Chapter 16 - June's Fear
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While Nathan waged war in the corporate boardroom, the tension bled into the estate.
Nathan had ordered extra security placed around the perimeter of the mansion. He hadn't told June what was happening, wanting to shield her from the anxiety, but children who grow up in the system possess an unnatural radar for danger.
That evening, June was sitting on the stairs, hugging her knees, listening to the hushed, frantic voices of the security guards talking in the foyer.
"The boss said the biological dad is making a play," one guard murmured to another. "Guy wants five million, or he's going to drag the kid into court."
"Think he'll pay?" the second guard asked.
"Boss is furious. If it goes to court, it could get messy. The kid might have to leave the house."
June’s heart stopped. Her breath caught in her throat.
Biological dad. Five million dollars. Have to leave the house.
The words spun in her head like a tornado. She knew who Ray was. She remembered the loud man who used to yell at her mother, the man who had disappeared when her mother wouldn't wake up. He was a monster. And now, he was demanding five million dollars from Nathan.
In June’s mind, the tragic logic of her trauma took over.
She was causing a problem. She was costing Nathan millions of dollars. She was bringing a bad man to his beautiful, safe house. If she stayed, Nathan would be in trouble. The only way to protect the uncle who had saved her was to remove the problem.
She had to leave.
June quietly crept back up the stairs to her bedroom. She didn't pack the expensive toys or the beautiful clothes Nathan had bought her. She found her old, torn plastic grocery bag and stuffed her original oversized blue coat inside.
She took a piece of stationary from the desk and wrote a single line in her messy handwriting.
I'm sorry I cost too much. I'll be easy now. Thank you for the pancakes.
May you like
She left the note on her pillow.
Waiting until the house was dark and the guards were doing their exterior perimeter check, June slipped out through the kitchen service door. The night air was freezing, biting through her thin sweater, but she didn't stop. She ran into the dark, wooded area behind the estate, disappearing into the shadows, determined to save Nathan from the burden of her existence.
