After They Stole My Life, Reborn I Called Another Man Dad Chapter 11

After They Stole My Life, Reborn I Called Another Man Dad Chapter 11

She raised her hand, ready to slap me, but the blow never landed.

Because Ethan had come back.

He grabbed Chloe by the wrist, his expression darker than I had ever seen it.

“Who told you two you could come in?”

Austin frowned and immediately stepped in front of Chloe.

“Mr. Vance, Chloe just wanted to see some of her mom’s…”

“Get out.”

Austin stiffened. “Those things belonged to Chloe!”

Ethan’s voice rose sharply.

“I said get out!”

Austin lost his temper too.

“Do you even know who your real daughter is?”

The room went dead silent.

Ethan slowly released Chloe’s wrist.

For a long moment, he said nothing.

Then he finally spoke.

“I know exactly who my daughter is. That’s why I’m willing to get to know Chloe. I’m willing to make up for the years I lost with her, and I’m willing to take responsibility for her as her father.”

Chloe’s eyes lit up for a split second.

Then Ethan continued.

“But the eighteen years Zoe had weren’t stolen from her. She didn’t take anything from Chloe, and she doesn’t owe Chloe a damn thing.”

The color drained from Chloe’s face.

“What about me?” she demanded. “I’m the one who was taken away!”

Ethan was silent for a moment.

Then you should hate the people who switched you at birth. Not another child who was too young to even understand what was happening.”

Austin’s face turned livid.

He grabbed Chloe and pulled her toward the door.

Just before she left, Chloe looked back at me.

For the first time, there was no hiding the hatred in her eyes.

Half a month later, I entered the statewide young photographers‘ competition.

The theme was Home.

Somehow, almost by accident, my work made it into the finals.

On the day of the awards ceremony, Ethan told me the studio was busy and that I would have to go by myself.

I rolled my eyes and pretended to be annoyed.

But deep down, I knew he would come.

He always claimed he was too busy to attend my competitions.

Yet somehow, he always ended up sitting in the very last row.

But that day, I waited until the host finally called my name.

The entire last row was empty.

I called Ethan.

No answer.

A strange sense of unease settled over me.

Then my phone rang.

The number was unfamiliar.

“Is this Zoe Vance?”

There was a pause.

“Your father’s been in an accident.”

My mind went blank.

I rushed to the Photo Studio as fast as I could.

The entire street was filled with fire trucks.

Flames had climbed from the second floor all the way up to the studio sign. Every window had shattered, and water covered the pavement.

I ran toward the building like a madwoman, but a firefighter grabbed me and held me back.

“You can’t go in!”

“My dad is still inside!”

“He’s already been brought out!”

I spun around.

Ethan was lying on a stretcher.

His right hand was covered in blood and burns, and his face was blackened with soot.

My knees nearly gave out.

Then I saw someone else.

Chloe.

She was being held tightly by Eleanor.

Chloe was sobbing.

“Mom, I didn’t mean to. I swear. I just wanted to burn those letters. I didn’t know Dad would go inside.”

My feet stopped moving.

Chloe looked up and saw me.

Her sobs immediately quieted.

I rushed toward her.

Then I slapped her across the face with everything I had.

Smack!

Her head snapped to the side.

Everyone froze.