Althea did not look back at Darren. She ignored his angry shouts behind her. She walked straight into the master bedroom.
She pulled a travel bag from the closet. She threw a few simple clothes into it. She took the plastic pregnancy test from her pocket. She gripped the pregnancy test tightly with her cold fingers, her knuckles turning white. Ultimately, her cautious nature took over; she didn't throw it away into the trash where prying eyes could find it. Instead, she tucked the plastic wand safely back into the deepest pocket of her bag, ensuring her secret remained hidden. She zipped up the bag and walked out of the cold penthouse forever.
Three years later.
A massive rainstorm battered the remote land of Montana. The Rainbridge Trailer Park was flooded with muddy water.
Althea sat by the window of her small, simple trailer. She watched the heavy rain wash against the glass.
Two-year-old Chloe Hughes was curled up on the small bed nearby. She hugged an old teddy bear. She was sleeping soundly.
Althea stood up and walked to the bed. She gently pulled the knitted blanket over her daughter's shoulders. Her eyes were full of firm, motherly love.
Suddenly, the loud roar of a heavy engine cut through the noise of the rain. Two blinding headlights pierced the dark night. The lights aimed directly at the trailer park.
A huge, black, bulletproof SUV drove through a deep mud puddle. It struggled and finally stopped right in front of Althea's trailer.
The SUV's engine made a loud, grinding noise. Then it died completely. The headlights flickered twice and went dark.
Althea frowned. Her body tensed. She turned to the kitchen counter and grabbed a heavy metal flashlight. She held it tight as a weapon.
The driver's door of the SUV was pushed open violently. A large man in a black raincoat jumped out. He splashed through the mud and ran up to the wooden porch.
Loud, urgent knocks hit the thin wooden door. The sound was terrifying in the stormy night.
Althea walked quietly to the door. She looked through the peephole. The rain blurred the view outside.
The large man wiped the rain from his face. He yelled loudly.
"Is anyone there? We need emergency medical help!"
Althea recognized that voice instantly. It was Rick Sullivan, Darren's personal bodyguard. Her heart started to hammer violently against her ribs. Her breathing stopped.
She gripped the flashlight tighter. She took a deep breath to push down her panic. She spoke coldly through the closed door.
"What do you need?"
Rick yelled back, his voice desperate. "There is a sick child in the car! He has a high fever! The road is destroyed by a mudslide! We need children's fever medicine!"
Hearing that a child was sick, Althea's motherly instinct took over. She hesitated for two seconds. Then she unlocked the deadbolt with a loud click.
She opened the door just a crack.
At that exact moment, the back door of the SUV opened. A tall, broad figure stepped out into the pouring rain, holding a black umbrella.
The man walked up the steps of the porch with long legs. He lifted the umbrella slightly. The dim porch light hit his face. It was the same cold, sculptured face Althea had not seen for three years.
Darren Young stood there. The bottom of his expensive custom suit was covered in mud. He looked messy and tired.
Althea's lungs stopped working. Her fingers gripped the edge of the door so hard her knuckles turned white. She stared dead at the man.
Darren's eyes fell on the woman opening the door. His pupils shrank rapidly. His anxious expression froze completely.
He could not believe his eyes. The ex-wife who had disappeared for three years, the woman he had searched all of New York for, was hiding in this broken-down trailer park.
Darren's throat moved. His voice was hoarse from shock and complex emotions. He forced out one word.
"Althea?"
The shock on Althea's face vanished instantly. A mask of pure ice replaced it. She pulled the door closer, making the crack smaller.
She turned and walked quickly to the medical box on the shelf. She dug out an unopened bottle of children's liquid ibuprofen.
She walked back to the door. She shoved the bottle through the narrow crack into Rick's hand. Her movements were sharp and completely emotionless.
Darren stepped forward. He reached out his hand to stop the door from closing. He wanted to ask her a thousand questions.
Althea did not hesitate. She slammed the door shut with all her strength.
A loud bang echoed as the door hit the frame, locking Darren outside in the storm. Althea quickly pushed the heavy metal deadbolt into place.
