Chapter 2: The Secret Inside The Drawing
I did not sleep that night.
Not because I was afraid of Emmett Carbone.
I was afraid of the message.
We know where Cody is.
Four words that felt heavier than any threat.
I sat on the edge of a guest room bed inside Emmett's private residence, staring at my phone until the screen went dark.
The room was beautiful.
Too beautiful.
Everything was clean, expensive, and silent.
The kind of place where people hid things.
The kind of place where people had enough power to make problems disappear.
At 4:13 in the morning, I heard a knock.
I immediately stood.
The door opened slightly.
"Jillian?""
It was a woman's voice.
An older woman stepped inside carrying a tray with coffee.
"I'm Sofia," she said.
"I work for Mr. Carbone.""
"I don't need anything.""
"That is what people say when they need everything.""
I almost smiled.
Almost.
Sofia placed the coffee on the table.
"You have been awake all night.""
"So have you.""
She looked amused.
"I have been awake for thirty years.""
I studied her.
"How long have you known Emmett?""
"Long enough to know he does not bring strangers home.""
"I'm not a stranger.""
"No.""
Her expression changed.
"You're a woman who ran from the Bannons.""
The room felt colder.
"You all know a lot.""
"That is how people survive around powerful families.""
I looked down.
"Is Emmett one of those people?""
Sofia didn't answer immediately.
That was answer enough.
Later that morning, Emmett found me in the library.
I had been searching through my phone.
Trying to find anything.
Any clue.
Any mistake.
Anything.
"You should eat," he said.
"I'm not hungry.""
"That is not the same as not needing food.""
I looked at him.
"Do you always talk like that?""
"Like what?""
"Like every sentence is a warning.""
"Usually because people ignore warnings.""
I turned my phone toward him.
"Someone knows where Cody is.""
He read the message.
No reaction.
That scared me.
"You already know something.""
"I know Malcolm Bannon is desperate.""
"That's not enough.""
"No.""
He placed the phone down.
"But it is the beginning.""
I stepped closer.
"Tell me the truth.""
"About what?""
"About the Bannons.""
His expression hardened.
"You married into that family and nobody told you?""
"Nobody told me anything.""
"That is common.""
"Why?""
"Because secrets are the foundation of that family.""
I waited.
Finally, he continued.
"Shawn Bannon was not the favorite son.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Malcolm's father built the family around control. Money. Reputation.
Loyalty. Shawn was different.""
"Different how?""
"He cared about people.""
The answer surprised me.
I had never heard anyone describe Shawn that way.
Not even Patrick.
"Malcolm hated that.""
"Malcolm is Shawn's brother.""
"Exactly.""
Emmett walked toward the window.
"People like Malcolm don't hate enemies. They hate anyone who proves another way is possible.""
I remembered Shawn.
The way he laughed.
The way he talked to Cody.
The way he once sat on the kitchen floor helping Cody build a broken model airplane.
A powerful man who acted like a normal father.
"Why did Shawn die?"" I asked.
Emmett remained silent.
Then:
"Because he found something.""
"What?""
"I don't know.""
I stared at him.
"You expect me to believe that?""
"No.""
That honesty caught me off guard.
"I expect you to understand that I am not the only person looking for answers.""
Before I could respond, my phone rang.
Patrick.
I froze.
Emmett noticed.
"Answer.""
I looked at him.
"Why?""
"Because sometimes people reveal more when they think they are winning.""
I accepted the call.
"Patrick?""
His voice came immediately.
"Jillian, where are you?""
I closed my eyes.
The relief I expected never came.
Because his voice sounded wrong.
Too calm.
"I'm safe.""
"Safe?""
"Yes.""
A pause.
Then:
"Who are you with?""
I didn't answer.
Patrick exhaled.
"Jillian, listen to me. Whatever Malcolm said, whatever you think you saw—"
"What did Malcolm tell you?""
Silence.
"Patrick.""
"Come home.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"Where is Cody?""
Another pause.
And that pause told me everything.
"You don't know.""
"Jillian—"
"No. You don't know where your own son is.""
His voice changed.
"He's not your son.""
The words hit harder than I expected.
I stopped breathing.
"What?""
"You heard me.""
Behind him, I heard voices.
Men.
One of them laughed.
Patrick lowered his voice.
"You need to come back before this gets worse.""
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Emmett's expression was unreadable.
"What did he say?""
I looked up.
"That Cody isn't my son.""
Emmett's jaw tightened.
"Interesting.""
"What does that mean?""
He walked toward me.
"It means Patrick Bannon just made the biggest mistake of his life.""
"Why?""
"Because now I know he is involved.""
A sound came from the hallway.
A man rushed inside.
"Mr. Carbone.""
Emmett turned.
The man's face was pale.
"We found the boy.""
My heart stopped.
"Cody?""
The man nodded.
"He is alive.""
I moved forward.
"Where?""
The man looked at Emmett.
Then at me.
"He is at the old Bannon property.""
I grabbed my coat.
"Take me there.""
Emmett didn't move.
"Jillian.""
"What?""
His expression became serious.
"You need to understand something.""
"What?""
"The reason Malcolm wants Cody isn't because of his inheritance.""
I stared.
"Then why?""
May you like
Emmett's voice dropped.
"Because Cody is the only person alive who knows what Shawn Bannon hid.""
