All Chapters of FINDING ELENA : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

57 Chapters

Chapter 21: Tasting Disruption.

ELENA I stood waiting for him to come take the test. Why was he hesitating? From the corner of my eye, I caught Julia’s amused expression. Turning, I saw none of my colleagues. I didn’t give it much thought until a memory flashed in my head; whispers I had overheard about the no-nonsense owner of the Family Center, Ary Banks. No scandals, no gossip. Just older employees preparing the new ones. It was said that he hardly visited. Not more than twice in a year. Yet, he saw everything. He never spoke to the staff but would spend time with the children, listening, granting their requests, and indulging their countless questions. He didn't tolerate any harm coming to the children. Something as simple as a scraped knee left untreated or a toy left in the wrong place was grounds for penalty. For him, the children weren't part of the job. They were the job. And he never gave second chances. Suddenly, it made sense why my colleagues had slipped away. And why I, by engaging him,

Chapter 22: Piece By Piece.

Third Person POV Ary returned his attention to the little girl quietly waiting for him. “Ruby, you should have the last one,” he said as he cut the slice into a smaller size for her. “Open up,” he instructed as he lowered himself and gently placed the slice into her open mouth. “Mmm…,” Ruby moaned in delight. “I taste honey.” He watched as the child chewed in delight, and as Elena applauded, laughing softly, her ease in the moment, a quiet power. He straightened back to his full height. Ruby turned to Elena. “We won!” she said, jumping up and down. “Yes, you did,” Elena said, smiling as Ruby crossed to her. She bent down and raised her palm for Ruby to high-five it. “Blueberry pancakes, tomorrow, pleeease?” Ruby chimed in, cashing in on her award without delay. “I promised, didn't I?” Elena answered, patting Ruby's hair gently, and then added, “C'mon now, say thank you to Mr. Banks, and let's go wash your hands, break’s almost over.” “Thank you, Mr. Banks,” Ruby sai

Chapter 23: Coming Forward.

ELENA The nursery door opened to soft lullabies and gentle cooing. My baby, Sky, lay in her crib, her tiny hands shifting, eyes wide and curious. I expected her to be crying. Relief washed over me like a wave. A little smile tugged at her lips at the sight of me, making my heart swell. In that moment, every anxious thought from the kitchen - the sudden appearance of Ary Banks, the fleeting distractions, and his unnerving stare - all melted away. I quickly warmed her bottle. Afterward, I sat in a rocking chair feeding her while her faint baby-lotion scent flooded me with warmth. “There you are, mini me,” I murmured. For a few precious moments, the world disappeared. There was Sky, me, and the steady rhythm of my heart as I held her close. Nothing else mattered… Until the thought of Brad’s memory card slipped into my peace like a shadow. Again. No matter how safe the Family Center felt, I was never truly at peace. I never forgot. Even in my rare pockets of calm, the fe

Chapter 24: The Night of Many Troubles

Ary returned to his home after leaving the penthouse.A dull headache pressed against his temples while he lay awake in bed that night. Annoyed, he rolled over to the side of his bed and smashed the wireless call button on the nightstand. Jim appeared almost instantly.“Valerian Tea.”Jim left to make the tea.He got off the bed and walked to the window overlooking his pool. He had no name for the feeling, yet he couldn't deny it anymore than he could explain the sleepless night.Jim soon returned with the tea. He took one deep drink, nodded, and dismissed him, returning his eyes to the pool.Every relationship he had with women had been transactional. He indulged high-society women when it became unavoidable but always left them cold the moment they strayed into drama or dependency. Businesswomen who mistook courtesy for interest, he humored, but then cut them off cleanly. Once, he walked out of a dinner date mid-conversation. The lady had pressed too close, so he shut it down

Chapter 25: No More Secrets.

“I was lucky he lost my trail on the same night I fled,” I went on. “I shudder to think of what would have happened to us if you didn't find me. I'd be dead somewhere. Probably in an unmarked grave.”Julia didn't respond. She looked deep in thought. I grabbed her hand and kept talking.“Julia, Brad isn't ever going to stop looking for me as long as I remain alive. And I can no longer hide after watching this. So, it's only a matter of time before he finds me. If I leave now, he'd never know about Sky, you, or the Family Center. I’ve made up my mind. It's better this way. He-”Her voice cut through my spiraling.“Darling, you are not throwing your life away now that you've only begun to live again.”My eyes burned with tears.She pushed the tablet aside and drew closer, taking my face in both her hands.“Listen to me. You're not running again. Not with Sky. Not alone. This burden has taken enough of your peace. But, it’s mine now, too. And I swear to you, Elena, we will find a way.”

