His name was Nathaniel

27

The morning was eerily calm in Adaliya's home. The events of the past few days had been exhausting, but they had all felt a sense of relief after safely making it to Atlanta. Nathaniel, finally free from his father's iron grip, had slept soundly for the first time in what felt like years. Adaliya and her parents were still cautiously optimistic, unsure of what lay ahead, but ready to take it step by step.

The house was quiet as the family slept, unaware of the storm brewing just outside.

Nathaniel stirred in his sleep, his mind plagued with dreams that mixed memories of his father's threats with Adaliya's hopeful promises. But before he could shake off the remnants of his dream, the sound of aggressive knocking broke the stillness.

His eyes shot open, heart pounding in his chest.

From down the hall, Adaliya's father groggily pulled himself out of bed, glancing at the clock that read 6:15 a.m. He muttered something under his breath about it being too early for visitors as he threw on his robe and made his way to the door.

But when he opened it, the sight that greeted him was far from expected. Standing on the porch were three police officers, their faces grim, holding a search warrant.

"Sir," the lead officer spoke, his voice authoritative but calm, "we have a warrant to search your home. We're here in connection with the disappearance of Nathaniel Donovan."

Adaliya's father's blood ran cold. He didn't need to ask why they were there. "This must be a mistake-" he started, but the officers were already moving past him.

Within moments, the police were inside the house, searching from room to room, their heavy boots echoing against the wooden floors. Adaliya and her mother were woken by the commotion, rushing out of their rooms, panic written on their faces.

Nathaniel froze as the officers entered the room where he had been staying. His breath caught in his throat, but he knew deep down that this moment had been inevitable. As much as he had hoped to escape his father's reach, a part of him had always known that Edward Donovan would find a way to get him back.

"There he is," one of the officers said as they spotted Nathaniel.

Nathaniel didn't resist, didn't try to fight. He stood, hands raised slightly to show his compliance. His mind raced, but his body felt numb. Deep down, he understood that his father had too much power. This was always going to happen.

Adaliya rushed into the room just as the officers moved toward Nathaniel. "Wait, please!" she cried, eyes wide with desperation.

"Ma'am, step back," one of the officers warned.

Nathaniel turned toward her, pain flashing in his eyes, but there was also a strange sense of calm. "It's okay," he said softly. "This was bound to happen."

Tears welled in Adaliya's eyes as she tried to reach for him. "You don't have to go with them, Nathaniel! We can fight this."

He shook his head. "I can't fight my father. Not like this."

The officer grabbed his arm, not roughly, but firmly enough to let him know there was no chance of escaping. Nathaniel looked back at Adaliya one last time, his heart breaking with every step he took toward the door.

Her mother stood beside her, hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her. "They won't let us come with you, Nathaniel," Adaliya's father said gravely. "But we'll get a lawyer. We'll fight this."

Nathaniel gave them a weak smile. "Thank you," he said quietly. He knew they would try, but he wasn't sure how much they could do. His father had the money and the connections, and Nathaniel's chances felt slim at best.

As they neared the front door, Nathaniel felt something press into his hand. He glanced down and saw that Adaliya had slipped her phone number into his palm, squeezing his fingers around the tiny slip of paper. It was her way of saying she wasn't giving up, even if the situation felt hopeless.

Nathaniel's heart swelled with emotion. He looked back at her one last time, his eyes full of unspoken words, before the officers escorted him out of the house.

The early morning air was crisp and biting as they led Nathaniel to the waiting police car. The neighborhood was quiet, the houses still bathed in shadows. As Nathaniel was pushed gently into the backseat of the police car, he stole one more glance at the house. Adaliya stood in the doorway, her face tear-streaked but determined.

He held the slip of paper tightly in his fist, like a lifeline. He didn't know what the next hours or days would bring, but as long as he had that small piece of Adaliya with him, he felt a shred of hope.

The car pulled away, and Adaliya's family stood in silence, watching until the flashing lights of the police car disappeared down the street.