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Chapter Thirty Three
Now everything was different.
Just as he started the car, Venessa came walking down the street, her steps slower than usual. She glanced around, clearly trying to keep her cool after what had just unfolded. Daniel pretended not to notice her approach until she slid into the passenger sit.
He glanced over at Venessa in the passenger seat. She was still fuming, rubbing her cheek where Tasha had slapped her. Daniel hadn’t asked any questions about the altercation, and Venessa hadn’t offered any explanations, only muttering something about “that woman” under her breath. Venessa was clearly trying to compose herself, but Daniel couldn’t focus on her right now. His mind was too occupied with what he had just discovered.
“You okay?” he asked absently, breaking the silence between them.
Venessa shot him a look, her face still red with anger. “I’m fine,” she lied, her voice sharp. “Can we just go? I’m done here.”
Daniel nodded slowly, though his mind was far from the present moment. He started the car, but his thoughts were entirely consumed by Tasha and the child she had so fiercely protected. He glanced in the rearview mirror, catching one last glimpse of their apartment building as they drove away, wondering if his life was about to change in ways he never imagined.
***
Back at the apartment, Tasha paced the floor, still trembling with anger. She couldn’t believe Venessa had the nerve to grab Ethan like that, to speak to him the way she had. Her heart ached just thinking about how scared Ethan had been, how his small hand had trembled in hers after she had pulled him away from Venessa’s grasp.
Claire, sensing Tasha’s agitation, approached her carefully. “Tasha, what happened out there? You’re shaking.”
Tasha stopped pacing for a moment, trying to calm her breathing. “It’s Venessa,” she spat, the name bitter on her tongue. “She grabbed Ethan, called him a… called him something awful. I just… I lost it. I slapped
her.”
“You did what?” Claire’s eyes widened, though a small, approving smile crept onto her face. “Good for you! That woman deserved it. But what was she even doing around here?”
“I have no idea,” Tasha muttered, running a hand through her hair in frustration. “And I don’t care. I just want her to stay away from us. From Ethan.”
Claire frowned, leaning against the counter. “You don’t think she’s up to something, do you?”
Tasha paused, her heart sinking at the thought. Venessa had always been trouble, but this felt different. There was something more sinister about her presence here, something that didn’t sit right with Tasha. But she couldn’t put her finger on it.
“I don’t know,” Tasha admitted quietly. “But I have a bad feeling about it.”
Before Claire could respond, Ethan appeared in the doorway, his face still red from crying. “Mom?” he said in a small voice. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to get in trouble.”
Tasha’s heart broke all over again. She rushed over to him, pulling him into a tight hug. “No, sweetheart,”
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Chapter Thirty Three
she whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You didn’t do anything wrong. None of this is your fault, okay?”
Ethan nodded, his arms wrapping around her waist. “But she… she hurt my arm,” he said, his voice wavering.
Tasha’s hands clenched at her sides. “I know, baby. I know. But she’s not going to hurt you again, I promise.”
She glanced up at Claire, who gave her a knowing look “Come on, Ethan,” Tasha said gently. “Why don’t you go wash up? We’ll have dinner soon, okay?”
Ethan nodded again and padded down the hallway toward the bathroom, leaving Tasha and Claire alone. “I swear,” Tasha said, her voice low with fury. “If she ever comes near him again…”
Claire reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Tasha, you need to calm down. Venessa’s not worth it. We’ll figure this out, but right now, Ethan needs you to be strong.”
Tasha nodded, though the fire in her chest refused to cool. “You’re right,” she said softly, but her mind was already racing, trying to figure out what Venessa could possibly want. There was no reason for her to be in this part of town unless… unless it had something to do with Daniel.
But how?
Tasha shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away. She didn’t want to think about Daniel right now. Not after everything that had happened.
Meanwhile, Daniel drove in silence, the weight of the revelation settling over him like a heavy fog. Venessa sat beside him, still fuming but clearly too preoccupied with her own thoughts to notice his distraction.
But Daniel couldn’t stop thinking about Tasha. About Ethan. About the possibility that her life had changed forever.
Because if Ethan was his son… everything he thought he knew was about to be turned upside down.
And he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that.
