Chapter 10 - THE NIGHT EVERYTHING CHANGED
Alexander didn’t move.
The words hung in the air.
“I thought Sophia was dead.”
For a moment, he forgot how to breathe.
“What?”
Lauren’s eyes filled with tears.
“I never wanted you to know this way.”
Alexander stepped back.
“Know what?”
“The truth.”
His voice became colder.
“Three years ago, you disappeared.”
Lauren closed her eyes.
“I didn’t disappear.”
“Then explain.”
She looked at Sophia’s drawing on the wall.
A picture of a family that never stopped hoping.
Then she whispered:
“The night before I left… Sophia was taken.”
Alexander froze.
“What?”
“She disappeared from the house.”
The room became silent.
“I woke up and she wasn’t there.”
Lauren’s voice shook.
“I searched everywhere.”
She swallowed.
“I thought someone had taken her.”
Alexander stared at her.
“Who?”
Lauren looked at him.
“Your mother.”
The accusation felt impossible.
But after everything he discovered...
Nothing felt impossible anymore.
“What happened next?”
Lauren wiped her tears.
“I called Victoria.”
Alexander frowned.
“Why would you call her?”
“Because she was the only person nearby.”
Lauren looked down.
“She arrived twenty minutes later.”
“And Sophia?”
“She brought her back.”
Alexander’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
Lauren nodded.
“She said Sophia had wandered outside.”
“That makes no sense.”
“I know.”
Her voice cracked.
“Because Sophia was terrified.”
Alexander looked toward the hallway.
His daughter was asleep in the other room.
“What did she say?”
Lauren hesitated.
“She said Grandma told her not to tell Daddy anything.”
A wave of anger moved through Alexander.
“What?”
Lauren continued.
“She told Sophia that if she talked, Daddy would go away forever.”
Alexander clenched his fists.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Lauren looked at him.
“Because I tried.”
Silence.
“I called you.”
Alexander’s face changed.
“What?”
“Seven times.”
His stomach tightened.
“I never got those calls.”
“I know.”
Lauren nodded.
“Because Victoria answered first.”
Alexander remembered.
During that time, he had been traveling constantly.
He remembered his mother saying:
“Lauren is unstable.”
“She keeps calling because she wants money.”
“She is trying to manipulate you.”
And he believed her.
Again.
Because he trusted her.
Michael suddenly spoke.
“Sir.”
Alexander turned.
Michael looked at his laptop.
“I found something.”
“What?”
“Phone records.”
He turned the screen.
“Three years ago, the night Lauren left, there were calls made from Victoria’s office.”
Alexander looked closer.
“Who did she call?”
Michael’s expression changed.
“Daniel Cross.”
The attorney.
Again.
Everything led back to the same people.
Lauren continued.
“That night, Victoria gave me an option.”
Alexander looked at her.
“What option?”
“She said I could fight her.”
“And?”
“She said she would make sure I lost Sophia forever.”
Alexander felt sick.
“She threatened you.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell the police?”
Lauren gave a painful smile.
“Because she showed me documents.”
“What documents?”
“Custody papers.”
Alexander looked confused.
“But they were fake.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Lauren shook her head.
“She made it look like you had signed them.”
Alexander closed his eyes.
Three years.
Three years of believing the wrong person.
Then Michael received another notification.
He looked at the screen.
“Sir…”
“What?”
“The old hospital records.”
Alexander turned.
“What hospital records?”
Michael hesitated.
“The night Sophia disappeared.”
He opened the file.
“There was another person involved.”
Alexander stepped closer.
“Who?”
Michael looked up.
“Your father’s old security chief.”
A cold feeling moved through the room.
“Why?”
Michael pointed at the report.
“Because he was the one who reported the incident.”
Alexander read the document.
Then his eyes stopped.
The final sentence was written clearly.
“Child was found unconscious after being given unknown medication.”
Alexander’s face went pale.
“Someone drugged my daughter?”
Nobody answered.
Because they already knew.
May you like
Someone had tried to silence a child.
And that person was still walking free.
