Not long after, Desmond and Xena arrived at the base.


    The moment Xena saw Jodie, she broke down, clutching her daughter as she sobbed uncontrobly.


    “Baby… I thought I’d never see you again. I’ve thought about you every single day. dreamed of you every night. I was so scared, sweetheart. I was


    Charlotte stood to the side, her own tears falling silently.


    These past few days<b>, </b>every time she closed her <b>eyes</b><b>, </b>she saw that tunatic Joseph torturing her sister. The nightmares never stopped seeing Joseph dousing Jodie with gasoline<b>, </b>hearing his chilling voice as he demanded that Charlotte trade her own life for her sister’s.


    Now, faced with this moment, even Desmond’s eyes were red


    He had so much he wanted to say, but in the end, all that came out <b>was </b>a simple, hoarse, “Jodie, Daddy missed you so much.”


    After they <b>had </b>all cried themselves out, Xena wiped her tears and noticed something <b>wrong </b>


    Her eyes still swollen, she <b>said </b>softly, “Jodie was already traumatized after the first kidnapping. Now she’s been through this again… taken all the way to Antis. She nearly lost her life. I’m worried about her mental state.”


    She couldn’t go on


    Jodie was not even <b>nine </b>years old. No child should have to endure this kind of trauma twice.


    There was <b>no </b>w


    was no way her mind coulde out of this unscathed


    Desmond looked exhausted. In the days since Jodie had been taken, he hadn’t slept a full night


    Now his face was gaunt, his eyes shadowed. Guilt and worry filled his gaze as he looked at his daughter. “I’ll contact the best child psychologist I <b>can </b>find.”


    Charlotte quickly <b>added</b>, “I’ll reach out to my contacts too. I’ll ask around and find the top expert. Aunt Xena, Jodie will get through this.”


    Kena let out a long, heavy sigh. “I hope so..”


    Outside<b>, </b><b>Sean </b>and Jack were speaking quietly.


    <b>When </b>the Riley family came out, the two groups crossed paths


    Sean’s gaze immediately found Charlotte’s. Their eyes met. Hers were red<b>, </b>her face still streaked with tears.


    A faint ache rippled <b>through </b><b>Sean’s </b>chest.


    Charlotte pressed her lips together and looked away


    Xena had intended to say “thank you,” but the words stuck in her throat. If it hadn’t been for the connection to Sean, her daughter wouldn’t have been kidnapped in <b>the </b><b>first </b>ce. No matter what, she couldn’t bring herself to <b>thank </b><b>him </b>


    Desmond shot <b>Sean </b>a cold look.


    Sean remained calm. “Mr. Riley ”


    Desmond’s voice was <b>icy</b><b>. </b>“Save it. Don’t pretend we’re on good terms.”


    Sean didn’t take offense. He simply inclined his head and <b>said</b>, “How is Jodle doing?”


    That question only made Desmond angrier..


    He snorted. “Thanks to you, she nearly died.”


    Sean lowered his gaze, guilt clouding his features. “I’m very sorry.


    Beside him, Jack opened his mouth as if to speak, but without Sean’s signal, be said nothing.


    Sean’s sincere apology did nothing to case Desmond’s anger


    He was burning inside, his face <b>dark </b>with fury. “Do you think “I’m sorry‘ is enough? Do you think a simple apology can undo what my daughters <b>have </b><b>been </b>throughTMTMTM


    Sean remained silent.


    With another cold snort, Desmond turned and stalked away with Jodie in his arms.


    Xena followed without a word


    Charlotte trailed behind.


    As she passed Sean, he <b>suddenly </b>reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Lotte…”


    She stopped and looked up at him. <b>“</b><b>What </b>is it?”


    Sean’s dark


    keyes shimmered with pain, his voice <b>soft </b>and pleading. “<b>Can </b><b>we </b>start over?”


    Charlotte froze.


    Her eyes widened in disbelie


    It took her a long moment to find her voice<b>. </b>She frowned, “What are you talking about?”


    <b>She </b>was stunned. “Start over? After everything that had happened, how could we possibly start over?” she thought.


    Never mind the fact that his grandmother despised her and had fought tooth and nall to keep them apart. Even it, by some miracle, Mrs. Jasper Sr. changed her mind, there was no way Charlotte could go back.


    <b>Not </b>after everything


    Between them now stood what had happened to Jodie and to herself. They had both nearly lost their lives. Desmond’s hatred toward the Jasper family <b>ran </b>bone deep.


    Even if some small part of her still harbored feelings for Sean, there was no way they could ever go back