The Parent Trap

Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Chase Jacobs

POV

When the scream tore through Stella’s bedroom, my body moved before my brain did. It was like my body relied on years of natural instincts.

I didn’t even think, I grabbed my daughter, holding her in my arms, shielding her from danger. My little Stella was small and warm in my arms. She was equal parts shocked and scared. Her tiny body was shaking from shock.

My first instinct was to protect my little girl. It took another scream for me to look away from my daughter.

Carly’s instincts screamed something else entirely.

I didn’t even realize it was happening, it was like she was a blur, one second she was asleep the next she was on the floor with my soon to be ex wife, twisting Amelia’s arm behind her back.

Something about her speed and efficiency had my blood run cold. Carly didn’t hesitate, she didn’t even pause. She just reacted on pure instincts. It left me with more questions than answers. She neutralized what she felt was a threat like it was nothing. Not that Amelia could ever put up a fight. She grew up with dolls and fairy tales. Like it was second nature to her, like her body had done it a thousand times before. I always assumed Carly was special ops, with Carly Lewis being her alias. Carly Lewis was way too clean. Not even so much as a parking ticket. She wasn’t special forces, or I didn’t think she was, maybe private security. But was she really hiding? Was she running from something or someone? When I used my connections to find out who she really was. I found nothing. Her prints came up empty. There was nothing about Carly Lewis before three years ago. I didn’t know who she was before then. I was having Michael look into it for me. I needed to know. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

I didn’t know what she was, but I knew what she wasn’t. A regular woman.

When I realized Stella wasn’t in any danger, I asked Carly to let go of Amelia. But it was like she couldn’t hear me. I pulled her off Amelia holding her in my arms. It’s when I realized she was trembling.

She just stared at her hands in shock. Soon that shock turned to horror. My heart was pounding in my throat. She was breathing so hard I could hear her hyperventilating.

I watched as Amelia rose to her feet, she was shaking like a leaf, holding her arm. I assume it hurt like a bitch. She was glaring at me with a type of fury I’ve never seen from her. Amelia was always easy going, so she never messed up her public image even when she was at home. Even when she took over one of the guest rooms and turned it into a play room for Stella. I knew her heart was in the right place. But the room looked sadder than anything a two year old should play in. Stella never even set foot in the room since it’s been set up. I’ve never even see this type of fury on her face when she was filming or posing for the cameras.

Then it hit me. What the fuck was Amelia doing here? Why the hell did she still have a key to my house when I asked her to return her key before she left months ago. Showing up unannounced was so like her. She always did whatever she pleased without thinking about anyone but herself.

I drag Amelia out of the room and down the stairs to my living room.

"Get out. What are you even doing here? You scared Stella." I snapped.

Amelia’s laugh was sharp. "Or what, Chase? You’re going to hit me? Get your dog to hurt me further? You’re going to throw me out of my own house?" she asks. "I could sue her for what she did to me. I have interviews this entire week. I’d go to the hospital and tell them you hit me." she threatens.

I glare at her. Carly wasn’t my damn dog. And I’m sure she didn’t break or dislocate her arm either. "My house." I remind her. I got this house before our marriage. "Also you could try to say I hurt you, but I might want to remind you, you broke into my house and Carly was treating you as an intruder. Need I remind you?" Knowing her she could have seriously hurt Amelia if she thought she was an actual threat. I saw what she did to those two men who hurt my daughter. She broke one of their jaws and the other didn’t look much better either.

She flinched at my words, as if I’d slapped her. I bought Amelia the penthouse apartment she wanted when I told her I wanted a divorce. I knew Amelia wasn’t happy with our marriage. I couldn’t give her the intimacy she wanted, Amelia deserved happiness and to focus on something other than forcing Stella into acting. Also she wouldn’t actually go to the police, it would ruin the image she so preciously created of herself to the public.

"Don’t you dare!" she shouts, her voice rising. "If you think I’m just going to sit here and let you cheat on me with some rando woman."

I cut her off, nearly rolling my eyes at her delusions. "Jesus you’re not making any sense, Amelia." I said. "This isn’t what it looks like. Carly and I..."

Amelia’s eyes narrowed. "It looks like you moved on pretty quickly."

"Stella wouldn’t sleep." I said, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. "She wouldn’t go to sleep without Carly. So she slept in her room. With us. That’s it. Stella wanted the both of us in the room with her when she slept. Jesus I wouldn’t sleep with another woman while my daughter is in the same room Amelia. Do you think so little of me?"

Amelia stared at me like I’d grown a second head. "You expect me to believe that?" she spat.

