Close to the Truth

Chapter 5

Ethan's POV

"You don't get to decide how far I'm willing to go to protect her."

Olivia's voice sliced through the stillness like a razor, piercing and shaking with hardly subdued wrath. She was a few steps away, her green eyes burning and her hands curled into fists at her sides. She seemed like a force to be reckoned with, a mother who would do everything for her child, despite the obvious raw terror on her face.

I looked at her, not backtracking. "And you don't get to shut me out of this," I shot back. "Whether you like it or not, Amelia is also my daughter."

Her chuckle was icy and sour, but it faltered at the margins, exposing the fragility she was so anxious to suppress. Ethan, you are not able to play the father card right now. Not when you were not there to help her.

"You didn't give me the opportunity," I shot, stepping forward. Though the irritation still flared in my breast, my voice grew softer. "I had no idea, Olivia. Should I possess—

"Don't," she said, shaking her head. "Don't pretend you would have behaved otherwise. You were too busy creating your empire, too busy shattering my heart.

The allegation stung, but I couldn't let it trip us. not now. Not when each second drew us closer to permanently losing Amelia.

"Fine," I answered, sounding low but strong. "Hate me for everything you seek. Share with me all of the blame. We have time for nothing except this, though. Should we not ascertain the preferences of these individuals—"

Her tone faltering, she replied, "They said I have something." But I have no idea what it is. I promise Ethan, I do not—

Then we'll find out, I murmured, cutting her off as I got closer. We will sort things out together. But you really have to believe me.

Her chuckle was hollow, a sour echo in the tight air between us. "Trust you? After all? That is a quite large request, Ethan.

Her comments stayed with me, weighty and relentless, but I couldn't let them divert me. The stakes were too great, the clock running down on whatever sick game these folks were engaged in. Though I wanted to reach for her and close the distance between us so she would believe I was here for both of us, I refrained. not yet.

Rather, I looked toward the laptop on the desk, the grainy still picture from the movie frozen on the screen. Amelia's wide, terrified eyes locked back at me, and my hands closed at my sides.

"We need leverage," I murmured, my voice firm even if the fury inside me was blazing. " Whoever these folks are, they believe you have something worthwhile. Something worth bringing a youngster for. Consider Olivia. Has anything lately unexpected happened? Anyone recently entered your life?

She stopped, her brow wrinkling as she fixed her eyes on the floor. She said at last, her voice almost above a whisper: "I don't know." "I have been utterly preoccupied with Amelia, with work... I never thought of it.

Her speech stopped, and I could sense the uncertainty slinking in, the weight of the circumstances down on her. Though the reality was I wasn't sure whether we could, I wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault and we would fix this.

"What about the messages?" I pressed, my voice more pointed than I had meant. "The ones you have been consistently getting. What did they say?

She raised her head, her eyes flickering with a mix of terror and resentment. "You believe I had not already gone over them a hundred times? They are evasive, mysterious; half of them made no sense at all.

I waved my hand and yelled, "Show me."

She hesitated, clutching her phone as her jaw tightened. "What good will it bring about?"

I pushed my voice to soften and continued, "Maybe something you missed will stand out to me." "Please, Olivia. Allow me to assist.

She grumbled, dragging up the messages and handing me the phone, so momentarily I feared she might reject. My gaze went over the books; every one of them seemed more disturbing than the next.

Here we are observing.

You know our desired outcome.

Running out of time is evident.Who sends these kinds of messages without considering what they wish for? I murmured more to myself than to her.

"Exactly," she responded, crossing her arms. They seem to be engaged in some twisted game.

"Or they're trying to scare you into making a mistake," I added, frowning as a notion occurred to me. "What about your job?" Is there anything related to your clients here?

She blinked, her eyes widening just slightly. "I'm not sure. Possibly? Recently I have worked with some well-known individuals, but nothing appeared unusual.

"Think harder," I said, my voice cutting edge. "We have something missing here." Significantly.

She turned away, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip—a habit I too well remembered. Seeing it set something in me—a great ache I could not ignore no matter how hard I tried. She was quite near, yet there was a gulf between us that seemed insurmountable.

She asked suddenly, her voice gentle but tinged with mistrust: "Why are you doing this?" "Why do you even care?," asos

"Because I lost you once," I said, words flowing out before I could stop them. And I cannot lose you once more.

Her breath stopped, and for a moment she simply stared at me, her eyes looking for something. Apologetic Reality? Not sure, and not sure whether I had to offer.

However, the moment broke then.

The apartment echoed with a tremendous smash, then clearly heard heavy footsteps. Olivia's eyes widened in horror, and I grabbed her arm, pushing her behind me while I sought for the nearest object—a hefty lamp.

"They're here," she said, her voice trembling.

"Stay behind me," I commanded, my tone leaving no space for dispute.

The door flew open, and two men stormed in, their features concealed by masks. One of them raised a gun, and I didn't think—I simply acted. The bulb slammed into his arm, sending the weapon clattering to the floor.

"Run!" I shouted to Olivia, my heart pumping as I lunged for the second man.

Olivia hesitated for a single second, her eyes latching upon mine, before she turned and raced toward the rear door. Driven by adrenaline, I battled the invader with everything I had. Still, I heard it: a scream.

Olivia screams.

My blood raced cold, and I whirled around just in time to see a third man I had not even noticed dragging her out the rear door. The door closed with a bang, and the air filled with tire squealing.

"Olivia! I screamed, my voice unvarnished and frantic.

She vanished, though.

The room whirled while the sound of tires screaming reached me. Everything was quiet for one terrible moment—my heart beating, my breath seized in my throat.

I shot toward the door, but my legs felt like lead. No. Not at all, not once more. Not in her case.

"Olivia! My voice tore raw and urgent across the air. Just in time, I arrived at the door to witness a black van fade into the distance with tails gone around the corner.

As I yanked the door open, the chilly night air stabbed at my skin. My hands shook. She still screamed, and I could still feel the stinging spike of panic striking me in the chest. I felt as though I was drowning in the powerless nature of it all.

She has left. She truly is gone.

Though I had vowed to not lose her once more, I had let her down. Not even had I seen the third man. How could I have been so absolutely negligent?

Ethan, we have to get going. Nathan's voice pulled me back to the here-now. He showed up in the doorway, worried-looking pale. "This is more than you could possibly know."

I did not reply. Already, my head was running ahead, planning the next action. I had to look for her. I had to refuse. I could not part from her. Not as near as I was right now.

You are not going anywhere by yourself. Though Nathan's voice was forceful, I was not paying attention.

Turning on my heel, I rushed back inside the apartment, eyes searching the space for any sign, any damned hint pointing me back to her. Now the room was disorganized, papers strewn, the traces of the battle still hanging in the air.

"Do you observe this??" Holding out a piece of paper ripped from the corner of a notebook, one I had not seen earlier, I questioned. It was folded and only one sentence—She knows too much—was penned in strong, jagged letters.

My heart skipped.

"What does that mean??" With a quiet voice, Nathan asked.

I mumbled, "I'm not sure," my heart sinking. But it speaks to her specifically. And I will find out what.

With hands now stable, I reached for my jacket. We are headed to the office. We have questions, and I am not waiting any more.