Chapter 8
We left Colorado two days after Christmas.
Eleanor cried as we said goodbye.
The children cried too.
"Promise you'll come soon," Noah said, hugging her tight.
"I promise," she said, kissing his forehead. "I'll see you in a few weeks. And we'll have so much fun."
She turned to me.
"Call me when you land. And if Daniel tries anything... anything at all... you call me immediately."
"I will."
As the helicopter lifted off, I looked down at her standing on the lawn.
She looked smaller now.
Fragile.
But also stronger than I'd ever seen her.
She'd found her reason to fight.
Just like I had.
The flight back to Austin was quiet.
The children were tired from all the excitement and emotion of the past few days.
They slept most of the way.
I watched them, their small faces peaceful in sleep.
They'd been through so much in just a few days.
Meeting their father's family.
Confronting the man who'd abandoned them.
Watching him threaten to take them away.
And yet, they were still the same children.
Loving.
Kind.
Brave.
I was so proud of them.
When we landed, my driver was waiting.
Marcus had been with me for five years.
He was more than an employee.
He was family.
He'd been there through the hard early days.
He'd changed diapers.
He'd fixed broken toys.
He'd sat up with sick children in the middle of the night.
He was the closest thing to a father figure my children had ever known.
"Welcome home," he said, smiling as he loaded our bags into the car.
Then he looked at me, and his smile faded.
"You look tired."
"It's been a long few days."
"He actually showed up? At the house?"
"He did. And he filed for custody."
Marcus's jaw tightened.
He'd heard me talk about Daniel over the years.
He knew what that man had done.
"That son of a—"
"Language," I said, nodding toward the sleeping children.
"Sorry. But you know what I mean. He's got some nerve."
"He does. But we'll handle it. Sarah's on it."
Marcus opened the car doors, and we carefully transferred the sleeping children inside.
As he drove us home, he said, "I talked to the security team. We're tightening things up at the house. Extra cameras. More patrols. If he comes anywhere near the kids or the property, we'll know."
"Thank you, Marcus. I appreciate it."
"Anything for you and those kids. You know that."
I did know that.
Marcus was one of the good ones.
When we arrived home, the house felt different.
Quieter.
But also safer.
This was our space.
Our sanctuary.
Daniel didn't belong here.
I carried the children inside, one by one, and tucked them into their beds.
Then I went to my own room and collapsed onto the bed.
For the first time in days, I let myself feel everything.
The anger.
The fear.
The exhaustion.
But also the hope.
The hope that Eleanor would be part of our lives now.
The hope that the children would finally have answers about their father's family.
The hope that we could move forward, stronger than ever.
My phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
I know where you live. I know where the children go to school. You can't keep them from me forever.
I felt a cold chill run down my spine.
Daniel.
I didn't respond.
I took a screenshot and sent it to Sarah.
Then I sent it to Marcus.
Tighten security, I texted. Now.
I set my phone down and stared at the ceiling.
May you like
Daniel was escalating.
And I needed to be ready.