"I don’t expect you to believe anything but that my daughter would be a toy you can dress up and use to further your career. I expect you to believe that if you really try to take my daughter away from me." I warn, "I will ruin you."

Her face changes from anger twisting into something much darker. To an emotion I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

"You can’t do that." she screeches, then her voice goes low and dangerous. "I can take full custody of Stella keep her away from you. Remember the whole world thinks she’s mine anyway. And I could ruin you too. I can make sure everyone knows you cheated." she threatens.

I stepped closer to her. "You think you’re the only one who can ruin people?" I asked.

Her lips curled into a mocking smile. "You don’t scare me." she crosses her arms.

That was her first mistake. She didn’t think of me as a threat. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

I leaned in, my voice quiet. "Try me, I could make you disappear where no one could ever find you, and no one would remember your name or what you looked like. Do you really want that Amelia?" I warn.

She goes still. This time she didn’t have a comeback. And for second I saw the real Amelia. The one I grew up with. I saw the Amelia who hides behind the public mask, the one who had always demanded on control. The one who would do everything in her power to stay in the public eye. Even if it meant using my daughter as a tool to keep that power.

The mask comes back, as she scoffs at me and turns to walk toward the front door. She turns to me warning me. "Don’t think this is over, just you watch!" she slams the door behind her.

"Jesus fucking Christ..." I mutter under my breath, as I watched her leave, my blood still boiling. The fury inside of me wouldn’t calm down. What the hell was I thinking when I married Amelia back then? What the hell was I thinking when I hired a woman I didn’t know to look after my daughter?

I walk up the stairs back to the bedroom. I see Carly still standing in the same spot I left her in, she’s still trembling. Stella was sitting on the bed on her knees watching Carly in concern. Some how Carly looked more traumatized by the days events than Stella did. Stella obviously cares deeply for Carly. She didn’t even care that Carly hurt her mother...

"Stella honey why don’t you go wash up. I’ll speak to Carly okay? I’ll make sure she’s okay..." I say softly to my daughter.

Stella looks at Carly before nodding and walking into her ensuite.

I look at Carly when we’re alone, she looks so shaken by what happened, she looks more horrified than Amelia did. And Amelia was the one that was hurt.

I pull Carly out of the room and into my office so Stella can’t hear our conversation.

When we’re alone I ask her in a low tone. "Who are you really?"

A part of me wonders if she approached Stella with ulterior motive, to get information out of me.

She stared at me, confusion and fear mixing in her eyes. Her shoulders slump. She looked so small and fragile. I couldn’t understand her reaction.

Tears pool in her eyes. "I don’t know, I have no idea." she whispered. "I..."

I shake my head. "You just attacked my ex-wife like she was a threat." I say. "That’s not normal. You could have traumatized my daughter Carly." I remind her.

Carly swallowed, struggling to find words. "I’m sorry. I don’t know how to explain it. I could feel you reaching for Stella so I went after the threat" she says, her voice trembling. "I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know what came over me. I just... reacted. My body reacted before my brain could even process what was happening. It happened so fast, it was like it was all a dream and when I woke up I was already on top of her." She stared at her hands like they they weren’t hers. "I didn’t even think, I just..." she continued. "It was like someone else was in control of my body."

Her eyes went unfocused for a moment, and she reached up to her head clutching it like it hurt. "Stop! No, don’t. Don’t take her from me. No... Please..." She screams out clutching her head.

"Carly?" I ask unsure.

She didn’t even respond before she collapsed right in front of me.

I reached for her before she hit the floor.

My heart was racing. "Carly?!" I yelled out, shaking her gently.

She didn’t respond or move, her breathing was shallow. It seemed like she was asleep but I couldn’t be sure.

Something about the way she looked before she collapsed made my stomach drop.

Was it something I said?

I lift her into my arms and carried her to her bedroom. I needed to call a doctor just to be sure.

My mind was racing with even questions. What the hell had I invited into my home. Who was Carly Lewis? What the hell was Carly Lewis hiding or what was she hiding from?

What happened in Stella’s bedroom wasn’t something you learn from self defence classes. I know because it was similar to the training my father put my brother and I through.

Was it safe to leave Stella alone with a woman who couldn’t even control herself? If she acted this way from being woken up, what would happen if Stella woke her one day and she hurt my daughter?

Her first instinct is to get rid of the threat not to protect my daughter. Did I make the wrong decision?

I ask myself as I call my private doctor to come and look at the woman who has taken over my daughter’s heart.

Even after speaking to her I was left with more questions than answers.