marked by midnight: the enemy's heiress

Chapter 68 : The little saviour

Cassian put down the phone, his face hard with anger. Regis Serrano didn’t say where Lucien was. No hints, no nothing—just quiet, then the call ended. Cassian felt like he could explode.

He looked at his security guys. "He won’t tell us. Find that car no matter what. Check every camera on the streets. Pay people if you have to. Turn this whole city upside down. Get my boy back—do anything."

His dad put a hand on his shoulder. "We’ll get him, son."

But Cassian couldn’t wait. He was mad and scared out of his mind. His little boy was somewhere alone, probably frightened. He jumped in his car and peeled out, wheels screaming. All he could think was the worst things that could happen. *Hang on, kid. Dad’s on his way.*

Over at an old, empty warehouse way out on the edge of town, Lucien sat in a dirty room. Broken windows let in thin bits of gray light. The building was huge and beat-up—rusty metal beams up top, old graffiti on walls peeling off, and the air smelled like wet dirt and rust. Regis had brought him here after grabbing him from the aquarium. They took side roads so no one would see.

Lucien hugged his knees on an old, lumpy mattress. His heart was pounding like crazy. He was really scared, but he tried not to show it. No crying yet. The door opened with a squeak, and Regis walked in. His face looked tired and thin under the weak light bulb.

"You’re my grandpa," Lucien said, his voice quiet but not shaking too much. He was trying to be brave. "Why are you doing this to me? I didn’t do anything wrong."

Regis got down on one knee slow, like it hurt. His eyes got a little softer, even though he looked tough. "Don’t worry, boy. I won’t hurt you. Not a hair. I’m just... teaching your parents a lesson. Let them sweat, let them search every corner of this city. Maybe then they’ll see what they’ve done to me."

Lucien’s mouth trembled a bit, but he held his head up. "Mommy says family’s supposed to love each other. You’re scaring her."

Regis gave a sad kind of laugh and stood up. "Love? They turned their backs on me. You’ll understand one day." He messed up Lucien’s hair kind of gentle, like he meant it, then headed out. "Stay put. I’ll be back."

The big door locked with a loud click, and Lucien was by himself. The quiet was huge. He put his ear to the door and listened to Regis’s steps go away down the empty hall.

Then he heard a little pop, like a light bulb breaking. A spark flew. Thin smoke started curling out from an old electric box on the wall near the door. It smelled bad, like burning plastic. Lucien wrinkled his nose. The smoke got thicker quick. Then a small flame popped up, licking at some old wires. It grew fast—orange and yellow, crackling loud like paper in a campfire. The fire jumped to dry wood scraps on the floor and started spreading down the hall outside his door. Heat pushed in under the door, making the room warmer already.

Lucien coughed once, then harder. His eyes stung bad, watering up. He jumped off the mattress and banged his fists on the door. "Grandpa! Fire! There’s a fire!"

No answer. Just the fire getting louder, roaring now like a monster. Smoke squeezed under the door, filling the room. Lucien coughed more, covering his mouth with his shirt sleeve. He could hear the ceiling creaking way down the hall, like it was mad.

"Grandpa!" he yelled again, voice scratchy.

Out in the hall, Regis heard the pops first, then the whoosh of fire. He stopped walking and turned back slow. Flames were shooting up the walls already, blocking his way to the room. The air turned hot and smoky fast. He coughed and waved his hand. The ceiling groaned loud above him. Crack—something big snapped. A heavy wooden beam broke loose and crashed right down, pinning his leg under it. Pain shot up like lightning. He couldn’t move it. He yelled loud, "Ahh!" Fire was crawling closer, smoke burning his lungs.

"Help! Somebody!" Regis yelled, his tough voice cracking. He pulled at the beam, but it wouldn’t budge. His leg throbbed bad.

Back in the room, Lucien wiped his eyes and looked around quick. He had to get out. His eyes landed on a metal pipe leaning against the wall, half buried in junk. It was about as tall as him, rusty but thick. *I can use this,* he thought. His hands shook as he grabbed it—cold and heavy. He dragged it to the door, grunting. The lock was old and rusty, not like a new one. He jammed one end of the pipe into the keyhole spot, like a lever.

