Chapter 10 - THE WIFE WHO WAS STILL ALIVE
We landed safely just before dawn.
The cabin erupted in applause.
I didn’t.
I sat beside Norah and held her while the aircraft rolled toward the terminal.
She looked out the window.
“Did you save us?”
I kissed her hair.
“The pilots did.”
She smiled.
“But you helped.”
“A little.”
For once, I didn’t need to be the hero.
I needed to be her father.
Authorities met the aircraft.
Passengers were escorted safely.
The suspected tampering was investigated.
Arthur’s network began unraveling.
But I barely cared about any of that.
One thought consumed me.
Elena.
Alive.
Norah noticed something was wrong.
“Dad?”
I looked at her.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
She hugged Teddy.
“Bad?”
“I don’t know.”
I took a breath.
“Mom might be alive.”
Her eyes widened.
“What?”
I almost broke.
“She may have survived the accident.”
Norah stared at me.
Then burst into tears.
I pulled her against me.
“Why didn’t she come home?”
“I don’t know everything yet.”
“Did she not want me?”
My heart shattered.
“No.”
I held her tighter.
“No, bug. Never think that.”
She cried against my chest.
For four years, I had tried to protect her from grief.
Now I had to protect her from hope.
Hope could hurt too.
Elias Ward contacted me two hours later.
Video call.
Gray hair.
Scar beside his mouth.
Older.
Alive.
I stared.
“You son of a bitch.”
He nodded.
“I deserve that.”
“Where is Elena?”
“Safe.”
“Put her on.”
“I can’t yet.”
Anger surged.
“Elias—”
“Listen to me.”
“No.”
He took a breath.
“Arthur isn’t the mastermind.”
“Then who is?”
Elias looked exhausted.
“Elena discovered something bigger than Arthur.”
I tightened my grip.
“What?”
“The trafficking network runs through military contracts, private freight companies, and organized crime families across three countries.”
My stomach turned.
“And you hid her?”
“I helped her disappear.”
“You let me bury her.”
“Yes.”
My voice broke.
“You let our daughter think her mother was dead.”
His face crumpled.
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because Norah was leverage.”
I closed my eyes.
Then Elias said:
“Warren, Elena will meet you.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“Where?”
“London.”
I stared.
“We’re not in London.”
“You will be.”
Then he added:
“And before you come, you need to understand one thing.”
“What?”
“Elena didn’t stay away because she was afraid of Arthur.”
My chest tightened.
May you like
Elias looked directly into the camera.
“She stayed away because she was afraid of what you had become.”
