Chapter 3 The Opportunity

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Inside the supermarket, a small indoor playground buzzed with the chatter of children.

A little girl nestled in Alistair's arms, her tiny frame soft and warm, carrying the faint, sweet scent. She was engrossed in stacking colorful blocks, her focus unwavering.

Alistair sat patiently by her side, waiting for her mother to arrive.

For once, he wasn't being dragged around by that little tyrant, nor was he stuck wearing an apron while juggling dinner prep. For the first time in years, he had all the time in the world.

"Look! Check out my castle!" the girl chirped, her mood shifting as quickly as only a child's can. Moments ago, she'd been sobbing, and now, her face lit up with a radiant smile.

Maybe it was knowing her mom was on the way, or maybe it was the comfort of this kind stranger's presence, but her fear had melted away. She beamed, her joy infectious.

Alistair didn't hold back his praise. "Wow, that's incredible! Look at my castle, it's nowhere near as good as yours."

Pointing proudly at her creation, the girl declared, "This is my castle. I'm the princess, my mommy's the queen, and we rule it together!"

Chapter 3 The Opportunity

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She tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with innocence. "Wanna live with us? I can invite you to stay in our castle!"

Before Alistair could respond, a middle-aged woman stormed over, muttering under her breath, "You little troublemaker, running off like that! I've been looking everywhere!" She reached for the girl, her grip rough and impatient.

Alistair's reflexes kicked in. He gently shielded the girl, pulling her out of reach.

He knew that kind of tug would hurt her.

The woman glared at him, barking, "Who are you?" Then she turned to the girl, impatiently waving her over. "Come on! I've still got dinner to make. Stop messing around here!"

The girl clung tighter to Alistair, clearly frightened.

The woman's voice sharpened. "Who the hell are you? Hand her over right now, or I'll call the cops and tell them you kidnapped her!"

Alistair stood his ground, his tone calm but firm. "You've got some nerve. You're the one who lost her, and now you're blaming others?"

If this had happened with Daniel, Rebecca wouldn't have let him off the hook, and he wouldn't have forgiven himself either.

"Mommy!"

Chapter 3 The Opportunity

The girl suddenly wriggled free and bolted toward a young woman, throwing herself into her arms with a gleeful squeal.

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breathtaking. The kind of beautiful that made

she looked better than

seen.

the blame. "Ms.

interrupted, her voice

disappeared into that big crowd. I looked for you forever

woman's face was a mask of

She knew she was in the wrong, but still tried to argue. "Fine, but you owe me

someone kind. If anything had happened to her,

Defeated, the woman slunk

away.

the matter didn't

Chapter 3 The Opportunity

woman lowered her gaze,

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nanny from every

to blacklist the careless n company in New

time to go, though he wasn't

the "go" meant anymore.

had nowhere to

entirely true. He could always check into a motel like he

waiting for that opportunity the

Caroline Ashbourne,

The

her eyes locking onto his with an intensity

gazes met, and

her, yet the way she looked at him felt oddly

were slender, her skin smooth, and her nails neatly trimmed and clean. Alistair's

Chapter 3 The Opportunity

never thought much of it before, but now, he found this natural simplicity

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he shook her hand briefly. Her fingers were cool

of man

beautiful, too, but he'd spent

him, inner character trumped appearances

Caroline's beauty was impossible to ignore. Even the pickiest critic would struggle to find a

wearing makeup, yet she was stunning in a way that felt almost

pegged her for a celebrity, but he quickly realized her allure surpassed that. She carried an aura of authority, a quiet power that commanded respect, like a queen. Her decisive handling

Eloise Ashbourne nibbled happily on a small cake,

lost child reach their parents or

until help arrived was, for most people, a

Chapter 3 The Opportunity

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