Chapter 5 - Why Cassandra Ran
Nathan did not follow me when I left the library.
That made me angrier.
I wanted him to stop me.
Explain.
Fight.
Instead, he let me walk upstairs, pack both children’s clothes, and call a rideshare before Marco appeared at my door.
“Mrs.— Emily.”
“Don’t.”
“Boss says I’m driving you.”
“I ordered a car.”
“It won’t get through the gate.”
“That is exactly the kind of sentence making me leave.”
Marco grimaced.
“Fair.”
Nathan waited downstairs.
He looked exhausted.
“What really happened?” I asked.
“Cassandra discovered her father had been stealing from our joint venture.”
“And?”
“She intended to expose him.”
“Why run from you?”
“Because she thought I would stop her.”
“Would you?”
Nathan’s silence answered.
My stomach turned.
“Not hurt her,” he said.
“That’s a very low bar.”
“I would have prevented her from going public until I understood the consequences.”
“Meaning controlled her.”
“Yes.”
“At least you admit it.”
“She knew me well enough to understand that.”
“So she ran.”
“Yes.”
“And died.”
“Yes.”
“Did you order anyone to follow her?”
His face tightened.
“Yes.”
There it was.
“They were supposed to bring her back.”
“Against her will?”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
Nathan didn’t excuse it.
“That was six years ago.”
“People don’t become different because calendars change.”
“No.”
“Why are you different?”
He looked toward the children.
Noah and Lily waited with Sofia.
“I don’t know if I am enough.”
That answer stopped me.
Not because it absolved him.
Because it didn’t.
“I’ve spent six years telling myself Cassandra’s death taught me something,” Nathan continued. “Then I met you and realized I was still making choices for other people and calling it protection.”
The highway.
The hotel.
Unlocked doors.
Separate rooms.
Every agreement.
He had been trying.
Not perfectly.
But consciously.
“That doesn’t erase Cassandra.”
“I know.”
“Or the people you’ve hurt.”
“I know.”
“Or make me responsible for saving you.”
“I know.”
The doorbell rang.
A security alert sounded.
Marco touched his earpiece.
His expression changed.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“Vehicle at the east gate.”
“Who?”
Marco looked at me.
“Daniel Parker.”
My ex-husband.
I went cold.
“What is he doing here?”
Nathan’s face hardened.
“Good question.”
Daniel entered the foyer ten minutes later.
Same sandy hair.
Same charming smile.
Better clothes than the man claiming unemployment should own.
“Emily.”
I wanted to slap him.
Instead:
“How did you find me?”
His smile faltered.
“We need to talk.”
“No. Answer.”
“I saw a picture online.”
“What picture?”
“You and him.”
He nodded toward Nathan.
“Someone posted you leaving a restaurant.”
I looked at Nathan.
He looked furious.
Daniel continued.
“You disappear with my kids, and suddenly you’re living with some millionaire?”
“You haven’t called them in six weeks.”
“I’ve been dealing with things.”
“A boat?”
His face changed.
Nathan had been right.
“You had me investigated?”
“I didn’t.”
I pointed at Nathan.
“He did.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Noah appeared at the staircase.
“Dad?”
Daniel’s entire posture changed.
“Buddy.”
Noah didn’t run to him.
That hurt Daniel.
Good.
Lily came behind him.
“Daddy?”
She looked uncertain.
Daniel opened his arms.
Lily took one step.
Then looked at me.
“You can hug him.”
She did.
Daniel held her.
For one second, I saw the man I had married before gambling, lies, and disappearing acts.
Then he looked over Lily’s shoulder at Nathan.
“What are you doing with my family?”
Nathan answered calmly.
“They aren’t property.”
“Stay out of this.”
“You entered my house.”
Daniel put Lily down.
“I’m taking my children.”
“No,” I said.
He turned.
“I have rights.”
“You have responsibilities too.”
“I’m their father.”
“And you haven’t paid support.”
“I lost my job.”
“You bought a boat.”
His face flushed.
Noah looked between us.
I hated this.
“Kids, go with Sofia.”
Daniel tried to object.
Nathan said one word.
“Daniel.”
The tone ended it.
After the children left, Daniel’s mask dropped.
“I need money.”
Of course.
“For what?”
“Debt.”
“How much?”
“Twenty thousand.”
I laughed.
Nathan didn’t.
“To whom?” he asked.
Daniel looked at him.
“None of your business.”
Nathan’s eyes narrowed.
“Maybe it is.”
Daniel hesitated.
Then said:
“Victor Brooks.”
Everything stopped.
My skin went cold.
“What?”
Daniel swallowed.
“I didn’t know who he was when I borrowed.”
Nathan moved closer.
“How long?”
“Eight months.”
That was before I met Nathan.
Before the highway.
Before everything.
Nathan asked:
“What did he want in exchange?”
Daniel looked at me.
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
“Information.”
“What information?”
“About Emily.”
I couldn’t breathe.
Nathan’s voice became terrifyingly quiet.
“Why?”
Daniel looked ashamed.
“He asked whether she was desperate enough to disappear.”
My knees nearly gave out.
The bus.
The closed shelter.
My declined card.
The route suspension.
Nathan saw my face.
“So the highway wasn’t chance.”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Nathan grabbed his phone.
“Marco.”
Security moved immediately.
I stared at Daniel.
“You sold information about your children?”
“No.”
“You told someone where we were going.”
“I thought he was helping.”
“You thought twenty thousand dollars was free?”
“I was scared.”
“So were your children.”
He had nothing.
Nathan returned.
“The bus company received an anonymous cancellation request using your booking number.”
My blood chilled.
“My booking was canceled?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did the app still show it?”
“Someone wanted you waiting there.”
Nathan looked toward the windows.
Victor.
This had not begun when Nathan stopped beside us.
Victor had put us there.
The question was why.
Daniel looked sick.
“I didn’t know.”
I stepped back from him.
“You need to leave.”
“Emily—”
“Now.”
Nathan nodded toward Marco.
Daniel was escorted out.
Then Nathan turned to me.
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing for other men.”
He went silent.
I looked at the luggage upstairs.
My instinct still screamed run.
But running was exactly what Victor seemed to want.
“Why would your uncle put me on that highway?”
Nathan’s expression darkened.
“I don’t know.”
Margaret’s voice came from the staircase.
“Because he knew Nathan would stop.”
We turned.
She stood gripping the railing.
Nathan rushed forward.
“Mother.”
She waved him off.
Margaret looked at me.
“Victor didn’t choose you randomly.”
My heart started pounding.
“What do you mean?”
She descended one step.
“Your maiden name wasn’t Parker.”
“No.”
“Emily Carter.”
Margaret nodded.
“I knew your father.”
My breath caught.
“My father died when I was twelve.”
“I know.”
“How?”
Margaret looked at Nathan.
Then me.
“Your father worked for Nathan’s father.”
May you like
Silence.
“And twenty-three years ago, he disappeared with something Victor has been trying to find ever since.”
