All Chapters of The Past Between Us: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

LilaI let him in, but only because Liam was watching. My son’s eyes were wide and confused. He clutched his stuffed bear like a shield.“Daddy?” Liam asked softly.Damien dropped to his knees in front of him, wincing from his shoulder. “Hey buddy. Everything is okay. Mommy and I just need to talk. Can you watch Rose for a minute with Sophia?”Sophia appeared from the bathroom and gently took both kids into the other room. The door clicked shut. Now it was just us.I crossed my arms and stayed by the window. “Five minutes. That is all you get.”Damien stood slowly. He looked exhausted. “I never slept with Elena,” he started. “Not once. The photos were staged. She is an ex-intelligence agent I hired three months ago. The partner has people everywhere. I needed someone who could move in his circles without raising suspicion. The kisses, the hotel rooms …all part of the cover.”I laughed bitterly. “And the secret folder? The message about disappearing together?”He flinched. “That was r

Damien stood frozen in front of me. His face went completely white. The folder slipped from his hands and papers scattered across the floor. For the first time in weeks I saw real panic in his eyes.“Lila,” he whispered. “Let me explain.”I stepped back until my back hit the wall. My heart was beating so hard it hurt. “So it is true. You never filed the divorce papers. You kept me legally trapped this whole time. While you were meeting Elena. While you were moving money. While you were telling me you loved me.”He reached for me but I held up my hand. “Do not touch me.”Tears started falling down his face. Real tears. “I was scared. After the divorce was finalized I panicked. I thought if I let you go completely I would lose you forever. So I paid the lawyer to delay filing. I told myself it was temporary. That I would fix everything and then make it right. I was wrong. I see that now.”I laughed but it came out as a sob. “You see that now? After everything? After I gave you chance af

The beach house was quiet except for the sound of waves crashing outside. I sat on the porch wrapped in a blanket watching the sunset paint the sky red. Liam and Rose were inside playing with Sophia. For the first time in weeks I felt like I could breathe. But the peace did not last long. My phone rang. It was my father. “Lila” he said. His voice sounded tired and worried. “There is something you need to know. I just received documents from an old partner. Damien never stopped the business deals with the family that hurt us. He has been signing new contracts behind your back. Contracts that put the children in the inheritance line. If something happens to him they own everything.” I felt cold all over. “What are you saying Dad?” “He is still playing the game Lila. He never really walked away.” I hung up and stared at the ocean. Tears burned my eyes again. How many times could one man break me? Before I could process it another call came through. This time from an unknown

The next morning brought a different kind of fear. I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing on the nightstand. I had left it on after the video call. A single message waited from an unknown number.Open the door. I left something for you.My stomach twisted. Sophia was already up checking the windows. I walked to the front door with my heart in my throat and opened it slowly.A small box sat on the welcome mat. No note. No sender. Just a plain brown box tied with string.I carried it inside and set it on the kitchen table. Sophia stood beside me. We both stared at it like it might explode.I cut the string and lifted the lid.Inside was a single photo. Me holding Rose at the park two days ago. Behind me in the background was a man in a black jacket watching us. On the back of the photo someone had written in red ink.You cannot hide forever. Bring the original files your father hid or your daughter will be next. Forty eight hours.Sophia covered her mouth. I felt the room spin. They

The black car stayed glued to us like a shadow that refused to disappear. I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. The highway stretched ahead like a long gray ribbon cutting through the mountains. Every mile felt like another step deeper into danger.Liam’s crying had turned into quiet sniffles in the back seat. “Mommy, is Daddy okay? Why are those cars chasing us?”I forced my voice to stay calm even though my heart was breaking. “Daddy is right behind us, baby. We are going to be safe soon. Just hold your sister’s hand for me.”Rose had stopped crying but her little face was red and frightened. She clutched her blanket like it could protect her from the world. I hated that my children had to experience this fear. They deserved peace. They deserved a normal life. Not this endless nightmare.Damien’s voice came through the phone again. He sounded tense but in control. “Do not slow down. The next exit has a police station. Stay on this road. I will keep them b