Guardian ✓

lost

THERE WERE TWO TIMES NOAH CRAWFORD III SHED TEARS.

One was when he'd heard of his father's death. And second was when the doctor showed bruises on his sister's body.

His sister.

Noah knew his father had been married before he came into his and his mother's life. But what none of them knew was that he had a daughter. Not even himself. That is, until Gabriella Canalis was seen taking a little girl to the hospital who had a striking resemblance to her father.

She was four years old then.

After a lot of pleading, William Crawford II had taken his step-son after a football game to see his step-sister. He had been fourteen.

There was no jealousy. When William came into their lives, he made sure Noah knew he was not going to be like his biological father. That man taught Noah everything he knew. And Noah loved him. He loved him more than he loved his biological mother. Or anyone else for that matter.

His step-father was everything to him.

He didn't even like calling him a step-father. And that's why he took his last name. That was the first time he'd seen his father cry.

There was no one at the Canalis household when they'd arrived except for Emma and her nanny at the time who secretly worked for William.

"She hits her. She hits her, Mr Crawford," the nanny had said tearfully. "Please take her away. She's going to kill her one of these days."

And that was the second time he'd seen his father cry.

He had hugged his daughter like he hugged him. And still, there was no jealousy. Emma looked too innocent. Too small for anyone to ever have a bad thought about her.

He'd never met such a quiet and timid child in his life. She ate everything she was given. Didn't dare touch anything in the house. She didn't even look up.

"She's not allowed on furniture," her nanny had muttered when Noah asked why she was sitting on the floor.

William had picked her up and sat her on his lap, holding her like his life depended on it.

"Do you like storybooks?" Her father had cooed, making her blink before she had actually given them a nod.

She didn't have a single toy except for a catalogue she took everywhere she went.

The nanny had laughed at their shocked expressions. "She's very smart, Mr Crawford. Takes it from her father."

So, the next time her mother was gone, William, Noah and his mother visited Emma again with a storybook.

Hansel and Gretel.

There was a large bruise on her leg and the left side of her face. But she actually smiled when she saw her father and Noah.

She was sitting on the floor next to the large, sliding glass doors.

"She likes the sun." The nanny had said before breaking down. "Please take her away, Mr Crawford. Please, I'm begging you. She's going to kill her."

Noah's mother had scooped Emma up, prepping her head with kisses. William couldn't look them in the eye. He was a good father but a horrible man.

And Gabriella knew too many secrets of his.

That's why there was no third meeting.

Gabriella Canalis had found out and threatened to tell what William Crawford did behind the scenes.

They had been selfish. Even his mother who cried everyday for Emma. Even when his mother and step-father broke up a few years later, Noah remained with him. His mother couldn't handle knowing what William did behind his businessman facade but to Noah, his father was God.

He couldn't live without him.

Now in the present, Gabriella Canalis was not as strong. Noah finally had something on her that made the third meeting happen after thirteen years.

•

"Are you finally going to take her away?" Mathias asked, coming to sit next to Noah.

Before being his head of security, Mathias was his best friend. And the son of the nanny who made sure Emma knew some motherly love before cancer took her away.

Noah nodded.

"You can leak the pictures to the press."

Mathias let out a relieved sigh before walking out of them hospital room.

Three broken ribs. Fractured collar bone. Bruising on chest, wrists, upper arms, stomach and thighs.

Vaginal bleeding.

How the fuck had she been able to smile? To move?

Noah wanted to smash his fist in someone's face. Had he been too late? He didn't want to know the answer to that question.

If you could please tell my father that I am not stupid. I'll be forever grateful. I'll work even harder. Please tell him that I don't ever break stuff or anything. I won't need anything from him if he wants me to live with him...

Noah knew she didn't have a good life. Not like he did. But he didn't know this was happening. She had sounded so helpless that day. So desperate.

He was an asshole.

Why couldn't he be nice to her?

It's like he'd forgotten what the word meant after his father's death. He had become desperate to get a piece of his father back. He knew how many sleepless nights William had knowing his daughter was hurting. William had never asked Noah for anything in his life. He just gave and then gave more. Except for one request on his deathbed.

Save Emma.

But could he even save her now?

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