CHAPTER 4 – The Man Who Came to Adopt Him
The next morning, Noah sat in a quiet room at Child Services, holding Rex’s leash with both hands.
Across from him stood his uncle, Victor Hale.
Tall. Expensive suit. Perfect smile.
To everyone else, he looked like salvation.
To Noah, he suddenly looked like danger.
Victor knelt in front of him.
“Poor boy,” he whispered. “You’ve suffered enough. Come home with me.”
Rex immediately growled.
Victor’s smile twitched.
“Still keeping that animal?”
Noah tightened his grip.
“He’s not an animal. He’s my family.”
Victor’s eyes hardened for just a moment.
Then he turned to the social worker.
“This dog is clearly aggressive. I don’t feel safe taking Noah unless the dog is removed.”
Noah’s face went pale.
“No!”
Rex pressed against him, refusing to move.
Detective Mara entered just in time.
“The dog stays.”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“Detective, this is a family matter.”
Mara placed the burned report on the table.
“Then maybe you can explain why your name appears in Noah’s father’s investigation file.”
The room went silent.
Victor stared at the paper.
For the first time, his perfect mask cracked.
Then he laughed quietly.
“You have no idea what you’re touching.”
Noah whispered, “Did you kill my dad?”
Victor looked at him.
Not with love.
Not with pity.
But with the cold eyes of a man who had waited six months to finish a job.
Before anyone could move, the lights in the building went out.
Darkness swallowed the room.
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Then Noah heard Victor whisper beside his ear:
“Your father hid something inside that dog… and I’m going to cut it out.”
