Chapter 3 - The Husband Who Disappeared With More Than Her HeartEthan Carter had vanished three years earlier.
He had told Nora he was going to Atlanta for work.
He never returned.
No explanation.
No goodbye.
No money.
No message.
Nora had assumed he left because he'd found another woman.
That would have hurt.
But it would have been simple.
Now she knew the truth was worse.
He had been working for Victor Raines.
Possibly for years.
Declan gave her one hour to process it.
Then he asked:
“Do you want to see him?”
Nora looked at him.
“No.”
A beat.
“Yes.”
Declan nodded.
“Good.”
They found Ethan at an old hotel.
He didn't fight when they entered.
He sat in a dark room with his hands visible.
He looked older.
Tired.
But alive.
Nora stopped in the doorway.
He looked at her.
Then at Lily.
His face changed.
“She has my eyes.”
Nora's voice shook.
“You don't get to say that.”
He looked down.
“I know.”
“You left us.”
“I thought I was protecting you.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Everyone says that.”
Ethan looked at Declan.
“I didn't know he would come after her.”
“Who?”
“Raines.”
“What did you do for him?”
Ethan looked at Nora.
“I stole money.”
“From Walsh?”
“From everyone.”
Nora felt sick.
“The ledger.”
Ethan nodded.
“I took the first copy.”
“Why?”
“Because Raines threatened to kill Nora.”
She stared.
“When?”
“Before Lily was born.”
Nora's hand went to her mouth.
“I didn't know.”
“I made sure you didn't.”
“By leaving?”
“I thought distance would keep you safe.”
“It didn't.”
“No.”
His voice broke.
“It made you hate me instead.”
Nora cried.
“You don't get to choose what kind of pain you leave me with.”
Ethan looked at Lily.
“I know.”
Declan stepped forward.
“Who sent the man to Nora's apartment?”
Ethan went silent.
“Tell me.”
“I don't know.”
Declan grabbed his collar.
Nora flinched.
“Declan.”
He stopped immediately.
He released Ethan.
Then stepped back.
Ethan looked at him.
“You're different than they said.”
Declan's eyes narrowed.
“Who said?”
“Raines.”
“What did he say?”
“That you'd never care about anyone.”
Ethan looked at Nora.
“He was wrong.”
The words unsettled her.
Declan ignored them.
“Who has the missing page?”
Ethan hesitated.
“Your uncle.”
Declan froze.
“My uncle is dead.”
“No.”
“Which one?”
Ethan whispered:
“Patrick Walsh.”
Silence.
Patrick Walsh.
Declan's father's younger brother.
He had supposedly died overseas fifteen years ago.
Nora looked at Declan.
He was completely still.
“Why would he want the ledger?”
Ethan shook his head.
“He doesn't want the ledger.”
“What does he want?”
“You.”
Declan stared.
“Why?”
“Because your father left something unfinished.”
Nora asked:
“What?”
Ethan looked at her.
“A trust.”
The word made Declan turn.
“What trust?”
Ethan smiled bitterly.
“You don't know.”
“No.”
“Then your father really did keep you in the dark.”
“Tell me.”
“The Walsh family had a private trust.”
“For what?”
“The people your father hurt.”
Declan's expression changed.
“Children?”
Ethan nodded.
“Your father had been running an illegal adoption operation.”
Nora's stomach dropped.
“That's where the ledger comes from.”
“Yes.”
“Why keep records?”
“Because he planned to blackmail the families who bought the children.”
Nora felt sick.
Declan stepped closer.
“What did Patrick do?”
“He managed the trust.”
“Where is it?”
Ethan looked at Nora.
“You found it.”
She frowned.
“What?”
“The financial pattern.”
Her heart stopped.
“The code.”
Ethan nodded.
“You've already decoded half.”
“I don't understand.”
“You aren't supposed to.”
He looked toward Declan.
“Your father never intended for the trust to be opened.”
“What happens if it is?”
“Every dollar goes to the families.”
Declan stared.
“And Patrick?”
“He loses everything.”
That night, the hotel was attacked.
Windows shattered.
Men rushed through the hallway.
Declan grabbed Nora and Lily.
Ethan fired back.
They escaped through the kitchen.
Outside, Marcus had cars waiting.
Nora climbed inside with Lily.
Declan joined them.
Ethan climbed into another vehicle.
As they drove, Nora realized something.
“Wait.”
Declan looked at her.
“The man who attacked me wasn't looking for the ledger.”
“What was he looking for?”
“Me.”
Declan frowned.
“No.”
“I remember.”
“What?”
“The man who strangled me.”
She closed her eyes.
“He knew exactly where I kept the page.”
“How?”
“He had seen me work.”
Declan looked at Marcus.
“Who had access to her office?”
Marcus began listing names.
“Security.”
“Executives.”
“Accounting.”
“IT.”
“Who knew her schedule?”
“Her assistant.”
Nora frowned.
“My assistant left six months ago.”
“Name.”
“Julia Grant.”
Declan looked at her.
“Where is she now?”
“I don't know.”
Marcus's phone rang.
He listened.
Then looked up.
“Julia works for Victor Raines.”
Nora closed her eyes.
Every piece was moving.
The bruise.
The ledger.
Ethan.
Raines.
Patrick.
Julia.
Someone had built an entire network around her work.
And she had unknowingly been at the center of it.
Declan touched her shoulder.
She flinched.
He immediately removed his hand.
“Sorry.”
The word surprised her.
A man like Declan did not apologize often.
Nora looked at him.
“Thank you.”
He nodded.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then Lily's voice came from the back seat.
“Mommy?”
“Yes?”
“Mr. Scary is nice.”
Declan looked offended.
“I'm not.”
Lily smiled.
“Yes, you are.”
Nora laughed.
And in the darkness of the moving car, with danger closing around them, she realized she had not laughed in weeks.
Declan looked at her.
The expression in his eyes changed.
Not victory.
Not possession.
May you like
Relief.
As if making her laugh mattered more than it should.
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