Chapter 3

My hand froze on the doorknob, my whole body stuck as if someone had hit pause.

The knocking kept going, slow and steady, but with a kind of authority that wouldn't take no for an answer.

Every knock pounded right against my chest.

I carefully looked out through the peephole. Just one glance, and my breath caught in my throat.

A man was standing at the door. No, scratch that. It was a whole crowd.

The man leading the group was tall and striking, his presence impossible to ignore.

He wore a tailored black suit, every sharp line showing off his broad shoulders and that perfect V-shaped build.

He stood with his back to me, so I couldn't see his face, but even just his silhouette radiated an intimidating aura that warned strangers to stay away.

Behind him stood two rows of bodyguards, all in identical black suits and dark sunglasses.

Each one had an expressionless face and was built like a tank, looking just like the gangsters straight out of a movie.

With that kind of lineup outside my door. My legs turned to jelly.

My apartment complex had pretty good security, but it was just your average middle-class place.

I had never seen anything like this before.

I swallowed hard, my throat so dry it felt like it was on fire.

They were really here for me.

I was almost sure the guy outside was the dad of the kid who's been nothing but trouble for me.

With a lineup like that, he was definitely on a whole other level of rich.

My mind was instantly flooded with all kinds of tabloid headlines.

[Shocking. Woman Accidentally Kidnaps Tycoon's Heir All Because of a Mix-Up Over Looks.]

[Billion-Dollar Lawsuit. Regular Office Worker Suddenly Owes Billions Overnight.]

[Flower of Youth Gone Astray. Will Her Tears Behind Bars Ever Dry?]

The more I thought about it, the more freaked out I got. I gripped Alex's tiny hand, my palm slick with cold sweat.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Alex sensed my anxiety and looked up at me, his little face full of worry.

"N-nothing." I forced a smile that looked more tragic than tears. "There's a big bad wolf outside, so we're not opening the door."

I made up my mind that I'd just pretend nobody was home. As long as I didn't open the door, they'd have no clue I was inside.

If I could just lie low until it got dark, I'd sneak out with Alex and turn myself in at the police station.

However, things weren't going to be that easy.

Just as I made up my mind, a voice from outside, cold enough to chill you to the bone, rang out. "Open the door."

It wasn't loud, but it was all authority, slicing through the heavy door like it was nothing and landing crystal clear in my ears.

Right after, someone who sounded like an assistant spoke up, all respectful. "Mr. Cooper, I've already contacted property management.

"They confirmed the owner is a young lady with the last name Reed. Should we have a locksmith open the door?"

Well, there went my last shred of hope. Any chance I had just went up in smoke.

"No need," the man called Mr. Cooper replied coldly. "Give her three minutes."

My heart was pounding in my chest.

I jumped, fear shooting through me.

I couldn't just sit back and wait any longer. If they forced their way in, it would make things a lot worse for me.

I took a deep breath, then another, like I was about to face the firing squad.

I patted Alex's little head and whispered, "Baby, no matter what happens, you have to protect me, okay?"

Alex nodded, not really sure what was going on, but he still stepped in front of me, puffing out his chest like he was ready to shield me from anything.

I felt a tiny bit of comfort in my heart.

Then, with trembling hands, I slowly opened the door.

As soon as I cracked the door open, a flood of bright light from outside hit me, and I couldn't help but squint.

When my eyes finally adjusted, I saw his face for the first time.

In that instant, I was shocked.

He was dangerously handsome. The kind of guy whose looks could knock the air right out of your lungs. Just one glance and I felt like I'd been hit by a truck.

His face looked like God had spent extra time sculpting it. Every feature was perfectly placed. Deep-set eyes, a high-bridged nose, and lips so sharp they seemed cut from marble.

But those eyes were pitch black and bottomless, like an ancient well you'd never reach the end of, so piercing it felt like he could read your soul. I couldn't even bring myself to look straight at him.

He just stood there, not moving a muscle, but his presence was so overwhelming it felt like the air itself had turned to ice.

I swear, in my whole life, whether in person or on screen, I'd never seen a guy so insanely good-looking.

Appreciating his looks was the last thing on my mind right now.

Those bottomless eyes were fixed on me, unblinking.

There was an undisguised scrutiny in his gaze and a cold fury that sent chills down my spine.

I felt like a leopard was about to pounce, my skin prickling with fear as every hair stood on end.

"You." I tried to say something, but the words just got stuck in my throat.

His eyes slid away from my face and locked onto Alex, the little guy glued to my side.

When he saw Alex, the icy anger in his eyes faded, replaced by a mix of emotions that flashed across his face.

Relief, as he'd just gotten back something precious he thought he'd lost. Fear, still rattled by what might have happened, and even a touch of softness.

"Daddy." Just when the tension was about to snap, Alex suddenly shouted, his voice bursting with excitement.

He shot forward, his little legs moving so fast he looked like a tiny cannonball, barreling straight toward his dad.

Relief flooded through me. Finally, father and son were reunited. Maybe now this whole misunderstanding would finally be cleared up.

But in the very next moment, Alex did something that had me frozen in place, just like before, completely petrified.

Instead of diving into his dad's arms, Alex skidded to a stop just a step away.

Then, sticking out his little finger and puffing up with pride, he practically shouted, "Daddy. Look. I found you a wife."

The whole hallway went dead silent.

I could feel it. Every single pair of eyes, including that ridiculously good-looking man's, instantly locked onto me.

There was shock, disbelief, curiosity, and. maybe even a dash of juicy gossip in their gazes.

My face went beet red, the heat spreading from my neck all the way to my ears.

I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. I'd never been this mortified in my entire life.

Alex, I didn't know if you were here to repay a kindness or to seek revenge.

That stone-cold look he always wore finally showed a crack.

He looked at his son, then turned his gaze to me, and for a moment, those dark, bottomless eyes flashed with some complicated emotion I couldn't even begin to figure out.

He crouched down so he was eye-to-eye with Alex.

"Alex," he said, his voice gentler than before but still carrying that commanding tone. "Come here."

But Alex just shook his head, scooted even closer to me, and hugged my leg tight.

"No," he mumbled, burying his face against my leg, his voice muffled. "I want to stay with honey."