men while hiding their secret child?

The elevator dinged, and she slipped inside just as the ice machine room door began to open. As the doors closed, she caught a glimpse of a dark suit and an earpiece. Their eyes met briefly—she recognised him now. James, one of Alex's most trusted security officers. He'd been there during her marriage, had probably seen her slip away that night three years ago. His expression showed recognition, but no surprise.

Definitely one of Alex's men.

The service elevator opened on a different floor, and Esmeralda moved swiftly through the back corridors she'd memorised during check-in. The service areas were a maze of utility carts and laundry bins, the stark functionality a far cry from the luxury above. Three years of protecting Luca had taught her to always know her escape routes. Always have a plan. Always be ready to disappear.

Her phone vibrated again.

Penny: He's asking for you in his sleep. The knight story again.

A familiar ache squeezed her heart. Even in sleep, Luca wanted the story about the brave knight with storm-grey eyes—eyes just like his own, though he didn't know their significance. Eyes that had haunted her tonight at the gala, filled with fury and betrayal. How many times had she told him that story, weaving pieces of Alex into their son's dreams while trying to protect them both?

She took the final service stairwell up two floors, her designer heels clutched in one hand as she climbed silently. The emergency exit signs cast an eerie red glow, turning her emerald gown almost black. If Alex's men were watching her original room, they'd be waiting a long time. She'd booked two rooms under different names—another lesson learned in three years of careful planning. Another layer of protection between her son and the world that could shatter their peace.

Emerging into a different wing of the hotel, she paused to slip her shoes back on, transforming once again into the polished businesswoman she'd become. The suite at the end of this quiet hallway was registered to "Patricia Evans," a name that meant nothing to anyone. Inside, her son waited, probably curled up with his stuffed dragon, dark curls falling across his forehead just like his father's. The same curls she'd watched Alex run his hands through tonight in frustration.

Penny opened the door before she could knock, worry creasing her friend's normally cheerful face. The soft lamplight spilled into the hallway, carrying with it the faint scent of the chamomile tea they always made when Luca was unwell.

"Thank god you're back. I was starting to—" She paused, taking in Esmeralda's expression, the slight dishevelment of her perfect appearance. "What happened?"

"Alex was at the gala." Esmeralda slipped inside, immediately scanning the room—another habit born of years on guard. Luca was asleep on the master bed, his favourite dragon clutched tight, his small face flushed with fever. The sight of him made her throat tight. So innocent, so unaware of the storm brewing around him. "And now one of his men is watching my other room."

"Shit." Penny ran a hand through her copper curls, the motion betraying her anxiety. "Did he recognise you? Did he say anything about—"

"He knows nothing about Luca," Esmeralda cut in, moving to feel her son's forehead. Still warm, but not alarmingly so. His dark lashes fluttered against his cheeks, peaceful despite everything.

"But he did drop quite the bombshell." She turned to meet her friend's concerned gaze. "Apparently, he never signed the divorce papers."

"What?" Penny's whisper was sharp in the quiet room. "But your lawyer confirmed—"

"I know." Esmeralda sank into the plush chair beside the bed, finally letting her composed facade crack. The weight of the evening—the gala, Alex's revelation, the chase through the hotel—settled onto her shoulders like a physical thing. "I know, Penny. And now I don't know what's real anymore. If he never signed... if I'm still legally his wife..."

The emerald pendant felt heavy against her collarbone, a constant reminder of the man who'd given it to her. The man whose eyes she saw every time their son looked at her. The man who was, apparently, still her husband.

A small whimper from the bed interrupted her spiralling thoughts. Luca stirred, his eyes fluttering open—storm-grey, just like Alex's had been tonight, burning with intensity across the ballroom. "Mama?"

"I'm here, my love." She was beside him in an instant, maternal instinct overriding everything else. Her silk gown pooled around her as she gathered him close, breathing in the sweet baby shampoo scent of his hair. These moments—holding him, protecting him—made everything worth it. "How are you feeling?"

"Hot," he mumbled into her neck, his small fingers automatically finding her pendant. The familiar gesture made her heart clench. "Tell me about the knight? The brave one?"

Esmeralda's eyes met Penny's over Luca's dark curls. In them, she saw her own fear reflected. How long could she keep running? How long before Alex discovered what she'd really taken with her that night? His words from the gala echoed in her mind: "You can't run forever, Esmeralda."

"Of course, darling," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his warm forehead. For now, she could still protect him with stories, could still keep his father as nothing more than a heroic figure in bedtime tales. "Once upon a time, there was a knight with eyes like storm clouds..."

"And he was the bravest knight in all the land," Luca mumbled along with her words, his small fingers playing with the emerald pendant at her throat—a habit he'd had since infancy. The same pendant Alex had given her on their first anniversary, though Luca would never know that detail of the story.

