Chapter 17 - The Search
Ethan called the police.
He called the private investigator.
He called everyone he knew.
But there was no sign of Victor.
Victoria had vanished.
And she had taken Victor with her.
---
Clara was beside herself with grief.
She couldn't eat.
She couldn't sleep.
She couldn't do anything but sit in Victor's room and cry.
Ethan tried to comfort her.
"Clara, we'll find him," he said.
"How? We don't even know where to look."
"We'll find him. I promise."
"Ethan, you can't promise that."
"I can. I will find him."
"Ethan, what if we don't find him?"
"Clara, we will find him."
---
A week passed.
Then two.
Then three.
There was no sign of Victor.
Clara was losing hope.
She couldn't imagine life without him.
She couldn't imagine a world where he didn't exist.
She was broken.
---
But then, a miracle happened.
The private investigator found a lead.
Victoria was hiding in a cabin in the mountains.
The same cabin where Clara and Ethan had stayed before.
---
Ethan gathered a team.
"We're going to get Victor," he said.
"Ethan, I'm going with you," Clara said.
"No, you're not. It's too dangerous."
"Ethan, I'm not going to stay here while my son is in danger."
"Clara, please."
"Ethan, I have to go."
"Fine. But you're going to do exactly what I say."
"I will."
---
They arrived at the cabin.
It was dark and silent.
Ethan and his team moved in.
They burst through the door.
Victoria was waiting for them.
"Ethan," she said. "You came."
"Yes. I came."
"You're too late."
"Where's my son?"
"He's safe. For now."
"Victoria, let him go."
"Not yet."
"Victoria, please."
"I want what Veronica wanted. Everything."
"Victoria, you can't have everything."
"Yes, I can. I've already taken the most important thing from you."
"What?"
"Your son."
---
At that moment, Victor was brought out from the back room.
He was tied up, but he was alive.
"Victor!" Clara screamed.
"Mommy!" he cried.
"Let him go!" Ethan demanded.
"Not yet," Victoria said.
"Victoria, what do you want?"
"I want you to suffer."
"Victoria, please."
"No."
---
Victoria raised a gun to Victor's head.
"Say goodbye," she said.
"No!" Clara screamed.
She lunged forward.
Ethan tried to stop her, but she was too fast.
She tackled Victoria to the ground.
The gun went off.
But it didn't hit Victor.
It hit Clara.
---
Clara felt the bullet tear through her shoulder.
She screamed in pain.
Ethan ran to her side.
"Clara!"
"I'm okay," she said. "Get Victor."
Ethan grabbed Victor and ran.
The police arrived seconds later.
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They arrested Victoria.
It was over.
