Stolen Life

dirt road, kicking up a cloud of dus

e ye

since Ethan Miller had seen t

a map of scars, each one a story from his time in South Africa. The diamond mines weren't a place for t

made into som

he surface. He had a bag on the passenger seat, filled with gifts. Expensive gifts. He also had a bank account with

ther men. There was a funeral, a memorial plaque with his name on it

t speak for weeks. By the time he could, he was already in a different world, indebted to the man who found him, a man they called "Boss" Thompso

for Olivia. For his family. Every dangerous deal, ev

was fina

ad shared. It was a house he'd poured his sweat into, fixing the roof

nst his ribs. He imagined Olivia' s face when she saw him. Sh

, the garden was professionally landscaped, and a new, expensive-lookin

. His insurance money must have hel

s laugh. Olivia' s. The sound was a balm on hi

hild? They hadn

er excitement replaced by a cold unease. He

ackyard hit him li

by the barbecue, flipping burgers, was a man. He was handsome, charming, wearing a polo shirt and khaki shorts. He laughed at

opened, and his own mother walk

rn!" she called out cheerfu

the man, Daniel, on the back.

ion narrowed to the happy family scene in h

, his mind reeling. This wasn'

door and knocked. His hand f

unger sister, Sarah. She was wearing a designer dre

Her perfectly made

ered, her voice a

his own voice soun

he stammered, looking over he

This is

other, Mark, appeared. He looke

ng here?" Mark sneered. "Y

ings was out in the open. Not sho

le vanished. Her face was a mask of pure panic. The man, Danie

eathed, her hand f

faces a mixture of fear and guilt. No one was running to him. No one was crying

?" Ethan asked, his v

aniel, then at his parents. It was his mother

been three years. We all thought yo

escaping his lips. "She moved on into my

apped. "The insurance money was paid to h

tch, his sister's dress, the comfortable, well-fed look on his p

s leg, looking up at Ethan with wide, curious eyes. Daniel p

id, his voice low and threatening. "Y

he words echoed in

, terrified stranger. The betrayal was so complete, so absolute, it was almost stunning. It wasn't just Olivia

accepted this new man, this new source of income. They weren't just com

ere on the doorstep of his own home. The man from the

his gaze fixed on Olivia. "No

stile one, then to the guilty, averted eyes of h

ing through the tense silence. "And I'm not t

-