Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I arrived at the dimly lit restaurant with my lawyer by my side. Despite her assurances, I couldn’t shake the unease twisting in my gut. Henry sat at a secluded corner table, his suit impeccable, his demeanor smug as ever. He rose as we approached, a fake charm plastered across his face.

“Maddie,” he said smoothly, gesturing for me to sit. “Glad you could make it.”

I sat down, my lawyer taking the seat beside me. Her presence was supposed to be a comfort, but tonight, it felt oddly distant.

“Get to the point, Henry,” I said coldly, crossing my arms. “You said you had something to discuss.”

His smirk widened as he leaned back, spreading his arms casually. “Straight to business, I see. Fine. Let’s talk about the company.”

My brows furrowed. “What about it?”

“I want it,” he said simply, as if stating a fact.

I blinked, incredulous. “You want it?” I repeated, “Henry, you have nothing to do with my company. It was my hard work, my sweat, blood and tears that built it….”

Henry interrupted in a sharp tone, “And my investments that kept it afloat,” he said, his eyes shining with malice. “Don’t forget that, Maddie. Without me, you wouldn’t have been able to keep it running those first few years. Legally, I have as much claim to it as you do.”

My lawyer shifted in her seat, clearing her throat. “Technically, he’s not wrong, Maddie.” She sounded professional, her voice lacking emotions. “As part of the divorce settlement, the company’s shares….”

“Wait,” I turned to her, narrowing my eyes in disbelief, “You knew about this?” I asked, my voice increasing.

She didn’t meet my gaze. “It’s a complicated situation. I was going to tell you….”

Henry chuckled, cutting her off. “Oh, don’t blame her, Maddie. She’s just doing her job. In fact, she’s been very helpful in ensuring this transition goes smoothly.”

Realization dawned, like a fog slowly clearing,“You… You’ve been working with him?” I whispered, betrayal lacing my words.

“Don’t take it personally,” she said, her voice devoid of remorse. “It’s just business.”

Rage bubbled in my chest as I shot to my feet. “This was all a setup. The DNA tests, the custody battle… All of it. You...you just wanted the company!”

Henry leaned forward, his expression darkening. “Sit down, Maddie. This doesn’t have to get ugly. Sign the papers, hand over the company, and this all goes away.”

“You think I’m going to hand over everything I’ve worked for?” I spat, glaring at him.

His smirk returned, colder this time. “You don’t have a choice. Your lawyer has already prepared the documents. It’s either this, or we drag your name through the mud even more. You’ve already lost your child, Maddie. Do you really want to lose everything else?”

My vision blurred with tears of fury and despair. I looked at the lawyer, hoping for her to show some sign of regret, but her expression remained impassive.

“I’ll never sign,” I said grinding my teeth in fury.

Henry sighed, pulling out a pen and sliding the papers across the table. “Sign, or I’ll make sure you regret it. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

Before I could respond, my lawyer grabbed my hand and squeezed it, her nails digging into my skin. I yelped in pain, and in that moment of distraction, she pressed something cold and metallic to my side.

It was a gun.

Henry’s smirk deepened as she unclicked the gun's cork. The metallic object pressed into my skin sent a cold shiver down my spine.

“Stop!” I said shakily, without moving. The lawyer held on with surprising strength.

“Don’t make me do what I don't want to,” my lawyer hissed, her voice low and steely. “Sign it, Maddie.”

“No!” I whispered fiercely, throwing her a glare.

Henry leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with malice. “You think you have a choice here?”

Before I could respond, I felt a sharp prick in my arm. My gaze snapped down, catching the faint glint of a needle before the world started to tilt forward.

“What... did you…?” My words slurred as dizziness took hold before my head cleared again.

Henry clicked his tongue mockingly. “You’re so stubborn, Maddie. Always have been. It’s a shame it had to come to this. You'll be dead in the next five minutes.” He shook a small bottle of medicine in front of me. “Here's the antidote to the poison.”

The edges of my vision darkened as the room spun before clearing yet again. I felt my body weaken, slumping into the chair. Henry picked up the pen and threw it at me.

With tears in my eyes I took it.

I couldn't die and leave my son alone. I still had to find my real child. I

“There we go,” he said, still smirking evilly as I resignedly signed the paper where necessary. “Just a little signature here… and there… Perfect.”

My head lolled to the side, and I breathed weakly when I was done.

“The…antidote..” I croaked. “Please.”

He looked at me and tutted, shaking his head before gruesomely stepping on it and crushing it with a smile.

“You won’t get away with this,” I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible.

Henry laughed, a cruel, hollow sound. “Oh, Maddie, I already have.”

The last thing I saw was his satisfied cruel smirk before my vision completely faded.

—

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when I began to stir. My head throbbed, and my limbs felt heavy as lead. The distant hum of voices filtered through the fog in my mind.

“…Ritcheton Falls,” someone said, the words cutting through the fog like a knife. “Her child…is ..”

My breath hitched. Ritcheton Falls?

Was that where they hid my child? That was where I had almost lost my child. Could it be that I had actually lost him?

The name triggered a wave of fear so powerful it broke through my sleepiness. Memories of that place…of everything I had fought to forget, rushed back, cold and unforgiving.

I forced my eyes open, though the effort felt like carrying a ton. Shadows loomed around me, whispering. I tried to move but my wrists ached against what felt like bindings. I tried to focus, to make sense of my surroundings, but the dizziness was not helping.

“Make sure she doesn’t wake up until we dump her at her place,” a voice commanded. Henry’s voice.

“My child...my child “ I mumbled, fighting weakly against the binds but before I could piece it together, the darkness dragged me under once again.