10.Confronting the past.

                        Mia Miller

I slowly open my eyes, and as I look at the ceiling, I realize where I am—this isn't a nightmare. I was waking up in Ethan's house. Damn it.

Immediately, my first thought of the day is about my son. How is my baby? It's impossible not to let the tears fall every time I think of Lorenzo. I just wanted to hold my baby and never let him go. Never again.

I hear a knock on the door and look at the clock on my phone; it's eight in the morning. Who could be bothering me at this hour?

I quickly get up and look at myself; I slept in the same clothes I was wearing, a super tight pair of jeans.

I opened the door slowly, still rubbing my eyes, and there he was.

His suit was perfectly aligned, his beard neatly trimmed, and his hair was styled—what did this man want?

"Good morning," he said in a serious tone.

I rolled my eyes. He was the last person I wanted to see. In fact, I hated him.

"Get ready. We're going to the police station."

I widened my eyes. "Police station?"

"They're officers who work for me. They need more details about what happened on the day of the kidnapping so we can expedite the search."

"Okay," I sighed.

I was a wreck, but if it was to help, I would do anything.

"Put something on. I'll wait for you downstairs," he said, with an authority that irritated me deeply.

"I don't have any clothes since I was forced to stay here," I responded, rolling my eyes in frustration. "I didn't bring anything with me."

Ethan gave me a disdainful look as if my situation was a mere inconvenience. "I'll buy some clothes for you. Forget your past. Your present is now wherever I want it to be."

I stood there, frozen, as he left the room, leaving me alone with my chaotic thoughts. How could he be so cold, so ruthless? Yet there was something about that man that made me feel vulnerable, something I couldn't explain.

I took a shower, and when I came out, I dressed in the clothes that were available in the room—a pair of black sweatpants and a thick sweater, undoubtedly left there by his order. Minutes later, I went downstairs and found Ethan waiting for me at the entrance of the mansion, impatient.

The ride to the police station was silent and uncomfortable. The car glided smoothly along the snowy roads of Colorado, the muffled sound of the tires on the snow filling the silence between us.

Every time our bodies touched accidentally, either from the subtle movements of the car or the inevitable proximity in the confined space, I felt a wave of heat rise up my spine.

He seemed immune to the cold of the surrounding winter, while I huddled inside my heavy coat, trying to warm my hands. There was something about his temperature, something intensely warm, almost supernatural, that made me even more uneasy.

I hated myself for feeling this, for this inexplicable attraction that arose every time he was near. I shouldn't feel this way, not for a man like him. But there was something primal, irresistible, that made my body betray my mind.

We finally arrived at the police station. Ethan got out of the car, and I followed him with a heavy heart. As we walked to the entrance, the icy wind hit my face, and I wondered who exactly was this man beside me and why, despite all the fear and disgust, I felt so drawn to him.

We entered, and his security guards waited for us outside.

"Wait here," he ordered and asked me to sit in the chair.

Sitting in that police station chair, I felt my anxiety grow with each passing second. The atmosphere was gloomy, with worn-out walls and dim lighting. All I could do was murmur a silent prayer, begging for my son to be found soon.

My heart raced as I heard footsteps approaching. I looked up, and suddenly, my breath caught in my throat. That face... I hadn't seen him in two years, but I recognized him immediately.

Collin.

He stood in front of me, still the same, except for the stubble that gave a more mature look to his face.

My shock was immediate, a mixture of painful memories and surprise. How was he here? How did I not know?

"Mia?" Collin said, his voice a mix of surprise and curiosity. "What are you doing here?"

My mind went on alert—I couldn't share much, especially with him. "Personal matters," I replied, keeping my expression neutral, raising my chin to avoid appearing vulnerable.

"I work here in administration," he said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Good for you."

Collin stared at me for a moment, trying to decipher my words.

"I heard you have a son... Is this child mine, Mia? You were always mysterious, but now, after everything... I need to know."

The mention of Lorenzo coming from Collin's lips caused a mix of anger and disgust in me. How could he even think that? I kept my gaze firm.

"No, Collin. Lorenzo is not your son."

He narrowed his eyes, disbelief evident in his expression.

"How can I be sure of that? You never let me know anything, never gave me a chance."

"A chance for what?" I smirked ironically. "To try and explain why you were sleeping with my best friend?"

"Mia… She and I had nothing. You were the woman I loved."

"Loved so much that you betrayed me."

"Mia… If this child is mine, I have the right—"

Before I could respond, a cold, imposing voice cut through the air, interrupting the conversation.

"Is this gentleman bothering you?" It was Ethan. He entered the room with a dominant posture, an air of superiority emanating from every movement.

Collin took a step back, clearly intimidated by Ethan's presence. The authority in his voice left no room for questioning, and I could see the fear in Collin's eyes.

"Who are you? Can't you see I'm talking to her?" Collin retorted.

"I'm the father of her child." Ethan looked at him with cold eyes.

Ethan approached me, placing himself between us as if to protect me—which I found hard to believe coming from him—or maybe to claim his property.

"You heard what I said. Back off."

The police chief approached us, cutting through the tension.

"Mr. Greenwood," he said as he approached. "We can begin gathering the information."

Collin, upon hearing Ethan's last name, lowered his head, his bravado disappearing quickly. This made me even more afraid—this man must be awful to be so respected in the city.

"I don't want any trouble. I just wanted... to know."

Ethan took a step forward, getting closer to Collin with a threatening expression. "Now you know. And I suggest you get out of here before I do something you'll regret."

The officer gathered all the possible information from me, and I tried to remember every little detail. One thing that left me particularly thoughtful was why Charlotte took that shortcut when we could have reached the job interview using the main road.

I didn't want to doubt my friend. But every detail was important.

"I'll find the boy, no matter the cost." Ethan looked at me intensely, as if he could see all my secrets.

"Thank you, Ethan."

"I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because he has my blood."

He spoke quietly with the officer and handed him a package that seemed to be money. I was shocked. If he could have the law in his hands, I could only imagine what he could do to me.

I sighed. Somehow, I was there, defeated, with no choices left. But I knew I was delving deeper into a web of secrets.