Chapter 121

Lucie's heart skipped a beat. "What did you just say?"

Steven's voice was tight with panic. "I said Cody is missing. Did you take him?”

"No! Of course not!"

Steven felt a chill run through him, but he couldn't give up hope. "Lucie, please don't do this. If you have Cody, just tell me. Don't make me lose my mind with worry."

His words made Lucie furious. "I told you, I didn't take him."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Steven's desperation bled through every word.

If Lucie hadn't arranged for someone to take Cody, then something was seriously wrong.

Cody had to have been kidnapped.

Yesterday afternoon, Jackson went to pick Cody up from school. On the way home, they got stuck in some weird traffic jam near a park. A few balloon and cotton candy vendors swarmed the car on purpose, calling out their wares. The second Cody saw them, he started making a fuss, begging to get out and buy something.

Jackson had no choice but to say yes.

The moment the door opened, Cody jumped out and ran straight for the balloons. The park was packed, and the bodyguards hurried after him, but the crowd made it almost impossible to keep up.

Cody grabbed a balloon, but then something else in the park caught his eye and he ran off, laughing.

By the time Jackson and the bodyguards pushed through the crowd to where Cody had gone, he was gone.

Now, the whole family was frantic.

"Lucie, I'm being serious right now..."

Lucie's chest tightened and her anger boiled over. "What's that supposed to

mean? You think I'd take Cody just to fight you for custody? Relax, Steven. I'm not fighting you for him.

"Are you back in New Amberton yet? The next court hearing is on the fifth. I expect you to be there."

Steven's frustration was reaching a breaking point. "Lucie, Cody is missing. He could seriously be in danger. Is now really the time to push me about the divorce instead of helping find him? I'm begging you, just come back."

Lucie didn't believe a word he said. "Steven, I'm not falling for your lies again."

"And you can stop trying to trick me into coming home. I'll see you in court, and that's it."

She hung up, stone-faced.

She wasn't going to let Steven fool her again. The last time, he said it was about the divorce agreement, but as soon as she set foot in New Amberton, he practically locked her up.

Now he was pulling the same trick, pretending Cody had been kidnapped just to get her to come back.

"Unbelievable," she muttered.

She'd barely put her phone down when Elio grinned at her, teasing. "So, you're finally leaving that old guy, huh, Lucie?"

She shot him a cold look and ignored him.

Elio just tilted his head, half-smiling. "When you're single again, maybe we can pick up where we left off."

Lucie rolled her eyes, her patience running thin. "Are you serious right now?"

"I am," he said, tone softening. "I

don't care you've been married

don't care what people think. I tried

to forget you these last few years, but just can't."

"Stop. Just stop." Lucie was at her limit. She stood up so fast her chair scraped

the floor and stormed out onto the deck, needing air.

The ones you can't have always mess with you the most.

She'd been twenty, at the height of her looks. Even then, she couldn't get him to commit. How could she believe he meant it now a after shed Been marked and had a kid

No way he was serious.

He probably just thought she was vulnerable, an easy target. He'd

swoop in get her into bed, scratch that old tch, and move on. Women are always at their weakest after heartbreak, especially when the guy is an old flame.

Elio followed her onto the deck, still hopeful. "Lucie, I mean it. I'm not playing around."

She turned to face him, expression icy. "Elio, there's nothing between us. Even if I do get divorced, nothing is ever going to happen with you."

"And don't think just because a woman's divorced, she has no standards or backbone. If that's what you're hoping for, forget it. You're wasting your time."

If she'd slept with him back then, he wouldn't still be hung up on her four years

later. It was the fact he'd never had her that kept him obsessed.

She knew exactly what was going on in his head.

Elio could only stare, completely shut down by her words.

She was still so hard to get.

Back then, no matter how hard he tried, she never fell for his tricks. Now, she was

still keeping him at arm's length.

He sighed, voice low. "Why do you always assume the worst of me?"

"Don't follow me." Lucie turned and walked to the other end of the boat.

Jean and Ruby quickly stepped in to block Elio's path, making it clear he wasn't welcome.

Elio let out a long, frustrated sigh and slumped down on a bench, watching Lucie from a distance.

***

An hour later, the boat pulled up to the dock at Great Ashwood.

"We're here. Let's go," Lucie said, gathering her things and getting off with her two assistants.

Elio trailed after them.

It was the off-season, so the island was quiet. Only a few staff were around.

Lucie pulled out a map. "We need to get to the valley. It's about thirty kilometers from here."

Ruby, who'd been here before, was quick on her feet. "I'll go rent the bikes."