Jessica's heart froze immediately as she heard her daughter's tiny voice call out from behind her. Avery, with her brown eyes, stood at the breakfast table, clutching her purple doll to her chest. She was still dressed in her pajamas, an innocent expression on her face as she was completely unaware of the grief between her mother and the tall, muscular man standing next to her.Ethan's eyes moved from Jessica to the little girl who had just run into the room, his brows narrowing in total confusion. He opened his mouth slightly, but couldn't find the words. His gaze shaking as he tried to process everything that was unfolding in front of him."Mummy?" Avery asked again, still wondering why her mother had been raising her voice.Jessica quickly crouched down to her daughter's level, her back against Ethan so he wouldn't get a good look at her face. "Everything's fine, my love. Do you mind going back to your room to play? I'll be with you soon."But Avery wasn't hearing anything she
The silence filling Jessica's room was thick as she stared at the number on her phone, her thumb hovering around Ethan's number. She'd been fighting the decision to reach out to him for hours, her mind was tangled in doubt and fear. Yet, somewhere, deep down, she knew the truth was going to out. The longer she continued to keep Avery away from him, the worse it was going to be when it finally occurred.Taking one deep breath, she hit the call button on her phone. The line rang immediately, causing her heart to pound in her chest with each second that passed. Finally, she heard his familiar voice pick up the phone."Jessica?" Ethan's voice called out, bracing himself for whatever she had to say to him."Hey, Ethan.." she began, swallowing a huge lump of fear in her throat. "I need us to talk and it has to be somewhere private."There was a pause on the other side of the call, and then his voice returned. "This is all I've wanted, Jess. Just pick a time and a place, I'll be there."
Ethan couldn't help but let out a big smile on his face as he watched his daughter, Avery, dig into her ice cream cone, her eyes firing up with every bite that she took. They were sitting on a bench a few steps away from a small ice cream shop in the city, spending quality time together sd father and daughter. For the first time, he was looking at his daughter and having her by his side since she was born five years ago."Do you always order strawberries?" he asked curiously as she tried to get to know more about her, noticing the ice cream smudge on her chin.Avery nodded with much enthusiasm, licking her cone to show him how much she liked it. "Uh-huh! Strawberries are my favorite." She looked up at him, meeting his curious gaze. "Mum says I should always be polite, so what's your favorite flavor?""I'm more of a chocolate person," Ethan replied, smiling from ear to ear. "I like mine extra dark, just like this right here." He held up his cone, sniffing it dramatically before taking
Jessica pushed open the door leading into her parent's house, releasing a small sigh as she set down her bag and slipped out of her shoes. She had been at the office, longer than she had planned, but the meeting was crucial as she was preparing to open another branch of her company in Los Angeles. Still, she felt some guilt knowing that her daughter must have waited for her the whole day.She walked gently down the hallway, passing the large living room where she spotted Ricky, his feet were on the coffee table, the soft glow from the lamp casting its shadows across the room. He looked, finally taking notice of her, and welcomed her with a gentle smile."She's asleep?" Jessica wondered, her voice as low as a whisper, pointing towards Avery's room which was down the hall.Ricky nodded, dropping his feet down to the floor and sitting straight. "Yeah. But she tried her best to stay awake for you. Asked me at least three times when you'd be back from work."Jessica closed her eyes tig
“Jessica, the next LA expansion for the company is going very well.” Mark, her new project manager began, his voice strong and confident. “Good, but let’s try to focus on our brand’s consistency no matter what.” Jessica responded, shaking her head as she encouraged the team. “We can’t let our LA branch feel left out from our core values and mission.”“Right.,” Lisa chimed in, a new member to the team. “I’ve created a list of potential influencers that can help solidify our online presence. This is one of the smartest way for reaching out to the LA crowd.”Jessica let out a big smile, preparing to reply, when the glass door of her office suddenly swung open, and she froze in her seat. Ethan stood there, hair scattered and visibly drunk, leaning heavily on the door frame so he wouldn’t fall to the ground. His eyes were red, and the smell of alcohol reeked from his body.“Ethan?” Jessica’s voice returned to her, feeling surprised and shocked, while the various members of her teams excha
Jessica's parents' home where she lived with Avery and Ricky was quiet as the evening began to settle in, a soft glow from the moon casting a warm light across her daughter's room. Jessica sat right on the edge of her daughter's bed, watching her prepare her blankets so she could snuggle into them. After a long, especially with her ex-husband, Ethan's unexpected visit to her office, this was what she considered a peaceful moment.Avery's room was a girly mix of pinks and some purples here and there, decorated with fairy lights that glittered all day, some stuffed animals on the bed, and a shelf that contained all her favorite books that she loved to read before going to bed. Jessica stretched out her hand to pull the covers to her daughter's chin, smiling at her as she prepared Avery for bed."Mommy, will you tell that story where the princess gets to build her castle?" Avery asked politely, her eyes still sparkling with excitement.Jessica laughed softly. This story had gradually bec
