Chapter 0012
Alexander
I was already pacing, the tension in my chest colling tighter with every second–Owen had slipped away again. My voice cut through my office like a whip. “How does a five–year–old outsmart an entire security team? Again?”
The bodyguards flinched, eyes darting to the floor. Pathetic My gaze landed on them like ice, and their silence only fueled my irritation.
Sophia stood off to the side, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her face was flustered, but her posture screamed guilt. I turned to the Beta, the only one who seemed brave enough to meet my eyes.
“Well?” I snapped.
The Beta cleared his throat, his hesitation immediately grating. “Sir… the boy ran off after an incident with Ms. Sophia.”
My pacing stopped dead. The weight of those words hung in the air between us. “What incident?”
He shifted uncomfortably, shooting a glance at Sophia, who bristled but didn’t speak.
“Owen had drawn a picture,” the Beta explained cautiously “Of a woman, claiming it was his real mother. Ms. Sophia found it… and tore it up. He was upset and ran off.”
I inhaled sharply, my stomach tightening. “Who was it?”
“Lauren,” he answered quietly.
Her name tasted bittersweet in my thoughts, stirring a cascade of memories of a smile I hadn’t seen in years, of a warmth I’d chased but could never quite hold onto.
Sophia finally broke the silence, her voice high and defensive. “It’s wasn’t like that!” She stepped forward, her checks flushed as red as her hair. “I’m his mother, Alexander! What was I supposed to do? Let him pretend-” “Enough,” I said, cutting her off with a tone so sharp it left no room for argument.
Her mouth snapped shut, her fury radiating in waves, but I didn’t care. I was already turning away.
“It was just a drawing, Sophia. He’s a kid. If you can’t learn how to treat Owen properly,” I said coldly, “then you leave me no choice but to reevaluate your involvement in his life.”
Her face drained of color and then twisted with a fiery rage, “You can’t be serious! I am his mother! How dare you
“Act like it,” I shot back, my voice razor–sharp.
Her outrage filled the air like static, but it was drowned out by the buzz of my phone. I pulled it from my pocket, hoping for any news about Owen, and answered without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello?” Her voice stopped me mid–stride. “Is this Owen’s father?”
Lauren.
It was softer than I remembered, but unmistakable, carrying a warmth that ignited something in my chest.
She kept speaking, unaware of the storm she’d just unleashed in my mind. “He’s here, and he’s safe, but…”
I didn’t catch the rest of what she said–her words blurred, swallowed by the storm in my head. My grip on the
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phone tightened as I fought to steady my breathing, the sudden surge of adrenaline making everything tilt
sideways
When her voice finally faded, all I managed was a low, clipped, “Hm,” before ending the call. I turned to the guards, my jaw set, iny focus razor sharp.
“Get the car ready,” I ordered, already heading for the door My pulse thundered in my ears as I moved, a storm of emotions tearing through me–relief that Owen was safe, ger that he’d been driven to this, and something else.
Something far more dangerous.
The restaurant was packed, the hum of conversations and clinking
silverware a constant backdrop, but I spotted Owen immediately. He sat at a small table, a frown pulling his features tight, his little shoulders hunched as he knew he was in trouble.
Across from him was a woman I didn’t recognize. Blonde hair framed her face, and her jean jacket was scuffed at the cuffs. She looked… familiar, but not in the way I wanted her to be. Not her.
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Create 0013
