Flash Marriage to a Stunning CEO (Alistair and Richard) novel Chapter 3

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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The woman was breathtaking. The kind of beautiful that made time stop for a second.

Alistair thought she looked better than any celebrity he’d ever

seen.

The middle–aged woman, caught off guard, tried to shift the blame. “Ms. Ashbourne, this man snatched Eloise while I wasn’t looking. I…”

“You’re lying!” the girl interrupted, her voice fierce. “You

answered a phone call and just kept walking and walking, and then you disappeared into that big crowd. I looked for you forever and couldn’t find you!”

The young woman’s face was a mask of ice. “You’re fired.”

The older woman’s face fell. She knew she was in the wrong, but still tried to argue. “Fine, but you owe me this month’s pay.”

The young woman’s lips curled into a cold, mocking smile. “Pay? You’re lucky Eloise ran into someone kind. If anything had happened to her, do you think you’d be standing here haggling with me?”

Defeated, the woman slunk

away.

However, the matter didn’t end there.

Chapter 3 The Opportunity

The young woman lowered her gaze, tapped out a quick text,

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nanny from every

and sent a directive to blacklist the careless n company in New York.

Alistair figured it was time to go, though he wasn’t sure where

the “go” meant anymore.

He had nowhere to be.

company until help arrived was, for most people, a small act of kindness.

Chapter 3 The Opportunity