“I swear I don’t know where she is. She switched off her phone hours ago, and I haven’t seen her all day. What the hell happened between you two?”
The doorbell chimed. His strides crunched the distance to the door in a split-second. He jiggled the door handle, and one of the security guards was at the door. “Just please call me if you hear from her.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Gennaro, but there’s a Nick Dawson for you. He says it’s urgent.”
Mike felt dizzy, knowing what was to come. Maggie must have told him. It was time to face the inevitable. “Let him in.”
The security guard mumbled in his radio, and the gate opened. Nick jerked the Jaguar into park before the front door and hopped out, holding an envelope. “Where is she?” he exploded, advancing on Mike.
“Hey! Calm down, sir,” the guard said, standing between the Mike and Nick.
“It’s okay. Just go,” Mike ordered.
“If anything happens to her, I will kill you myself,” Nick growled.
The security guard glanced at Mike. “Sir, are you sure?”
“Yes!” Mike opened the door wider, waving an arm at Nick to go inside. “Please, just let me explain.”
“You don’t get to explain anything, you prick. I don’t give a shit about you or that fucking whore I married. Where’s my daughter?!”
“I don’t know.” Mike’s voice broke as he closed the door. “They last saw her at your office four hours ago. I was hoping you’d tell me where she was.”
Nick slumped on the nearest chair and began to cry. “No…my baby. She’s suicidal, you fuck.”
“What?” Mike screamed in shock.
The envelope in Nick’s hand shook. “She saw that bitch with a prick like you ten years ago and tried to kill herself just to spare me the pain.”
Mike snatched the letter, his face tingling with horror.
Daddy,
I’m sorry.
You asked me once why I tried to end my life, but I never answered. I know I’m 10 years too late, but I owe you this much.
I saw Andrea naked with another man. I didn’t know what to do. I was afraid to confront her. Afraid of her and her manipulation as I’ve always been. Today, I found out that she’d slept with Mike, too. My fiancé. The love of my life. He was my only chance at happiness, Daddy. Now that it’s ruined forever, I don’t know what to do anymore. Again, I find myself helpless. Broken. Without hope.
Mike fell to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
I just want you to know that I love you, Daddy. And I’m sorry. Sorry for not telling you 10 years ago. Sorry for telling you now. Sometimes ignorance is happiness, but does happiness count if it’s false?
I don’t know. I’m rambling now. I’m sorry again. I’ll always be.
Goodbye, Daddy.
Maggie
The letters felt like a hundred daggers tearing through his soul non-stop. How could he be so blind?
“I was supposed to be on a plane, but I forgot some papers and had to go back to the office. I found the letter on my desk. Do you have any idea where she might be?” Nick pleaded.
Mike jumped, shoving himself back into the here and now. “Did you check her apartment?”
“I just came from there. She wasn’t there.”
Mike’s hands flew in the air without aim. “I’ll…call everybody.” He grabbed his car keys. “We should split. I’ll go to the club near her apartment. She likes to go there.” His hand rubbed across his mouth and nose. “I’ll text you her friend’s addresses. They will tellyouif she’s with them.”
