Chapter 24
He didn’t expect that. His eyes widened slightly, and for the first time, he looked… uncertain Then he turned sharply and stormed out of the room.
I let out a breath. I would lose everything except Kylie.
I never thought about my father being the reason for this. He was my family. I trust him so needed answers. And I knew exactly where to get them.
Jayson. I found him at his private gym, throwing punches at a sandbag like he was trying to beat the ghosts out of his mind. He looked up the moment I entered.
“What do you want?” he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. “If you come here to punch me again, I told you that she is just my stepsister. Nothing more.”
I walked up to him, fists clenched. “The truth.”
He stilled.
I didn’t wait for him to respond. “You knew why she left, didn’t you?”
Jayson sighed, rubbing his face. “Ryan-”
“Tell me.”
Silence stretched between us. Then, finally-
He nodded.
“I knew.”
My heart pounded. “So it was my father.”
Jayson hesitated, then nodded again.
“He threatened her,” I muttered. “Didn’t he?”
Jayson’s expression darkened. “He gave her an ultimatum. If she didn’t leave you, he’d ruin you Banish you from the family. Strip you of everything.”
A cold numbness spread through me.
“She thought she was protecting you,” Jayson continued. “She thought you’d be better off
without her.”
I exhaled shakily, “I was never better off without her.”
Jayson’s eyes softened. “I know.”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay steady. “Is she still in the hospital? Why did you leave
her alone…?”
Jayson cursed. “Why did you leave her? Didn’t you say you’d take care of her? Was it because you really think that she lied to you? She never loved you.”
“I saw your photos together.”
“Yeah, I was there as her brother. I was taking care of her but I am not fucking her. She loves you yet you stole her child.”
My chest tightened. “Don’t lie to me.”
“I swear,” he said. “I don’t. She loves you so instead of wasting your time. Why not come back to
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her? She begged me not to,” he said quietly. “She didn’t want you to suffer so he was the one suffering now.”
My jaw tightened. She didn’t want me to suffer?
Then why was I dying without her?
turned away, grabbing my phone. “I need to go back to her.”
didn’t waste time. I got on a flight that night to go back to her. Jayson said he hadn’t left the house since and didn’t know whether to go back to me and our baby.
But I was going to bring her home now. It was my fault. My father had really kept all the records and paid my men just to tell me that there was no progress.
By the time I reached the house, my pulse was erratic. I knocked once. No answer. I knocked
gain–louder.
Still nothing. Dread crept into my chest. Something wasn’t right.
tried the door. Unlocked. Slowly, I pushed it open.
The house was a mess–papers scattered, furniture overturned, like there had been a struggle.
And Kylie–she was gone.
My stomach dropped.