Jessica sighed deeply as she walked right into the door, the weight of the previous week still heavy on her shoulder. Ethan's visit to her office had just found its way back to her mind, and the more she tried to let of it, the more she found herself haunted by the thought. Returning to work would always give her a temporary place to escape from everything, but every moment since she found her office, has always been one that brought her the same unease.She placed her Gucci bag on the countertop and walked into the kitchen, hoping to get something to eat and retire to bed without much conversation. But Ricky was already staring at her from across the room, his eyes narrowed in on her, and concern filled in his eyes."Hey," he said quietly, trying not to startle to her. "Long day?"Jessica hugged him, managing to reply with a smile on her face as she let go immediately. "Ueaj, something like that."Ricky watched, his gaze searching her entire countenance. "Jess, are you okay? Late
Jessica buttoned her little girl's thick coat and adjusted the scarf on her neck, the frosty air coming through their breaths as they stepped out into the noisy and bustling streets in their car. The sidewalk was packed with snow, festive lights adored the windows of every shop they could see. It had been months since had given herself time to relax, and Avery's excitement was just too contagious."Mommy, please can we go to the toy store first?" Avery begged her gloves hand pulling on Jessica's coat.Jessica smiled, blowing away a strand of hair from her face. "We're for clothes, Avery. But I promise, if we finish early, then we can go look at toys that you like."Avery's face lit up with excitement, and she skipped along beside her mother as they entered a chic boutique filled with winter wear for the season. Jessica let her daughter wander ahead of her, her eyes glowing as she saw the colorful display while she inspected the racks of coats.Her phone buzzed in her pocket, pulling a
The office was just as sleek and fierce as Lois herself. Polished dark wood filled most of the space, from the shelves that held legal books and tomes to the expensive desk that kept Jessica away from the woman who was there to help her save her daughter. Jessica adjusted the strap of LV purse nervously as walked inside. The air smelled of leather and freshly brewed coffee, and the morning light coming in from the talk windows felt more sterile rather than warm.Lois glanced up from her Lenovo laptop, her glasses perching down on her nose. “Jessica,” she said, standing to give her a welcome hug. Her handshake was firm, her countenance welcoming and soothing. “Thanks for coming just in time. Take a seat. We are going to be discussing a lot today.”Jessica sat across from Lois’s desk stiffly in her chair, the smoothness of the leather gracing her palms as she held onto the armrest. She nodded silently, her throat feeling itchy as Lois began to shuffle a huge of papers.“I know this isn’
The quiet singing of birds settled over Jessica’s house like a blanket, comforting yet very heavy. She stood at the large window in her living room, holding a coffee mug in both hands. Steam rose into the air in tiny wisps, curling up as the sunlight formed different patterns on the marble floor. It should have been a peaceful moment for her, but her mind would let her be, her thoughts moving between her unexpected visit from Ethan last night and her new relationship with Ricky.The sound of hesitant movement behind her caught her attention. She turned around to see Ricky walking into the living room. His expression was guarded, but he smiled at her. He picked up his mug, though, from the way he took his eyes away from her, it seemed like the drink was just a little excuse to occupy his hands and keep them busy.“Morning,” Jessica said, offering him a small smile in return.“Mor..morning,” he said, clearing his quiet voice. He crossed to the other side of the room, taking a seat on th
The sound of the doorbell echoed through the Johnson house, pulling Jessica from her thoughts. She glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall to see that it was 8:47 p.m. Too late for casual visitors to stop by. Avery was already tucked in bed, and Ricky had left an hour ago to go get some documents from his apartment.Her stomach began to twist as she walked to the front door to find out who it was since the camera room was far from where she was. She peered through the peephole on the door, she froze when she recognized the face.Ethan.For a moment, Jessica considered not walking back to the kitchen and not answering. Her fingers hovered over the lock for a moment, but the second ring felt more insistent than the first, it destroyed her indecision. She unlocked the door and opened it just enough to lean against the frame, blocking his view of the rest of the house behind her."What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice clipping.Ethan stood on the front porch, his hands buried in
