Chapter 6

Ellen Roswell stood in the White House residence; her reflection was clear in the gilded mirror. David's attention on Jack and Clara Adams had strained their marriage, bringing back old insecurities. She'd known about Clara, David's lover from twenty years ago, but seeing him choose them over her hurt. The message she'd received, "Meet me at Apex warehouse. Roswell's weak spot is exposed," burned in her mind. Had she made a mistake reaching out to Senator Hayes?

She poured a glass of wine, her hands shaking. David came in, worry etched on his face. "Ellen, we need to talk. Jack's case is bigger than we thought. Hayes is involved."

Ellen's heart raced. "Hayes? Why would he go after Jack?"

David sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "He wants my presidency to fail. Framing Jack was a warning. Sarah Mitchell found evidence linking him to Apex Solutions."

Ellen's glass slipped, shattering on the floor. "You're risking everything for them—Jack, Clara. What about us?" Her voice broke, years of resentment pouring out.

David reached for her, but she pulled away. "I'm trying to fix my mistakes, Ellen. Jack's my son. Clara's hurting because of me."

"And I'm hurting now!" Ellen snapped. "I've stood by you and raised Jack Junior while you chase ghosts." She stormed to her room, her phone buzzing again: "Tonight. Apex. Don't back out."

At the community center, Clara attended her support group, where she found strength. Maria, the leader, urged her to confront her past. "You're holding onto David's love," Maria said. "What would letting go look like?"

Clara clutched his scarf, her voice firm. "It means helping Jack, even if it hurts." She decided to meet David tomorrow and demand answers about the threats against her son.

Back at the White House, Ellen slipped out and drove to the Apex warehouse. The lot was dark, and tension hung heavy in the air. A man in a trench coat, Hayes' aide, emerged. "Mrs. Roswell, you want Clara gone? Help us. Leak David's security plans."

Ellen froze, guilt washing over her. "I just want my family back," she whispered.

The aide grinned. "Then do it. Or Clara's not the only one who'll pay." Headlights flashed—Jack Junior's car pulled into the lot. Ellen gasped and ducked into the shadows. Had she just betrayed David, and was Jack Junior about to catch her?

David Roswell pored over the Apex file in his office. The coded message "The shadow moves at dawn" taunted him. Sarah's evidence tied Senator Hayes to the altered security tape, but the mention of a mole in his team made him uneasy. Mark Jonas, his chief security officer, had been evasive, and the anonymous tip, "Jonas knows more than he says," lingered.

He called Mark, his voice steady. "We've got Hayes' memo. Arrest him, but find the mole. Someone's leaking my moves."

Mark nodded; his jaw was tight. "I'm checking Apex's payroll, sir. The guard who tampered with the tape is associated with a shell company. I'll have answers soon."

David studied Mark, doubt creeping in. "Do it quickly. Jack's life depends on it."

After Mark left, David looked over the security logs, noticing inconsistencies in Mark's reports from the previous night's speech. Was Mark the mole, or was Hayes framing him too? He called Sarah, her voice crackling through a bad connection. "Mr. President, we found records at the Apex warehouse. Hayes paid for the setup, but there's a second name—someone close to you."

David's stomach dropped. "Who?"

The line cut out, static replacing Sarah's voice. He slammed the phone down, his thoughts racing to Ellen. Her anger last night, her sudden departure—something felt wrong. He reviewed her phone records and found a call to an unlisted number associated with Hayes' office. His heart sank. Had Ellen betrayed him?

At the prison, Jack met Marcus in the yard, the smuggled phone hidden in his sleeve. Marcus whispered, "Rico figured out the warehouse schedule. Hayes' men are meeting tonight. Your brother's walking into it."

Jack's pulse raced. He'd warned Jack Junior, but was it enough? "I need to get out of here," Jack said. "Sarah and Junior are in danger."

Marcus smiled. "Got a plan, but it's risky. Rico's got a guard on our side. We can slip you out during the night shift, but you owe us big."

Jack nodded, desperation overriding caution. As night fell, a guard unlocked his cell and led him through a service tunnel. But as they reached the exit, a flashlight beam caught them. "Stop!" a voice shouted. Jack froze, the guard's gun shining. Had Marcus set him up, or was this the mole's trap?

Clara Adams rolled into her therapist's office, Dr. Lee, her hands steady despite the threatening note: "Keep silent, or Jack pays." She'd arranged to meet David today, determined to help Jack, but fear for his safety weighed heavily on her. The scarf, a gift from David, lay folded in her lap, a symbol of her unresolved feelings.

Dr. Lee leaned forward. "Clara, you're holding onto David's memory. Why not let go?" Clara's eyes filled with tears. "I hid from him after the accident. I was ashamed, broken. But Jack's in prison because of my pain. I need to face David for my son." Dr. Lee nodded. "Confronting him could free you both. What will you say?" Clara took a breath. "I'll ask why he left and how he'll save Jack." She recalled a memory: David promising forever under a starry sky, unaware of his wife. When he left, her chase led to the fall that paralyzed her. "I loved him too much," she admitted.

At the hospital, Clara met David, his face tired yet kind. "Clara, I'm fighting for Jack. Sarah's evidence points to Hayes, but there's a mole in my team." Clara's voice quivered. "I got a threat, David. Someone wants me to stay away from you, or Jack suffers." David's expression darkened. "I'll protect you both. I swear it." He took her hand, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Clara saw the man she'd loved, not the president. But guilt flickered; was she betraying Jack by trusting him?

As David left, Clara noticed a man outside, the exact dark-coated figure she had seen on her doorstep. She snapped a photo with her phone and sent it to Sarah. Minutes later, her phone buzzed with a reply: "That's Hayes' aide. Stay safe—he's dangerous." Clara's heart raced. Had she just put herself in danger?