They Mocked My Skills at the Range, But My Hidden Past Changed Everything

A Ghost from the Past

The silence at the range was shattered not by gunfire, but by the loud screech of tires. A sleek black SUV kicked up a cloud of dust as it pulled up to the firing line. Amber’s heart stopped. Out of the vehicle stepped Richard Vance, a powerful and ruthless local mogul. Vance was a man who hid his illegal black-market dealings behind a facade of philanthropy, but Amber knew his true face. He was the man responsible for the military ambush that had taken her husband’s life five years ago.

Vance walked toward the shooting bench, flanked by four heavily armed bodyguards. His eyes locked onto Amber, and a slow, malicious grin spread across his face.

"Well, well," Vance sneered. "The dead rise again. I’ve been looking for you for a very long time, Amber."

Jeff stepped forward, looking confused and protective.

"Mr. Vance, do you know her? She's here applying for a position."

"She’s a thief," Vance hissed, ignoring Jeff. "She has something that belongs to me. A drive containing files she has no business holding."

The drive contained proof of Vance’s treason and the illegal arms deals that had cost Amber's husband his life. Amber had kept it hidden, knowing it was her only leverage to keep herself and her daughter safe.

"I don't have it," Amber said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through her.

Vance nodded to his men. Two of them turned and began walking toward Amber's old sedan parked near the entrance.

"Are you sure about that?" Vance whispered, pointing a finger at the car. "Because your little girl is waiting in that back seat. It would be a terrible tragedy if something happened to her."

Jeff gasped, realizing the depth of Vance's cruelty. He reached for his holster, but one of Vance's guards instantly drew his weapon, pressing the barrel against Jeff's chest. Amber was trapped, surrounded by armed men, with her daughter's life hanging in the balance.