CARA I sat in my car, staring at my phone, willing it to light up with Stacey’s name. The longer it stayed dark, the heavier the knot in my stomach grew. Nothing. No missed calls, no texts, nothing to tell me where she was or if she was okay. I sighed, leaning back against the seat as my fingers found the familiar buttons to dial her number for what felt like the hundredth time. The phone rang. Once. Twice. Three times. My heart took a little leap of hope before it hit voicemail again. “Hi, this is Stacey. You know what to do. Beep.” I groaned and ended the call before the beep could mock me any further. My fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly as I muttered under my breath, “Come on, Stacey. Pick up. Where are you?” The uneasy silence of the car seemed to press in on me, amplifying the thoughts racing through my mind. I couldn’t shake the bad feeling gnawing at my gut. Something wasn’t right. Shawna not coming to work was strange enough. But is Stacey disappearing too?
KYLEI was in the middle of stuffing clothes into a duffel bag when I heard the commotion outside. My hands froze mid-fold, a sinking feeling creeping over me. I didn’t want to be part of this Stacey mess. She’d dragged me into enough trouble already, and now, with the heat building, I figured it was best to cut my losses and leave.But curiosity got the better of me. Peeking out the window, I saw her—it was Cara crouched near the bushes, holding something. My heart skipped. Stacey’s phone. How the hell did she have Stacey’s phone?Grabbing my jacket, I stormed outside. “What are you doing here, Cara?” I barked, my voice sharp and demanding.She jumped, spinning around to face me. Her wide eyes screamed guilt, and her grip tightened around the phone. “Uh, hi,” she stammered. “I… I… Shawna sent me to talk to you about something.”“Shawna sent you?” I repeated, stepping closer. My eyes darted to the phone in her hand. “Why do you have Stacey’s phone?”She hesitated, then quickly shoved
SHAWNACara swallowed hard, her throat bobbing visibly. “I don’t know if I have anything useful,” she admitted, her voice cracking. “She didn’t tell me much. She kept me in the dark most of the time.”“Think,” I pressed, my tone cutting through the tension like a blade. “Anything you’ve heard, seen, or even suspected could be the key to stopping her.”“I… I do have some texts,” Cara said hesitantly, pulling her phone from her pocket. “She sent me instructions sometimes. And there’s this file she left at my place. She said not to open it, but I… I couldn’t help myself. It’s all in there, her plans, the names, everything. I took a picture of it with my phone”Damien and I exchanged a glance, a spark of hope igniting between us.“Good,” I said, nodding. “That’s a start. You’re going to hand everything over, and we’ll take it from there. But Cara…” I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “If you’re lying, or if you’re holding anything back, there won’t be a next time. Understood?”She nodded
SHAWNAThe news hit me like a tidal wave—Stacey was gone. The police confirmed her death while we were still processing the chaos of the ambush. I didn’t know how to feel about it. Relief? Anger? Sadness? Maybe all three, or maybe nothing at all. It was hard to say anymore.Cara, on the other hand, had survived but was facing court as an accomplice. A part of me felt vindicated, but another part wondered if she’d planned on pulling something else even from behind bars. Damien didn’t seem concerned about her anymore.“Do you think we should keep running?” he asked as we sat on the edge of the bed in his quiet apartment, the evidence of the last few weeks weighing heavily in the air.I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. “We’ve been through hell here, Damien. Maybe we deserve a break.”He nodded slowly, his hand resting on my knee. “Yeah. You’re right. We’ve fought enough battles for a lifetime.”We sat in silence for a moment, the kind that felt heavy but necessary. Just as I w
SHAWNAThe moment I got the news about Cara, I felt like the ground had shifted beneath me. I couldn’t believe it. She was gone, and with her went any chance of getting the answers we so desperately needed. My chest felt tight, and my mind raced with the realization that we might never know the full truth.Back home, I couldn’t sit still. I kept pacing, my thoughts spiraling. “We were so close,” I muttered to myself, frustration bubbling to the surface. Damien tried to comfort me, but I brushed him off gently. “I need to clear my head,” I said before heading back out.I drove to the hospital where Cara had been taken. I wasn’t ready to let this go without a fight. When I arrived, I demanded to see someone who could give me more information. A nurse led me to a stoic government official who barely flinched as I unloaded my questions.“I need a detailed report,” I said, my voice sharp but steady. “What happened to Cara? And Stacey—where are their bodies?”The man sighed, shuffling some
DAMIENI sat on the edge of Kyle’s couch, watching him casually toss clothes into his duffle bag, his movements unhurried, as if he had all the time in the world. Meanwhile, my thoughts raced a mile a minute, the small box in my hand feeling heavier than it had any right to. I turned it over in my fingers, the weight of what it represented settling like a stone in my chest.Kyle glanced over, his sharp eyes immediately catching on to what I was holding. His brows shot up, and an all-too-familiar smirk spread across his face. “What’s that?” he asked, leaning slightly forward. “A magic trick?”I rolled my eyes, already regretting having the box out in the open. “It’s a ring.”“No kidding,” he said, his smirk widening into a full-on grin. “You planning to propose, or are you just trying out jewelry for fun?”“Yes, I’m proposing,” I snapped, gripping the ring tighter in my palm.Kyle froze for a second, then let out a loud, boisterous laugh that echoed through the room like I’d just told
