Chapter 112
Rhett’s voice carried a dangerous edge as he confronted the teacher, “How could my kid be released from your school without proper identification? If anything happens to Summer, you’re directly responsible.” The warning in his tone was unmistakable.
“Mr., Mr. FitzGerald, the headmaster…” The teacher’s voice trembled, fear evident in the stutter. “Get me the headmaster. Now!” Rhett’s voice remained low and menacing as he whipped out his cell phone and dialed his assistant, York. “Check the nearby CCTV footage. Find out who look Summer. Move fast.”
Soon, the headmaster strode out, his face flushed with anxiety. “Mr. FitzGerald… I…”
“My child is in this school for one reason, which is security. And yet, someone just waltzed in and took him? How did you let this happen?” Rhett’s cold demeanor was cracking, his anger barely contained.
“Mr. FitzGerald, your son?” The headmaster stuttered, his eyes scanning the logbook. “You mean Summer? A Mr. Carter, who claimed to be the child’s grandfather, picked him up on behalf of her father.”
Kristin’s grip on her phone tightened until her knuckles turned white. The patriarch of the Bryce family had come for Summer. What was his game?
“No father, no grandfather… Why didn’t you call me? You have my number!” Kristin’s voice was frantic, her fear palpable.
Rhett wrapped an arm around Kristin, his voice a soothing rumble. “The school better have a good explanation for this.”
Without another word, Rhett escorted Kristin away. “If Carter acknowledges Summer as a Bryce, he won’t harm him. He’s too smart to be lured away by strangers. Once we find him, we’ll get some answers.”
Kristin’s face was ghostly pale, her body shaking as she fell to the ground, tears threatening to spill. The idea of fighting the Bryce family for custody of Summer terrified her.
“Kristin, breathe,” Rhett said as he crouched before her. “Look at me. Summer’s okay. No one can take him from you without your consent. Trust me.”
Looking into Rhett’s eyes, her breath hitched, but she found comfort there, much to her
surprise.
In a moment of vulnerability, Kristin reached out her hands and embraced him, her tears finally breaking free. It was an intimate gesture she hadn’t intended, which she thought would be met with disdain.
But Rhett didn’t push her away. Instead, he steadied her when she tried to pull back, almost falling. “Calm down now?” His voice was always so reassuring.
Chapter 112
Kristin felt Rhett was her lifeline in the depths of her despair, always able to soothe her worries. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.
The headmaster watched, legs wobbly, as the charged moment unfolded. The connection between Kristin and Rhett was undeniable.
“Mr. FitzGerald,” the headmaster began, desperate to explain. “We had Summer’s consent before we let him leave with Mr. Carter. Given his status, we didn’t imagine he’d…”
Summer was a prodigy, able to read almost fluently at four, thanks to the dedication of her guardian, Garner, who had used the dictionary to teach Summer himself.
At five and a half, Summer understood the meaning of a paternity test well.
“We’ve contacted Carter’s assistant. They’re at the Diamond Crest Hotel now. Let’s ensure Summer’s safety first, and I assure you that the school will do everything to rectify this mistake,” pleaded the headmaster, fearing the wrath of the mighty FitzGerald Group.
Rhett’s response was a cold scoff as he led Kristin to his car.
York’s call came in shortly after. “Mr. FitzGerald, they’re at the Diamond Crest Hotel Carter does not attempt to hide his presence in Silvergrove. Summer is with him.”
The call ended, and Rhett’s gaze fell worriedly on Kristin. Carter’s transparency and Summer’s willingness to go with him were troubling signs.
The Bryce family would undoubtedly fight for custody.
Kristin’s phone rang again. It was James. “Kris, my grandfather has taken Summer. I’m going to the Diamond Crest Hotel. Don’t panic. Summer’s safe.”
“James…” Kristin’s voice was hoarse. “You promised you wouldn’t fight me for Summer.”
There was a silence on the other end before James spoke. “Kristin, I never intended to fight with you for Summer. He’s yours. But the condition is you have to be mine, too.”
Kristin’s instinct was to bite her fingers, a nervous habit, but Rhett caught her hand, shaking his head.
She looked at him with pleading eyes, desperate for a solution. How could she keep Summer?
“Kristin, I’m not threatening you, but you must think it over. I’m not too keen on you cozying up to Rhett, James said, his voice a mixture of concern and something darker. He knew Kristin and Rhett had been spending time together. And damn, was he jealous.
After watching Kristin drive off with Rhett, jealousy clawed at him like a wild beast.
His words weren’t just for Kristin. They were a warning to Rhett, too.
James ended the call with a click, convinced that Kristin had no choice but to fall in line.
What he didn’t know was that Kristin had already gone and tied the knot with Rhett.
Chapter 112
In James‘ world, that was incomprehensible.
He couldn’t marry Kristin. And Rhett? That was even less likely.
The FitzGerald family valued their public image far more than the Bryce family ever did.
“We’ll pick up Summer first,” Rhett said, trying to soothe the tension.
James was, after all, Summer’s father, and there was only so much Rhett could say.
Kristin’s gaze dropped, and her grip on the phone tightened until her knuckles turned white.
Summer was James‘ son, an inescapable reality.
Blood ties are unbreakable, and Summer would reunite with them sooner or later.
And how long could Rhett protect her?
It was a three–year marriage, and when it ended, where would she go? What about Summer?
“Mr. FitzGerald, don’t worry about fighting for Summer’s custody.” Kristin’s voice was hoarse as the car pulled into the parking lot of the Diamond Crest Hotel.
If Rhett got involved in the custody battle, the Bryce family would find out about their secret marriage certificate.
Aurora Tech and the FitzGerald Group might be strategic partners, but they were competitors. too. Her tarnished reputation and former engagement to Vincent would drag Rhett through the mud, leaving a stain he couldn’t wipe clean.
That was the FitzGerald way, something the Holcomb family would never stand for.
It would jeopardize Rhett’s standing within the FitzGerald Group.
So, she couldn’t let him intervene.
Rhett’s brow furrowed, feeling a wild, reckless surge for the first time, a desire to throw all caution to the wind for her sake.
