Chapter 16
I did not sleep that night. The photo of Leo outside Jacob’s school burned into my mind. Three weeks before the airport. Before the arrest. Before the kidnapping attempt. Before …
Chapter 16 Read MoreAuthor: Admin
Chapter 15
When I left the detention center, the air outside felt too clean. Too quiet. Like the world had no idea my life had just been torn open and stitched back …
Chapter 15 Read More Chapter 14
I drove to the airport with my father, speeding through the dark streets. Every second felt like an hour. When I ran into the airport office, Jacob was sitting on …
Chapter 14 Read More Chapter 13
“Your brother?” I repeated, my mind reeling. “What brother?” “I don’t have a brother,” David said. He was staring at Maria. Horror dawned on his face. “Where is he, Maria?” …
Chapter 13 Read More Chapter 12
“NO!” I screamed, lunging forward. My father held me back. David laughed—a wild, desperate sound. “Now what?” he said, tossing the torn pieces into the air. “No proof. No case.” …
Chapter 12 Read More Chapter 11
David stood there, his face twisted with rage. “Looking for something?” he said. I clutched the papers to my chest. “Get out of my way,” I said. Maria stepped out …
Chapter 11 Read More Chapter 10
We worked through the night. My father’s investigators pulled every record they could find. Birth certificates. Hospital records. Medical histories. By morning, we had it. Maria had been a patient …
Chapter 10 Read More Chapter 9
I walked for miles. My shoulder throbbed. Tears blurred my vision. Every step took me farther from Jacob. But I didn’t stop. I had to get help. I had to …
Chapter 9 Read More Chapter 8
I backed away. “Stay back,” I warned. David grabbed my arms from behind. “Hold still,” he said. “This will be much easier if you don’t fight.” I struggled, kicking and …
Chapter 8 Read More Chapter 7
I stayed in the kitchen long after they left, staring at the wall, my mind reeling. None of it was real. None of my life was real. I was nothing …
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