Page 29 of Beautiful Envy

Even though I know why I did, now I wonder if I hadn’t, if I would’ve stayed away so long. Maybe that was the point.

Things are changing, though. I feel different. I feel stronger.

I’m getting to be the Darcie I always believed I was.

I hope you get to meet her. I think you’d love her even more.

Love,

Darcie

CHAPTER 10

Darcie

I spent an hour searching the MCD database before giving up. Maddox hadn’t logged into the server for a while. I spotted a few entries from my father, but as usual, none were for me. I didn’t know if it was frustrating or comforting knowing he was checking in on me. I wished he’d reach out and speak with me. Maybe then I could process some of the anger I had toward him.

Tossing my tablet onto the bed, I lay back with a groan.

“Everything okay?” Brooks asked from the doorway.

I turned my head, taking him in. I smiled at him, beckoning him in.

“I’m trying to find Maddox. I looked through our database, but he hasn’t been on in years. I don’t know what to try next.”

Brooks smirked, walked closer to me, and sat on the bed. “May I?” he asked.

Nodding, I leaned up on my elbows as he picked up my tablet. He typed in a few things before stopping to look at me.

“Last name?” he asked.

“King.”

“Do you know what state he was in last?”

“Georgia, I believe.”

He hit a few more keys on the tablet and then turned it toward me. “That him?”

I sat up, grabbed the tablet, and stared at the mugshot. I swallowed, nodding. “How? Where?” I asked, glancing up with tears in my eyes. It was overwhelming having found him.

“There’s actually a prison database. You just need their name and state, and you can find anyone.”

“Oh.” My cheeks heated, the obvious solution staring me in the face.

“Don’t be embarrassed. It’s cute you didn’t know. Means you’ve never had to use it before.”

I wiped my eyes, nodding. “Thanks, Brooks.”

“Of course.”

I glanced back down, reading the information. “Wait, does this mean he’s out?” I asked. Turning the tablet around, I pointed to a line. Brooks peered closer, his brows furrowing as he concentrated.

“Hmm, it could be a couple of things. He might have just been transferred. But it doesn’t look like he’s in that prison anymore.”

The hope I had sank as I faced another dead end. If he was out, why hadn’t he come to me? Despite knowing he had no idea where I was, our love felt like something you could feel at times, manifesting a path from me to him.

“At least I know.”

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