Chapter 643
Chapter 643:
“Madam,” Shields whispered urgently through the speaker. “Vivian Koch used a high-level family override code at the street-level entrance. She bypassed the outer perimeter and is now in the front lobby. She is demanding to see her brother. We cannot hold her back p>
The freezing rain of Geneva pounded against the reinforced glass of the safehouse’s ground-floor lobby. The space was disguised as a high-end art gallery, but right now it felt like a war zone.
Vivian Koch — Dallas’s older sister, who usually operated from the shadows of the Parisian art world — stood in the center of the room. She wore a flawless, tailored Chanel suit and leaned slightly on a long black umbrella. Her face was a mask of absolute, aristocratic fury.
Shields and Cipher stood directly in front of the private elevator, two heavily armed statues.
“The boss is handling classified matters,” Shields said, his voice tight. “No one goes up p>
Vivian let out a sharp, mocking laugh, her piercing eyes locking onto a tiny smear of dried blood on the edge of Shields’s tactical vest.
𝘋і𝘀сov𝗲𝘳 𝗇𝗲𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝗼𝘳i𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝗇.со𝗆
“Koch shadow units do not handle classified matters in the middle of the day,” Vivian said coldly. “Unless their commander is bleeding out and needs emergency surgery p>
Shields’s jaw tightened. His hand twitched toward the grip of his rifle — a micro-movement, but a total confession.
Vivian’s eyes darkened. “Step aside. If my brother dies in that elevator shaft, I will bury this entire squad p>
Cipher shifted her weight, her hand hovering over her sidearm. The tension in the room was a lit match held over gasoline.
A soft ding echoed through the lobby.
The elevator doors slid open. Eliza stepped out, wearing loose cashmere loungewear and a soft cardigan. Her face was perfectly calm.
Vivian’s eyes snapped to her. Shock flared in her pupils, instantly replaced by explosive anger. She marched across the marble floor, her high heels clicking like gunshots.
“Are you out of your mind? You brought your pregnant body into this European meat grinder p>
Eliza did not flinch. She held Vivian’s furious gaze. “If I wasn’t here, Dallas would be in a body bag right now p>
Vivian stopped. Her sharp, old-money instincts engaged. She processed the information in a fraction of a second, studying Eliza’s composed face.
“Dallas never sleeps during the day. His paranoia won’t allow it. Unless someone used extreme psychological grounding to shut down his defense mechanisms.” She paused. “You did that p>
Eliza nodded slowly. “He is barely holding on. He needs absolute silence p>
Vivian drew a long breath. The aggressive, dominating aura dissolved. She walked to a velvet sofa in the waiting area, hooked her umbrella on the armrest, and sat down with practiced grace.
“I will wait for him to wake up,” Vivian said quietly.
Shields and Cipher exchanged a stunned look, then stepped back.
Eliza walked over and sat opposite her. She poured a cup of hot black tea from the gallery’s hospitality cart and held it out. Her movements were steady and poised — she looked every inch the matriarch of the Koch family.
Vivian accepted the cup. Her eyes softened as they dropped to Eliza’s stomach. “How bad is he p>