Karen’s tone was as flat as a calm lake, utterly devoid of emotion. She was simply stating the facts.

Seventeen years. For seventeen straight years, Karen had never spoken to Ileana in this way.

Ileana’s face changed, her smile freezing awkwardly on her lips, teetering on the edge of tears.

“After they sent me out of the country overnight, I changed my phone and number. Mom, you know I’ve never been good at remembering Dad’s and my brothers‘ numbers. There must be some misunderstanding. How could they possibly block

me?”

She forced a laugh, but only she knew–Karen wasn’t wrong.

When Ileana couldn’t find anyone at the old apartment, she had tried calling them, one after another. She dialed nearly everyone except for Ivan Morton.

At first, she thought maybe she was out of credit, but her phone worked fine otherwise. Then she suspected her phone was broken, so she handed a hundred bucks to the current tenant and borrowed his. This time, the call connected quickly–but as soon as Brendan Morton and Ethan Morton heard her voice, they slammed the phone down. Zachary Morton and Liam’s numbers would ring, but no one ever picked up.

That’s when it hit her: she’d been blocked.

kept dialing, one number after another, until eventually, even the

found this address at all was because a neighbor

seventeen years–could you really throw me away? If… if even you don’t want me, what’s the point

Ileana had barely finished her words when Brendan’s voice rang out behind her,

a grocery bag in one hand,

09:56

Chapter

“Dad!” she cried.

don’t deserve to be called your father. Your real dad is Scott, CEO of Tate Holdings. As for me, I do have a daughter–her name is Alessia, and she’s standing right here beside me. Anyone else? I don’t know them. Not

words were blunt, every syllable dripping

I’m the daughter you raised for

meal. And what did you do? You had a full plate and still went looking for more elsewhere. I can honestly say I never wronged you, not once. But you–did you really think I didn’t know why Ivan ended up the way

she couldn’t believe even

“It was Alessia, wasn’t it? Dad, she’s

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