Page 9 of Finally Found You

Anger simmers beneath the surface. So the irresponsible woman in charge of my daughter is to blame. She’s at the top of my list of people who will pay for messing with my child’s life. And again, where is her mother in all this?

“You need to explain to me who Cami is,” I say, hoping she’ll give me a last name and more information. “How long have you been under her care?”

“She moved in with us when Nonna called her.” Kenzington’s lips press together again, and her eyes glisten with unshed tears. “After she died, I became Cami’s problem.”

My blood boils. She called my child a problem. That woman will rot in jail for child endangerment and any other crimes I find.

“Why don’t you give me her number?” I ask, trying to keep my anger in check.

“No, she’ll kill me if she learns I’m here.” The panic in her eyes squeezes my heart and fuels my desire for vengeance.

So this woman has been abusing her too? Fuck, I’m going to bury her alive.

For all I know, Kenzington could still have bruises from the last time Cami hurt her. First, I send a message to my sister Fern, urging her to come over as soon as possible. Then I scan the birth certificate and email it to Finnegan Gil, requesting a thorough investigation into my daughter’s origins. I need to know her family history, the whereabouts of her mother, and everything I can about this Cami woman.

As I wait for Fern to arrive, I’ve made a silent vow: I will do everything in my power to ensure that Kenzington is safe, loved, and never called a problem again.

Chapter Five

Lysander

“When are you doing the emancipation?” Kenzington asks after she’s finished eating, her voice tinged with desperation.

I avoid her question, trying to focus on something more immediate. “We should go to the mall to buy you some clothes,” I offer.

Kenzington opens her mouth to respond, but the front door unlocks before she can, and my sister’s voice rings out. “This better be a matter of life or death, Lysander. Elliot has a meeting, and I have to get back to our children.”

“Who is that?” Kenzington’s eyes widen, and she looks almost as if she’s trembling.

“My sister Fern,” I respond, hoping to ease her nerves. “We’re in the kitchen,” I call out.

When Fern steps into the kitchen and catches sight of Kenzington, she takes a step back, visibly stunned. After a moment, she finally manages to speak. “Where did you get Cory’s doppelgänger?”

“Spearmans ‘R’ Us, obviously,” I retort, sarcasm dripping from my words.

Fern shoots me a warning glare and then moves closer to Kenzington, glancing at the birth certificate on the table before fixing her gaze on me again.

I lift my arms defensively. “I had no idea. And if someone tells me our mother was involved, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Fern scrunches her nose as she counts on her fingers, murmuring, “It’s impossible. Mom was in the middle of her catatonia.”

“Was she really sick? Or just faking it?” I ask, my skepticism apparent. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn she’d been faking it to manipulate us.

Fern sighs and turns to Kenzington, her expression softening. “Hi, I’m Fern. Welcome to the family.”

“I didn’t come for a family.” Kenzington pushes the fake emancipation paper toward Fern. “I just need him to sign this.”

“As I explained to you, it has to be done through the family lawyer. However, I need Fern to examine you,” I say, my tone gentle yet firm.

Kenzington frowns, confused. “Why? I’m healthy. You can call my pediatrician.”

“We need to document any bruises or wounds your caretaker inflicted while under her supervision,” I finally admit with concern.

“What?” Kenzington shoots me a skeptical look.

“This woman Cami abused you,” I insist, my voice laced with tension and disbelief.

Kenzington bursts into laughter. Once she regains her composure, she says, “Cami is a little thing that wouldn’t hurt a fly. Seriously. She’s one of those people who would never kill a spider. She catches insects and sets them free because you should never hurt them—they’re part of the ecosystem. There’s not one mean bone in her body.”

---