Building Her Throne Burying My Heart (Claire) novel Chapter 129

The rain kept coming, heavier with every step. I had no choice but to buy an umbrella from a little shop by the road and keep searching.

The sky was dark now, the wind icy. I couldn’t stop worrying about Darleen. Where was she? Was she cold? Was she scared? The longer I looked, the more panicked I felt. Every minute that ticked by made me think she was in even more danger. My nerves were shot, my hands shaking. I couldn’t help but imagine the worst.

Then my phone buzzed. The police had news.

They found an older woman sitting alone at a bus stop on the edge of town. She’d gotten lost, soaked by the rain, and just sat there. Someone noticed she seemed off, maybe confused or upset, and called the police for help.

They brought me there. Darleen was curled up on the bench, small and lost, like a kid who couldn’t find their way home. The second she saw me, she jumped up and turned away, trying to leave.

I rushed over and grabbed her arm. “Mom, where are you going?”

She stood with her back to me, her voice shaky. “Nowhere. I just… I just wanted to go home.”

I could tell something was really wrong. This wasn’t just about her missing home.

“Please, just come back with me first. We can talk about everything when we get home.”

She pulled her arm out of my grip, stubborn as ever. “I told you, I’m not going back. Stop looking for me.”

“Mom, what are you saying? Why won’t you come back? I’m your son.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify