Chapter 3 - THE EARLY MORNING AMBUSHAt 6:30 a.m., Ethan’s town car parked three houses down from Maya’s rented craftsman home. The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp pine and wet pavement. He didn't wear his signature tailored suit; instead, he wore a dark charcoal sweater and wool slacks, looking less like a billionaire titan and more like a man stripped of his armor.
He watched from the tinted window as the front door opened.
Maya stepped out first, wearing a simple beige trench coat, balancing a canvas tote bag and a lunchbox. Then came Noah, wearing a little red dinosaur backpack that bounced against his shoulders as he skipped down the wooden steps.
"Hurry up, Noah, we're going to miss story hour at the library," Maya called out, though her voice was laced with gentle amusement.
Ethan’s hand gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. Every instinct screamed at him to open the door, run across the street, and pull them both into his arms. But the memory of the sheer terror in Maya’s eyes outside the hotel kept his boots glued to the floorboards.
She knew he was coming. People like Ethan Seo didn't just walk away once a puzzle piece clicked into place.
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As Maya strapped Noah into his booster seat in the back of her silver crossover, she paused. Her head snapped toward the end of the street. Her eyes locked directly onto his town car.
She didn't wave. She didn't yell. She simply froze, her face draining of all color, before slamming the car door shut with a sharp, echoing bang.
