Chapter 10 - The Surveillance Hub
I inched closer to the iron grate, peering up through the crisscrossed metal bars. The soft, ambient light revealed we were directly beneath the floorboards of Julian’s underground security room—a space even larger and more sophisticated than his upstairs study.
Monitors covered the entire back wall, projecting live feeds from every corner of the estate: the gates, the staff quarters, the perimeter fences, and—most disturbingly—close-up infrared cameras hidden inside every bedroom and hallway of the mansion. Julian hadn't just been watching his business partners; he had been systematically surveilling his entire family, recording every private moment, every vulnerable conversation, and every secret.
On one of the central monitors, Clara appeared on screen. She was huddled in the small, freezing laundry room in the basement, clutching a small duffel bag, looking entirely broken and terrified.
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And right beside her on the screen, walking down the concrete corridor toward the laundry room with deliberate, measured steps, was Julian.
He had abandoned the hunt for us temporarily because he knew Clara was an easier target, and he couldn't afford to leave any loose ends breathing by morning.
