"Bryn, you need to calm down."


    "I can''t calm down!"


    Briony''s eyes were bloodshot as she red at Stewart. "I just want to know where my son is!"


    Stewart pressed his lips together, a deep crease forming between his brows. "He''s not here."


    "Not here?" Briony''s voice rose, incredulous. "Stewart, are you ying games with me again?"


    "I''m not lying to you. He really hasn''te back yet."


    "I don''t believe you!" Briony shot back, her voice trembling. "If you won''t tell me, I''l find him myself!"


    She spun on her heel and stormed out of the study.


    Stewart didn''t try to stop her.


    Briony threw open one door after another on the second floor, searching every room.


    No sign of her child.


    She ran upstairs to the third floor.


    She checked every single room in the house-even the maid''s quarters, even the basement.


    Nothing.


    Her son wasn''t there.


    Emerging from thest room, Briony felt her final shred of hope crumble.


    He''s gone.


    He was never here.


    Her chest heaved as she squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back tears.


    She dashed back to the study, rushed to Stewart''s desk, and grabbed everything within reach-files, pens, anything and hurled them at him in a blind rage.


    Stewart didn''t dodge. He let her vent, standing rigid as the sharp corner of a book struck his chest. He grunted softly but didn''t take a single step back.


    Papers and pens scattered across the floor, leaving chaos in their wake.


    Briony''s breathing turned ragged. Thest thread of control in her mind snapped.


    Why did it always have to be like this?


    Every time she thought it was over, life blindsided her all over again.


    "Stewart, are you even human? Our son is alive, and you''re hiding him from me! You even put up a fake headstone just to deceive me! How could you? How could you wish that on your own child?!"


    "What are you trying to do now? Drag me here just to keep him from me? If I


    hadn''t gone to the cemetery today, were you nning to keep this a secret for the rest of my life?!"


    "I never meant to-"


    "Of course you didn''t,” Briony spat, a bitterugh escaping her lips. "You never meant to let me go. We''re divorced, but you''re still using our son to control me. That''s what this is, isn''t it?"


    Stewart watched her, his Adam''s apple bobbing as he swallowed. "You''re not


    thinking clearly right now. Nothing I say will get through to you.”


    Briony shook her head. "Fine, I''ll listen. Tell me where is my son?"


    Stewart''s lips pressed into a thin line as he stared at her, his dark eyes unreadable.


    His silence was the most brutal answer she could imagine.


    Briony let out a hollowugh, tears spilling down her cheeks as she screamed, voice raw with anguish:


    "Stewart! He''s a living, breathing child! He''s not some tool you can use to punish me! Do you even have a shred of humanity left?!"


    Stewart''s dark eyes were fixed on her as she broke down, her agony slicing through him. There was so much he couldn''t exin. He knew, even if he tried, Briony would never believe him.


    In her eyes, he was already irredeemable.


    Tears streamed down Briony''s face as she red at him, hatred burning in her gaze.


    "Stewart, I''ll ask you onest time-where is my son?"


    Stewart''s brow furrowed, his voice barely above a whisper. "He''s overseas."


    Briony froze. "You hid him in another country?"


    "Bryn," Stewart''s tone was weary, his lips tightening, "it''splicated. I just need three more days. That''s all I''m asking."


    Briony wiped at her tears with shaking hands. "You say he''s overseas-then you must have photos, videos. Show them to me. Right now."


    "Not yet," Stewart said softly, trying to soothe her. "Please. Just give me three days."


    Briony shook her head, desperate. "I can''t wait You say he''s alive, but you won''t show me a single photo or video Stewart, what am I supposed to believe? Which word out of your mouth is the truth?"