The men disappeared from view, and I strained to listen for any sounds that might indicate what was happening inside. My mind conjured up worst-case scenarios, each more terrifying than the last. Were they after money? Information? Or something more terrifying—a future where my children became collateral?

The minutes stretched, each one an eternity. Then, the back door creaked open again, and I dared to peek through the branches. My husband emerged alone, his expression unreadable in the dim light. He didn’t seem to suspect that I had seen everything. Or maybe he just didn’t care.

He took a step toward our hiding place, and my heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I considered my options, few as they were. Confronting him was risky, but hiding in the bushes without a plan was a dead end. I needed to know the truth.

With a deep breath, I stepped into the moonlight, Liam and Emma gripping my hands tightly. My husband froze, surprise flickering across his face before he masked it with an unreadable expression.

“Why?” I demanded, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why are you doing this?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stared at me, his eyes reflecting a turmoil I couldn’t decipher. Finally, he spoke, his voice cold and detached. “It’s not what you think.”

His words only fueled my anger. “Then tell me what it is,” I insisted, feeling the raw edge of desperation in my voice. “Tell me why you brought us out here. What are you after?”

For a moment, he hesitated. Then, as if a decision had been made, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t explain everything right now. Just know that I did this to protect you. From people more dangerous than you can imagine.”

His explanation was far from satisfying, but a flicker of something—perhaps sincerity—kept me from walking away. Could I trust him even a little, given the circumstances? My instincts were conflicted, torn between the man I had known and the stranger he had become.

As if sensing my inner turmoil, he stepped closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “I need you to trust me. Just for tonight. We’ll leave this place, and I’ll tell you everything.”

I glanced back at the SUV, wondering if those men were still inside, watching and waiting. My options were limited. In this moment, I had to decide whether to gamble on the sliver of hope that my husband was still the man I once knew—or to risk everything on the unknown.

With a reluctant nod, I accepted his outstretched hand, pulling our children closer as we began to move, step by cautious step, into an uncertain future.