Chapter 8
Ethan did not search the house himself.
He wanted to.
He wanted to tear open drawers until he found Hannah’s phone.
He wanted to check every room, every cabinet, every closed door.
But leaving Hannah alone with Patricia and Courtney for even one second was impossible.
So he stayed.
He held Owen.
He kept his body between the women and the bed.
He asked Hannah only what she could answer without breaking.
“Did you eat today?”
She looked down.
Patricia sighed.
“She refused food.”
Hannah whispered, “I wasn’t allowed to eat unless I sat up.”
Ethan closed his eyes briefly.
When he opened them, his voice was colder.
“Did you drink water?”
Hannah’s silence answered.
Courtney stared at the carpet.
Patricia said, “This is exaggerated.”
Ethan looked toward the bruises on Hannah’s arms.
Then toward the bassinet.
Then toward the briefcase he had dropped near the bed.
He had spent the week managing operations for a company that measured risk, logistics, and compliance.
But inside his own home, he had missed the most important system failing.
His wife had been isolated.
His newborn had been used as leverage.
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His mother had mistaken his absence for permission.
Read the full story 👉 Ethan wanted to search the house, but staying between Hannah and his family mattered more than finding every hidden piece of evidence immediately.
