Chapter 16 - The Interception
Before Adrian could lower the binoculars, a sharp rap on his driver-side window made him jump.
He turned to see Marcus standing on the curb, his face an unreadable mask of stone. Behind Marcus, a black SUV had silently boxed in Adrian’s sedan.
Trembling, Adrian rolled down the window. "I wasn't going to approach them," he stammered, his bravado entirely gone. "I just... I just wanted to see them."
"You are in violation of a court order, Mr. Sterling," Marcus said, his voice quiet but carrying a dangerous weight. "Ms. Hayes does not know you are here, and she never will. Because if you ever come within five hundred yards of this family again, I will not call the police. I will handle it personally."
Adrian swallowed hard, tears pricking his eyes. "They're my kids, Marcus."
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"No," Marcus corrected firmly. "They are Ms. Hayes's children. You forfeited any right to them the moment you locked them out in the snow. Turn the car on. Drive away. And never come back."
Adrian put the car in drive. As he pulled away, he looked in the rearview mirror one last time, watching his past fade into the distance, permanently out of reach.
