Chapter 1 - THE RECKONING ON THE PAVEMENTThe town car hissed to a halt against the wet curb of Pine Street. Ethan didn't wait for Daniel to open the door; he shoved it open himself, stepping out into the cold Seattle mist. His chest heaved as if he had just run a marathon. Three years. Three agonizing years of believing he had successfully excised Maya from his life, of hiding behind glass walls, quarterly profits, and the crushing weight of Crestline Automotive.
"Ethan, talk to me," Daniel said, stepping out after him, his face etched with concern. "What happened back there? Who was that woman?"
"My wife," Ethan choked out, his voice raw. "My ex-wife."
"Maya?" Daniel frowned, piecing together the timeline. "But she moved to Portland after the divorce. She cut all ties. Wait... the little boy..."
"His name is Noah," Ethan interrupted, his eyes blazing with a wild, terrifying intensity. "He’s three years old, Daniel. He has my eyes. He has my face. I walked away from her while she was carrying my child, and I was too blind, too arrogant, too obsessed with the boardroom to even notice."
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Daniel swallowed hard. "Ethan, if she's hiding him, she has a reason. You can't just storm into her life—"
"Watch me," Ethan whispered, his jaw clenching so hard a muscle twitched. "Find out where she lives. Tonight."
