Chapter 241: A Message (5)
Nick didn’t waste a second. The moment they reached his penthouse, he ushered everyone inside—Ella clutching Liam’s arm, Colleen and Ally trembling in silence.
His first move was swift and decisive: Colleen and Ally were sent to the guest room, while Georgia took Katie straight to his en suite bathroom to clean her up.
The little girls had nothing with them, no clothes, no belongings—but good thing Vicky had left some small shirts in the guest closet, and those became a makeshift sleep dress.
Inside the bathroom, Georgia worked quickly but gently, even as her heart trembled. Ella stayed close, helping her dry Katie’s hair.
Meanwhile, Nick and Liam kept themselves busy in the kitchen, the sound of glasses and running water barely masking the tension hanging in the air.
"Tomorrow, I’ll buy you and Ally some pretty dresses. Would you like that?" Georgia coaxed softly, running the brush over Katie’s damp curls.
Katie nodded, though her little voice broke when she asked, "Will Nanna be alright?"
Georgia forced her lips into a calm smile. "Yes, Vicky and Oliver are with her. Can you be a good girl and stay here with Aunt Ella while I check on Nanna later?"
The girl hesitated, eyes wide, before whispering, "But... will the bad men come back?"
Georgia’s throat tightened. She pulled Katie into her arms, hugging her so tightly it was as if she could shield her from the entire world. She bit back the tears, forcing steel into her voice. "No. They won’t. Uncle Nick and I will make sure they never come near you again."
Only when Katie and Ally finally drifted into uneasy sleep did the adults gather around the dining table. The atmosphere was heavy, shadows deepening the lines of exhaustion on their faces.
Ella broke the silence, her voice low and shaken. "Earlier, as soon as I arrived, Katie and Ally told me... Wendy was putting them to sleep when they heard glass shatter.
Wendy told Katie to hide in the secret room and promised to check. Then they heard her scream, men’s voices, and things breaking everywhere. Katie said she remembered everything you taught her, Georgia.
They stayed hidden until Wendy told them to come out. But by then, the house was already burning. Wendy was injured. She tried to help them get out, but she collapsed on the ground floor.
They pulled her as far as they could toward the back door, but the fire spread too fast. Katie... Katie decided to run to the Higgins for help. That’s how they survived."
The room fell into stunned silence. Colleen shivered, rubbing her arms as though trying to shake off the images Ella painted.
Georgia pressed her hands over her face, elbows braced against the table, fighting the scream clawing its way out of her chest.
They sounded hollowed out by fear. Colleen’s shoulders shook as she forced the words out between sobs. "They have no fear. Whoever’s backing them must be filthy rich and powerful."
Liam slammed his palm on the table, voice tight. "This is escalating. They’re getting bolder."
Nick only let a small, dangerous smirk curl at the corner of his mouth. He scoffed. "Let them get bolder. If Nancy’s behind this, she doesn’t know what we’ve been sitting on. We’ll hit her where it hurts—surprise her."
Liam’s eyes didn’t follow Nick’s bravado. He looked instead toward Georgia, searching the room for pieces that didn’t fit. "Are you sure it’s Nancy?" he asked, low. "I don’t buy she could pull this off alone. Either she has powerful help... or we’re dealing with someone else entirely."
Silence fell. The implication landed like a stone in still water: Nancy’s threat was only one of Georgia’s many fires. There were Irene and Frank too—two names that had vanished with company funds and now ran with something hot on their trail. Someone was hunting them; someone the family hadn’t yet met.
Practicality snapped forward in Nick. "Liam, stay with the girls. Keep your men posted outside the door and around the building." He didn’t wait for protest. "I’d feel better if you stayed with them while we go to the hospital."
Liam met his gaze. He nodded once, firm. "I’ll watch them. Don’t worry." He dropped a hand to Nick’s shoulder, a brotherly support. "Bro—this proves it. You need a proper security team. A driver and a couple of guys from me or Oliver? That’s not enough anymore."
Nick stared at his knuckles on the table, then up at Liam. "I will. Thanks." He signaled Georgia with a curt, decisive movement. Time to move.
In the car, Nick’s hand found Georgia’s thigh, fingers pressing a steady, possessive rhythm. "Try to sleep on the way. You need rest," he murmured.
She gave him a tired, half-smile. "Says the man who also needs to rest."
"I’m fine, as long as you are." His voice turned softer. "We’ll make them pay for this. We’re closer than you think. Just hold on."
For the first time that night, Georgia allowed herself a full, honest smile. She brushed her palm over his cheek—light, fierce. "I’m not going anywhere, my love. I’m by your side. Whatever comes."
Nick drove with lethal focus. Both silent.
When they reached the hospital, they spotted Oliver at the end of the corridor. He was speaking in a low, clipped tone to a uniformed police officer, his brow furrowed in agitation. The second he noticed them, he excused himself and strode over, his expression unreadable.
"She’s awake," Oliver said. "Wendy opened her eyes about thirty minutes ago." Relief flickered across Georgia’s face, but Oliver’s next words stole it away. "But what she’s saying... it doesn’t match Colleen and Nancy’s case. Not even close."
Georgia’s breath hitched. "What do you mean?"
Oliver glanced around the hallway, lowering his voice until it was nearly a whisper. "She said one of the men told her that the payment for what the Lewises owe is not enough, and they will take Katie to complete the payment after they sell her to the highest bidder."
Nick’s jaw clenched. "What?"
Oliver’s eyes darkened, darting briefly toward the police officer still waiting nearby. His lips parted as if to say it, but just then, a nurse rushed out of Wendy’s room, pale and frantic.
"She’s seizing!" the nurse cried. "Get a crash cart!"
The hallway exploded into chaos—alarms blaring, footsteps pounding, doctors swarming past. Georgia froze, every nerve in her body screaming. Nick grabbed her hand, holding her steady as the door to Wendy’s room slammed shut in their faces.
And in that split second of paralyzing dread, Georgia realized—whatever truth Wendy had was slipping away, right before they could hear it.