Chapter 6
Over at the other villa, Chuck was still riding the high of soon–to–be fatherhood. Sharon grabbed his hand, pressing it to her belly, eyes sparkling.
“Feel that? He’s almost here. When can I come home? I’m tired of hiding. I just wanna be with you again–and actually be a
daughter to Mom and Dad this time.”
Tears started pooling. Coraline spun around and hugged her, full of sympathy.
“Just hang in there. Yasmine’s a grudge–holder, but if we keep pushing, she’ll cave. When it’s time, we’ll say you escaped
Nyamara after six brutal years. She won’t blame you.
Sebastian nodded. “Exactly.”
Sharon crossed her arms, scowling. “I’m your real daughter. I’m carrying your actual grandkid. All that old evidence is gone. Why
shouldn’t I come back? That stab? Please. Compared to what she’s stolen from us, it’s barely a scratch.”
She shot Chuck a pouty look. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
Before he could answer, a ringtone cut through the room. Everyone froze.
Unknown number. Chuck exhaled, picked up, and pressed the phone to his ear.
His face went ghost–white. The phone slipped from his hand.
Sebastian and Coraline flinched. Sharon blinked at him. “What is it?”
“My house. It’s on fire.” Chuck grabbed his coat and bolted.
“Yasmine? She’s not still in there, is she?!”
Sebastian and Coraline turned pale, chasing after him.
But when they got there, the place was empty. No smoke. No fire. Nothing.
Chuck lost it. He tore through the house, throwing doors open, yelling Yasmine’s name,
“Yasmine! It’s okay, the fire’s gone! Come out, I’m here! You’re safe now!”
The place was massive, but he tore through it in minutes.
Everything was gone. Even the furniture they’d picked out together–stripped clean. The place looked ransacked.
“Chuck, did you find her? What happened? Where’s all the stuff? Was this a break–in? Is she in trouble?” Sebastian fired off
questions. Chuck didn’t answer.
Coraline rushed over, eyes scanning the room–then froze. A half–burned photo lay in the corner. She knew that album by heart.
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Chapter 6
“Yasmine did this?” Her face went pale, knees wobbling.
Sebastian stepped in, looking rattled. “Did she find out something? Was she doing this out of anger?”
Guilt flickered across his face.
Right then, the neighbor strolled in, phone up, recording everything.
+25 Bonus
He gave Chuck a once–over and scoffed. “So you’re the guy who threw it all away for love? Doesn’t look like it. Dressed all proper, but you conned that girl for years–just to protect your favorite.
“She lost everything. Found out her parents were fake, got stabbed, nearly couldn’t have kids, and then you used your marriage to cover it all up. For what? You couldn’t just tell the truth?”
“You’re not a family. You’re rats. Hiding. Scheming. Filthy.”
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