The third letter arrived the morning Nathan signed the consent forms.
It wasn't slipped under a door this time.
It was waiting on Isabella's car.
Tucked neatly beneath the windshield wiper like a parking ticket.
Isabella froze when she saw it.
Her pulse roared in her ears as she approached slowly, every instinct screaming.
Nolan was only a few steps behind her, phone in hand, mid-conversation with his legal team.
He saw her stop.
"What is it?" he asked.
She didn't answer.
She reached out with shaking fingers and pulled the envelope free.
Her name was written on the front.
Perfect handwriting.
Elegant.
Intentional.
Nolan ended the call instantly.
She opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
But this time… there was a photo attached.
Juan.
Sleeping.
In his hospital bed.
Isabella's breath left her lungs.
Her knees buckled.
Nolan caught her before she hit the ground.
"What?" he demanded, taking the paper.
His face darkened instantly.
The message was short.
The first was a warning.
The second was a reminder.
This one is a promise.
Nolan crushed the paper in his fist.
"They've been inside the hospital," Isabella whispered.
Nolan's eyes burned. "No."
"They took this," she choked. "Someone took this."
Nolan was already moving.
The hospital went into lockdown within minutes.
Security teams flooded the halls.
Doctors were confused. Nurses whispered.
Juan was moved to a secure wing without explanation.
Isabella stayed glued to his bedside, arms wrapped around him protectively.
Nolan paced the room like a caged animal, phone pressed to his ear, voice low and lethal.
"Find out who accessed his room."
A pause.
"I don't care about protocol."
Another pause.
"Then override it."
He ended the call and turned to Isabella.
"They accessed staff credentials," he said. "This wasn't random."
She shook her head, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I knew it. I knew it."
Nolan crouched in front of her. "Look at me."
She did.
"I will end this," he said. "I swear to you."
Her voice trembled. "What if they take him?"
Nolan's eyes darkened. "They won't."
"How can you be sure?" she whispered.
"Because if they try," he said coldly, "they won't walk away."
She shuddered.
She had never seen him like this.
Not even when they were married.
This wasn't corporate.
This wasn't strategic.
This was primal.
That evening, Nathan visited Juan.
He brought a small wooden boat he'd carved himself.
"For you," he said awkwardly.
Juan smiled weakly. "Thank you, Uncle."
Nathan swallowed hard.
Isabella watched from the doorway, heart aching.
Nathan turned to her. "You should never have been dragged into this."
She nodded. "I know."
"And yet you're the only one in that family who doesn't treat people like assets," he said.
Her chest tightened.
Nolan entered then, face grim.
"We found the access point," he said.
Isabella stood. "Who?"
Nolan hesitated.
Then: "Audrey."
The name slammed into the room.
Isabella froze. "No."
"Yes," Nolan said quietly. "She's been feeding someone your schedules. The hospital wing. The security shifts."
Her voice shook. "She's my friend."
Nathan scoffed. "Friends don't sell out children."
Isabella's knees weakened. "Why would she—?"
"Money," Nolan replied. "Protection. Power."
Isabella shook her head violently. "She held Juan when he was born."
"And then sold him," Nathan said bitterly.
Nolan's jaw tightened. "She was paid through shell accounts connected to Caleb Black."
Isabella's heart slammed painfully.
"She's been watching us," Isabella whispered. "All this time."
"Yes," Nolan said.
Isabella turned away, sobbing.
Nolan confronted Audrey that night.
He didn't bring guards.
He didn't bring threats.
He brought proof.
She broke in less than five minutes.
"I didn't think they'd go this far," she cried. "I thought it was just information."
Nolan's voice was ice. "You gave them access to my son."
She collapsed. "They said they'd ruin me if I didn't."
"You already are," Nolan replied.
She sobbed harder. "I never wanted to hurt him."
"And yet you did," Nolan said.
Audrey whispered, "They're not done."
Nolan went very still.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Audrey lifted her head slowly.
"They don't want money," she said. "They want leverage."
Nolan's chest tightened.
"Against you," she continued. "And against Isabella."
Silence fell.
Nolan's phone vibrated.
He checked it.
His blood ran cold.
Back at the hospital, Isabella was reading softly to Juan when the door opened.
She looked up—and froze.
Two men stood there.
Not doctors.
Not nurses.
Black coats.
Blank expressions.
Her heart slammed violently.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
One of them smiled.
"Friends," he said.
She lunged for the emergency button.
The man moved fast—too fast.
He grabbed her wrist.
"Don't scream," he said softly. "You'll scare the boy."
Juan sat up. "Mommy?"
Her blood turned to ice.
"Let him go," she whispered.
"We're not here for him," the man said. "Not today."
Her heart pounded painfully. "Then why are you here?"
"To deliver a message," he replied.
He handed her a phone.
A live video call.
She looked down—
And saw Nolan.
Bound.
Bleeding.
On his knees.
The man smiled.
"You made the wrong deal," he said.
"And now," he added,
"you get to choose who pays."