Chapter 5
The color drained from Damian's face in an instant. Matthew immediately pressed a finger to his lips, then dropped his voice to an urgent whisper. "She can't find out."
Damian nodded frantically, mouthing silently: "I don't want to leave."
Something in Matthew's chest softened. He glanced at his own clean clothes bundled in Damian's arms, then at the dirty shirt Damian had worn from the Sharp family.
"We'll switch."
"Switch?" Damian blinked in confusion.
"You stay here, be me." Matthew pointed at Damian, then at himself. "I'll go back to the Sharp family, be you."
Damian's eyes lit up like fireworks.
"Matty?" Juliana called from outside the door again.
"Quick!" Matthew wasted no more time, snatching his clothes from Damian's arms. "Remember," he rattled off instructions while buttoning the dirty shirt, "Mommy calls you Matty. Whatever she asks, talk less, nod more. She likes to pat your head—don't flinch."
Damian committed every word to memory.
"I'll hide in the closet—go, now!" Matthew spun around, yanked open the wardrobe door, and slipped inside.
Damian positioned himself at the door and pulled it open.
Outside, Juliana stood holding a small bowl of ruby-red strawberries. "All washed up? Come here, try these strawberries—see if they're sweet enough." She studied the 'Matty' before her, sensing something was off. The boy didn't look as relaxed as usual.
"What's wrong?" Juliana set down the bowl and reached out to smooth his bangs. "Still thinking about what happened today? Don't be scared, it's over now. Mommy's right here."
The instant her fingers touched his hair, Damian instinctively flinched, but immediately remembered Matthew's warning and let that warm hand gently stroke his head.
Juliana's heart melted completely. She figured the poor kid was just shaken up, still recovering from his scare. "Here, have a strawberry." She picked up the biggest one and held it to his lips.
Damian opened his mouth, and sweet-tart juice burst across his tongue—a sweetness he'd never tasted before, flavored with the warmth of home.
"Mommy." The word came out soft, tinged with longing and contentment he didn't even realize was there.
She smiled and fed him another one. "If they're good, have as many as you want."
She didn't notice at all that this 'Matty's' eyes shone far brighter than usual.
Inside the closet, Matthew peered through the crack in the door, silently watching the tender scene unfold. Listening to his mother and brother's soft laughter outside, he quietly clenched his fists. Now, what he needed to figure out was how to get back to that place called the Sharp family in these clothes, without anyone noticing, to meet that man named Lucas—his father. He needed to see for himself what kind of life his brother had lived these past seven years.
The Sharp Estate.
The servants kept their heads down and their breathing shallow, terrified of catching any stray fire.
"Sir, we've dispatched additional personnel for the search. We're pulling surveillance footage from a three-mile radius." The secretary reported from the side.
A black Rolls-Royce glided into the courtyard. The door opened, and an elegantly dressed woman in a custom gown stepped out.
"What's going on? Why is everyone just standing around?" Ashley frowned the moment she entered. "Where's Dami? Hiding from his grandmother the second I get home?"
Lucas's expression remained blank. "Dami was taken."
"What?!" Ashley's voice shot up an octave. "Who has the audacity to mess with the Sharp family?!"
Lucas didn't answer, just held out his phone. In the photo, a radiant woman held a smiling child. The background was a soft blur of greenery, the sunlight just right.
Ashley initially gave it an impatient glance. But when she registered the woman's face, she looked like she'd been struck by lightning, her complexion draining to ghostly white.
The words tumbled out before Ashley could stop them: "This woman—she's not dead?! How is she still alive?!"
The entire room froze in shock.
Ashley instantly realized what she'd said. "No, that's not... I meant..."
"You know her? Who is she?" Lucas startled, immediately pressing for answers.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" She turned away, unable to meet her son's eyes. "Just some crazy woman, Lucas—don't let her fool you! She's just trying to use the child to squeeze money out of the Sharp family!"
Lucas knew his mother was hiding something from him. But right now, that wasn't his priority. He pocketed his phone. "If you won't tell me, I'll go ask her myself."
His assistant had already sent over the address they'd tracked down. Getting Dami back—that was what mattered most. Lucas didn't linger, striding out with purpose.
Meanwhile, at Juliana's apartment.
The instant Juliana and Matty left the bedroom, the wardrobe door cracked open silently. Matthew slipped out. He'd already pieced together most of the situation. He had to go back.
Matthew moved to the window and looked down. Lucas's black Bentley pulled up with an air of menace, stopping right outside Juliana's apartment building. The door opened, and a tall figure stepped out—Lucas.
Matthew froze. Climbing down the rope now would be walking straight into a trap. He quickly untied the rope and opted for a safer plan.
In the living room, Paul and Mary returned from the supermarket loaded down with shopping bags.
"We're back!" Mary beamed when she saw Juliana. "Where's Matty? He was such a good boy today—I told Paul we need to give him a treat."
Damian sat up straight. At the praise, the tips of his ears turned pink.
Juliana stood to take the bags. "He's doing a puzzle."
"That child—he's just too quiet." Mary set a bag of snacks in front of Damian. "Come on, Matty, let's go down to the little garden. I just bought those cotton candies you love."
Damian's eyes brightened, instinctively looking to Juliana for permission.
Juliana nodded with a smile. "Go ahead, just don't wander too far."
"Okay!" Mary took Damian's hand and happily headed out.
Juliana started putting away the groceries, planning to take a shower and unwind. Too much had happened today—her mind was a mess.
Just then—a knock sounded at the door.
Juliana assumed Mary and the others had forgotten their keys. She walked over and opened the door.
Lucas had changed out of the suit he'd worn earlier, now dressed in dark casual wear, but his intimidating presence hadn't diminished one bit. The dim hallway light cast harsh shadows across his face. His dark eyes bored straight into hers.
Juliana's blood turned to ice. She immediately tried to slam the door.
A palm shot out, blocking it.
"Where's my son?" Lucas got straight to the point.
"Your son? If your son's missing, you should call the police—what are you doing at my place? Mr. Sharp, breaking and entering is illegal."
"Juliana." Lucas's gaze was penetrating, like he could see right through her. "Don't play dumb with me. The surveillance caught everything—you, carrying him away from my house."