Chapter 150
Colton had thought he’d known what rock bottom looked like. He was wrong.
The company was gone. The investors had turned their backs. His name–once synonymous with power and success–was now whispered in the business world like a cautionary tale.N
The last of his high–rise properties had been sold just last week, leaving him in a cramped, two–bedroom apartment with peeling paint and a view of a dumpster.
Days were spent combing through leads on Nadia–most of them dead ends. Nights were restless, haunted by her face, her voice, her absence. He didn’t know if he was searching for her out of guilt, love, or sheer desperation, only that stopping. wasn’t an option.
So when his phone lit up that afternoon, flashing Beatrice’s name, his first instinct was to ignore it.
He stared at the screen, jaw tightening. The last thing he needed was her shrill voice, her drama, her games. He had nothing left to give her.
The call went to voicemail. Almost immediately, the phone rang again.
He was about to silence it when he saw the preview of her message flash across the screen: Maureen is in danger.
His stomach clenched.\
Whatever he felt for Beatrice now–anger, disgust, betrayal–Maureen was still his daughter. And if she was in trouble, nothing else mattered.}
The jail reeked of stale sweat and cold metal. He spotteden first, sitting on a bench beside a police officer, her cheeks streaked with tears. Beatrice was in the holding cell behind her, her hair disheveled, her designer blouse wrinkled and torn.
“Daddy!” Maureen cried, scrambling toward him.”
He crouched, pulling her into his arms. “It’s okay. I’m here now.”
ཚན་ད་དད་གི་ར་གར་འད་ན་དང་པས།
\“\”
“Colton!” Beatrice called out, gripping the bars. “You have to bail me out–these people are insane! It was just
misunderstanding!”
He looked at her, his expression unreadable. “What did you do?”
“Nothing! That parent started it-”
a
The officer nearby cleared his throat. “Mrs. Clarke assaulted another parent during a meeting with the school because Maureen actually fought with a kid in her school. The other party is pressing charges.“”
Colton’s gaze hardened. “You can stay here.“”
“What?” Beatrice’s voice went sharp with disbelief. “You can’t just leave me here!“}
“I can. And I will.” He took Maureen’s hand and started toward the door.
Beatrice’s voice rose, frantic. “Don’t leave me! That’s my child! Maureen, tell him you want me to come too!”
Maureen flinched but didn’t speak. Colton didn’t even glance back as they left.”
That night, in his small apartment, Colton sat with Maureen on the couch. She clutched a mug of hot chocolate in both hands, her small fingers wrapped tightly around the warm mug. Her eyes were still puffy from crying, her cheeks blotchy.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said quietly, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face.”
Maureen looked up at him, her lower lip trembling. “Why did Mommy have to stay there? Is she… bad?”
Colton hesitated. “She’s… not the kind of person you can trust.”
“What did she do?”
He exhaled slowly, his gaze dropping to the carpet. “She hurt someone very important to me. Someone who didn’t deserve it.“@ Maureen’s eyes filled with tears again. “Aunt Nadia?”
“Yes.”
There was a pause. Then, in a whisper, Maureen said, “I’m sorry.”
Colton frowned, confused. “Why are you sorry?”
She sniffled, twisting her small hands together. “Because… I wasn’t kidnapped. Mommy told me to say that Aunt Nadia was bad. But it was Mommy who hurt me.”
Colton fraze, the weight of her words sinking like a stone in his chest. “What?“%
“I just… I just wanted us to be together again,” Maureen rushed on, her voice wobbling. “So I listened to Mommy. Please don’t be mad at me.“@
He closed his eyes for a moment, forcing himself to breathe. The anger that rose inside him wasn’t for Maureen–it was for Beatrice. “It’s not your fault,” he said firmly, meeting her gaze. “You were just trying to do what you thought was right. But you need to know–Beatrice isn’t someone we can trust. She’s the one who’s truly bad.”
Maureen nodded hesitantly, tears slipping down her cheeks.
.
4:04 PM
Maureen nodded hesitantly, tears slipping down her cheeks.\
After a moment, Colton tilted his head slightly. “Why did you get into a fight at school?”
Her eyes widened, guilt flashing across her face. “Because they… they were being mean.“}
“What did they say?” he asked gently.
Maureen hesitated, her little fingers gripping the edge of the blanket. “They said… I don’t have a daddy. And… and that Mommy is a cheater. That she ruined someone else’s family.” Her voice cracked. “They said I’m just like her.””
Colton’s chest tightened. He reached forward, cupping her cheek. “Hey… listen to me. None of that is your fault. Kids can be cruel, but what they said isn’t true about you. You’re nothing like her.“}
Her lip quivered. “But… it still hurt.”
“I know,” he murmured, pulling her into a hug. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.“[
She buried her face in his shoulder, her voice muffled. “I just wanted them to stop.”
“You did what you thought you had to,” he said softly. “But from now on, if anyone says something like that to you, you tell me, alright? I’ll handle it.“}
Maureen nodded slowly, clinging to him.”
“Come on,” he said after a moment, tucking the blanket around her. “It’s late. Get some rest.“}
The next morning, the phone rang just as Colton was pouring pancake batter onto the pan.
“This is regarding the damages caused by Ms. Beatrice.during the altercation,” the officer on the other end said. “We’ll need someone to settle the matter on her behalf.“”
“I have no relation to her.”
“She’s not my responsibility anymore,” Colton replied flats
There was a pause on the line, but he didn’t wait for a response before hanging up.
P
The rest of the day was devoted to Maureen. They had pancakes for breakfast, watched cartoons curled up on the couch, and even went to the park where she chased pigeons across the grass. For a few hours, Colton allowed himself to believe that maybe they could build something normal again–just the two of them.
But that fragile peace shattered in the evening when his phone buzzed on the coffee table.
It was a message from Beatrice: I know where Nadia is. Help me and I’ll tell you.”
Colton stared at the screen, his grip tightening until his knuckles turned white.
