Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Nineteen
Daniel’s POV
I stared at the text, my heart pounding in my chest.
I got up quickly, throwing on a shirt and a pair of shorts before dialing Mike’s number. I slipped out of the bedroom and quietly made my way to the main door, hoping not to wake Venessa. As the call connected, I couldn’t keep the urgency out of my voice.
“What’s the news, Mike?” I demanded.
Mike had been the only one still actively searching for Tasha, even after all this time. I’d instructed him to keep looking, but so far, every lead had turned up empty.
“Sir,” he began hesitantly, “she left the country.”
I froze, my mind racing. “What do you mean she left the country? You said you found her!” My voice rose, anger and frustration bubbling up. I was on the verge of losing it, ready to unleash my fury on him for giving me false hope.
But just then, the elevator chimed open, pulling my attention away.
I was caught off guard by the sight of a small figure stepping out of the elevator. My initial frustration evaporated, replaced by confusion as I watched the child, a boy no older than five, cautiously approach.
“Oops, sorry,” he muttered, looking up at me with wide, uncertain eyes. It was strange; I hadn’t seen any kids in this building since I moved into this apartment.
“Hey, little one,” I called out gently, trying not to startle him. “Are you lost?”
He nodded hesitantly, his gaze shifting nervously around the hallway. “Yes, sir. I thought I… I…” He stammered, his small voice trailing off, clearly overwhelmed.
“Okay, it’s alright,” I interrupted softly, moving closer. I bent down on one knee to get on his level, trying to appear as non–threatening as possible. “What’s your name?” I asked, keeping my voice calm and reassuring.
The boy hesitated for a moment, as if he was unsure whether to trust me or not. His small hands fidgeted with the hem of his shirt before he finally spoke up. “Ethan,” he said quietly, almost in a whisper,
“Ethan, huh?” I repeated with a small smile, hoping to ease his nerves. “Well, Ethan, it’s nice to meet you. My name’s Daniel. Do you know where your parents are, or where you stay?”
He looked up at me with wide eyes and managed to squeak out, “15,”
I raised an eyebrow, trying to decipher what he meant. 15, huh?” I repeated. “Do you mean floor 15?”
He nodded quickly, clutching my hand even tighter, I glanced at the elevator panel and realized we were on the 25th floor. “Looks like you pressed the wrong button and ended up on the wrong floor,” I said, giving him a reassuring smile.
Ethan’s eyes grew even wider, and he looked down at his feet. “I… I was just trying to go back,” he mumbled, his voice small and uncertain.
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Chapter Nineteen
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“It’s alright,” I said quickly. “Happens to the best of us. Let’s go back to floor 15, shall we? I’m sure your mum will be worried sick by now.”
He nodded, relief visibly washing over him as he realized he wasn’t as lost as he thought. I led him back to the elevator, pressing the button for floor 15. As we descended, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu. This little boy felt oddly familiar, though I couldn’t quite place why.
The elevator doors opened on the 15th floor, and we stepped out. “Alright, Ethan, let’s go find your apartment,” I said, holding his hand as we walked down the corridor.
We walked through the corridor toward the door Ethan pointed out, noting that it was slightly ajar. Ethan pushed the door open and stepped inside confidently. Thank you, Mister,” he said, glancing back at me with a small, grateful smile. “Mommy’s not here. She went to get some groceries.”
I watched him for a moment, frowning slightly at the open door and the empty apartment. “She left you all alone?” I asked, unable to hide my concern. What kind of mother leaves a small child like Ethan alone in a place like this? New York was full of surprises, and not all of them were good. Anything could have happened while she was out.
“Mommy said she’d be back soon,” Ethan replied, wandering into the living room like this was all perfectly normal.
I couldn’t help but feel a surge of annoyance mixed with worry. Sure, this was Manhattan, but it wasn’t exactly the safest city in the world. A little boy left alone? What was she thinking?
Ethan noticed my frown and added quickly, “Mommy usually doesn’t go far. She always tells me to stay put and wait for her.”
“Still,” I muttered, more to myself than to him. “Leaving a kid alone in a big apartment like this…”
I stepped further into the apartment, looking around. It was well–furnished, neat, and gave off an air of temporary living, like someone was only planning to stay for a short while. It made me wonder if they were new to the city, or if they just liked moving around a lot. My gaze fell back on Ethan, who had plopped down on the couch, kicking his legs absentmindedly.
“You shouldn’t open the door to strangers, you know,” I said, trying to sound gentle but firm. “Not everyone is friendly.”
Ethan nodded, looking up at me with wide, innocent eyes. “But you helped me,” he said simply. “And you don’t look like a bad guy.”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “That’s not the point,” I said. “You can’t always trust appearances.
He nodded again, though I could tell he didn’t fully understand. How could he? He was just a kid. “Alright,” I said after a moment, “let’s wait here until your mom gets back, okay?”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, snapping me out of my thoughts. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen, It’s Venessa: Hey babe, where are you? I need you right now. I stared at the message, feeling a familiar mix of irritation and obligation. Venessa had a knack for needing me at the most inconvenient times, but that was just her way.
I looked over at Ethan, who was now fiddling with a toy car he’d pulled out of his pocket. The kid had
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Chapter Nineteen
managed to wander up ten floors without realizing it, and his mother still wasn’t back. I couldn’t just leave him here alone. But Venessa wouldn’t take kindly to being ignored either.
Taking a deep breath, I knelt down beside him. “Hey, Ethan,” I said gently, “I need you to do something for me.”
He looked up, his big eyes full of curiosity. “What is it, Mister?”
I took out a pen and a small notepad from my jacket pocket, quickly scribbling down my phone number. Tearing the page out, I handed it to him. “Here’s my number,” I said, pointing to the telephone on the side table. “If your mommy isn’t back in the next few minutes, you call me, okay? Just pick up the phone and press these numbers.”
Ethan stared at the paper, his small fingers tracing the numbers with fascination. “Okay,” he said slowly, nodding as if trying to memorize every digit. “I’ll call you.”
“Good boy,” I said, ruffling his hair lightly. “Now, stay put, alright? Don’t open the door for anyone else.”
He nodded earnestly, clutching the paper in his hand. I stood up, glancing toward the door. I couldn’t Ignore Venessa any longer. She was already on edge lately, and the last thing I needed was another argument.
“Okay, Ethan,” I said one last time, giving him a reassuring smile. “I’ll see you soon if your mommy doesn’t come back right away.”
As I made my way to the elevator, I sent a quick reply to Venessa, trying to keep the irritation out of my
tone: On my way.
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