Chapter 26: No One's Prey.

His private elevator doors opened directly into the penthouse. Julia stepped out slowly, her heels muted against the marble floor, her posture composed but not effortless. She stepped into his living room, where he sat looking into his phone. “Julia,” he said calmly, getting up. She gave a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You look exhausted.” “So do you,” he replied. She removed her coat, laying it neatly over the back of a chair, as if buying herself a moment. Ary watched her quietly. Every movement was familiar and yet wrong. “Coffee?” he asked. She waved her hand. “If it were not morning, I'd have taken something strong.” His brows lifted. “That serious?” “Let's sit,” she said, pointing to a couch before he could choose where to sit. When he sat, she joined him and pulled her tablet from her bag. She exhaled, then began. “You met Elena yesterday.” His breath hitched, not at the name, but at the quiet foreboding her voice carried. He could tell t

Chapter 27: Bait

Third Person POV Jon Nolan sat in his armchair, the glow of the television flickering across his lined face. The mug of tea on the side table had gone lukewarm, his glasses slipping lower on his nose. Outside, Essex was quiet under a cold winter evening, the kind of night that hummed with chirping crickets and the whispering of the wind. A neighbor's dog started to bark, and before he could read any meaning about it, his front door exploded inward. He jumped, kicking the table, tea sloshing as the mug toppled. Three men stepped inside with heavy boots, blank eyes, and no hesitation. Violence clung to them like smoke. Jon raised his trembling hands. “Please- take whatever you want. My wallet’s over there on the dining table. Just… just don’t hurt me, please.” But none of them even looked at the wallet. One shut the door behind them, another dragged a chair from the dining room into the center of the room. The tallest, who seemed to be the leader, had a predator's grin an

Chapter 28: Time To Relocate.

Third Person POV Ary sat at his Penthouse office desk signing some documents, while Chase Chappelle watched the video clips on Elena's card.When he was done, Chappelle exhaled as if trying to clear the stench of what he’d just seen.“Damn,” he murmured. Ary said, “Run it.”His attention was fully on Chappelle now.Chappelle’s fingers flew across the keyboard, the glow of the screen cast across his face.Frame by frame, the algorithm swept through databases, matching faces, and building files.It took a few minutes. Then, the results began to populate. Names, mugshots, case files. Chappelle skimmed through them. He shared his screen so that Ary could also see what he was seeing. Brad Hawkins' profile popped up. Ary's gaze hardened. “This guy, Hawkins. He's the cop from the Nolan assignment,” Chappelle said quietly. “Mm,” Ary said, his eyes intent on the screen, like a predator measuring his prey. More profiles came up.Chappelle continued, listing them.“Toni Morano, curren

Chapter 29: Leaving Safe Haven To His Mansion.

ELENA“Hey Julia,” I said, smiling as she stepped into my room. I’d just finished bathing Sky and zipped her into a warm onesie for the night.Holding her against my chest, I rocked her slowly.“She’s ready for bed,” I told her, then froze at the look on her face.When she returned from her outing in the morning, she told me she had begun handling the issue in Brad's SD card and not to worry.Now she had a look that said there was an update. One I will not like.“Julia?”She took a sleepy Sky from my arms and sat on the bed, patting the space beside her.My pulse began to hammer, but I joined her slowly.“We’ve identified the men in the videos,” she said at last. “We think it’s best to move you somewhere a lot safer.”My jaw hung open for a second.“We?”She squeezed my hand gently.“Yes. Mr. Banks and I.”I jerked my hand from hers and stood before I could stop myself, my heart racing.“No!” The word shot out sharper than I meant, making Sky startle. Julia patted her back gently.I b

Chapter 30: Two Worlds, One Roof.

ELENA The mansion had its own aura. It felt like even my footsteps would offend the powers that be. I could see mine and Sky’s reflections on the marble floors. The ceilings were beyond reach. There wasn’t much furniture, but what was there looked like they belonged in a magazine; dark wood and expensive leather with high-end designs. Even the art on the walls looked deliberate, and the walls seemed to be watching us. I was already scared of what would happen if Sky ever cried in this place. I clutched her a little closer, still unable to take another step. “Ms. Nolan?” Jim called, bringing me back to reality. Please come,” he said and kept moving. “Uh… okay,” I answered. We walked through long, quiet corridors until we reached a door with a gleaming brass handle. When he opened the door, I stopped breathing for a moment. The room had been prepared for us. I forced myself to step in, and then I looked around. There was everything a baby could ever need. I mean every

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