The ride was quiet… well, mostly.
Mina was fast asleep, curled up in Ethan's lap like a kitten, her little teddy bear squished between them. Every few seconds, she murmured something about cake or cartoons. Her tiny hands clutched his shirt like she was afraid he'd vanish.
Ethan looked down at her, unsure whether to feel warm or terrified.
"She's really taken a liking to you, Ethan," said Old Hayes, sitting beside him in the luxury car's back seat. His voice was calm, gentle even, like a kindly grandpa reading bedtime stories. But Ethan couldn't ignore the black cane resting across the old man's lap—with a snake-head handle.
Ethan gave a stiff smile and lightly patted Mina's head. "She's adorable."
But inside?
Chaos.