Jessica faced the clock as she quickly hurried down the hallway, the sound of her wedge heels echoing against the floors. "Avery darling, we have to go! We are going to be late again!" she called out to her daughter, trying her best not to sound impatient.From the bedroom door, Avery appeared tightly holding her backpack, her tiny face looking all confused. She pointed at the tall man standing near the door. "Why does he always have to follow us around, mummy?" she asked, her tone showing frustration. "I don't need him watching me all the time, mummy. Please."Jessica crouched down to her daughter's level, smoothing a hand over her little head. "He's here to make sure that you are safe, sweetheart," she explained softly. "You know how we have like an extra seatbelt when we drive or the alarm system at home? It's not because anything's wrong, it's just... important to be ready for such situations."Avery looked at Kyle, the new bodyguard, who stood like a shadow near the front door wi
Ethan sat in his office, letting the weight of the past weeks press on him like an iron blade. The only photo of Avery that he had managed to get from the last time they hung out seemed to mock him as it lay on his desk, her tiny smile frozen in time for him to stare at whenever he wanted. A complete contrast to the storm that he had just unleashed into her life. He pressed his palms on his face, trying to breathe through all the anger and guilt that he was feeling. Jessica's voice from the phone call began to ring in his ear; "Best for Avery? You think dragging our daughter into a custody battle is what is best for her?"His door creaked open, but Ethan didn't look up to see who it was. "Not now, Carla," he said, believing it was his assistant that had walked into his office."Carla? That's new." His father's voice, came into the room steady and authoritative, it sent a chill down Ethan's spine when he recognized who it was.Ethan straightened in his chair as his father, Richard, wal
Jessica slammed the room door behind her, the sound echoing loudly through the quiet house. She barely registered in her mind the glow of the living room lamps or the humming coming from the dishwasher in the kitchen. The tension weighing heavily in her chest grew tighter with every passing second she spent, and she paced right in front of the couch, her heels hitting the hardwood floor.Ricky walked with her inside, setting down his keys on the side table. "Jess, I need you to breathe.""Breathe?" she sneered at him unconsciously, spinning on her heel to face him head-on. "How do you expect me to breathe knowing that the woman who kidnapped my child is somewhere out there?" she asked as her hands flew up in the air. "Goddamnit, she took my child, Ricky! And now she's walking around town like nothing had happened."Ricky ran his left hand through his hair, frustration showing on his face. "I get it. Believe me, I understand. But yelling at me isn't going to solve the problem. Running
The sunlight filled the living room from the windows, casting a glow on Avery's little face, who was curled up and playing with her stuffed bunny. Jessica sat nearby, her laptop on her knees as she typed while her other eye remained on Avery. Though the nightmare of Avery's kidnapping had been solved three days ago, Jessica still carried the weight of it. She glanced at her phone, which sat on the coffee table. Another call from Ethan. The sight made her jaw tighten and her fists squeezed."Mommy?" her daughter's soft voice broke off her thoughts. "Can I get a snack?"Jessica faked a smile, closing her laptop and setting it aside. "Sure, sweetheart. What do you want to have?""Peanut butter and jelly?" Avery asked, her tiny face lighting up as she hoped her mum would agree.Jessica ruffled her daughter's hair and headed straight into the kitchen, grateful that was alive to make requests. There she was, spreading the peanut butter on a slice of bread when her phone buzzed one more
Back at her parent's house, Jessica paced around the living room, her phone fixed tightly against her ears. Ricky stood close by, coordinating with his private investigator on the matter. Janet and Joseph both rested on the couch, worry visible on their faces. Ethan, who had shown up after multiple furious phone calls from Jessica, leaned against the wall, feeling guilty that he had teamed up with Olivia."The police are en route to the location," Jessica said, immediately ending the call. "They just found the house that Olivia is currently hiding in. It's on the outskirts of the city so it might take a while to get there." She threw her phone onto the nearest table by her side, her hands trembling with fear."We need to go," Ricky said with a firm voice, grabbing his jacket as he got to his feet."Wait, Ricky. Leave this for the police." Janet protested, standing up to her feet to reach him. "Jessica, you can't run head-on into a situation like this. What if something happens to you?
Jessica sat across from Lois, their lawyer, her gaze being distant as she tried to organize the documents that had been spread across the table. The office, with its well-polished furniture and perfectly set up shelves, for some reason, felt very oppressive today. Ricky sat next to Jessica, tapping his pen on the table in front of him while he waited."Jessica." Lois began, finally breaking the silence that engulfed the room. "We need to try to focus on building a case that focuses on Avery's well-being as a child. This kind of case can get ugly quickly, and Ethan's team will most likely play dirty and try to attack the fact that you hid Avery away for years. We need to be ready for that."Jessica folded both of her arms, her facial expression remaining resolute. "Let them. I'll narrate everything to the court so they understand my point of view. Ethan had no right to know about Avery. He didn't care one bit for me and he sure didn't care about the idea of me having a child when he ki