Chapter 4 - The Unstamped Envelope Brings Terror To My Doorstep
Back inside our quiet Queens apartment, the heavy locks clicked shut as I locked out the rest of the cruel world. I leaned my back against the wooden door, sliding down onto the floor as the emotional weight of the park encounter finally crushed me.
My sister Maya rushed out from the kitchen with a worried expression, kneeling down beside me to check if I was shaking. “What happened out there, Elena? Did Sebastian try to take the children from you?” she asked anxiously.
I shook my head slowly, pulling the unstamped envelope out of my coat pocket with trembling fingertips. “He didn't know, Maya... for four years, he genuinely believed I walked away and abandoned him,” I whispered through my tears.
Maya took the envelope from my hand, sliding out the photocopy of my first pregnancy letter stamped with red ink. DO NOT DELIVER. Her face drained of all color as she recognized the ruthless corporate seal of Vale Tower.
“Daniel Mercer and the grandfather orchestrated this entire nightmare to keep Sebastian isolated,” Maya realized in horror. I pulled my knees up to my chest, staring at the dimly lit hallway where my three sleeping children lay in their beds.
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“Sebastian is going to tear his family apart looking for answers, and we are right in the crossfire,” I said with a shudder. Maya wrapped her arms around my shoulders, offering a fierce, protective warmth against the gathering storm.
“We survived four years without him, Elena, and we can protect the children if he tries to play savior now,” Maya resolved firmly. But as the midnight wind rattled our windowpanes, I knew running away was no longer an option.
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