Grace“ We can’t lose him, Tristin. ” I whisper, my voice trembling.“ We won’t. ” His hand cups the back of my head gently. “ I swear to you, Grace, I will find him. Even if it kills me, I will bring him back to us. ”There is something in his voice—an unshakable determination that makes me want to
GraceMy legs shake as I sit in the backseat beside Tristin. He is watching something on his phone in repeat mode, and every time that video starts playing, the look on his face just worsens.It’s impossible to ignore his scowl and focus on what’s going to happen instead.“ What is it? ” I ask, grow
GraceI gasp, breaking out into a sprint towards them. “ Tristin! ”He hears me. His shoulders tighten for a moment, but then he ignores it like he doesn’t care.He hovers above Ethan, grabs his collars, lifts his body, and punches him again. “ What are you doing? ” The girl beside them shrieks. “
Grace“ Someone kidnapped your son, and now you got this video from a close parking lot building. You think she hired some men to kidnap your son and then hand him over to her? ” Ethan tilts his head and asks Tristin, who is glaring at him.My feet continue to tap against the floor restlessly as I s
Grace~7 Days Later…The sterile smell of disinfectant fills my lungs as I lie on the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. It’s been a week since Seb was taken. Seven days and every minute of it feels like a lifetime. My mind replays the moment I realized he was gone over and over, a broken record
TristinI thought I knew and had seen everything in life. A broken family. Abandoned dreams. Horrible deaths. Secrets that damage your existence. If someone had told me there is still something in this world that I have yet to see, to feel, I would not have believed them.But in the past seven day
Tristin“ Luca! ” I can’t keep the urgency out of my voice, the raw panic creeping through. “Get the car ready. We are going to the hospital. ”I can feel the weight of my son in my arms, feel every breath he takes. I can finally hold onto him. I move as fast as I can, not stopping until I am outsi
GraceIt takes me hours to drive to that spot. The moment I reach there, another message pops up. She changes the location of our meetup. I want to scream and cry in frustration, but at that moment, I move like a robot.Overcome by panic and fear, I put the address on the map and drive to the locat
Grace“ There seems to be nothing wrong with her. ” The doctor announces in a nervous tone. I click my tongue and finally open my eyes to stare at the unfamiliar ceiling. The temperature in the room drops when the doctor’s face appears in my sight, and he frowns in confusion.“ You are right. ” I b
EthanI don’t like seeing her like this. Like a fragile doll that might break any moment, or a ghost that might disappear and slip from my hold before I can even hold her. For a moment, I want to tell her that she just has to ask me to stop, and I will. I will not let my men fight Tristin, who is r
GraceSmoke.Thick, black, unforgiving smoke coils through the air outside the window, as if the sky itself has caught fire. My palms press against the cold glass, eyes wide, heart hammering violently inside my chest.Something exploded. The cars in the distance are on fire. But that’s not the only
GraceI pick up the phone and press it against my ear. For some moments, silence sounds from the other side.I remain still, my muscles still, and my breath lodged in my throat. I can recognize him even if he doesn’t say anything to me, and just continues to breathe into the speaker.“ Tristin. ” I
GraceEthan’s Grandmother has always been a symbol of terror in the family. Despite her old age, the silver hair, the sunken eyes, she exudes a kind of aura that makes one squirm. She was the spitting image of her own son, who had died years ago—Ethan’s father. The man who had the reputation of a d
Grace“ You killed my sister. ” I state as a matter of fact, and feel a chill down my spine at the lack of any emotions towards the truth.“ You wanted her gone. ” He blinks, his face becoming a mask of calmness again.I swallow the bitter taste in my mouth and shake my head. “ that doesn’t change t
GraceMy phone keeps ringing. The familiar names on the screen just send a pang in my chest.Mom.Ania. Luca. Mary.Everyone has called. But Tristin has not. He must know everything by now and he won’t call me. He will never accept what I have done to deal with the mess Ethan was creating.Sighi
GraceI groan, the pain in my arm registering before a strong headache. I try to move, but it’s like all my energy has drained, leaving me weak and helpless.Slowly, I take in a shuddering breath and look around. The room is too familiar. It makes me want to throw up, just so I can get the strong di
GraceI knew talking to him would be like talking to a wall. He will not be moved, and won’t understand what I am trying to say. He will just want me to do what he wants.“ My son has a father. He doesn’t need another. ” I murmur, then lean back on the couch. “ Then we have nothing to talk about. ”