When Family Became a Place I Couldn’t Return To novel Chapter 187

When Jonah set things in motion, he knew exactly what he wanted. The more furious Brody got, the better. That way, Nelly wouldn’t have to keep hiding, and the two of them could finally call it quits for good.

After a moment, Jonah nodded. “Alright. You should get some rest. I’m heading out. If you need anything, just call me.”

“Okay.” Nelly stood up and walked him to the door.

Downstairs, Jonah lingered for a while, waiting until he saw Nelly’s lights go out before finally slipping into his car. He was supposed to leave early the next morning, but his mind was all over the place.

Driving through the quiet night, Jonah glanced in the rearview mirror. He’d been so caught up in his thoughts, he almost missed the fact that someone was following him.

Brody kept behind Jonah’s car for miles. Either Jonah noticed or he just got lucky, but he ended up leading Brody through a maze of empty side streets, then disappeared without a trace. Brody had already tried to run Jonah’s license plate, but nothing came up. No records, no name, nothing. That could only mean two things. Either Jonah had some serious connections, or he was into something illegal.

By the time Brody made it home, the sky was already getting light. He didn’t even know why he was doing any of this anymore. He felt a kind of tired he’d never known before, every muscle aching. Even though he was exhausted, his mind felt painfully sharp, like every thought was a jolt of electricity straight to his chest. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling.

Was it possible he actually fell for Nelly? The idea felt almost laughable.

“Daddy.”

Brody stepped inside and found Carrie waiting by the door in her pajamas. His tense expression softened a little as he crouched down and gently pinched her cheek.

“Why are you up so early today?”

Carrie shrugged, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t know. I just woke up.”

Her voice was small and sleepy. Brody noticed the faint shadows under her eyes and realized she probably hadn’t slept well. Carrie always wanted someone at home, and last night both her parents were gone. Only Marian had been there, so she’d probably stayed up late waiting for them.

“Did you eat breakfast yet?” Brody asked, keeping his tone gentle.

Carrie shook her head. She’d woken up early and rushed out as soon as she heard his car, hoping her mom would be with him. Now that she wasn’t, Carrie felt a little let down.

There were plenty of nice ladies in the world, like Ms. Olson, who always made her happy. But none of them were her mom. Her mom was special. No matter what, she knew her mom would do anything for her, and she couldn’t stand the thought of losing her.

Brody felt his heart sink.

“Daddy, can you be nicer to Mommy? Nicer than you are to Ms. Olson. If you do that, I think… I think she’ll want to come home again,” Carrie said slowly, each word thoughtful and careful. She’d been wanting to say this for a long time. It was true. Daddy was nicer to Ms. Olson than he was to Mommy, and that’s why she’d wondered if maybe Ms. Olson and Daddy fit better together. But looking at him now, she realized he didn’t really need Ms. Olson at all. He and Mommy were perfect together. If Daddy picked Mommy, just like she did, there’d be no reason for Mommy to leave.

Brody stared at Carrie, unable to say a word. His throat felt tight, like something was stuck there.

Carrie tugged at his hand, her voice softer. “Daddy, do you really not like Mommy? Do you want her to be with someone else?”

“Someone else?” Brody caught the meaning in her words immediately.

Carrie looked away, her eyes darting nervously. She might not understand everything about grown-up relationships, but she knew this. If her parents split up, it wouldn’t just mean a new mom. She could get a new dad too. That man who rescued her from the kidnappers was just as handsome as her dad. She was honestly scared… What if someone stole her mommy away?