Given Simon’s financial situation, he might not be able to shoulder the cost of such expensive treatment. Caitlin and Sebastian were both ready to help however they could.
Simon’s gratitude <b>was </b>genuine. “Thank you, Caitlin. But I’ll need to <b>talk </b>it over with my sister first.”
“Of course.”
The day after the incident, Molly finally woke. When her eyes fluttered open, she saw her mother at her side. Her voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. “<b>Am </b>I… still alive?”
“Molly, you’re awake! Yes, you’re alive. You’re safe now.”
Eliza clutched her daughter’s hand, tears streaming down her face.
“Mom”
Molly slowly turned her head, calling the names of those around her. “Sebastian… Caitlin…”
“I’m here.”
“Molly.”
Sebastian and Caitlin each held her hand. Seeing her awake let everyone finally breathe again.
But the moment Molly remembered what had happened, she panicked when she didn’t see Simon. She tried to sit up, only to copse back with a groan of pain as her abdomen screamed in protest.
“Where’s Simon_?
“He’s outside. I’ll call him in.”
Caitlin stepped out and brought Simon inside. The moment he heard she was awake, Simon rushed in. “Molly! You’re finally awake..”
His eyes <b>were </b>wet as he gripped her <b>hand</b>. Molly’s tears spilled over too. Aftering so close to death, the sight of each other brought both of them to their knees emotionally. For Simon, a woman who would throw her life in front of a knife for him was someone he knew he could never let go of
The others quietly left the room, giving them space.
Outside, Caitlin’s phone rang. She assumed Felix was calling with updates on the Smith case, but instead, he passed along a message: New York Prison had reached out. ck Hawk wanted to see her.
The moment she <b>hung </b>up, Caitlin turned to Sebastian, eyes alight. “ck Hawk wants to see me! <b>Finally</b>.
“Then let’s go. Now.”
Together they hurried to the prison. <b>Under </b>the guards‘ arrangements, Caitlin entered a monitored visitation
7:00
room. This time there was no ss between them, <b>only </b>a metal <b>table</b>. ck Hawk was shackled to his chair. wrists and ankles bound.
As Caitlin sat, she noticed he was different. Not the cold statue from before, but a man whose eyes carried storm after storm as they studied her.
“I came as <b>soon </b>as I got the call. Does that mean you’ve decided? Did you sign the papers?”
ck Hawk nodded toward the table. A file sat there.
Caitlin picked it up and flipped to thest page. There, the signature “Neil” was scrawled.
“Good. I’ll have her transferred for treatment immediately. If you’d like to leave her a message, I can record it for her. Let her see her brother with her own eyes<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Thank you.”
It was a single word, but when he said it, his voice cracked, and his eyes grew wet. That thank–you carried a weight of surrender, gratitude, <b>and </b>something like reverence.
For the recording, they removed his prison garb so that Ida wouldn’t see him chained. On camera, Neil smiled, greeting his sister warmly, apologizing for his absence, and urging her to eat well, to fight, to never give up. By the end, tears ran freely down his face.
When it was done, Caitlin nodded. “She’ll see this. It will give her strength. She’ll fight harder.”
She gathered her things to leave, but his voice stopped her.
“Wait, Caitlin.”
She turned.
He wiped his face with a trembling hand. “It’s true. Ellie… is your mother. And the Parker you’ve been searching for… that’s me.”
Caitlin froze. Her heart hammered in her chest as the truth struck. ck Hawk was Parker.
“Thank you for finally saying it,” she whispered. “But tell me, where is my mother now?”
“Last year, I took her from the Flowerstone Tower. I ced her on Ebonreach Isle. If you go there, you’ll find
her.”
“Ebonreach Isle. in A Country?”
“Yes. There’s a white building on <b>the </b>ind. Find that, and you’ll find her.”
“White building? A name? A marker?”
“No. But I remember heather nted at the entrance. That’s all.”
<b>Caitlin’s </b>chest ached with barely contained emotion. Finally, finally she had her mother’s trail. She steadied
herself and pressed further.
“Then tell me this you didn’t take her just to give her afortable life. Who ordered you to take her?”
His answer was quiet, heavy. “Do?a Dolores.”
“Do?a Dolores?” Caitlin frowned. The title was unmistakably feminine. “Who is she?”
“I’m sorry. <b>That’s </b>all I <b>can </b><b>say</b><b>.</b>”
He would go no further. Whatever answersy beyond would have to be dug out by Caitlin herself.
“Fine. I’ll uncover the rest myself. Onest thing, though. Tell me the truth. Do you know Carlos?”
Neil shook <b>his </b>head. “No.”
It wasn’t a lie. He truly didn’t.
Caitlin nodded. “Alright.” She left the room.
<b>HEA </b>
The moment she stepped outside, her pace <b>quickened</b>, and then she broke into a run, unable to contain the flood of relief.
Sebastian caught her <b>as </b>she rushed out. “Well? Did he talk?”
“He did! He did…”
Herughter mixed with tears as they slid down her <b>face</b>. After all the suffering, the endless searching, they finally had a lead on her mother.
Sebastian pulled her into <b>his </b>arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek, wordlessly steadying her.
When atst they parted, Caitlin murmured, “He said the one who ordered it was Do?a Dolores.”
Sebastian frowned. “Never heard of her.”
“Neither have 1. But he confirmed my mother is on Ebonreach Isle.”
“Then that’s where we go. Immediately.”
There was no time to waste. Back at Vanderbilt Manor, they rallied everyone.
<b>James </b>was the first to stand. “I’ming <b>too</b><b>!</b>”
“Then <b>we </b>all go,” Caitlin said firmly. “This time, we’re bringing Mom home.”
Brother and sister had waited for <b>this </b>moment far too <b>long</b>.
Sebastian secured a private jet that night. Caitlin didn’t hide behind a false identity this time. She boarded <b>as </b>
herself.
38
65 vouchers
After a long flight, dawn saw themnding at Sanctis Airport in A Country. They checked into a hotel first to
regroup.
As Caitlin stared out the window toward the horizon, her heart surged. The thought that she was finally about to see her mother again made her chest ache with anticipation.