I found a young woman half-frozen in the park with two babies clinging to her — and when she whispered, “Please don’t let him find us,” I didn’t realize I was seconds away from a truth tied to my own past.

Ryder Vance.

His presence alone filled the room with tension thick enough to choke.

“You,” he hissed. “You have something that belongs to me.”

“No,” I said calmly. “You’re trespassing. Leave now.”

He stepped toward me with clenched fists. “You think money makes you untouchable?”

“I think hurting people makes you small,” I answered. “And Isla isn’t yours to claim.”

He lunged.

But I wasn’t fighting alone.

Gage and two security officers rushed in from the hallway and intercepted Ryder before he could reach me. He struggled, yelled, tried to break free, but they restrained him and pinned him to the floor without harming him.

It lasted less than a minute.

The intruder who had terrorized Isla for years was finally contained.

CHAPTER 6: SIX MONTHS LATER
The police handled everything from that point on. With the security footage and Ryder’s unlawful entry, the case was straightforward. Isla wasn’t blamed for anything—she was recognized as a young woman who had survived far too much.

And after months of paperwork, court visits, therapy sessions, and a team of attorneys, something I never imagined happened:

Theo and Silas became part of my family—legally.
And Isla… she became the daughter I didn’t know I needed.

Now, my once-silent house is full of life.

The twins crawl across my office carpet while I review financial reports. Isla comes home from her art history classes and fills the kitchen with stories and laughter. And the quiet corners of the mansion that once echoed with emptiness now hold warmth I never expected.

This morning, as I walked through Golden Gate Park again, I paused near the same bench where I first found them—cold, exhausted, and alone.

The sun was rising slowly, painting the sky pink.