I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 661

"If you want to die, go do it at home. Don't cause trouble in the hospital. We have security cameras everywhere, so don't even think about pinning this on us."

Hayden swallowed his anger and pulled his hand back.

Watching the young nurse stomp off in a huff, his gaze turned somber.

What the hell was he doing? Zoe had driven him so crazy he was practically torturing himself.

*Idiot.*

Zoe woke up before dawn the next day.

With Ian gone, she managed barely two hours of sleep, plagued by relentless nightmares she couldn't bear to recall.

The others hadn't slept a wink, either.

They had urged her to get some rest, terrified that the trauma of her son's abduction would push her over the edge.

Especially after Garrett had briefed Mr. Kendall Sr. and Sylvia on the messy history between Zoe and Hayden. Based on her past reactions, they were convinced she was suffering from severe post-traumatic stress.

Fearing another breakdown, they did everything they could to keep her calm and emotionally grounded.

Zoe opened her bedroom door to find everyone gathered in the living room.

Their complexions were just as pale and drawn as hers.

Her brief, nightmare-fueled sleep had left heavy, dark circles under her eyes.

Clearly, it had been a restless night for everyone.

"Sylvia, did Julie call?"

It was the first thing out of Zoe's mouth.

Sylvia and Mr. Kendall Sr. had been staring at their phones, waiting for exactly that.

Sylvia shook her head. "Not yet. But try not to worry too much. If Julie wants a ransom and wants to get away with it, she'll need time to figure out a foolproof plan. She wouldn't contact us this soon. She took Ian purely out of greed, so I truly believe she won't hurt him."

Everyone knew her words were entirely baseless—nothing but fragile comfort.

As long as the kidnapper hadn't made her demands, and until they had proof of life, the suffocating anxiety would remain.

Julie was likely caught in her own psychological turmoil right now.

Torn between her desperation for the money and the sheer terror of getting caught.

No one had a clue what her next move would be.

They all sat in the hotel suite, their nerves stretched to the snapping point as they waited.

Yara had suggested bringing in the police, but the idea was quickly shot down.

Sylvia had considered it too, but Ian's safety took priority over everything. She wasn't willing to risk his life by making a hasty move.

Sylvia didn't know much about the nanny, let alone her family background.

After a moment of thought, Sylvia spoke up. "I'm going to call Julie's family and see if they can help." Zoe didn't hold onto any false hope.

This kidnapping might not have been a spur-of-the-moment decision. If it was premeditated, her family could easily be in on it.

Sylvia knew Cora well; she was a reliable woman who didn't have it in her to lie.

"No, she hasn't," Cora continued. "Wasn't she doing a good job for you? Why would she come back?"

She paused, her tone turning cautious. "Did she make a mistake? Did you fire her?"

Cora choked up. "I knew it. She must have stolen something and made you angry. Tell me what she took, ma'am. The second she gets here, I'll make sure she returns it.

She's a good person, but she never should have married Frank. That bastard is a degenerate gambler who spends half his time chasing other women. Whenever he gets drunk or pissed off, he uses her as a punching bag. But she's so foolishly in love with him. She even had a baby with him without getting married, and he doesn't care about either of them.

I just felt so sorry for her and the baby. The child was barely weaned when you mentioned needing a nanny, so I recommended her. Mrs. Kendall, I swear I had no idea she would cause trouble. I am so terribly sorry."

Sylvia remained silent for a long moment. It was painstakingly clear that Cora had no idea what her sister had done.

"Cora, listen to me. Julie didn't steal my belongings."

Cora was stunned. "Then... what did she do?"

"She took my grandson. If she comes to you, please don't tell her I called. I need you to keep her calm and keep her there. I don't know what her ultimate plan is, but she's obviously desperate for cash.

She scammed over a million dollars out of me and tried to push for more. When I didn't take the bait, she set the estate on fire and kidnapped my grandson."

Hearing this, Cora was so terrified she could barely form a coherent sentence.

"She... she burned down the manor and took the young master?"

The poor woman sounded like she was on the verge of passing out.

Mr. Kendall Sr. took the phone from his wife, his voice steady and commanding. "Cora, Julie has crossed a massive line. What she did comes with serious prison time. We need your help. If she shows up, stall her. Just make sure she doesn't hurt my grandson.