“Mia calm down.”

    b(/bb(/bb( /b

    62

    b35 /bvouchers

    “Where will she take my son? Where will she fucking take my son? Ethan, where?” Mia repeats, her voice breaking as she yanks a jacket from the hanger and throws it on.

    Her hands shake so badly that the zipper gets stuck halfway, but she doesn’t care.

    Tears keep blurring her vision, but she keeps wiping them away with the back of her hand as her eyes dart around the street, searching desperately. Why would Lily do this? Why would her own sister do this to her.

    Ethan was right behind her, still trying Lily’s number over and over, his jaw clenched tight as the calls go unanswered.

    “Mia,” Ethan finally catches up to her and grabs her shoulders, forcing her to stop in the middle of the street. “You can’t run around on foot like this. Let’s use the car. We’ll cover more ground.”

    Mia stares at him, her throat raw from screaming. Her legs wanted to run, to search every corner, every shadow.

    But she knows Ethan is right.

    Mia nods quickly, swallowing hard as more tears slide down her cheeks. Her lips tremble, and when she tries to speak, her voicees out in a broken cry. “Ethan—”

    “We’ll find him,” Ethan says firmly, pulling her into the car. His voice was steady, but his eyes gave him away. He’s worried too. Still, he keeps his tone strong for her sake. “We’ll find him, okay? Lily loves him too much to hurt him. She won’t hurt him.”

    “You don’t know that!” Mia sobs, her hands flying to her head as if she could hold her skull together before it explodes from the pressure of fear inside.

    She feels like she can’t breathe, her baby. Her whole world was out there with someone she no longer trusted.

    She nces around even as Ethan drives, her eyes scanning sidewalks, alleyways, parks, anywhere. Like maybe she would see her baby’s little face pressed against a window, maybe hear hisugh.

    But he’s not there. He’s nowhere.

    “I’ll call the police,” Mia says suddenly, her hand reaching for her phone, her tears falling so fast she can barely see the screen. “I have to, I have to call them.”

    “Not yet,” Ethan says quickly, one hand on the steering wheel, the other reaching to stop her from dialing.

    Mia turns on him instantly, her voice rising, sharp and wild with panic. “What do you mean not yet?” she

    demands.

    “Mia, I told you-”

    b13:10 /bFrib, /bbSep /b12

    b62 /b

    35 vouchers

    “He took my son, Ethan!” she screams, clutching her chest as if her heart is about to rip out. “What if she does something stupid to him? What if she-” Her words cut off in a sob.

    He shakes his head. “Firstly, let’s check the favorite ce she likes taking him to. Think, Mia. Maybe she just wanted some time with him before you leave with him. Maybe that’s all it is. She’s emotional. You both are. She probably just wanted to hold him a little longer.”

    Mia’s face twists with disbelief, with pain. Her voice is hoarse, her tears relentless. “How does that even make sense, Ethan? This isn’t taking him out to the park. This is kidnapping.”

    “She is his aunt,” Ethan says softly, almost pleading. He’s trying to calm her down, but the words only pour more fuel on the fire.

    “I don’t care!” Mia shouts, her voice cracking, her hands balled into fists against herp. Her whole body trembles.

    She stares out the window, her eyes searching the city rushing past them, but her vision is clouded with tears. “I’m never letting her near my son again, Ethan. Never.”

    Her voice breaks on thest word, and she covers her face with her shaking hands. Her chest feels like it’s splitting apart.

    Every second that ticks by is another second her baby is away from her. Another second Lily is holding him, another second he might be crying for her.

    “Aunt Lily, where are we going?”

    She kisses his hair gently, brushing her lips against the soft curls. “I’m gonna take you to meet someone important, love.”

    “Why didn’t Mommye with us?” Aiden asked, tilting his little head back so he could look up at her. His eyes were wide, innocent, and so full of trust it nearly broke her.

    “Mummy will join uster,” she whispered quickly.

    Aiden stared at her, those big round eyes searching her face for answers. Then, after a moment, he nodded. Just like that, No more questions, no arguments, no fight. That was the thing with children his age, if you said it with enough confidence, they believed you.

    Lily pressed her lips together, holding back the sting of guilt.

    bHe /bdeserves the world. He deserves more than hand me–downs

    He deserved to have his father in his life, to have someone powerful in his corner, Someone who could give him everything Mia alone cannot

    And his father…..God, his father is freaking rich. He will give his little nephew the best life that he bdeserves/b.

    Lily’s arms tightened around him. She was so tired of watching her sister suffer, tired of bseeing /bMia pretend

    13:11 Frib, /bbSep /b12

    she bwas /bfine when everyone could see the cracks she tries to hide everyday.

    b62 /b

    55 vouchers

    Mia cried herself to sleep more nights than she cared to admit, always whispering about wanting a better life for her son, wanting him to go to a good school, wanting him to be happy.

    How could she want all that and yet refuse to let him have it? How could she keep him hidden from his father, when the man was a freaking billionaire?

    Yes it’s not her decision to make for him… oh well she did already.

    She sighs…

    She won’t lie, sometimes she understands Mia. The fear, the trauma and the bitterness. But the rest of the time? No. She didn’t.

    She doesn’t understand why she will be running away from the one person that can give her and Aiden a better life and protection.

    God her sister is fucking different from her. If she was in her position her son will neverck anything

    That’s the thing that has always made her stand out from the rest of them.

    God, Mia will hate her for this…. Maybe forever.

    But one day, maybe years from now, maybe when Aiden was older and living the life he deserved, Mia would look back and realize she had been right.

    Maybe she would even thank her. Or maybe not. Either way she was ready to bear the consequences.

    The cab slowed, and the moment her eyesnded on the tall ss skyscraper ahead, she knew they had arrived.

    Her chest tightened… There it was, the building that held the man who had no idea he had a son.

    “Please stop us here,” she said quickly to the cab driver.

    The car pulled to a stop, and Lily’s hands trembled slightly as she dug into her purse, pulled out the fare, and handed it over.

    She forced a polite smile, though her stomach felt like it was in knots.

    “Thank you,” she murmured before pushing the door open.

    She steps out, bncing Aiden carefully on her hip.

    The boy clutched her dress in one hand, eyes darting around with curiosity. “Big house,” he said softly, pointing at the massive building in front of them.

    Lily let out a shakyugh. “Not a house, love. It’s… it’s something bigger.” She kissed his cheek, her heart aching.

    13:11 Fri, bSep /b12

    b62 /b

    55 vouchers

    They stood on the pavement for a moment, surrounded by the bustle of people rushing in and out.

    There was no going back now.

    She adjusted Aiden on her hip, and with shaky steps she headed toward the wide ss doors.

    She has no idea if they will even allow her to see him but she will wait, she will do everything possible for Aiden to meet his father today.

    Her sister has to stop running, it’s enough already

    She entered inside and approached the front desk, and to her surprise they told her they will inform the CEO.

    Just like that?

    “I’m sorry Mia”

    iA/i/N

    Guys I wanted us to also know Lily’s pov….

    Are her reasons justified or not?

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