"Is she still dreaming, not facing reality?" Ben thought.

"No, please... he's just a child, he doesn't understand. Don't hold anything he said against him," Jamie shook her head repeatedly, desperation in her voice.

Her only wish now was to stay as far from Ben as possible, never to see him again. She didn't want any connection to him, least of all his help.

Charlie looked at them, utterly confused.

"I'm heading back to the office now, but in three hours, I'll be home to wrap up this case," Ben said, turning to Jamie with an intense gaze. "I expect to see you there when I return. If not...well, I know which hospital room your son is in. And don't forget your sister, either. Just where do you think you could hide?"

had

of the room, he opened his hand to reveal a single strand of hair, plucked from

her arms tightly around Charlie, silent tears

just came in and asked who my dad was. At first, I thought he was a bad guy, but then he showed me a picture of you two together. You looked so happy in that photo," Charlie said innocently, sharing whatever

the day she accepted that check, she had deleted every trace of their past photos, hoping to erase him from her life completely.

tears. "Did that man hurt you? If

brought a faint smile to her lips, though she

toward her could easily extend to Charlie. If Charlie angered him, who knew what he

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