Daniel had been gone for three years.
No birthday calls.
No Christmas cards.
No child support.
No explanation.
Three years of Noah asking fewer and fewer questions until eventually he stopped asking altogether.
Now he was standing outside John Walker's gates.
Alive.
My first emotion wasn't relief.
It was rage.
"Let me see him."
"No."
John stood in the hallway, blocking my path.
"Move."
"Olivia."
"That man abandoned his child."
"I know."
"He left me with debt in my name. He disappeared. He let Noah think his father didn't want him."
"Which is why you're not going outside while we don't know why he's here."
"I'm not asking permission."
I stepped around him.
John caught my wrist.
Not hard.
But enough to stop me.
I looked down at his hand.
He released me immediately.
"Sorry."
"Don't do that again."
"I won't."
We stared at each other.
Then he said, "I'm trying to protect you."
"I spent years being told control was protection."
His expression shifted.
That landed.
"You're right."
He stepped aside.
"But I'm coming with you."
Daniel was brought into a security room near the entrance.
Two guards searched him.
He looked older.
Thinner.
A scar crossed his chin.
But he was still Daniel.
The man I'd once loved.
The man who'd held newborn Noah and cried.
The man who'd later lied so often I stopped recognizing him.
His eyes found me.
"Liv."
"Don't call me that."
Pain crossed his face.
"Okay."
"Why are you here?"
He looked toward John.
"I need to talk to you alone."
"No."
"Olivia—"
"You lost the right to ask me for anything three years ago."
Daniel lowered his head.
"I know."
"Do you?"
My voice broke despite everything I did to control it.
"Do you have any idea what you did to Noah?"
"I thought staying away kept him safe."
"You thought wrong."
John stood behind me.
Silent.
Daniel looked at him.
"Walker."
"Daniel."
"You found the drive."
John didn't answer.
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"Of course you did."
I stepped forward.
"Why did you put it in Noah's toy?"
"I didn't think anyone would find it."
"You hid evidence from criminals inside something belonging to your baby?"
"I was desperate."
"You were selfish."
"I was trying to get out."
"By blackmailing Caruso?"
Daniel flinched.
So it was true.
"I owed him money," he said. "More than I could repay. I started moving funds for him. Then I realized what he was doing."
"And instead of going to the police?"
"Half the people I could've gone to were taking his money."
John spoke.
"So you stole his records."
Daniel nodded.
"I thought I could trade them for freedom."
"Caruso doesn't trade freedom."
"I figured that out."
I crossed my arms.
"Where have you been?"
"Moving."
"For three years?"
"Caruso told me if I contacted you, he'd kill you both."
My anger wavered.
Not disappeared.
Wavered.
"So you just left us?"
"I convinced myself you'd be safer if I vanished."
"Noah cried for you."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I know."
"No. You don't."
I stepped closer.
"He used to sit at the window when cars pulled up because he thought one might be yours."
Daniel's face crumpled.
"He asked me if he did something bad."
"Olivia—"
"He thought you left because of him."
Daniel covered his mouth.
I wanted that to make me feel better.
It didn't.
"Why now?"
"Because Caruso knows you have the drive."
"How?"
"Eric."
My blood chilled.
"Your brother?"
Daniel nodded.
"He works for Caruso."
John's gaze sharpened.
"Where is he?"
"I don't know."
"Then you're not very useful."
Daniel looked at him.
"I know Caruso's plan."
Silence.
"He wants Walker's shipping terminals. He's been trying to weaken him for years. The drive doesn't just prove his crimes. It proves he's been paying people inside Walker's legitimate companies."
John went still.
"Names?"
"On the drive."
John turned toward one of his men.
"Get Marcus."
Daniel continued.
"Caruso knows Olivia works here. He thinks she gave you the drive deliberately."
"I didn't."
"I know."
"You don't know anything about me anymore."
Daniel looked at the floor.
"You're right."
The door opened.
Noah stood there.
My heart stopped.
Mrs. Harper appeared behind him.
"I'm sorry. He woke up and heard voices."
Daniel turned.
Everything changed.
His face went white.
Noah stared at him.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Noah whispered, "Dad?"
Daniel's knees almost buckled.
"Hey, buddy."
Noah didn't run to him.
That hurt Daniel more than anything I could have said.
My son moved closer to me.
Daniel crouched.
"You got big."
Noah clutched my leg.
"Where were you?"
Daniel looked at me helplessly.
I gave him nothing.
This was his question to answer.
"I made some bad choices," Daniel said.
"Did you go to jail?"
"No."
"Did you die?"
Daniel swallowed.
"No."
Noah frowned.
"Then why didn't you come home?"
There are moments when children cut through every excuse adults spend years constructing.
Daniel had no answer.
Noah's eyes filled with tears.
"You didn't want us."
"No."
Daniel moved forward.
Noah stepped backward.
John appeared beside him.
Noah reached for John's hand.
Everyone saw it.
Daniel did too.
His face changed.
John looked uncomfortable, but he didn't pull away.
Noah held tighter.
"I want to go upstairs."
"I'll take you," I said.
But Noah looked at John.
"You too?"
John's gaze moved to Daniel.
Then me.
"Yeah, kid. Me too."
Upstairs, Noah climbed into bed.
John placed Sir Chomps-a-Lot beside him.
Noah whispered, "My dad came back."
"I know."
"Is he staying?"
John looked at me.
"I don't know."
Noah stared at the ceiling.
"I don't think I like him anymore."
My heart cracked.
"You don't have to decide how you feel tonight," I said.
John nodded.
"Your mom's right."
Noah looked at him.
"Do you have a dad?"
John's face became distant.
"Not anymore."
"Was he nice?"
John was quiet.
"Sometimes."
Noah considered this.
"You're nicer."
John blinked.
Then Noah rolled over.
Within minutes, he was asleep.
Outside the room, John leaned against the wall.
"He's a good kid."
"He's everything."
"I know."
Our eyes met.
Something passed between us.
Something I wasn't ready to name.
Then Marcus came running up the stairs.
"John."
The urgency in his voice shattered the moment.
"What?"
"We found the names Daniel mentioned."
John straightened.
Marcus handed him a tablet.
I watched John's face.
His expression went blank.
"Who?" I asked.
He didn't answer.
"John."
He looked at me.
"One of the people Caruso has been paying is inside this house."
My stomach dropped.
"Who?"
Before he could answer, the mansion lights went out.
Total darkness.
Then came the unmistakable sound of glass breaking downstairs.