Chapter 3 - THE CHILDREN DISAPPEARClara arrived at school at 3:15.
The playground was empty.
She stopped.
“Where are Lily and Lucy?”
The teacher rushed toward her.
“Mrs. Whitmore…”
Clara's stomach dropped.
“What happened?”
“They were picked up.”
“By who?”
The teacher hesitated.
“Mr. Whitmore.”
Clara's face changed.
“Did he have permission?”
“He said you knew.”
Clara immediately called Ethan.
Straight to voicemail.
She called again.
Nothing.
Then a text appeared.
YOU WANTED A WAR. NOW YOU HAVE ONE.
Clara's hands shook.
She called Marcus.
“Ethan took the girls.”
“What?”
“Get an emergency custody order.”
“Already working on it.”
Clara ran to her car.
She wasn't crying.
She was furious.
Twenty minutes later, she reached the Whitmore mansion.
The gates were locked.
She hit the horn.
“Open the gate!”
Nothing.
She called security.
No answer.
Clara stepped out of the car.
She stared at the gate.
Then at the security camera.
She grabbed a rock.
CRACK!
The camera shattered.
She walked back into the car.
Her attorney called.
“Clara, don't do anything reckless.”
“Too late.”
She drove straight through the gate.
Metal screamed.
The car stopped inside the courtyard.
Ethan ran out.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Where are my daughters?”
“They're upstairs.”
Clara shoved past him.
Vivian appeared at the staircase.
“She's unstable!”
Clara screamed:
“WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?”
Lucy appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Mommy!”
Clara ran up.
She grabbed both girls.
“Are you okay?”
Lily nodded.
Ethan followed.
“You're not taking them.”
Clara turned.
“Watch me.”
A police car pulled into the driveway.
Marcus stepped out behind the officers.
He held up a document.
“Ethan Whitmore.”
Ethan froze.
“Emergency custody order.”
Clara pulled the girls behind her.
Ethan stared at the paper.
Then at Clara.
May you like
She whispered:
“You should have never touched my children.”
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