Customers immediately moved away from them like they were criminals.
The old man stared at the child with tears filling his eyes.
“Emily…” he whispered again.
The officer grabbed the boy’s arm.
“We received reports of kidnapping.”
“No!” the boy shouted. “I would never hurt her!”
The little girl suddenly woke up crying.
“Don’t take my brother!”
The bakery exploded into murmurs.
The old man stepped closer carefully.
“What’s your name?” he asked the boy.
“…Noah.”
“And hers?”
The boy looked down.
“Lily.”
The old man’s expression shattered.
Because Lily was the nickname only his missing daughter’s mother used.
His knees nearly gave out.
“Who gave her that name?” he whispered.
Noah hesitated.
Then quietly answered:
“Our mom.”
The entire room went silent again.
The old man stared at him in disbelief.
“Your mother’s name…”
Noah swallowed hard.
“Claire.”
The billionaire suddenly collapsed into a chair, unable to breathe.
Ten years earlier, Claire had disappeared after exposing corruption inside his own company. Everyone believed she had died.
But she hadn’t.
She had been hiding.
Protecting two children.
Noah slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out an old photograph.
A younger Claire smiled in the picture while holding baby Lily beside a small boy.
On the back were four handwritten words:
“If anything happens to me… find Daniel.”
The old man covered his mouth as tears streamed down his face.
Daniel was his name.
Before anyone could speak again—
The bakery television suddenly switched to BREAKING NEWS.
Claire’s face appeared on the screen.
ALIVE.
Bruised. Terrified.
And running from someone.
Then the broadcast cut out.
The old man looked at Noah in horror.
“She’s in danger.”
Outside the bakery—
A black SUV slowly stopped at the curb.
And someone inside was already watching them.
