ressed again. "Is there
hed out, and still irritated by her ton
h the compensation I had
r, I'm not sending Hope back like this. If you do
emper in check. "And before you come to m
dress of a café across the
etrieving my niece. I see no reason
ck unless you agree to meet me f
arrested for kidna
et out a
old you the other day-I'm
g up th
wonder Hope w
yan lowered his phone. Interest
e'd love to see what trick
*
va led Hope int
up. The sight reminded her of her own home, of the aftern
noticing her friend's distress. "C
favorite dolls. Pulling a toy chest from under the bed, she dug out
re," she
wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
Her heart gave a hard thump. "
rope, and he wants to
d Ava. Ava hugged her bac
uncle like?
ack, wiping h
e to see us because he lives in
g in Ava's green ey
ntil he just got here," she explained. "He's young and tall.
e flip, and a wide smil
red excitedly. But just as quickly, her smil
probably want to send yo
brow furrowing i
t him do that to us," she insisted, t
*
arp black suit, a crisp white shirt, and a matching dark ti
cond she got home, eager to just be a normal woman. As she changed in front of her mirror, she caught sight of the sc
an
erent?" she murmured to herself. "Ryan Spencer was a true gent
scar. "Ryan Knight, on the other
pped out of her building wearing form-fitting blue jeans, a white silk blo
lipped off her sunglasses an
ractive, but radiated a cold, untouchable aura. Ta
n, but as she approached, he feigned interest
Knight," she said, he
"Let's get straight to the
igned to intimidate. But Vanessa dealt with arrogant men t
apartment," V
ee my assistant off
now what you're
dollars to the sum, provi
She ran away because you're planning to ship her off to a boarding school in Europe. The child just lost h
ened. His entire
n business! Hope is my niece, an
ter to me, and I am not going to let a heartless man like you just take her away! I've known her for a long
pressing into a thin line. "Don't meddle in things
ope." She crossed her arms, holding h
the police," he warned, slipping a
nch. She lifted he
ices take her, since her uncle is clearly to
disbelief. He couldn't fathom that this
owe you no explanations, but I'll give you one: I am a businessman. I travel const
harsh breath and
her parents. She only has you and her grandmother left. Please," she urged, her voice softening. "Why d
ered the way Ava's father had
and through his hair and
er a chance?" She looked up at him, her r
timate son had been exposed. Those had been dark, brutal times. If his grandmother hadn't fou
w, the girl was innocent. As her only uncle, he had no right projecting his desire for vengeanc
ed. "I'll hold off on a
pped in relief. A faint
with
rode the elevator up in heavy silence. The moment Vanessa unlocked the front door and pushed it
ng," Vanessa said, offering them a reas
tall man stepping inside. She sq
oing to happen. I'm right here," Av
nd down, her heart doing a fra
to be my dad," she
me away," Hope whi
Ava whispered back. She tilted her head u
man were looking at each other, which o
ke out what they we
ly. "He's going to give you a chance to live with him an
looked up at her uncle, a fres
f it's
g the small room. "I'm not sending you to boardin
Ava cr
out made ever
go and started to walk a
assuming her daughter was just upset about lo
stead of running to comfort her fri
tear-filled eyes, her little chest heaving. "You disappear for all these y
ning in horror. "What are you doing?
ittle girl, his brow furr
or a father she'd never known, she lunged forward an
sobbed, burying her fa
d from Vanessa's fac
ha
ild clinging to him, and then up at Vanessa. And for a split
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