Page 141 of Alpha-Ex Wedding Ruse
Her brow furrowed. “Where is who?”
“Where is my son?” Desperation bled through my words. “You’ve made it clear you want to ruin me, and the easiest way would be to take the one thing that matters most—my boy. So, I’ll ask once more. Where the hell is my son?”
Instead of an answer, she clutched her stomach and burst into laughter—loud, sharp, ugly. The sound cut through the still night, echoing across the estate.
“What the hell would I want with that bastard child?”
The word hit me like a slap, but I forced myself to stay focused. “He’s missing. He vanished from school yesterday, and I know you’re behind it.”
She laughed again, colder this time. “You really think highly of yourself, don’t you? You think I’d waste my time kidnapping that little shit? That’s not my style.”
“You were furious when you came to my house. You blamed me for—”
“Because you are to blame for everything!” She stepped down two stairs, wine glass in hand, eyes glittering with malice. “I wouldn’t be stupid enough to mess with Luca’s offspring. He could erase me with a snap of his fingers. If I come after you, it’ll be just you—and you’ll never see it coming.” She took a slow sip, smiling like the devil. “Maybe this is karma. Maybe the universe is finally making you pay for sleeping with my fiancé and ruining another woman’s life.”
I wanted to hit her. My fists curled tight, itching to wipe that smug look off her face. But hitting her wouldn’t bring Ollie home.
I gritted my teeth. “If you’re lying—”
Her eyes flashed. “Don’t you dare threaten me on my property,” shesaid, voice like ice. “Get out before I have security drag you. Get out, you pathetic nobody.”
I turned, my chest burning, my hope in shreds. I had taken only a few steps when her voice rang out.
“Oh, Leila?” she called sweetly. “I hope you never find that bastard child of yours.”
As I walked out of the estate, despair crashed over me in waves. I didn’t know if I believed her. But if Elena didn’t have Ollie…who else did? Who else would want to take the sweetest four-year-old boy in the world?
My heart squeezed. God, he was just a child. He shouldn’t have to go through this. Every second without knowing where he was made my desperation swell, eroding whatever logic I had left. I would do anything—anything—to have my son in my arms again.
The shrill buzz of my phone cut through my spiraling thoughts. Unknown number. I didn’t think twice. I hit the answer.
“Hello?” My voice was frantic.
Silence.
My fingers trembled around the phone. “Ollie? Is that you?”
More silence.
“Ollie?” My voice cracked. “Baby, please talk to me.”
This time, a voice came, but it was distorted, electronically altered. “You want to see your son again?”
I froze in the middle of the road, my pulse thundering in my ears. “Is he okay? Please don’t hurt him. I beg you, I’ll do anything, I promise. Anything.”
“He’s fine. For now,” the voice said, low and menacing. “But whether he stays that way depends on you.”
“What do you want? Money? I’ll get it for you, I—”
“I don’t want your money.” The sudden sharpness in his tone made me flinch. My thoughts jumped to Ollie. He must be terrified, alone.
“There’s an abandoned warehouse on Dock Street. Pier Forty-Seven. Come alone. No police. No Luca. No backup. Just you.”
The way he said Luca’s name, in a familiar way, like he knew him.But I didn’t linger on it. All that mattered was Ollie. “How do I know you have him?”
I heard footsteps, the sound of a door opening, and then—
“Mommy?”
