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  Selene:

“Oh my God, Selene! Zoning out again?”

Angela’s voice slices through the haze in my mind, snapping me back to reality like a splash of cold water to the face.

I blink, startled, and shift in my seat. “Huh?”

When I meet her eyes, I can already see it. The worry swimming in her gaze. She knows. She always knows when something's off with me.

“Zoning out?” I repeat, forcing a small, unconvincing smile. “No, I— I was totally listening.”

“Oh really?” Angela lifts a brow, arms crossing. “Then tell me…what was the last thing I said?”

My heart skips. Crap.

I open my mouth, searching for anything to say—some clever bluff—but before I can even get a word out, she holds up her hand and sighs.

“Exactly,” she says, shaking her head. “ You weren’t listening. Selene, what’s going on with you? You’ve been so out of it lately.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, but the words rush out anyway.

“How could I not be, Mum?” My voice cracks as I turn to face her fully. “How am I supposed to be okay? It hasn’t even been a week since Maximus found out he has kids with me..and on top of that, I almost died. ALMOST died, Mum. I trusted someone I thought I could love, and they poisoned me. Everything’s just… messed up.”

Without saying a word, she slides closer and wraps her arms around me.

“Baby,” she whispers, “we’ll get through this. I promise. Everything’s going to be okay.”

“You really think so?” I whisper, blinking back tears. “Even the dreams won’t stop, Mom. They’re getting worse. So vivid and so real. And I keep thinking Jess or her mother... or even Maximus might try to take them from me. I’m scared. I don’t want to lose my babies.”

“You won’t,” she says gently, rubbing my back in slow, soothing circles. Then she pulls back to look me in the eye. “But how about you let me give you a little advice? And this time, actually take it.”

“A..advice? What kind of advice?”

She takes a breath. “Now that Maximus knows the truth, I think it’s time the kids do too. Tell them, Selene. Tell them their father isn’t dead.”

I look away, guilt tightening in my chest.

She’s right.

I should’ve told them. I should have. But I didn’t. And now that lie weighs heavier than ever. Deep down, I know it would break me if Maximus actually dies..or something ever happens to Maximus

“So… is that a yes?” she asks softly.

I let out a sigh, shoulders sagging. “I mean… they kind of already knew. They’re smart kids. They always suspected I wasn’t telling the whole truth. They just didn’t understand why.”

“That doesn’t matter,” she says. “They still deserve to hear it from you.”

“Alright,” I mumble, half-smiling. “They’ll be back from school with Nelly soon. I even got them a few of their favorite things. That should soften the blow.”

She grins. “Great! Thank you, Selene.”

“Thank me?” I laugh softly. “No, Mom, I should be the one thanking you. You’ve done so much for me. For the kids. I don’t even know how to begin repaying y-"

My words linger in the air, unfinished, as a sharp ding slices through the room.

I instinctively glance toward the table, my eyes locking on my phone just as a message lights up the screen.

My heart gives a little jump. Could it be Maximus again?

He hasn’t stopped texting since that day. Checking in, sending updates, trying to talk. A part of me hates that I still get butterflies when his name pops up… but it’s the truth.

A soft smile begins to tug at my lips as I reach over and grab the phone, already anticipating something dramatic or maybe even a lame apology.

But the second my eyes land on the number—

And then the message itself—

My smile disappears.

Gone.

My breath catches. I shoot up from my seat, fingers tightening around the phone as I rake a trembling hand through my hair. My heart thuds, loud and fast.

“What the hell…?”

“Selene, what is it?” Angela asks, her voice immediately shifting to worry.

I don’t respond. I just turn sharply and shove the phone into her hands, my fingers trembling. “Read it,” I whisper.

Her eyes dart across the screen, and it only takes a second before she gasps. Audibly.

“I want to know what it feels like not to live with your children for a few days. They’re with me now. In safe hands. Maybe… or maybe not.”

She reads it aloud slowly, her eyes flicking up to meet mine, wide with disbelief.

My pulse roars in my ears. I snatch the phone back, scrolling and rereading the message over and over like it’ll somehow change.

But it doesn’t.

It’s still there. Clear, chilling, and impossible to unsee.

And worse, it came from that same unknown number that’s been sending creepy, unsolicited texts for days.

Angela rises to her feet in one quick movement. “It’s okay, Selene. Don’t panic just yet. It could be someone playing games.. or trying to pull your legs.”

“Pull my legs? I spin to face her, my voice sharp and laced with panic. “With this? Mom, no. This doesn’t feel like a prank. This feels real. Too real.”

“Calm down,” Angela says gently, trying to steady her voice. “They’re with Nelly, remember? She should be home any minute now. No need to—”

She doesn’t get to finish.

The front door creaks open.

We both turn.

Nelly steps in... but she’s alone.

No little footsteps trailing behind her.

No giggles. No backpacks.

Just Nelly. Face pale, eyes wide, hands shaking.

My stomach drops.

“Oh my God,” I whisper, stumbling toward her. I reach for her, grabbing onto her sleeve as panic claws its way up my throat. “Nelly,” I say, voice cracking. “W–Where are Anna and Asher? Are they outside? Please.please tell me they’re just outside.”

Her bottom lip trembles as fresh tears spill down her cheeks. “No, ma. I’m so sorry…” she chokes out. 

I let go of her like I’ve been burned.

My feet stumble backward, my head spinning.

This can’t be happening.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened with Nelly.

“Nelly, what happened?” Angela’s voice cuts in, sharper now, panic rising beneath her calm tone. She steps forward. “You went to the school to pick them up, right?”

Nelly swipes at her face, trying to dry the endless stream of tears, but they just keep coming. “I… I did,” she stammers. “I picked them up. I signed them out with their teachers..everything was fine.”

She pauses, breath catching. “But then… I realized I left my phone inside the building, so I told them to wait by the other side of the building. I ran back in to get it—just for a second. But when I came back out, t..they were gone.”

She chokes on her next words, voice cracking. “A woman said she s..saw them… being bundled into a black jeep.”

My heart stops.

A black jeep?

Wait..no. It can’t be.

“I’m so sorry,” Nelly continues to sob. “I swear I..I didn’t mean—”

But I’m no longer listening.

My body moves before my mind can even catch up. I spin on my heel, snatch my keys off the table, and storm out of the house, brushing past Nelly without a word.

My blood is boiling. My vision is narrowed.

They took my kids.

And I know exactly who did it.