22N
His words caught me completely off guard. My heart skipped a beat, but I forced myself to stay composed.&
You’ve already seen everything you need to see,” I said coolly. “Please leave.”
Lucas didn’t budge. Instead, he smiled as if we were just two old friends catching up.&
Zoe. I haven’t congratulated you yet–on having a child,” he said gently, though his tone felt rehearsed. “I just wanted to take a closer look at her. Maybe give her a little gift.
He took a slow step to the side, walking around me in a casual, almost serpentine motion, and crouched down to meet my daughter’s
gaze.
“My little one,” he said with a falsely soft voice, “What’s your name?”
Thankfully, I had taught my daughter not to speak to strangers. She immediately buried her face into my neck and tightened her grip around me, refusing to answer. I held her close, heart pounding &
Lucas didn’t seem the least bit offended. In fact, he chuckled warmly, as if her silence only endeared her to him more.
But his smile sent a chill down my spine. He was reading her too carefully.
I didn’t respond and headed straight toward the door. My only goal now was to get us inside and away from him.
But just as I reached for the doorknob, Lucas suddenly moved. He slammed his palm against the doorframe, his other arm stretching out to cage me and my daughter between his body and the wall.
His strong arms blocked any exit. I was trapped.&
Lucas I snapped, anger rising. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? You said you loved Emily and wanted a life with her. I let you go gave you what you wanted. So why are you showing up now?”
Lucas’s eyes dimmed with a sadness that almost looked sincere. He leaned in slightly, his voice low.
“Zoe… I told you, I miss you. I regret everything I did. I can’t stop thinking about you. If you give me just one more chance, I’ll go back and divorce Emily today–right now.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
“What do you take me for?” I spat. “Some toy you can toss aside and pick back up when you’re bored?“N
He had completely lost his mind.
I seized the moment when his arm shifted slightly and ducked down, trying to slide beneath him. But he was quicker.
He caught me mid–motion and wrapped his arms tightly around me and our daughter.
“Let go of me!” I shouted, struggling fiercely. But his strength dwarfed mine, and no amount of resistance could break his grip.
My daughter started crying softly, frightened and confused. I quickly covered her eyes and whispered soothingly, “Don’t look, sweetheart. Just stay still.“&
Lucas gently touched her head, his hand trembling. “She’s beautiful,” he murmured. “If we had children… they would’ve looked just like her, wouldn’t they?”
I froze. My voice came out cold, laced with controlled rage.
“Children?” I hissed. “You remember children now? Where was that when you were drugging me with pills that made pregnancy impossible?”
His face paled.
He opened his mouth to speak–but before a word came out, he was on the ground.
“Miss Zoe, are you hurt?!” Nathan’s voice thundered as he appeared out of nowhere.
Lucas didn’t even see the punch that sent him crashing to the pavement.§
“Throw him out!” i ordered, holding my daughter close. “And don’t let him show up here again!“↓
Nathan gave a short nod. His eyes, usually calm and respectful, now burned with fury.
“You dared to hurt her?” Nathan growled. “You walked into your own punishment.“>
Without mercy, Nathan began pummeling Lucas with mechanical precision–punch after punch, a flurry of knees and fists, each strike punctuated by cold anger.
Lucas barely had time to shield himself. He curled into a ball, arms over his head, whimpering from the pain. He couldn’t even cry out.
Inside the house, I sat my daughter down and held her close until she calmed. But I knew this wasn’t over.
I couldn’t keep hiding.
The line had been crossed. And I had to strike back.
I stepped outside, calm and resolute. My fingers tightened around my phone as I dialed a number I had long left unused.
“Zachary,” I said when he picked up. “Lucas found me. Move the plan forward. No more delays. No more giving them hope.“\ Zachary’s voice came alive with energy. “Finally, I’ve been waiting for this day. Don’t worry–soon, they’ll know true despair.”
I felt a weight lift from my chest.
Outside, Nathan finished delivering his brutal message and dragged Lucas’s battered body to the far edge of the property. Lucas lay on the cold ground, face swollen, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His breath was ragged, his limbs barely responding.
2402
Sody te speed to faded sample stand of soft poliden tard
9:01 AM
