Victor stands in Cane's office.
Cane looks at Victor critically. Before he agrees to Victor’s “devilish bargain”, he needs to see proof that Victor has Lily and the kids and that they’re unharmed.
Victor nods. “I can arrange for that.”
Cane warns Victor that if any harm comes to Lily or the kids, their blood will be on Victor’s hands… And Victor’s blood will be on Cane’s hands!
The room is dim, curtains half-drawn. Empty coffee cups litter the table.
DEVON
stands near the window, staring out at the snowy grounds, phone in hand. Abby is off-screen, perhaps upstairs or in the kitchen— DEVON
is alone.
The landline rings once, then his mobile buzzes. Caller ID: Cane Ashby.
DEVON
exhales sharply and answers.
DEVON: (voice hoarse, wary) Cane.
(Pause. His eyes narrow.)
DEVON: Slow down—what do you mean Victor’s taken them? Lily, Mattie, Charlie… When?
(Longer pause. DEVON turns from the window, pacing now.)
DEVON: He told you straight to your face? “Sign Newman back over or you’ll never see them again?” Jesus…
(He stops pacing, rubs his forehead.)
DEVON: You think Lily might be playing along…hiding them?
(DEVON’s voice hardens.)
DEVON: Yeah. Give me two minutes.
(He ends the call, immediately dials Lily’s mobile. It rings… four times, five… voicemail. He tries again—straight to voicemail this time. His grip tightens on the phone. He scrolls, finds Victor’s private mobile number, and hits call. It connects on the third ring.)
DEVON: (cold, controlled fury) Victor. Devon Winters.
(No greeting, straight in.)
DEVON: You’ve got ten minutes to put Lily and those kids on video with Cane and me. Safe. Unharmed. Live.
(Pause—presumably Victor interrupts. DEVON cuts him off.)
DEVON: Save it. I don’t care if this is theatre or real — the threat alone is a felony.
(Beat.)
DEVON: And while we’re at it—where’s my son? Mariah doesn’t just disappear with Dominic while your family’s staging chaos all over town.
(Devon’s voice drops, lethal quiet.)
DEVON: If anything happens to Lily or those kids, I will bury you in civil court. You won’t have a company left to steal back.
(Beat.)
DEVON: Clock’s running, old man.
(Devon ends the call with a sharp jab at the screen. He stands motionless for a moment, breathing hard, then looks toward the staircase.)
DEVON: (quiet, to himself) Abby… we might need to get onto Burrow.
(He sets the phone down, but keeps it within reach.)
(After ending the call with Victor, DEVON stands paralysed by his own adrenaline. The silence of the mansion is heavy, broken only by the faint ticking of a clock. The sound of footsteps on the stairs makes him turn.)
(ABBY enters, looking pale, her eyes red-rimmed from crying over Dominic. She stops at the bottom of the stairs, sensing the tectonic shift in the room's energy.)
ABBY: (voice trembling) Devon? I heard you shouting... what’s happening? Is there news about Dom?
(Devon looks at her—his wife, the mother of his son, and the daughter of his enemy. His face is a mask of cold, hard exhaustion.)
DEVON: No. But Cane called.
ABBY: Cane? Why? What did he say?
DEVON: (deadpan) Your dad kidnapped Lily, Mattie, and Charlie. He’s holding them to force Cane to hand over Newman.
(Abby stares at him, her mouth opening but no sound coming out. She sinks onto the bottom step, the weight of it crushing her.)
ABBY: (whispering) No... no, he wouldn't. Not the kids. Not Lily. He’s just trying to protect—
DEVON: (cutting her off, voice flat) Your father’s playing games with my sister's life while our son is still missing.
(He turns back to the window, the glow of his phone the only light in the room. ABBY buries her face in her hands.)
FADE OUT.