Chapter 7 - Desperate Measures
The fall of Ethan Mercer was swift and unforgiving.
Within forty-eight hours of the gala disaster, Mercer Global went into official liquidation. Ethan’s penthouse in Manhattan was seized by court marshals, his luxury sports cars were towed away, and his credit cards were shredded.
Sabrina Hastings abandoned him the moment the money ran dry, leaving a scathing public statement through her publicist claiming she was "completely unaware of Mr. Mercer’s abhorrent personal behavior."
Living out of a cheap motel near the airport, Ethan’s mind fractured under the weight of his total ruin. He didn't care about the money anymore; his arrogance couldn't accept that Claire—the quiet, docile woman he thought he could step on—was now living in absolute luxury, worshiped by the most powerful man in the state.
"It’s her fault," Ethan muttered to himself in the dim light of his motel room, staring at a tabloid cover showing Alexander and Claire holding the triplets. "She ruined me. She took everything from me. Those are my babies!"
Driven by a toxic mix of madness and desperation, Ethan began stalking the perimeter of Alexander’s private estate in upstate New York, where Claire and the babies were staying for the weekend.
He waited through the rain, hiding near the thick tree line outside the iron gates. He watched through binoculars as Claire walked through the manicured gardens, holding little Maya while Alexander pushed the pram with the twin boys, laughing together like a true, happy family.
The sight poisoned Ethan’s soul.
Late that night, as a severe thunderstorm knocked out power lines across the county, Ethan made his move. He breached the estate’s outer fence through a service maintenance hatch he had bribed a worker to locate.
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Drenched in mud and clutching a heavy iron wrench, Ethan slipped into the dark manor through the kitchen doors, his eyes gleaming with a terrifying, unhinged intent.
"Claire!" he yelled into the dark hallways, his footsteps echoing through the grand residence. "Claire, come out! I know you're here! You're coming back with me!"
