Chapter 252 In a Peculiar Place

Alexander's POV

"Good morning, Jack. How's your daughter feeling? Better, I hope?" I asked, genuinely interested.

I noticed the surprised look on Jack's face at my cheerful greeting. Had I really been that difficult to work with before?

He blinked, clearly taken aback by my inquiry about his personal life. "She's much better, Mr. Hudson. Thank you for asking."

"Glad to hear it. What's on the agenda today?"

Jack straightened, getting back to business. "Mr. Hudson, do you remember that failed deal with Wise Technologies? The property near Pike Place?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"

"The usage rights for that property," Jack said, placing the folder on my desk, "have been signed over to Hudson Financial Group this morning by their CEO. It's now officially ours."

A warm feeling spread through my chest. Ryan had done this – my son had done this for me! The property was worth millions!

"That's excellent news," I said, unable to keep the smile from spreading across my face.

Jack frowned slightly. "Sir, don't you think it's strange? The way they blocked us before and now suddenly giving us the property? Do you think they have some other agenda?"

I chuckled, leaning back in my chair. "This is a gift from my son."

"Your... son?" Jack looked completely bewildered.

"Never mind," I said, still smiling. "Is there anything else?"

"Not at the moment, sir."

"Then you can go. Oh, and Jack," I added as he turned to leave, "don't forget to continue tracking Scott Brown. When you find him, bring him to me immediately."

"Yes, Mr. Hudson," he replied, still looking confused as he left.

I stared at the contract, running my fingers over the signature at the bottom. Allen – Ryan – my son. Pride swelled within me.

What had I done to deserve such an incredible child? And not just one, but four amazing children.

My phone buzzed with a text from Katherine: [Daniel found Scott's address. Ryan and I are going to check it out. Will keep you posted.]

A frown replaced my smile. Scott claimed to be Katherine's father, who had somehow been involved in the kidnapping of my children.

Worry for Katherine and Ryan trapped me. Chilling worst-case scenarios flashed through my mind.

The thought of them confronting him, or related danger, filled me with helpless dread.

Katherine's POV

I sat in the garden, watching Emma chase butterflies while Ethan read quietly under a maple tree. William was inside, resting after his morning medication.

Ryan sat beside me on the bench, eyes fixed on his tablet. His small face was serious, too serious for a child his age.

"Ryan, you should relax a bit," I said gently. "Don't stare at your tablet all day."

He glanced up, his mature eyes meeting mine. "Mom, don't worry. I am relaxing."

I knew better, but before I could argue, his tablet pinged. His expression immediately tensed as he read the message.

"What is it?" I asked, instantly on alert.

"Daniel found Scott's address," he replied. "He wants to know if we want to check it out."

I nodded immediately. "Text him the address. We'll go right now."

Ryan typed quickly, then looked up at me hesitantly. "Should we... should we tell Dad?"

The question hung between us. I knew Alexander would want to know, would want to protect us. But he also had important meetings today, and this might just be a dead end.

"We'll go first," I decided. "I'll text Alexander to let him know. It's just to check the address – doesn't matter if he can come or not."

Ryan nodded. I quickly arranged for William to be looked after, then texted Alexander.

Within the hour, Ryan and I met Daniel at a coffee shop downtown. His usually warm smile was replaced with a grim expression.

"The place is in a rough neighborhood," he explained as we drove. "It's in the poorest part of the city, with abandoned construction and run-down apartments."

I steeled myself, remembering the comfortable childhood I'd had, so different from what Scott had described. Another lie, probably.

The building was worse than I'd imagined. Crumbling brick, graffiti-covered walls, broken windows patched with cardboard. I clutched Ryan's hand instinctively as we walked up the cracked concrete steps.

"He lived here?" I couldn't keep the shock from my voice.

Daniel nodded, using a key he'd somehow procured to open the apartment door. The smell hit us first – stale cigarettes, mold, and something worse I couldn't identify.

