Chapter 5 Her Family

Inside the other car-

Theron watched Scarlett's vehicle disappear in the rearview mirror, then looked away.

"Find out who she is," he said. "I want a full profile."

Rhys nodded from the driver's seat. "I'll take care of it."

Still, the request didn't sit right.

Theron had never shown interest in women. Not once.

So why her?

It wasn't just her looks. That wasn't enough to catch his attention.

There had to be more to it.

Theron lowered his gaze to the boy in his arms.

Theo's skin burned with fever. His breathing came shallow and uneven, each breath weaker than the last.

This wasn't new.

Four years ago, Theron had found him in a trash bin-barely alive, poisoned, clinging to whatever strength he had left.

They saved him.

But not completely.

Since then, the fevers kept coming back. Ten days at a time. Sometimes longer. Each one worse than the last.

The doctors hadn't sugarcoated it.

If this kept up-

Theo didn't have much time.

"Any updates on Dr. Nyx?" Theron asked.

Rhys shook his head. "Nothing concrete. He's off the grid. And even if we find him... there's no guarantee he'll agree to help."

Theron's expression hardened.

"Find him."

A beat.

"Whatever it takes."

The temperature in the car seemed to drop.

Rhys tightened his grip on the wheel. "Understood."

In his arms, Theo shifted slightly.

A faint sound slipped from his lips.

"Mo... Mommy..."

Theron went still.

The word came again, weak and broken.

"Mommy..."

He knew who the boy meant.

Not the woman who gave birth to him.

Her.

Scarlett.

As for Theo's real mother-

The woman who had thrown him away like he was nothing-

Theron's gaze turned cold.

He would find her.

And when he did-

She wouldn't get away with it.

Meanwhile-

Scarlett had just stepped out of the car when a sudden unease hit her.

Her hand went to her chest.

A dull, twisting pain tightened around her ribs, sharp enough to make her pause.

"Are you okay?" Howard asked.

"I'm fine."

She lowered her hand, her gaze settling on the small house beneath the wide, shadowy branches of a banyan tree.

This was it.

After her mother remarried, Scarlett had been left behind in the countryside with her father-a gambler who barely cared whether she lived or died.

One day, he disappeared.

No warning. No explanation.

Just gone.

She would have starved-

If the Monroe family hadn't taken her in.

They raised her like their own.

Louie treated her like a real sister.

For a while, she had something that felt like a home.

Until five years ago, when her biological mother came back and took her away.

After that, the Monroes moved to the city and built a quiet life on the outskirts.

They had always been good to her.

Better than family.

And now, after five years-

She was finally back.

Her throat tightened.

Scarlett stepped forward and knocked on the door.

A moment later, it opened.

"Lettie!"

Amy stood there, her face lighting up-then faltering.

"I'm sorry... we couldn't come get you today-"

"It's okay," Scarlett said softly. "I'm not a kid anymore."

She stepped inside-

And stopped.

The yard was a mess.

Chairs overturned. Dirt disturbed. Something had happened here.

Her expression sharpened.

"What happened?"

Amy hesitated, her shoulders sinking slightly.

"Come in first," she said. "It's been a long time. Go see Louie."

Scarlett frowned.

If he was home, why hadn't he come out?

A second later, she got her answer.

A wheelchair rolled into view from the hallway.

Scarlett froze.

"...Louie?"

Her voice broke.

Her eyes dropped instantly to his legs.

She crossed the room in two quick steps, reaching for the blanket covering them.

"Don't," he said, catching her wrist. "You don't need to see it."

Her jaw tightened.

"Let go."

"Lettie-"

"Let go."

Her voice was low. Steady. Not a request.

Louie held her gaze for a second-

Then slowly released her.

He looked away.

Scarlett pulled the blanket back-

And everything inside her went cold.

His legs were ruined.

Twisted at unnatural angles, the damage severe enough that it was obvious-this hadn't been treated properly. Maybe it couldn't be.

Either way, it was permanent.

Hard to even look at.

"Who did this?" she asked.

Her voice was quiet. Too quiet.

Louie pulled the blanket back over his legs. "Drop it. We can't take them on."

Scarlett let out a slow breath.

"There's no one I can't deal with," she said.

"Just tell me who it was."

"I'll handle it."

"Not this time," Louie said, meeting her eyes. "You just got back. Let it go. We'll keep things simple. That's enough."

He meant it.

So did Amy.

They were afraid she'd do something reckless.

Scarlett saw it clearly.

So she let it go.

For now.

Her gaze fell back to his legs.

"...Can it be fixed?"

Louie gave a short, humorless laugh. "Every specialist I saw said the same thing. I'm not walking again."

He tried to sound fine with it.

He wasn't.

Scarlett didn't react.

"I know someone," she said. "If anyone can fix this, he can."

Louie shook his head. "Don't get your hopes up."

"He's not like the others."

She turned to Howard. "Get Dr. Nyx here."

Howard nodded. "I'll reach out-"

"Wait."

Scarlett held out her hand.

"I'll call him."

She dialed.

The line picked up after a few rings.

"Well, this is a surprise," an older man said. "Didn't think you remembered me."

"Where are you?" Scarlett asked. "I need you here."

A pause.

"What happened? You're hurt?"

"It's not me. It's my brother, Louie. His legs are badly damaged. I need you in the capital. Tonight."

"Tonight?" he scoffed. "I'm in the U.S. Even if I leave now-"

Scarlett glanced at Howard.

"Call in a military jet," she said. "Have it ready."

Silence.

Then-

"Don't you dare," the man snapped. "I'm not making a scene like that."

A beat.

"...I'll book a flight. Earliest one I can get. Just don't send anyone after me."

The call ended.

Not long after, his assistant stepped into the room.

"Someone from Cross Corp reached out," he said. "They're offering a huge fee for a private consult."

"No time," the man replied, already grabbing his coat. "I've got somewhere to be."

"Should I decline it?"

"Yeah."

He didn't even hesitate.

"Book me the next flight out."