Alexander POVE
I stood in the doorway of the bathroom, watching as Emma sat in the tub, her small hands gripping the edges, eyes distant. Ethan stood beside me, arms folded, refusing to get in. Both of them looked so drained, their usual spark dulled by the weight of worry. I sighed, stepping in and kneeling beside the tub.
“Emma” I said softly, dipping my hand into the warm water and gently splashing it over her arms. “Sweetheart, I know this is hard, but you need to bathe. You’ll feel a little better, I proinist
She shook her head slowly, barely acknowledging me. Ethan led beside me. “I don’t want to do anything until Mom5 comes back,” he muttered, his voice shaking with suppressed team.
I swallowed hard. my heart aching for them. They didn’t deserve this, to be scared and hurting like this. “Hey, look at me,” I said, turning to Ethan. Tm doing everything I can to find her, okay? But I need you two to stay strong, for her and for me. She wouldn’t want to see you like this.”
“But you haven’t found her yet, Ethan whispered, his voice breaking “What if you can’t? What if…?
“No.” I grabbed his shoulders gently, turning him to face me. His tear–filled eyes searched mine, pleading for an answer, for reassurance I wasn’t sure I could give. But I had to “I will find her, I won’t stop. Not until she’s back with us, safe. I swear it.”
Ethan blinked, his lips trembling, and I pulled him into a hug his small body pressed against mine. “It’s going to be okay.” 1 whispered into his hair, holding him tightly, feeling his tears soak into my shirt. I promise you, buddy.”
After getting them dressed. I tried to make breakfast, but neither of them touched their food. Emma poked at her cereal, staring at it as if the effort to even lift her spoon was too much. Ethan had pushed his plate aside entirely.
“Please, guys, you need to eat something. I pleaded, kneeling beside Emma. “You can’t keep going like this. Your mom would be so upset if she saw you like this.”
Then bring her back, Emma whispered, her voice barely audible. Her eyes met mine, full of sorrow, and my chest tightened painfully. I wished more than anything I could snap my fingers and make everything right. But I couldn’t.
I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the exhaustion creeping in Between taking care of them and trying to get leads on Christiana’s whereabouts, I hadn’t slept. Every call to the authorities, every attempt to find some way to communicate with the kidnappers had hit a dead end. It felt like I was running in circles, trapped, helpless.
The kids were still too shaken to go to school. I had called earlier, explaining the situation to the headmistress, trying to hold myself together as I spoke.
I sat down at the table, watching Emma and Ethan with a tight chest. They didn’t deserve this..none of us did. But I was their father. I had to be strong, even if inside I felt like I was slowly unraveling.
“You know what?” I forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood. “How about we do something fun today? A movie? Or maybe we can build a fort in the living room?”
Ethan shrugged, not looking at me, and Emma just shook her head. I sighed, standing up and pacing the kitchen, rubbing. my face in frustration. Nothing I did seemned to reach them, and it was killing me.
I picked up my phone again, checking for any updates. Still nothing. I felt the anger rise in me, but I couldn’t let it show. Not in front of them.
“We’ll get through this, I muttered to myself, more than to them I swear, we will,”
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18:15 Fri, Oct 18
Chapter 87
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The door to my
mansion swung open, and I barely had time to glance up before my mother’s sharp heels clicked across the floor. Her entrance, as always, was loud, intentional. “Alex,” she hirked, not even pausing as she stormed into the room, her face set in it,
usual cold mask. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I sighed, already feeling the weight of her disapproval hanging in the air. “Because, Mother,” I said, keeping my voice flat as 1 turned to face her, “this has nothing to do with you.”
Her eyes, cold and calculating, scanned the room until they landed on Ethan and Emma, sitting on the couch, looking small and fragile. They were quiet, withdrawn, and it wasn’t hard to see how deeply this was affecting them. They hadn’t eaten. much, and neither of them had spoken more than a few words since the kidnapping.
