Chapter 1: The Accident
Victor Blackwood had signed a deal that morning.
He should have been celebrating.
Instead, something pulled him home early.
A feeling he couldn't name. A weight sitting just behind his ribs.
At hundred-million-dollar deal at 9:17 that morning.
By noon, he had abandoned the noon, Victor leaned forward in the back seat of his car celebration.
He couldn't explain why.
There had been champagne.
“Turn around, Marcus.””
His driver glanced at him through the mirror waiting in the conference room. His.
“Back to Blackwood Manor, sir?””
“Yes.””
“Should I call ahead?””
Victor looked out partners had been laughing, already discussing where they would celebrate that evening. at the Manhattan skyline disappearing behind them.
“No.””
He never called ahead when he trusted someone completely Victor had stood beside the forty-second-floor.
Forty minutes later, Victor stepped through the front doors of his mansion.
The silence hit him first.
No television windows overlooking Manhattan and felt something cold settle.
No footsteps.
No Noah racing across the marble shouting, “Daddy behind his ribs.
“Cancel lunch,” he told his assistant.
“Victor,!””
Then he heard it.
A small, broken cry.
Victor froze the board is waiting downstairs.””
“Cancel it.””
Twenty minutes later, he was in the.
Another cry came from the sitting room.
He moved fast back of his car.
“Home,” Victor told his driver.
The.
He pushed open the door—
And his world stopped.
Noah lay curled on the marble floor.
His man glanced at him in the mirror.
“Sir? I thought you three-year-old son was trembling, one arm pulled tightly against his chest.
“Noah.””
The had meetings until six.””
“So did I.””
Victor stared boy flinched.
Victor felt something cold move through him.
Noah had through the window.
He almost called Serena.
Almost.
But he didn't.
He trusted his fiancée completely.
That was why he never called ahead.
The Black never flinched when he heard his father's voice.
Victor crossed the room and dropped beside him.
“Daddy's here.””
Nowood mansion was strangely silent when he stepped through the front door.
Victor removedah's wet eyes lifted.
“Daddy…”
Victor carefully touched his son's his coat.
“Serena?””
Nothing.
Then he heard it.
A broken little cry.
Victor froze elbow.
Noah screamed.
Victor immediately pulled his hand away.
“Okay. Okay. I.
“Noah?””
Another cry came from the sitting room.
Victor won't touch it.””
He looked up.
Serena Montigue stood beside the window.
Perfect cream dress.
Perfect hair.
Perfect posture.
ran.
He shoved open the door.
And his briefcase slippedShe wasn't rushing toward them.
She wasn't crying.
She was simply watching.
“ from his hand.
Noah was curled on the marble floor.
His three-year-old son's face was wet with tears. One armVictor,” Serena said calmly.
“Thank God you're home. There was an accident.””
was pressed against his chest while his entire body trembled.
“Noah.””
The boy flinched.
Victor stopped breathingVictor stared at her.
“What accident?””
“The nanny was careless. Noah fell.””
“Where.
His son had never flinched from him before.
Victor dropped to his knees.
“Daddy's here is she?””
A pause.
Tiny.
But Victor noticed it.
“I fired.””
Noah's lower lip shook.
Victor carefully touched his her.””
“You fired Evelyn?””
“She was responsible shoulder.
“Can you look at me?””
Noah slowly raised his face.
Victor's stomach twisted.
There was fear in those eyes.
Not ordinary childhood for this.””
Victor looked back at Noah.
Evelyn Carter had cared for Noah since he was six fear.
Something deeper.
Victor reached toward Noah's injured arm.
The instant his fingers months old. Noah adored her.
And something else bothered him brushed the boy's elbow, Noah screamed.
“Don't!””
Victor jerked his hand away.
.
Noah wasn't looking at Serena.
He was turning away from her.
Even injured“Okay. I won't touch it.””
He looked up.
Serena Montigue stood beside, he was trying to put Victor's body the tall windows.
Perfect between himself and Serena.
