LOGINJackThe blinking light on the phone glows steadily.like an unblinking eye. Henderson stares into it, his chapped lips parted, chest rising and falling. He tries to smirk. Tries to control the narrative. But something cracks."You want the truth?" he says, his voice hoarse but swelling."Fine. Let's give them a show."He lifts his chin toward the lens."Yes, I made Willow end it. That boy—" he jerks his head toward me, "—was nothing. Poor. Reckless.I wasn't about to let her throw her future away on someone who'd end up begging for scraps."My jaw clenches, but I stay silent. Let him hang himself."I gave her options. She chose the smart one. She always did what I asked... eventually." He laughs, bitter. Like they were humane choices, like he didn't threaten her."Until now. Now she thinks she has power. A child. She thinks that protects her, but I made this family; I built it from ash, and I won't let her throw it away because she's still nursing some childhood wound." He snaps, lea
JackEven days after everything happened, I don't dare show my face in front of Willow, not because I want to but because I can't, because of the amount of shame that overwhelms me at the thought of what I've done.She should hate me; I deserve it, and I've accepted that, but even if she wouldn't want to see my face anymore, I'd still protect her and our daughter.The bodyguards I'd hired to look after Cami send reports every hour, pictures of her in the school and on the playground, but it's not enough. It feels like my soul has been sliced in half thinking I may have ruined my only chance at being a part of my daughter's life because of my actions.I'd vowed to be nothing like the man I'd called my father, but looking back at how I'd treated the mother of my child, the woman I'd claimed to love, I am no different from him.Minutes bleed into hours, and I can no longer keep track of how long I've stayed cooped up in this house drowning myself in alcohol and regret.I've lost count of
"Don't try anything stupid," he growls, shoving a cold barrel of a gun into my side, and I gasp, my eyes widening as tears fill them as my breath comes out in quick, shaky pants."W—why are you doing this?" I stutter, and his grin widens, his eyes glinting darkly. "You wanted to discard me when I wasn't done with you. Tell me, how is that fair, love?" he murmurs, his thumb caressing my lower lip gently."P—please—"Shhhhh, I won't hurt you as long as you don't try to resist; you'll be a good girl and come with me without a fuss," he murmurs slowly, his gaze searching my face. I gave a slow, hesitant nod, and his mouth tugged up in a slow grin as he slowly pulled back, but the gun was still pressed up against my side."Move," he grunts, nodding ahead, and my gaze flashes to my bag with the contents spilt on the floor a few feet from us."Could I at least get my bag?" I ask in a small voice, and his gaze snaps to the bag, then to me, contemplating, before he sighs and nods."Fine," he s
WillowIt's been two days since the traumatic event happened, and my father hasn't tried to reach me in any way, but I have been on edge ever since, almost like I'm waiting for him to burst through my apartment and take Cami from me.I haven't seen or heard from Jack since the night he promised to take care of everything. I don't know how he plans on stopping Father from whatever devious plans I know he's concocting, but the look in his eyes made me actually believe that he would.It was the sound of the doorbell that had woken me up from a fitful sleep this morning, and when I opened the door, there had been two strange women in black suits standing there and a text from Jack explaining they were to be Cami's bodyguards.In the text he'd assured me that they are trained professionals and would keep Cami safe.After that text there has been no word from him, and even though a part of me that had been scared he would try to take Cami away is relieved that he's keeping his distance and
"S—she's all I have," she whispers in a defeated tone, and all I want to do is hold her and convince her that I would never try to separate Cami from her. Instead, I lean over the island so she's standing directly opposite from me. I hesitate for a split second but lean over and cup her cheek slowly, wiping a stray tear from her cheek with my thumb. "Why did you leave?" I ask in a low tone, and she slowly looks up to meet my gaze, her heart-shaped lips falling open softly before she quickly looks away. "And don't tell me it's because you no longer loved me. If you didn't, you wouldn't have made an anonymous donation to my mother!" I snap, and her eyes flicker to mine immediately, shock reflecting in them. "H—how do you know that?" she stutters, and I sigh, shaking my head slowly as I pull away and stand upright. "It doesn't matter; just tell me the truth, Willow," I say, my tone dripping with pent-up emotions. "Fine, you really want to know why I left and why I hurt you?" she sn
Jack"What are you talking about?" I ask, looking between her and Ava in confusion. Ava is quiet, like she has been cornered, her head cast down like she couldn't bear to face us."Why don't you tell him how you lied about the letter, you bitch!" She screams, and Ava flinches."What?" I breathe, my eyes snapping to Ava, whose eyes are on him now, wide and defiant."You heard me right; she was supposed to give the letter to you. Instead, she fabricated a response saying you wanted nothing to do with me and the baby," Willow explains, shaking her head slowly."I can't believe I trusted you," she mutters, a tear slithering down her cheek."You did all of this?" My eyes are on Ava now, but she is yet to utter a word in her defence. How could she when everything she did was to pull Willow and me further apart?"She didn't deserve you; even when she left you, you still didn't want me," she started through clenched teeth. "If I can't have you, then no one else will," she grins, and I see red