“Nothing to do with me?” she repeated, her lips curling into a tight, mocking sinile. “When my grandchildren are sitting here, half–starved, scared out of their minds, and their so–called mother is missing. I think it has everything to do with me. She crossed her arms, standing tall and unyielding
I felt the tension tightening in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm. “I didn’t want to burden you with this, Mother. 1 didn’t think you’d care much about Christiana being gone
“Of course I don’t care about her,” she said, her voice dripping with disdain. “That woman can rot for all I care. But my grandchildren her gaze flicked back to the kids, and for a brief moment, the ice in her expression thawed just a fraction, “they’re what matters. They don’t deserve this.”
She stepped forward, not waiting for permission, and knelt in front of Ethan and Emma. Her usual hard edges softened just slightly as she reached out to them, arms open. “Come here,” she said firmly, her voice still devoid of warmth, but somehow
more…..human.
Emma hesitated, looking up at me as if asking for permission, but I nodded. Slowly, Emma crawled into her grandmother’s arms, and Ethan followed, burying his face in her shoulder. It was strange, watching my mother, a woman known for her coldness..hold them with such care, but she’d always had a different side when it came to her grandchildren.
“There now,” she murmured, her hand brushing through Emma’s hair. “You’ll be alright. You’re with me now.” She wasn’t kind, not in the way a normal grandmother might be, but she was firm, and for some reason, that seemed to comfort them.
I watched the scene unfold, with both relief and frustration building inside me. She wasn’t here for Christiana. She’d never care about her. This was about control, about making sure her grandchildren didn’t slip away from her influence.
“How long has she been gone?” she asked, not looking at me
“Since yesterday afternoon,” I replied, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice. “I’ve been looking everywhere, I’ve called everyone, but…
“But nothing,” she cut me off, her voice hard as stone. “You’re not doing enough, Alex. You need to be more aggressive. You know how these things work. Get your hands dirty if you have to
I clenched my jaw, the words boiling under my skin. “I’m doing everything I can,” I said through gritted teeth. “Do you think I’m just sitting around?”
She finally turned to face me, her eyes narrowing. “I think you’re being too soft. Get your hands dirty if need be.”
I shook my head, exasperated. “I’m not holding back. I’m searching everywhere, I’ve got people on it. But these things take
time.”
Time is something those children don’t have,” she snapped, standing up abruptly, pulling Emma and Ethan along with her. “If you don’t bring their mother back soon, they’ll be even more of a mess than they already are.”
It was a bit surprising to see her talk like this, when before she wanted to take the kids away from Christiana. But I was still exasperated.
“I know that,” I bit out, running a hand through my hair. “You don’t think I know that?”
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18:15 Fri, Oct 18
Chapter 87
Her lips curled into a cold smile. “Just make sure you’re not too late. You lose Christiana, and you risk losing them, too.
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Her words stung, but I didn’t respond. I was too busy watching Emma and Ethan clinging to her, and I hated how right she was. They needed their mother. They needed her back.
“I’ll stay with them, she declared, almost as if she were doing me a favor. “You clearly can’t handle this on your own.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but she cut me off with a dismissive wave of her hand. “No need to argue, Alex. It’s not about you. It’s about them.” She looked down at the kids again, her expression softening slightly. “They need stability. You’re a mess right now.”“
I swallowed the words I wanted to hurl at her, the accusations, the frustration. “Fine,” I muttered, “Stay. But don’t think for a second that I’m not doing everything in my power to bring her back.”
Her eyes flashed, and for a moment, I thought she might say something cutting, but instead, she just nodded. “See that you do
She turned her attention back to Ethan and Emma, her hands still gently stroking their heads, and I knew that despite everything, this was her way of protecting them.
As I watched her with them. I couldn’t help but feel the weight of my own failure. I hadn’t protected Christiana. I hadn’t found her. And now, my kids were suffering because of it.
But this wasn’t over
“I’m going to find her.” I whispered to myself, more determined than ever. “No matter what.”
