Chapter 27 — Echoes Don't Fade Quietly
The call came at dawn.
Kade was already awake, sitting at the edge of his bed with his phone in hand, scrolling through emails he wasn't really reading. His mind had been restless all night—too aware of the fragile balance forming in his home, too afraid to disturb it.
When the phone rang, sharp and insistent, he answered without checking the caller ID.
"Nightwell."
"Kade," a male voice said, clipped and professional. "This is Carter Bell from Bell & Shore Legal."
Kade's jaw tightened. "What do you want?"
"There's been a development involving Vivienne Laurent," Carter said. "She's contesting the termination of your engagement contract."
Kade closed his eyes briefly. "There was no contract."
"There was a prenuptial draft," Carter replied calmly. "And she's claiming emotional damages. Breach of promise. Public humiliation."
A bitter laugh escaped Kade. "She cheated. Publicly."
"She's not denying that," Carter said. "She's reframing it."
"Of course she is."
"She's also requesting discovery," Carter continued. "Including household staff records."
Kade sat up straighter. "Absolutely not."
"I thought you'd say that," Carter said. "But you should know—she specifically named Kiera Frost."
Silence.
Cold and sharp.
"What about Kiera?" Kade asked, voice deadly calm.
"She's implying misconduct," Carter said carefully. "Abuse of power. Inappropriate proximity."
Kade stood abruptly, anger flooding his system. "That's a lie."
"I know," Carter said. "But lies can be loud if they're repeated enough. Vivienne is trying to provoke a reaction."
"She won't touch her," Kade snapped. "Not legally. Not publicly. Not ever."
"That's why I'm calling," Carter said. "You need to be proactive. Document boundaries. Update contracts. And—" He hesitated. "Prepare Kiera. If this escalates, her name may surface."
Kade's hand tightened around the phone. "I'll handle it."
"I know you will," Carter replied. "Just don't do it alone."
The call ended.
Kade stood there for a long moment, chest rising and falling, fury simmering beneath restraint.
Vivienne wasn't done.
And this time, she was aiming for Kiera.
Kiera was in the kitchen when he entered, tying Leo's shoelaces while the boy chattered about dinosaurs and pancakes.
The normalcy nearly undid him.
"Kade!" Leo exclaimed. "Did you know T-rexes can't clap?"
"I did not," Kade replied, forcing a smile. "That's tragic."
Kiera looked up, sensing something beneath his tone. "Are you okay?"
"Can we talk later?" he asked gently. "After Leo's school run."
She nodded. "Of course."
But concern lingered in her eyes.
All morning, Kade moved with controlled precision—calls placed, instructions given, legal documents requested. He didn't raise his voice. Didn't show his anger.
But it was there.
Waiting.
When the penthouse finally quieted, he found Kiera in the living room, notebook open in her lap.
"Sit," she said softly, patting the space beside her.
He obeyed.
"There's something I need to tell you," he began. "And I want to be very clear before I say it—you haven't done anything wrong."
Her fingers stilled.
"Vivienne is trying to drag you into a legal dispute," he continued. "She's implying things that aren't true. About me. About you."
Kiera's breath hitched, old fear stirring. "People always believe women like her," she said quietly. "And they never believe women like me."
Kade turned fully toward her. "I believe you."
She looked at him, eyes searching.
"And I won't let anyone twist your story," he added. "Not her. Not the media. Not anyone."
She swallowed. "What does this mean for us?"
"It means we tighten boundaries, not loosen them," he said. "It means transparency. Documentation. And if at any point this feels like too much, we stop."
She nodded slowly. "You're protecting me."
"Yes," he said. "But I also want to give you the choice to protect yourself."
She was quiet for a long moment.
Then: "I won't disappear."
His chest tightened. "I wouldn't ask you to."
"I've spent my whole life running from echoes," she said softly. "From voices that told me I wasn't worth defending. I won't let hers chase me away."
Something fierce bloomed in his chest.
"I'll stand with you," she said. "Not behind you."
He reached out, stopping just short of touching her hand. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," she said. "But only if we do this the right way."
He nodded. "We will."
That evening, a message flashed across Kade's phone.
Vivienne: You think blocking me makes me powerless? This is only the beginning.
He deleted it without replying.
Across the room, Kiera laughed softly at something Leo said, warmth filling the space.
Vivienne could shout.
She could threaten.
She could claw at the past all she wanted.
But she no longer owned their future.
And Kade Nightwell was done letting echoes decide what he fought for.
This time, he would fight forward.