"Come on," he whispered to himself, pushing with all his might. His arms burned, little muscles shaking. The pipe slipped once. Smoke was thicker now, making him cough between pushes. He tried again, feet planted wide, leaning his whole body. Sweat dripped down his face. *For Mommy. For Daddy.* Scrapeee—the lock gave way with a loud snap. The door swung open a crack.

Lucien shoved it wide and peeked out. Fire everywhere—walls black, flames dancing high, heat like standing too close to a bonfire. But he saw Regis down the hall, trapped. "Grandpa!" Lucien ran, dodging a small flame on the floor. Smoke made his eyes water more, but he kept going.

"Hold on, Grandpa!" Lucien yelled over the crackling roar, tears running down his sooty cheeks from the smoke and fear. He got to the beam—it was huge, splintered, heavy. Regis looked up, shocked.

"Lucien—get out!" Regis coughed.

"No!" Lucien dropped to his knees and pushed the end of the beam with both hands. It didn’t move at first. His arms shook bad, tiny body straining. "Come on... move!" He pushed harder, feet slipping on the smoky floor. Grunt after grunt. The fire popped louder behind them, heat baking their backs. Finally—just a little—the beam rocked. "Now, Grandpa! Pull!"

Regis grabbed his leg and yanked hard, pain shooting through him. He slid free, bloody and bruised. "You... you saved me," Regis rasped, leg hurting but he could stand. He scooped Lucien up quick, holding him close against his chest. "Hold tight, boy."

They turned and ran—or stumbled—through the worst of it. Flames licked at their heels, smoke so thick they could barely see. Regis kicked a burning crate out of the way. Coughing hard, lungs burning, they spotted a side door at the end—rusted but there. Heat blistered their skin, ceiling groaning like it would fall any second. Regis shouldered the door open with a bang. They tumbled out into cool night air, falling together just as the roof caved in behind with a massive crash and roar.

Regis collapsed against the wall, clutching Lucien, both coughing their heads off. Tears ran down Regis’s face, mixing with the dirt and soot. All his meanness was gone. "I’m sorry, kid. God, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done this. Shouldn’t have scared you, shouldn’t have used you like this."

Lucien pushed his face into Regis’s shirt and started crying hard. "I was so scared, Grandpa. But... you’re family."

Regis hugged him close, his voice all broken. "You’re right. I was wrong. A fool."

Car lights cut through the dark—Mira and Cassian’s cars came flying up. The fire had been reported, and they tracked it here. They jumped out, and Mira screamed loud.

"Lucien!"

Cassian ran up and grabbed his son from Regis. "Buddy! Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Lucien held on tight, crying. "Daddy! I’m okay. I saved Grandpa. The fire..."

Mira got down on her knees by Regis, mad and happy all mixed up. "How could you? He’s five! My baby!"

Regis looked up at her, looking beat. Tears made clean lines in the black soot on his face. "Mira... I was angry. Blinded. You chose him, left me behind. But this? This was monstrous. Forgive me? Please."

Cassian held Lucien tighter, his eyes full of kill-you anger. "You terrorized my son. There’s no forgiveness for that."

Regis nodded, like he gave up. "I know. Arrest me. I surrender." He looked at Mira, voice rough from smoke. "But you... you’re my blood. Take it all back—the property, the shares. You’re the heiress again. It was always yours. I was wrong to take it away."

Mira could hardly breathe, tears falling fast. "Dad... after everything?"

"I see it now," he said quiet. "Family isn’t control. It’s this." He looked at Lucien peeking out from Cassian’s arms. "Thank you, boy. You saved this old fool."

Cops came running, putting cuffs on Regis easy since he didn’t fight. "Take care of her," he yelled to Cassian. "She’s the best of us."

Mira stood there, feeling pulled apart, but Lucien reached for her. "Mommy, he’s sorry. Like really sorry."

Cassian looked at Mira’s eyes and got softer. "He’s right. But justice first."

They got in the car—Lucien safe right between them, Ivy waiting back home. As they drove off, Lucien said soft, "Family sticks together, right?"

Mira kissed his head, her voice full. "Always, baby. Always."

Regis watched their lights go away in the dark, hands cuffed but his heart finally getting it—what he almost threw away for good.