SHAWNAI returned from the mall, juggling groceries and feeling pretty pleased with myself. The house was supposed to be quiet; I’d promised the kids a movie night later, and I figured they’d be playing. Instead, I walked into the sound of crying—loud, heart-wrenching sobs.Dropping the bags on the kitchen counter, I rushed into the living room to find Jasper on the couch, tears streaming down his little face. Phoebe and Noah hovered nearby, looking worried, while Damien sat awkwardly on the armrest, running a hand through his hair like he didn’t know what to do.“What happened?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.Damien stood as soon as he saw me, his face a mix of guilt and frustration. “It’s... a long story.”“Mommy!” Phoebe rushed over, tugging on my arm. “Jasper doesn’t want Daddy to be Daddy!”I blinked, utterly confused. “What?”Noah chimed in. “We were helping him plan something, but then Jasper got mad and started crying.”I looked between them, then at Damien. “Helpi
LIAMThe sound of laughter filled the park as Phoebe and Billy raced each other across the grassy field, their giggles carrying on the warm afternoon breeze. Jasper, however, stood a few feet away, kicking at the dirt with the tip of his shoe, a deep frown etched on his face.I approached him cautiously, knowing that pushing too hard could make things worse. "Jasper," I began gently, crouching down to his level, "what’s wrong, buddy? You’ve been quiet all afternoon."He stopped kicking and glanced at me, his little face set with a stubborn pout. "Why can’t I choose who I want as my daddy?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.The words hit me harder than I cared to admit, but I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. "Jasper," I said, my tone steady, "I know this is hard for you. It’s a big change. But Damien is your dad, and that’s not something anyone gets to choose. It’s just how it is."Jasper crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the ground. "But I do
SHAWNA"Damien, Liam, I think something's wrong," I said, my voice trembling. "I can't find Billy and Phoebe anywhere."Their faces paled. "What do you mean you can't find them?" Damien asked, his voice sharp."I mean they're gone. Vanished. I've looked everywhere, and they're just… not here."Liam's eyes widened. "Maybe they're playing hide-and-seek?" he suggested, trying to sound optimistic."Liam, they wouldn't play hide-and-seek without telling me," I said, my heart pounding. "This isn't a game."We raced back to my mother's house, finding her frantically pacing the living room. "Jasper!" I cried, pulling him into a tight hug. "Where were you, darling? You scared me to death."Jasper simply shrugged. "I was playing in the garden," he mumbled.Then, his face crumpled. "But I can’t find Phoebe and Billy," he cried out, tears welling in his eyes. His lower lip trembled, and he buried his face in my skirt, sobs racking his small frame.I knelt beside him, my heart aching. "Oh, sweetie
PHOEBE"Come on, Billy!" I tugged his hand, practically dragging him down the stairs. "We gotta go!""Where are we going, Phoebe?" Billy whined, his lower lip trembling."To find Daddy!" I said, holding up my tablet. "I ordered a car. We're going to his office."The car arrived, a big black one. The driver looked at us suspiciously. "Where are you little ones going? And who's with you?""We're going to find our Daddy!" I declared. "We can take care of ourselves."Billy mumbled something about wanting ice cream, but I ignored him. "We're going to his company," I told the driver, giving him the address.He looked at us for a long time, like he didn't believe me. "Your parents know you're going alone?""We don't need them," I said confidently. "We're brave."The driver sighed. "Alright, get in."Billy was so excited, he tried to open the door himself. But it was stuck! "Stuck!" he yelled and started to cry a little. I tried to open it too, and I pushed hard. Finally, it opened with a LOU
SHAWNAThe house was quiet now, but the tension still lingered in the air. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the photograph of my kids on the nightstand. Their bright, innocent smiles seemed a world away from the chaos that had unfolded earlier. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. This situation was spiraling out of control, and I needed to fix it before it broke something we couldn’t put back together.Taking a deep breath, I stood up and made my way to the living room, where the kids were sulking in different corners. Jasper sat on the couch with his arms crossed, Phoebe was curled up in the armchair with her face buried in a book she wasn’t reading, and Billy was sprawled on the floor, fiddling with a toy car but clearly not playing. The tension between them was palpable.“Alright, you three,” I began, standing in the middle of the room. “We need to talk.”Jasper looked away, Phoebe’s book snapped shut with an audible thud, and Billy groaned, dragging himself into a sitting positio
