Chapter 11 - A Sudden Threat
The airport terminal was crowded,
filled with travelers,
and loud announcements.
I kept my hood pulled up,
holding Noah close to my chest,
scanning the departure boards.
Flights to London,
flights to Paris,
flights to Miami.
Where would Ethan go?
I opened my phone,
checking the digital files again.
The Cayman Islands.
Titan Investments was located there.
There was a flight leaving,
in forty minutes.
I rushed to the ticket counter,
my heart hammering.
"Two tickets for Grand Cayman,"
I told the agent.
She smiled,
typing on her computer.
"Passport, please."
I froze.
I didn't have Noah's passport.
It was at the house.
Locked in Ethan's office.
"Is there a problem, ma'am?"
the agent asked.
"I... I forgot them,"
I stammered.
"I'm sorry."
I turned away,
tears of frustration stinging my eyes.
I couldn't leave the country.
I was trapped here.
Suddenly,
a hand grabbed my arm.
Hard.
Painful.
I spun around,
expecting to see Ethan.
But it was my father.
His face was pale,
his eyes bloodshot.
"You need to come with me, Emma,"
he whispered,
his grip tightening.
"You're making a scene."
"Let go of me!"
I hissed,
trying to pull away.
"Don't do this, Arthur."
"You don't understand,"
he whispered,
looking around nervously.
"Ethan didn't just steal from you."
"He stole from people,"
"dangerous people."
"The LLC was a front,"
"for a cartel money laundering scheme."
"If you expose the ledger,"
"they will kill us all."
My blood ran cold.
The room seemed to tilt.
"You helped him,"
I said,
my voice trembling.
"I had no choice!"
he snapped.
"He threatened to ruin my business."
"Now, give me the ledger,"
"before they find you."
I looked at my father,
realizing he wasn't trying to save me.
He was trying to save himself.
"No,"
I said.
I kicked him in the shin,
hard.
He grunted,
releasing his grip.
I broke into a run,
May you like
pushing through the crowd,
disappearing into the sea of people.