The space was small and dingy, with peeling wallpaper and water stains on the ceiling.

"Looks like he cleared out," Daniel observed, surveying the nearly empty room.

A sagging mattress remained in one corner, a rickety table and chair in another. Everything else was gone.

"He wasn't in a huge rush," I noted, looking at the emptied drawers pulled halfway out. "He had time to pack."

Ryan walked carefully around the room, his eyes scanning everything methodically. He disappeared into the tiny bathroom, emerging with a plastic bag containing what looked like a used toothbrush.

"DNA sample," he explained simply.

I nodded, continuing my own search. Near the door, something caught my eye – an empty coffee cup and napkin from an upscale coffee shop near Pike Place Market. I picked it up, puzzled.

"Daniel, look at this," I called.

He came over, frowning as he examined the packaging. "That's from that fancy place near the market. You need a membership card with a significant deposit just to get in. Why would someone living here have that?"

Ryan joined us, holding several strands of hair he'd collected from the pillow. "That's suspicious. Maybe he met someone there?"

"Or someone brought him coffee," I added, my mind racing through possibilities. "Either way, it doesn't fit."

"We've got everything we need," Ryan announced, carefully sealing the hair samples in a small plastic bag. "Mom, let's go. This place is filthy."

I couldn't argue with that. As we left, I took one last look at the squalid apartment.

If Scott had truly been my father, how could he have lived like this while pretending to care about me?

Back in the car, I texted Alexander that we were heading home. Whatever Scott's game was, we would figure it out together. The thought of "together" with Alexander no longer frightened me as it once had.

After yesterday, seeing him risk everything for our children, something had shifted inside me.

When we arrived home, I went straight to the kitchen to prepare dinner, hoping the familiar routine would help settle my thoughts.

I heard Alexander's car pull up not long after, and the urgency of his footsteps as he entered the house made my heart skip.

"Katherine," he called, coming quickly to my side. "Did you find anything?"

I turned to him, trying to organize my jumbled thoughts. "He's gone, cleared everything out. The place was almost empty. But Ryan found some hair samples we can test."

Alexander's relief was palpable. "Good."

I reached into my pocket, pulling out the coffee cup sleeve. "We found this at his place. It's from that high-end coffee shop near Pike Place."

He frowned, examining the logo with the same confusion I'd felt. "Someone living in that neighborhood shouldn't be able to afford this place."

"That's what Daniel said too. It requires a membership."

Alexander pocketed the sleeve, his expression serious. "I'll look into it. Katherine," he said, his voice softening as he touched my arm gently, "next time, please wait for me. After the kidnapping, I can't bear the thought of you putting yourself in danger."

His concern wrapped around me like a warm blanket. "Daniel and Ryan were with me," I assured him, but couldn't help being touched by his worry. "We were fine."

After Daniel left, Alexander noticed my exhaustion and offered to finish making dinner.

His thoughtfulness was becoming more frequent, more natural, and it awakened feelings I'd been suppressing.

"I'll help you," I insisted, moving back to the cutting board. "By the way, I need to go to the hospital tomorrow. It's been a while since I visited Mr. Garcia. The hospital called me. I want to bring him some healthy food."

"I haven't heard from Selena since we got back from Portland," Alexander commented, his brow furrowing. "She hasn't returned my calls either."

"I'm sure she's busy," I replied, though I detected a slight edge in her voice.

"I'll drive you to the hospital tomorrow," Alexander offered.

I tried to keep my voice neutral when I responded, but couldn't quite manage it.

The thought of Selena always stirred a complex mix of emotions in me – pity for her injury, but wariness of her intentions toward Alexander.

I replied, "No need. It's the weekend – you should stay home and rest. Your wound needs to heal properly."

The truth was, I needed some time to myself, to sort through the feelings that had been awakened yesterday when I saw Alexander risk his life for our children.

The man I'd tried so hard to hate, to keep at a distance, had become someone I couldn't imagine not having in my life.