Chapter 3 - The Man in the Rain
Rebecca locked every door.
“Kids, get down.”
Lily pulled Grace below the window.
Ethan slid onto the floor, still gripping the flash drive.
A man stepped out of the SUV.
Rebecca recognized him immediately.
Marcus’s attorney, Victor Hale.
He approached slowly, rain shining on his black coat.
Rebecca lowered the window two inches.
“What do you want?”
Victor glanced toward the back seat.
“Marcus is worried.”
“He should be.”
“He wants the children home.”
“They are home. With me.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“You left without permission.”
Rebecca almost laughed.
“I’m their mother, not a prisoner.”
He leaned closer.
“You took something that doesn’t belong to you.”
Ethan’s hand tightened under the blanket.
Rebecca kept her face still.
“I took my children and two bags of clothes.”
Victor studied her for a long moment.
Then he smiled.
“Marcus will file for emergency custody by morning.”
Rebecca’s stomach turned.
“He hit me.”
“Can you prove it?”
The silence answered for her.
Victor stepped back.
“Bring the children home, and this can remain private.”
Rebecca started the car.
Victor slapped one palm against her hood.
She drove away anyway.
In the mirror, he raised his phone and began speaking.
Lily whispered, “Mom, where can we go?”
Rebecca knew only one place Marcus would never expect.
A women’s shelter on the other side of Columbus.
May you like
But as she turned onto the highway, police lights appeared behind her.
👉 Marcus had promised Rebecca would lose everything if she left—and before midnight, he began making good on that threat.