"That's right, my darling." Her voice remained steady even as her heart clenched. Every word of these stories was both truth and fiction—the brave knight was real, was probably prowling the hotel right now, searching for her. The pendant had been a gift from Alex, one of the few pieces she'd kept. Not for its value, but because Luca loved it so much. Because it gave him something of his father to hold onto, even if he didn't know it. "The knight protected everyone in his kingdom..."

"But he was lonely," Luca continued their familiar story, his fever-warm breath against her neck. His voice carried the same slight lilt that Alex's did when he was tired—another small detail that both warmed and wounded her heart. "Until he found the princess with the green eyes."

Penny moved quietly around the room, gathering their essentials and placing them in a small overnight bag. The soft clink of Luca's medicine bottles, the rustle of clean clothes—they'd practiced this too many times. The art of swift, silent departure had become second nature over the years. Each item carefully chosen, each movement choreographed for maximum efficiency and minimum noise.

"Esme," Penny whispered, holding up her phone, her expression tense. "Julian texted. Says there's increased security in the lobby. All exits."

Esmeralda frowned as she read Julian's message. She hadn't given him Penny's number—how could he have it?

Esmeralda: Sorry I didn't reply earlier, thank you for checking in. How did you know Penny was here—or get her number?

Julian: Don't worry about it, hope you're safe. I called your assistant at the boutique earlier, and she connected me to Penny when I mentioned you might need help. I hope you don't mind.

Of course. Julian's resourcefulness was both impressive and slightly unsettling. She made a mental note to have a word with her assistant about discretion, though it wasn't entirely their fault. Julian had a way of making things happen, his charm matched only by his uncanny ability to anticipate needs before she voiced them.

Esmeralda's arms tightened fractionally around Luca, who was already drifting back to sleep. Of course Alex would lock down the hotel. He'd always been thorough, calculating. It's what made him so formidable in business—and so dangerous now. The same strategic mind that had built an empire was now focused entirely on finding her.

"The service entrance?" she whispered back, though she already knew the answer. Alex had taught her himself, years ago, about securing buildings. "Always control all exit points," he'd said during one of their private moments, when he'd let his guard down enough to share pieces of his world with her. The lesson had served her well when she'd left him, and now he was using that same knowledge to trap her.

Penny shook her head, copper curls catching the soft lamplight. "Checked the cameras through that app you designed. Two men stationed there." A touch of irony coloured her voice—the same tech skills that had helped them stay hidden for three years were now confirming they were trapped.

Luca stirred again, his grey eyes—so like his father's—blinking up at her. The fever made them appear almost silvery in the dim light. "Mama? Why'd you stop the story?"

"Sorry, my love." She forced a smile, running her fingers through his dark curls—so like Alex's, especially now when they were mussed from sleep. "Where were we? Ah yes, the knight and the princess..."

But her mind was racing. They were trapped, at least for tonight. Any suspicious movement would only draw attention. And Alex... Alex who still considered her his wife... how long before he thought to check guest registrations beyond her obvious decoy room? He'd always been brilliant at seeing through deceptions, at finding hidden patterns. It was only a matter of time.

Her phone lit up with another text:

Julian: Vale's men are systematic. But I know this hotel well. There's always another way out. If you need it.

She looked at Penny, then down at Luca, who was fighting sleep to hear more about his favourite knight. The knight who, in reality, was currently hunting through the hotel for her, not knowing his son was just floors away. Not knowing that every story, every description of the brave knight with storm-grey eyes, was a piece of himself she'd managed to give their child.

"We could try to leave now," Penny suggested, but they both knew it wasn't really an option. Not with Luca's fever, not with Alex's men watching every exit. The same protective instinct that had made her run three years ago now kept her trapped—their son's wellbeing would always come first.

"No," Esmeralda decided, moving to the closet where she'd hidden her laptop. The silk of her gown whispered against the carpet, a reminder that she was still dressed for a gala while planning another escape. "We stay put. But we need a contingency plan." Her fingers flew over the keyboard, accessing the hotel's security system through a backdoor she'd created during check-in. "If Alex gets too close, we'll need a distraction."

"The kind that involves sirens, or the kind that involves champagne?" Penny's attempt at humor barely masked her concern. They both remembered the last time they'd needed a distraction—it had involved three false fire alarms and a very confused security team in Crystal Cove.

"The kind that—" Esmeralda broke off as a new alert popped up on her screen. Her blood ran cold. The security system showed a systematic sweep of guest registrations, floor by floor. Alex wasn't just searching randomly—he was hunting with purpose. "He's checking guest registrations. All of them."

"How long?"

"Minutes, maybe." She closed the laptop, moving to gather their essential items. The room suddenly felt too small, too exposed. "Wake Luca. Gently. We need to—"

A knock at the door froze them both.

"Ms. Evans?" A deep voice called out. "This is hotel security. We need to speak with you regarding an urgent matter."

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