LIAMThe sound of laughter filled the park as Phoebe and Billy raced each other across the grassy field, their giggles carrying on the warm afternoon breeze. Jasper, however, stood a few feet away, kicking at the dirt with the tip of his shoe, a deep frown etched on his face.I approached him cautiously, knowing that pushing too hard could make things worse. "Jasper," I began gently, crouching down to his level, "what’s wrong, buddy? You’ve been quiet all afternoon."He stopped kicking and glanced at me, his little face set with a stubborn pout. "Why can’t I choose who I want as my daddy?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.The words hit me harder than I cared to admit, but I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. "Jasper," I said, my tone steady, "I know this is hard for you. It’s a big change. But Damien is your dad, and that’s not something anyone gets to choose. It’s just how it is."Jasper crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the ground. "But I do
SHAWNAI returned from the mall, juggling groceries and feeling pretty pleased with myself. The house was supposed to be quiet; I’d promised the kids a movie night later, and I figured they’d be playing. Instead, I walked into the sound of crying—loud, heart-wrenching sobs.Dropping the bags on the kitchen counter, I rushed into the living room to find Jasper on the couch, tears streaming down his little face. Phoebe and Noah hovered nearby, looking worried, while Damien sat awkwardly on the armrest, running a hand through his hair like he didn’t know what to do.“What happened?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.Damien stood as soon as he saw me, his face a mix of guilt and frustration. “It’s... a long story.”“Mommy!” Phoebe rushed over, tugging on my arm. “Jasper doesn’t want Daddy to be Daddy!”I blinked, utterly confused. “What?”Noah chimed in. “We were helping him plan something, but then Jasper got mad and started crying.”I looked between them, then at Damien. “Helpi
DAMIENI sat on the edge of Kyle’s couch, watching him casually toss clothes into his duffle bag, his movements unhurried, as if he had all the time in the world. Meanwhile, my thoughts raced a mile a minute, the small box in my hand feeling heavier than it had any right to. I turned it over in my fingers, the weight of what it represented settling like a stone in my chest.Kyle glanced over, his sharp eyes immediately catching on to what I was holding. His brows shot up, and an all-too-familiar smirk spread across his face. “What’s that?” he asked, leaning slightly forward. “A magic trick?”I rolled my eyes, already regretting having the box out in the open. “It’s a ring.”“No kidding,” he said, his smirk widening into a full-on grin. “You planning to propose, or are you just trying out jewelry for fun?”“Yes, I’m proposing,” I snapped, gripping the ring tighter in my palm.Kyle froze for a second, then let out a loud, boisterous laugh that echoed through the room like I’d just told
SHAWNAThe moment I got the news about Cara, I felt like the ground had shifted beneath me. I couldn’t believe it. She was gone, and with her went any chance of getting the answers we so desperately needed. My chest felt tight, and my mind raced with the realization that we might never know the full truth.Back home, I couldn’t sit still. I kept pacing, my thoughts spiraling. “We were so close,” I muttered to myself, frustration bubbling to the surface. Damien tried to comfort me, but I brushed him off gently. “I need to clear my head,” I said before heading back out.I drove to the hospital where Cara had been taken. I wasn’t ready to let this go without a fight. When I arrived, I demanded to see someone who could give me more information. A nurse led me to a stoic government official who barely flinched as I unloaded my questions.“I need a detailed report,” I said, my voice sharp but steady. “What happened to Cara? And Stacey—where are their bodies?”The man sighed, shuffling some
SHAWNAThe news hit me like a tidal wave—Stacey was gone. The police confirmed her death while we were still processing the chaos of the ambush. I didn’t know how to feel about it. Relief? Anger? Sadness? Maybe all three, or maybe nothing at all. It was hard to say anymore.Cara, on the other hand, had survived but was facing court as an accomplice. A part of me felt vindicated, but another part wondered if she’d planned on pulling something else even from behind bars. Damien didn’t seem concerned about her anymore.“Do you think we should keep running?” he asked as we sat on the edge of the bed in his quiet apartment, the evidence of the last few weeks weighing heavily in the air.I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. “We’ve been through hell here, Damien. Maybe we deserve a break.”He nodded slowly, his hand resting on my knee. “Yeah. You’re right. We’ve fought enough battles for a lifetime.”We sat in silence for a moment, the kind that felt heavy but necessary. Just as I w
SHAWNACara swallowed hard, her throat bobbing visibly. “I don’t know if I have anything useful,” she admitted, her voice cracking. “She didn’t tell me much. She kept me in the dark most of the time.”“Think,” I pressed, my tone cutting through the tension like a blade. “Anything you’ve heard, seen, or even suspected could be the key to stopping her.”“I… I do have some texts,” Cara said hesitantly, pulling her phone from her pocket. “She sent me instructions sometimes. And there’s this file she left at my place. She said not to open it, but I… I couldn’t help myself. It’s all in there, her plans, the names, everything. I took a picture of it with my phone”Damien and I exchanged a glance, a spark of hope igniting between us.“Good,” I said, nodding. “That’s a start. You’re going to hand everything over, and we’ll take it from there. But Cara…” I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “If you’re lying, or if you’re holding anything back, there won’t be a next time. Understood?”She nodded