The house was eerily quiet. I sat in the living room, trying to distract myself, but my thoughts were consumed by the same thing: Ethan. Where was he? Was he okay? The guilt gnawed at me every moment. I had no idea where he was, and neither did Harrison. Adrianne had taken him, and now she refused to say where he was hidden.
I couldn’t stand it. I needed to know where my son was. We had to get her to talk. And that’s where Harrison had his plan.
Earlier that day, Harrison had left for the police station. He told me he was going to watch Adrianne crack under pressure. They had taken her into custody after the kidnapping, and Harrison believed that if she knew we had her son, she would have no choice but to give us the information we needed.
It had been hours since he left, and I was growing anxious. The silence was unbearable. I couldn’t sit still, so I started pacing around the room. I kept thinking about Ethan, imagining all the horrible things that could be happening to him. My hands were shaking as I clutched my phone, waiting for a message from Harrison.
***************************
Meanwhile, at the Police Station
Harrison stepped into the cold, sterile room of the police station, a determined look on his face. Adrianne was sitting at the interrogation table, her hands cuffed in front of her. She looked at him with a mix of defiance and fear.
He had been here before, many times, and he knew how to get what he wanted. He wasn’t about to let Adrianne get away with this. Not this time.
“Adrianne,” Harrison said, his voice cold and commanding. “You can make this easy, or you can make it hard. But either way, you’re going to tell me where Ethan is.”
Adrianne remained silent, her eyes hard, refusing to meet his gaze. Harrison could see the tension in her body, the way she gripped the edges of the table as though it might anchor her. He leaned forward, his voice lowering.
“You’re not going to win this, Adrianne. We know you took him. We know he’s with you. And now… I’m giving you the chance to save yourself. Tell me where he is, and I’ll make sure nothing happens to you. We have your son. If you cooperate, Luis stays safe.”
Adrianne’s eyes flickered for just a moment, but then she clenched her jaw, her lips pressing into a thin line. Harrison watched her carefully, knowing that she had to be breaking inside. A mother would do anything to protect her child.
“Tell me, Adrianne. Where is Ethan? Where have you hidden him?” Harrison pressed.
She shook her head. “I won’t tell you. You can’t make me.”
Harrison sighed and pulled out his phone, showing her a picture of her son, Luis. The boy had been brought to the mansion, and now he was being held there, far away from his mother.
“You think I’m bluffing?” Harrison asked, his tone darkening. “I have Luis. He’s safe for now, but if you keep this up, I won’t be so merciful. You don’t have the luxury of time. I can make you regret not talking.”
Adrianne’s face hardened, but Harrison saw the smallest tremor in her hands. She was worried. She had to be.
“Tell me, Adrianne,” Harrison repeated, “where is Ethan?”
But Adrianne remained silent. She just sat there, staring at the table, refusing to say a word. Harrison knew she was strong, but he also knew she was a mother. And no mother would stay quiet forever when it came to her child.
***************************
I had been pacing for what felt like hours. My phone lay silent in my hand, no updates from Harrison. My stomach was in knots. I could barely breathe as my mind raced with thoughts of Ethan where he was, whether he was okay, and why Adrianne wouldn’t just tell us where he was.
What could she be thinking? What kind of person could do something like this to a child? To my child?
Finally, the door opened. Harrison stepped inside, his face a mask of frustration. He looked at me, his eyes heavy with the weight of what had happened.
“Did she tell you where Ethan is?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, my heart pounding.
Harrison didn’t answer immediately. He sat down on the couch, rubbing a hand over his face. His silence was enough of an answer. My heart sank.
“She didn’t talk,” he said flatly, his voice tight. “She’s holding out, Emma. Adrianne refuses to tell us where Ethan is.”
I stood frozen, the world spinning around me. How could she do this? How could she keep my son hidden from me?
“Why? Why won’t she say anything?” I demanded, my voice rising.
“I don’t know,” Harrison replied, running his hands through his hair. “I thought that once she knew we had Luis, she’d crack. But she’s not giving in. She’s stronger than I thought. We’ll have to try another way.”
I could see the frustration in his eyes, the anger building behind them. I felt the same way. My thoughts were clouded with worry and desperation. I just wanted to know where Ethan was. I wanted to hold him, make sure he was safe.
“So… what now?” I asked, feeling the weight of the situation crash down on me.
“We keep pushing her,” Harrison said, his jaw clenching. “We won’t stop until she tells us where he is. Adrianne won’t get away with this.”
I nodded, but inside, I felt hollow. How far could we push her before it was too much? What would happen to Ethan in the meantime? Would she break under the pressure, or would we lose him forever?