Three days later, Hayden and Natalia were packing his belongings in his apartment to move into hers. They had already signed the updated lease that added him as a co-tenant. While placing his knick-knacks in boxes, Natalia found pictures of him when he was a child. She smiled, looking at them and her mind went to the future, wondering if they had children would their son look like a young Hayden? "What are you smiling at?" He came up behind her, looking over her shoulder. Hayden saw a picture of himself playing baseball when he was about eight years old. "I found these old pictures of you. You were a cute child." Natalia wondered where he stood on having kids one day. "I was at a baseball camp in that picture. Those were some of the best days of my life. Anything that got me out of my parent's house was a good time. Do you like kids?" Hayden thought about Natalia walking around with his baby in her belly, and it excited him more than he wanted to admit. He would like
Hayden and Will were almost to NC when they noticed ambulances and police cars everywhere. Hayden tried to see what had happened, but there were too many people. He heard someone say somebody fell into traffic and got hit by a car. As he continued toward the office, he heard something that made his blood run cold. "It was that woman Natalia, something. You know, the one they call the ice queen." Hayden spun around and pushed people out of his way to get near the curb. He froze when he saw Natalia lying unconscious on the street. Paramedics were putting her onto a stretcher. "Natalia? No, please." He yelled as he rushed forward, only to be stopped by a policeman. "Sir, you need to step back." The officer said. "That's my girlfriend, Natalia Crawford. I'm the only family she has. Let me go with her." The officer saw the desperation and tears on the man's face, so he waved him through. "Please tell me she's okay." He cried as the paramedics lifted her into the ambula
Hayden had been sitting next to Natalia for over two hours. Doctors and nurses came and went, but he didn't move. He was not leaving her, no matter what. As he sat there looking at her damaged body, the rage in him was building. He turned when he heard a knock on the door, expecting it to be medical personnel, but it was a detective who he was familiar with. Detective Dennis Barber had been with the NYPD for twelve years. He was known for being thorough on cases when others thought there was no foul play. When Dr. Garnier had called and said her findings were inconclusive on if Natalia Crawford had been pushed or not, it had piqued his interest. Then she added that Hayden Sumner was her boyfriend and stated he may know of people who wanted to harm the young woman. Dennis knew he had to take this case. He had worked with Hayden before and knew he was one of the few good billionaires in the city. "Good evening Hayden. I've been assigned Natalia's case and wanted to talk to you for
Hayden quickly texted Dennis to tell him that Cara was at the hospital to visit Natalia. He responded, telling him he wasn't far and would be there in a few minutes. Hayden looked up when the woman walked into the room, looking nervous. "Hel...Hello Mr. Sumner. I'm Cara, Natalia's friend." Cara held her hand to him, but he refused to let go of Natalia. After a few awkward seconds of him staring at her without moving or saying anything, she put her hand down. "If you're her friend, why have you not seen her in four years?" Hayden asked coldly, making her retreat a few steps backward. Cara wanted to leave, but she'd come too far now. "I...I've been busy. I'm married and have two small children. She never came to see me either." She said in her defense, crossing her arms. Cara was trying not to look at Natalia. She looked even worse than she imagined. "Why are you here now?" Hayden asked through clenched teeth. The more nervous he saw her getting, the more he knew s
Cara cried the entire way to the police station. She realized she had made a mistake. She should have never come to New York. Now she didn't know when she would ever see her children again. When they got to the station, she was taken to an interrogation room and left alone. Dennis made a call after securing Cara. He wanted to know if they had any luck getting Shania. He was concerned that she might disappear if they didn't catch her before she learned of her cousin's arrest. "Hey, Mason, did you have any luck?" He asked the officer who was sent to Shania's apartment. "No, she's not here. I'm watching her building to see if she comes home, and I have someone monitoring her credit card activity. In the morning, getting a warrant may be a good idea, so we can also track her phone." Dennis rubbed his head while holding back his groan. He liked Mason because he was thorough, but sometimes he didn't know when to stay in his lane. "Already in the works, kid. Let me know
Hayden slept in the chair beside Natalia's bed all night while holding her hand. He woke up every time someone came into the room. When morning came, he looked a little worse for wear, and one of the nurses took pity on him. She brought him a large cup of hot coffee from the coffee shop in the cafeteria. "Mr. Sumner, I brought you some coffee. I didn't know how you took it, so it's black, but I can get you cream and sugar if you'd like." Hayden looked at the nurse, who was short and round with grey hair, and gave her a small smile. "Black is fine. Thank you." He said with gratitude. "You're welcome. My name is Linnette, and I'll be Natalia's nurse today, so if you need anything, please let me know. Would you like for me to have some breakfast brought up to you?" He looked at her in surprise. "You would do that for me? I was willing to starve if I had to so I wouldn't have to leave her side." Linnette patted his shoulder. He reminded her of her son, who she estima
Natalia felt like she was lost in a dark place with no end and no beginning. Several times she had wanted to give up and let the darkness take her, but something always brought her back. It was a voice in the distance. She didn't know who it was, but it was calling to her. She kept trying to get to that voice, but something was holding her back. Every time she thought she was almost there, a fog came over her and sent her back to where she had started from. She was determined to make it; she was going to find the owner of that voice.___________ Natalia had been unconscious for five days. Each day she had a little more movement. Sometimes, her fingers or toes would move. Other times her eyelids fluttered like they were going to open, but they never did. Hayden hadn't left her bedside other than to use the restroom or freshen up. Patrice or Will would bring him clothes each day and sit with Natalia while he was away. The hospital staff kept him fed. He was grateful bec
Shania had never been more scared than she was now. Jon refused to let her leave the hotel and made her perform every sex act he could think of. She had cried and begged him to kill her, but he said he wasn't done with her yet. She was lying on the bed crying while he was in the shower. He had her tied up to the headboard so she couldn't leave. She no longer cared about Natalia and Hayden; all she wanted to do was live. If that meant she spent the rest of her life in jail, so be it. Shania knew Jon planned to kill her when he finished with her. She tried to get her hands loose, but they wouldn't budge. When she was about to give up, she felt one of the ropes loosen. She could still hear the shower on in the bathroom, so she pulled and tugged with all her might. One of the ropes gave way and slipped off. She got one hand out and was able to untie the other hand. When she heard the water shut off, she jumped off the bed. She had no clothes on, so she grabbed the shee