Chapter 2 2

Stepping off the airstairs, the blinding Nevada sun hit Harper like a physical blow, the dry, oven-like heat sucking the moisture straight from her lungs.

A driver in a heavy black suit stood waiting by a dark, armored Maybach, respectfully pulling the heavy door open.

Harper slid into the freezing, air-conditioned back seat. Her muscles, coiled tight since New York, finally collapsed against the leather. She rubbed her aching collarbone, a nervous habit she couldn't shake.

The car glided smoothly out of the private airfield.

Beyond the tinted windows, the neon chaos of the Las Vegas Strip flashed by, a blur of drunk tourists stumbling along scorching sidewalks, clutching plastic yard glasses.

Harper stared at them, a hollow ache in her chest. She didn't belong here.

The Maybach left the noise behind, turning onto a private road leading into Summerlin, a hyper-exclusive, gated community hidden behind high stone walls.

The car stopped in front of a sprawling Mediterranean estate.

Before Harper could even reach for the brass knocker, the heavy oak door swung open.

Her Aunt Fiona stood in the foyer, a dry martini in hand, the ice clinking softly against the crystal. Her eyes were sharp, calculating, and completely devoid of warmth.

Fiona stepped forward, pulling Harper into a tight embrace. She smelled of expensive Chanel perfume and ruthless authority.

Pulling back, Fiona scrutinized Harper's pale face. "Did Howard finally push you over the edge, kid?" she asked bluntly.

Heat rushed to Harper's eyes. She nodded, the rigid posture she maintained in New York finally crumbling.

Fiona sighed, a rare sound of sympathy escaping her lips. Wrapping an arm around Harper's shoulders, she led her down into the sunken living room.

Fiona walked to the wet bar, poured a generous splash of vodka into a glass, and shoved it into Harper's hand.

Harper took a sip, the alcohol burning a path down to her empty stomach.

Sinking into the white velvet sofa, she spilled everything, explaining the brutal terms of the trust fund and the forced marriage to Sterling.

Then, she dropped the bomb.

"I'm here to find Howard's illegitimate son," Harper said, her voice trembling slightly. "If I find him, I can use him to break my father's leverage."

Fiona's hand stopped mid-air, the ice in her glass ceasing its swirling. A flash of genuine shock crossed her perfectly Botoxed face.

She slammed the glass down on the marble counter. "Are you insane?" Fiona snapped. "Digging up secrets in Vegas will get you killed, Harper."

With shaking hands, Harper unzipped her bag, pulled out the grainy photograph, and slapped it onto the glass coffee table.

"This man is the only lead I have. He's a cleaner. He knows where the boy is."

Fiona leaned over, her eyes narrowing as she studied the blurry image. She shook her head slowly. "I don't know him. And you shouldn't either."

Harper set her jaw, her nails digging into her palms. "I'm not leaving until I find him."

Fiona stared at her niece's desperate, stubborn eyes, letting out a long breath before relenting.

"Fine. This house is a safe zone. But you play by my rules."

Suddenly, the sound of shattering porcelain echoed from the second floor.

Fiona pinched the bridge of her nose, her face twisting in irritation. "That's Chloe. My absolute nightmare of a teenage daughter."

She looked at Harper with a pleading expression. "Talk to her. Keep her from destroying my house, and you can stay as long as you need."

Harper nodded immediately. It was a cheap price for a fortress.

A silent housekeeper carried Harper's bags down the hall to a lavish guest suite.

Harper tossed her Birkin onto the silk chaise lounge. She walked to the corkboard above the desk, pulled out a silver pushpin, and stabbed the photo of the cleaner into the center.

Collapsing onto the massive king bed, she stared at the faceless man on the board, her exhaustion warring with a dangerous surge of determination. The nauseating panic that had gripped her on the jet was slowly burning away, replaced by a cold, sharp survival instinct. She was no longer just Howard Bright's pawn, shrinking away from his threats. If she wanted to survive, if she wanted her life back, she had to stop acting like prey. She had to become the hunter. She closed her eyes, forcing her erratic heartbeat to steady. Tomorrow, she wouldn't hide. She would find him.