Chapter 100
+25 Points
I gently placed Isabella on her feet and she immediately ran straight into her mother’s arms.
Alice, however, did not look at her daughter. She only looked at me.
Her eyes were cold. They were full of something dark and sharp, like she was staring at her worst enemy. Her face was set in a glare and sneer that was just too uncomfortable.
“What were you doing with my daughter?” She asked trying to sound scary and dangerous
with a low voice.
I took a step back. “Nothing. She found me here. She told me she woke up and you weren’t there.” I told her honestly.
Alice tightened her grip on Isabella. “I will not tolerate you trying to take my daughter from me, Faith.”
I felt my mouth drop open. “Take her? Why would I try to take your daughter? I am not trying
to take anyone from anyone, Alice.”
She sneered. “You already took Astor. Now you are trying to take the only person I have left.”
I couldn’t help it. I rolled my eyes so hard that I saw her look at me annoyed.
“Stop with the drama, Alice,” I said, my voice heavy with tiredness. “That is so ironic, coming from you. You were given everything when we were kids. Gold spoons, perfect parents. I had to grow up with a mother who hurt me every day.”
I pointed a finger at her, even though I knew it was childish. “Maybe instead of crying about being a victim, you should look around and see who really stole what, and from who.”
My words hit her like a rock. The anger in her eyes didn’t fade, but it found a new target,
Isabella.
Alice looked down at the little girl, and my heart dropped. Isabella whimpered, a small, sad sound that felt like a tug on my very soul. That feeling, the immediate need to protect the child was strong.
“Isabella,” Alice said, her voice like ice. “I never, ever want to see you with Faith again. Do you
understand me?”
The little girl just nodded, hiding her face in her mother’s coat.
This was too much, it was ugly and unnecessary. I decided right then that this argument was
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not okay for the kid. I turned my back, ready to walk away and just let the bitter silence swallow me whole.
But Alice wasn’t done.
“Faith!” she called out. The sound was sharp. I stopped, but I didn’t turn around.
“I will not allow you to replace Isabella with your daughter.”
The world stopped.
I felt the blood drain from my face. My knees almost gave out. I stood there, frozen, listening, but hearing nothing.
What did she just say?
I didn’t turn around. I couldn’t. I could only stand still and let the panic sink its teeth into my heart.
My daughter.
Nobody knew. No one except Astor. He told me that we had to hide it from everyone so he wouldn’t have told her.
But then how could she know?
He couldn’t have told her. He knew what was at stake.
A wave of pure terror washed over me. Alice knew about her.
I started running. I didn’t look back to see if Alice was watching. I just ran straight home.
The second I crashed through my front door, I grabbed my cell phone. My hand was shaking so badly that it took three tries to press Astor’s number.
I put the phone to my ear, listening to the ringing, ringing, ringing. He didn’t answer.
My panic went from a cold knot to a full–blown firestorm. I started pacing in the kitchen.
circling the coffee table like a trapped animal. I needed answers now. I needed him and he
needs to know about her.
He’s not answering, he’s not answering.
Just as I was about to scream, the phone vibrated in my hand. Astor was calling back. I snatched it up before the first ring finished.
“Astor! Thank God!” I practically screamed into the receiver. “Alice knows. She knows where
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our daughter is! She just said it to my face!”
+25 Points
Silence. Absolute, deafening quiet on the other end of the line. It felt like hours, but it was probably only a few seconds.
Then, his voice came through calm and collected making me feel like a pyscho.
“Faith. Stop being paranoid.”
The floor disappeared beneath me. “What?” I whispered. The word was raw, scraped out of my throat.
“You must be stressed,” Astor continued, his voice heavy with pity that felt like a slap. “You’re starting to suspect everyone. Alice can’t do something like that. She doesn’t know anything, darling.”
I felt the breath leave my lungs. He was choosing Alice. He was choosing to believe her even before I told him the reason for my suspicion over me, over his own child’s safety.
My heart shattered. I didn’t need to explain anything. The realization that I was alone was clearer than any answer he could have given me.
I don’t know why this comes as a surprise because he has done it time and again and I still can’t get my brain and heart to learn.
Before I could hear another word of his pity and denial, I hit the ‘End‘ button.
The phone dropped to the carpet. The silence of the house was huge. I sank down against the wall, pulling my knees up to my chest.
He didn’t believe me. He won’t help me. it’s quite clear that he isn’t willing to find his daughter as much as I am because if he was then he wouldn’t care who I was suspecting.
A slow, cold fury started to take the place of my fear. Alice knew. I didn’t misunderstand her and I definitely did not hear wrong because I am not paranoid.
I stood up, wiping the tears of betrayal from my cheeks.
I swore it right there, out loud. I will make Alice talk. I will find my daughter.
With or without Astor. I can do this alone.
