I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra and Steven) novel Chapter 551

“Forget it. I wasn't going to have anything to do with Leonard again, even without your threats,” Monica said on the other end of the line, taking a deep breath. “I don’t care what you’re planning. I’ve done what you asked. Where is my son? Give him back to me!”

“Your son is fine,” Steven said calmly. “Your ex-boyfriend is out on bail, but he can’t leave the country. He’s under constant investigation. I need you to keep him occupied for a while longer. If you succeed, I promise I’ll have your son returned to you unharmed. I’ll even help you both disappear from the Lopez family’s radar.”

Monica sounded like she was tearing her hair out. “We have no history, no grudge. Why are you doing this to me?!”

Steven set down his fork, looking every bit the perfect family man. His gaze drifted to the lit living room, where he spotted me trying to eavesdrop from behind the couch. Our eyes met, and I quickly looked away, grabbing the remote to pretend I was watching TV.

His expression was gentle, but his tone was ice-cold.

“I’m not doing anything *to* you. This is a transaction. You know perfectly well that Leonard despises you. He’s been searching for you for years, wanting revenge for your betrayal. Now that he's finally found you, you've screwed him over again. He must be furious.”

Monica’s voice was seething. “You’re despicable. This is all your fault! Your wife ran off, and you’re not capable enough to get her back, so you resort to these dirty tricks. If Leonard finds out his own brother-in-law had him thrown in jail just to get his wife back, he’ll kill you!”

Steven raised an eyebrow. “So you know?”

“I’m not an idiot,” Monica retorted. “I had to find out who was threatening me and why. It’s Zephyra, isn’t it? I bet she’d be very interested to know why her brother suddenly ended up in jail. If she finds out it was your doing, do you think you two could ever get back together?”

Steven’s eyes turned cold. “I suggest you keep that to yourself. Your son is still in my hands.”

Monica was dizzy with anger. “You’re inhuman! You’d even use a child!”

Steven laughed. “Why would I harm a child? Technically, I’m his uncle. He’ll be perfectly healthy and lively. I just can’t guarantee *where* he’ll be.”

“You!”

He cut her off without hesitation. “Since you know my situation, you should understand that we’re both getting what we need. Leonard is not an easy man to deal with. If he were in the country, it would drag out the process of getting my wife back, and I don’t have the patience for that. You keep him tied up, and I’ll help you hide your son’s identity.”

“Once our deal is complete, your son will officially have a deceased father. You’ll have a past marriage on record, and you won’t have to worry about Leonard discovering you secretly had his child years ago. If you don’t help me, the boy goes directly to the Lopez family.”

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