Victor gently lifted him.
Noah whimpered.
Serena cream dress.
Perfect hair.
Perfect makeup.
Her hands were calmly folded.
Victor stared at her.
“Why stepped closer.
“Let me help.””
Noah panicked.
“No!””
His little hand grabbed Victor's is my son on the floor?””
Serena stepped forward.
jacket.
“No! Daddy, no!””
Victor's eyes snapped toward Serena.
“Victor, thank God you're home.””
“Why is Noah on the floor?””
“There was an accident.””
Victor looked atShe stopped.
For the first time, her calm expression cracked.
“Victor, he's frightened because of the fall.””
Victor said nothing.
He carried Noah toward the door Noah again.
“An accident?””
“The nanny lost her temper.””
Victor's eyes lifted.
“What?””
“I heard.
“Call Dr. Bennett,” he told Marcus Noah screaming. When I came downstairs, she was handling.
“Tell him we're coming.””
Serena followed.
“You're taking him him roughly. He fell.””
“Where is she?””
Serena yourself?””
“Yes.””
“I can come.””
“No.””
hesitated.
Barely a second.
But Victor had built anShe stopped again.
Victor turned.
“Find Evelyn.””
Serena's face empire by noticing hesitation.
“I fired her,” Serena said.
“You fired Grace?””
“She hardened.
“I told you, I fired her.””
“I didn't ask whether you fired her.””
Victor's voice dropped.
“I said find her.””
At hurt your son.””
“And you didn't call me?””
“I was going to.””
“You didn't call an ambulance the private hospital, scans confirmed Noah's elbow was fractured.
Dr either.””
Serena's expression tightened.
“I checked him. I thought he was frightened. Bennett stood beside Victor while a nurse settled Noah into more than injured.””
Noah whimpered.
Victor's voice dropped.
“His arm may be broken bed.
“The injury is treatable,” Bennett said quietly.
“But I need to ask something.””
“I didn't realize—”
“Stop.””
The room went silent.
Victor pulled.””
Victor looked at him.
“What?””
Bennett glanced toward Noah.
“Does the explanation out his phone.
“Send an ambulance to Blackwood Manor. Possible you were given make sense?””
Victor's jaw tightened.
“He fell.””
Bennett didn't answer immediately.
“That arm injury. Three-year-old child.””
Serena moved closer.
“Victor, that wasn't my question.””
Victor stared at him.
Then Noah stirred.
“Daddy?””
Victor moved beside the bed.
“I'm here.””
seems unnecessary.””
He slowly looked at her.
“Unnecessary?””
“I only mean weNoah looked toward the closed hospital-room door.
“ have private physicians. Think about the attentionSerena coming?””
“No.””
The child relaxed.
That an ambulance could bring.””
“My son is hurt.””
“Of course. I'm just terrified Victor more than the fracture.
He took Noah's hand.
“Buddy, what happened today?””
Noah's thinking about the family.””
Victor looked down.
Noah had turned breathing changed.
His eyes filled.
“It's his face into Victor's jacket.
And something suddenly became clear.
The closer Serena came, the tighter Noah okay,” Victor whispered.
“You can tell Daddy.””
Noah shook his head.
“Can't.””
“Why?””
Noah pulled Victor closer.
Then, barely loud gripped him.
Victor rose carefully, lifting Noah without touching enough to hear, he whispered:
“She said she'd make Evelyn the injured arm.
Serena reached toward the boy.
“Noah, sweetheart—”
“No!””
The disappear too.””
Victor stopped breathing.
“Too?””
Noah nodded.
Victor's voice scream tore through the room.
Noah buried his face against Victor.
“Don't became almost inaudible.
“Who else disappeared, Noah?””
The little boy looked toward the door.
Then he whispered a let her!””
Victor went completely still.
Serena's hand stopped in name Victor hadn't heard inside his home in almost two years.
“ midair.
“What did you say?”” Victor whispered.
May you like
Noah wouldn't answer.
Serena laughedMommy.””
