The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 253: [ Volume 1] Chaper - Attacked.

She was turning his empire upside down, chipping away at his hard-won power while his grandsons were oblivious, blinded by her charms and reassurances.

"Do you think I’m unaware?" he said, his voice so low it was nearly a whisper, but every word was sharp as a blade. "I know exactly what Rose is doing. I see it all. But she is not just any woman. She is my grandsons’ chosen wife, and she carries with her a fire. She may think she’s winning, but her recklessness will be her downfall. This is a game of patience—and I have all the time in the world."

The woman hesitated, then dared one final question. "But Lord, if she wins, we’ll lose everything. Do you truly trust her?"

Lord Aron’s expression darkened further. He looked back at the photograph, the smiling face of his daughter, his beloved child who had left him with these grandsons he now struggled to understand. "Trust her?" he murmured. "No. But there is one thing I do trust—my own ability to deal with traitors when the time comes."

The room fell into silence once more, the air thick with a menacing sense of inevitability. The loyal servants exchanged a glance, uncertain whether to feel reassured or afraid.

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The sun was dipping low, casting a warm glow through Esme’s car as she drove home, a small smile tugging at her lips as she listened to Ray’s request for a cheesecake. He’d been having cravings lately, and she found herself indulging them without hesitation. Anything to keep him happy, to ease his comfort as he carefully sheltered their child—a child that was more than special, a child of two spirit bearers.

"Cheesecake, got it," she replied, her voice softening with warmth. "Don’t worry, I’ll be there soon."

But that warmth froze in an instant.

A loud bang shattered her moment of calm. A bullet tore through the metal frame of her car, close enough to feel the sharp crack resonate through the seat, and for a second, her heart skipped a beat. She jerked the wheel, instincts kicking in as her training took over, and forced herself to stay focused.

The knowledge that Ray’s pregnancy was a closely guarded secret had given her some peace, but there were still dangers lurking, invisible but undeniable. The traitor who had betrayed her once was still out there, and even with all her power, she knew there were forces out there—ruthless organizations and researchers—who’d stop at nothing to study, or even take, the child growing within Ray. For them, he and Ray were valuable commodities, and the child was a rare miracle worth millions.

Her finger still lingered on her Bluetooth earpiece. "Ray," she whispered, forcing her voice to stay calm, "I’ll be back a bit later than planned, okay?"

But her heart wasn’t as calm as her voice. She couldn’t afford to be reckless now, not with Ray at home, waiting for her with the child they were both so fiercely protective of, a child that they’d shielded from the world with every ounce of strength they had.

With a sharp turn, Esme veered off the main road, taking a narrow, secluded path that led through the city’s back streets. Her heart was pounding, but she kept her mind sharp, her senses heightened. The assailant had taken a calculated shot, not at her directly but close enough to serve as a warning.

In a swift motion, she pressed the button on her Bluetooth. "Kai, it’s me," she said, voice low and controlled. "I need an update. Are the trackers on all known threats still active?"

There was a brief pause before Kai’s steady voice came through. "Yes, but there haven’t been any pings on our high-risk suspects. You’re saying someone’s engaged?"

"Someone just fired at me," she said tersely, glancing into the rearview mirror. There was no one visible behind her, but she knew better than to let her guard down. "This wasn’t a warning shot. They’re testing our security."

"Understood. I’ll have our closest team on standby," he replied, voice tight with urgency. "And Esme—if you need an extraction—"

"Not yet." Her voice was firm. She couldn’t risk drawing more attention. "Keep things quiet. No one can know."

Ending the call, Esme’s eyes scanned the road, her mind racing. If there was a traitor still among them, it meant someone within their trusted circle might already be passing along information. She had been careful, endlessly thorough, but paranoia was a bitter necessity in her world. Her gaze hardened. Ray’s safety—and that of their child—wasn’t up for negotiation.

Just as her thoughts lingered on Ray, a second shot rang out, striking the passenger-side mirror and shattering the glass into a cloud of splinters. She bit down a curse, gripping the wheel tightly as she pushed her car to its limits, weaving through traffic with practiced ease.

The shooter was persistent, calculated—this wasn’t an amateur. Whoever was after her had experience, and they wanted her off the road. Esme’s jaw clenched, a surge of fierce protectiveness rising within her.

Esme’s car screeched to a halt as the bullet struck the frame, her instincts kicking in before her mind could catch up. She immediately shifted gears, ready to accelerate out of there, but she felt a presence—a movement in the shadows just ahead. A figure stepped forward, silhouetted in the low, gritty light of the alley, and Esme’s eyes narrowed as she took in the sharp, almost feline stance of her assailant.

A woman, tall and athletic, clad in dark clothing that seemed to melt into the shadows, approached with a deadly grace, her eyes focused and unblinking. Without a word, she raised her gun, her expression cold and precise. Esme flung herself to the side, rolling out of the car just as the window shattered under the force of another bullet.

Landing in a crouch, Esme didn’t waste a second. She darted to the other side of the car, using it as a temporary shield, her breath steady and measured.