Chapter 408
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Chapter 408:
Carmen buried her face in her hands. A horrible, guttural sob tore out of her throat.
“I am a monster,” Carmen wept, her shoulders heaving violently. “I carried a child in my body, and I forgot him. I erased my own flesh and blood from my brain p>
Jocelyn dropped the papers immediately. She wrapped her arms tightly around Carmen’s shaking shoulders and pulled her against her chest.
“Stop it,” Jocelyn said firmly, rubbing her back. “You suffered a massive traumatic brain injury. Dissociative amnesia is a biological defense mechanism. Your brain shut down to keep you alive. This is not your fault p>
Carmen gripped Jocelyn’s blazer, crying so hard she was choking on her own breath.
“I don’t know where he is,” Carmen gasped, her tears soaking Jocelyn’s lapel. “I don’t know if he is alive, or if he is safe. I don’t even know who his father is p>
Jocelyn’s heart lurched. A sudden, terrifying image flashed through her mind — Senator Justin Collins, and the little boy Aaden, who had clung to Carmen in the mall.
Her mouth went dry. The pieces aligned with sickening perfection. But she forced her face to remain completely neutral. Without absolute, DNA-level proof, telling a shattered mother that her child might be alive would be an act of psychological cruelty.
𝖢𝘩i𝘯e𝗌e no𝗏𝘦𝗹𝘀 t𝗿𝘢𝗇ѕ𝗹𝖺𝘵𝗲𝖽 о𝘯 𝗴𝖺𝗅ոo𝘃е𝘭𝗌.𝗰о𝗆
“We will find him,” Jocelyn promised fiercely, her voice steady. “Gaston and I will tear this city apart. We will hire the best private investigators in the world. We will get the truth p>
Carmen let out a wet, bitter laugh and shook her head against Jocelyn’s shoulder.
“Justin promised he would help me find out who did this and where my son is now,” Carmen whispered. “He has the federal clearance to track the sealed adoption records I can’t access. I have to rely on him p>
Jocelyn’s stomach twisted into a tight, painful knot. Hearing Justin’s name made the hairs on her arms stand up. She had always sensed a dark, obsessive control radiating from the Senator whenever he looked at Carmen.
To pull her back from the edge of panic, Jocelyn reached into her designer handbag and produced a thick, gold-foiled envelope, which she placed gently on the glass coffee table.
“Next week is the wedding at the Long Island estate,” Jocelyn said softly. “I want you standing next to me. I want you to be my bridesmaid p>
Carmen stared at the beautiful, heavy cardstock. A violent spasm of pain crossed her face. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.
“I am so sorry, Jocelyn,” Carmen choked out, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “I can’t. If I go to a wedding looking like this, feeling like this, I will ruin your day. Every time I close my eyes, I hear a baby crying. I need time p>
Jocelyn felt a sharp pang of sadness, but she understood completely. She leaned in and held Carmen tighter.
“Take all the time you need,” Jocelyn whispered.
Suddenly, Carmen’s cell phone vibrated violently against the glass table. The screen lit up in the dark room.
Ferris Golden.