Echoes of the Past

Staring into the chilly remnants of her coffee, Scarlett Evans stood in her small, disorganized kitchen. As her five-year-old son, Liam, moved his toy truck with determined focus, the floor was spotted with pastel stripes from the morning sun that filtered through the shutters. He burst out laughing, filling the little, silent room with his growl. A small smile flashed across Scarlett's face, but she forced herself not to let it last. The sense of safety was always fleeting. The sharp, sudden knock at the door shattered the illusion. Scarlett's heart faltered, she gripped the cup more tightly until her knuckles became white. Her friends wouldn't stop by unexpectedly, and it was too early for neighbors. They had discovered that they couldn't. Another knock came, louder this time, demanding. “Mom?” Liam's tone was quiet and hesitant. With his truck still in his hand, he stopped in the middle of rolling and raised his gaze to hers. She tried to sound cool as she said, "It's okay, sweetheart." In any case, the tremor betrayed her. Clattering the mug to the floor, she wiped her wet palms on her jeans. "Just stay there, will you?" Liam nodded, but his blue eyes remained fixed on her, wide with interest and a hint of worry. Each step felt heavier than the last as she made her way to the front door. She inhaled deeply as she looked through the peephole, the world outside focusing on the one unexpected face. Daniel Cross. The years hadn’t softened him. If anything, they had added sharpness to his features—lines of exhaustion and something deeper etched into his tanned skin. His storm-blue eyes, eyes that mirrored Liam’s so perfectly, searched the empty street before settling on the door. The slight twitch of his jaw told her he was aware she was watching. “Scarlett,” he said, his voice muffled through the wood but clear enough to send shivers down her spine. “Please. Open the door.” His speech twisted the knife that had been stuck in her chest for five years. Memories surged—soft whispers, promises that turned into lies, and the moment she realized she was alone. She glanced at Liam, who now stood up, holding his bear, head tilted in quiet confusion. “Who is it, Mama?” he asked, his small voice wavering. Scarlett swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn’t have time to think. Her hands trembled as she unlocked the door and cracked it open just enough to see Daniel’s eyes. “What are you doing here?” The question came out sharper than she intended, more a weapon than a greeting. Daniel’s eyes softened for a moment, and she hated that the sight of him stirred anything but anger. He shifted, glancing at the street again before leaning closer. “Scarlett, I need to come in. It’s about Liam.” Her blood ran cold when she heard her son's name on his lips. She clenched her fingers on the door's edge. “No. Whatever you need to say, say it here.” He sighed, the weight of years and something more pressing down on him. “Victor knows.” Those two words were enough to unravel her. The world seemed to spin, the kitchen around her blurring. Victor Cross was a name she had worked hard to forget. He wasn’t just powerful; he was ruthless, the kind of man who silenced problems before they spoke. And now, if he knew about Liam... “Scarlett,” Daniel’s voice cracked, yanking her back. His eyes locked onto hers, fierce and pleading. “Please. Let me in. He is on his way, so we must leave. Now.” Her thoughts raced, caught between the necessity to keep Liam safe and the desire to shut the door. The latter prevailed. Daniel entered after she widened the door. There was an overwhelming sense of danger and familiarity in the small space he occupied. "Mom?" With his bear cradled against his chest, Liam took a tiny step forward. His gaze darted back and forth between them, brimming with unanswerable inquiries. Whispering, "It's okay, baby," she forced a smile she didn't feel. "Alright, go play in your room for a bit." He hesitated, eyes darting to Daniel, and then back to her. But he nodded and padded down the hallway, the sound of his small footsteps fading. Scarlett turned on Daniel the second Liam’s door clicked shut. “You need to start talking,” she said, her voice low and fierce. “Why now? What did you do?” Daniel responded, "Not here," as he moved to the window and looked through the blinds. His jaw muscles stiffened. “Victor has eyes everywhere. I didn’t do anything, but he found out about Liam, and that’s enough. He won’t let anything or anyone threaten his control.” Scarlett’s chest tightened. “Why would he see a child as a threat?” “Because he’s a Cross,” Daniel said, the words biting through the tension in the room. “And Victor will do whatever it takes to protect the empire.” The sound of a car pulling up outside sent a jolt through them both. Daniel dropped the blinds and moved to her, grabbing her arm with a gentleness that belied the urgency in his eyes. "We must leave," he stated in a firm and uncompromising tone. Scarlett felt her heart racing. “Go where? I can’t just—” “Trust me,” Daniel said, the words a low plea. “Just this once.” Before she could respond, the sharp crunch of tires on gravel made them both freeze. Daniel’s grip on her arm tightened, and Scarlett’s eyes darted to the hallway where Liam waited, blissfully unaware. The engine outside idled, then cut off, leaving an unnatural silence in its wake. Daniel glanced at the window again. “It’s them,” he said, confirming what her gut already knew. The storm had arrived, and there was no time left to doubt or question. Scarlett looked at him, at the man who had once broken her, now the only one who could help her save the most precious thing in her life. “Liam!” she called, her voice shaking. He appeared a moment later, eyes wide with confusion. She scooped him up, feeling the solid warmth of his body anchor her in the moment. Daniel opened the back door, scanning the narrow alley that stretched behind the house. He turned back to her, his expression unreadable but determined. “We have to run. Now.” Scarlett took a breath, one final, shuddering breath, before she stepped into the unknown, holding Liam tightly as Daniel led them into the waking city and whatever waited beyond.