37 Times She Chose Him, The Last Time I Let Him Go Chapter 04

37 Times She Chose Him, The Last Time I Let Him Go Chapter 04

On the day of the Father Participation Workshop, Tessa never went into her classroom.

She sat at the end of the hallway, clutching her patched-up kite.

The teacher called me. Tessa would only say one thing. “Dad isn’t my dad today.”

I arrived and found Natalie snapping photos of Grant and Leo in front of their craft project. Grant had one hand on Leo’s shoulder, straightening his collar with the kind of patience I hadn’t seen him show in years.

Tessa spotted him and ran over anyway.

“Dad.”

Grant turned, frowning. “Why aren’t you in class?”

“The teacher said to find my own dad.” She held up the kite. “Just hold it for me for one minute. That’s all.”

Leo latched onto Grant’s leg. “No! He’s mine today.”

Natalie scolded lightly, “Leo, don’t say that. Grant is Tessa’s dad.”

The boy pouted. “You said last night if I was good, Grant would stay with us forever.”

Natalie’s face drained. “He’s just making things up.”

I looked at Grant. “You heard that.”

Grant avoided my eyes. “She was just calming him down. You’re reading too much into that.”

Tessa shoved the kite forward again. “Dad. One minute.”

Grant finally took it.

Her eyes lit up. Leo yanked the tail and ripped it straight down the middle.

This time, Tessa didn’t cry.

She crouched and gathered every torn piece.

Natalie grabbed Leo. “Apologize. Now.”

Leo broke free and ran toward the storage closet by the stairs. “No! I’m hiding it!”

Tessa chased after him.

Minutes later, the workshop started. Tessa hadn’t come back. I burst out of the classroom.

“Tessa?”

Silence.

The teacher pulled up the hallway security feed.

On screen, Leo shoved Tessa into the storage closet, slid the bolt shut, and wedged a small chair against the door.

Natalie covered her mouth. “Leo was just playing. He didn’t know you can’t lock people in there.”

I sprinted toward the closet.

Grant stepped in front of the monitor. “Wait. Don’t make this public yet.”

I stared at him. “Tessa is locked in that closet.”

“I know.”

He dropped his voice. “Natalie is fighting for custody with her ex. If that footage gets out, they’ll say she can’t control her kid. She could lose Leo.”

My nails dug into my palms. “So what’s your plan?”

“The closet is right here. She’s fine. Tell the teacher to delete the footage. When we find her, I’ll make Leo apologize.”

Natalie sobbed, grabbing my arm. “Please, Naomi. Leo is all I have. I can’t lose him.”

I yanked my hand free.

The teacher grabbed the keys. The lock was broken.

The closet was packed with old stage curtains. The windows were sealed.

Tessa had asthma.

I pounded on the door. “Tessa?”

A faint cough answered from the other side.

“Mom… I can’t breathe.”

The blood left my body.

The principal rushed over with a tablet. “I’ve already backed up the footage. I’m calling the police.”

The moment she pulled up the clip, Grant lunged and snatched the tablet.

“Wait. Let’s not rush this.”

Before anyone could react, he swiped to the file folder, and hit delete.

The principal stared at the blank screen. “You deleted the evidence?”

I spun around.

Grant’s finger was still on the delete key.

He looked at me and whispered, “I was just trying to protect Natalie’s son first.”

Inside the closet, something heavy crashed to the floor.

I ripped the fire extinguisher off the wall and swung it at the lock.