Chapter 3

Someone jumped in right away. "There's a limit to acting out. Look how hungry he is, and you still won't let her feed him?"

I ignored her and ran straight to the front desk.

A woman in her forties stood behind the desk: the manager, Evelyn Harper, who had been watching from nearby.

"Ma'am, is there another room? One that locks from the inside, with a camera outside the door."

Evelyn looked over at my mother and Noah, then bent down. "Is this about that woman?"

I nodded. "She's trying to steal my brother."

Evelyn didn't ask anything else. She handed me a key card right away. "There's a small private room on the third floor that we don't open to the public. A camera faces the door, and the door has a deadbolt. I'll take you up."

My mother followed her upstairs. I stayed glued to her side and kept calling my father.

The first call rang out. So did the second. The third was declined after two rings.

I didn't hesitate. I switched on my smartwatch and hit speed dial.

The watch was a birthday present from him. He had told me to press it if anything ever happened, and that he would always pick up.

This time he did.

I blurted out, "Dad, don't hang up. Get to the third floor. Vivian is trying to steal Noah."

There was a burst of noise on the other end, and then his voice, shaky. "Chloe, what's going on?"

We had just reached the stairs when Vivian caught up again. "Where are you taking the baby? Everybody's waiting to see him."

Before my mother could answer, I answered for her, "He's hungry and he needs to eat. Can't you wait that long, Aunt Vivian?"

Vivian didn't say anything back, and neither did I. I just followed my mother up to the third floor in silence.

Only when the door of the third-floor room shut did I let myself breathe a little.

Evelyn checked the windows and the lock. "There's no side door. The camera points straight at the entrance. I'll have a server stand outside."

My mother sat down on the couch and unwrapped Noah's blanket with shaking hands.

I took her hand. "Mom, don't be scared. I'll keep you and Noah safe."

Her eyes went red and she nodded.

I watched Noah lying in her arms, growing quiet as he ate, and everything in me finally loosened.

But ten minutes later, a server suddenly called through the door. "They're asking for a family photo downstairs. They'd like the baby brought down."

My head snapped up.

A family photo? What kind of family photo needs the baby down there first?

Before I could answer, Vivian's voice came through the door again. "The guests are all waiting downstairs. Just give him to me. I'll take him down, and you can come once you're ready."