Every Tutor Quit on the Billionaire’s Daughter — Until a Single Dad With a Secret Military Past Changed Her Forever
Chapter 6
The next week became a test of patience.
Ethan didn’t tell Amelia everything.
He didn’t want her to become paranoid.
Instead, he taught her simple awareness.
Notice exits.
Remember faces.
Don’t assume familiarity equals safety.
Amelia picked it up quickly.
Too quickly.
She started noticing things Ethan missed.
One afternoon, she pointed toward a security guard.
“That man wasn’t here yesterday.”
Ethan looked.
She was right.
He checked.
The guard was temporary.
His credentials were legitimate.
But the company hadn’t notified Victor.
Ethan immediately had him removed.
The man disappeared before questioning.
Amelia smiled slightly.
“I noticed.”
Ethan nodded.
“I’m proud of you.”
She smiled.
That meant more to her than she expected.
Later, Lily visited again.
The girls spent the afternoon studying together.
Amelia asked:
“Do you like your dad’s work?”
Lily shrugged.
“Not always.”
“Why?”
“He disappears sometimes.”
Amelia looked at Ethan.
Lily continued:
“He says it’s work.”
Amelia became quiet.
She wondered what kind of work could make a man disappear.
One evening, Ethan received a message from his former unit.
We found something.
He stepped outside.
The message contained a photograph of the private security contractor connected to the Hawthorne driver.
The owner was a former military officer.
Ethan recognized him immediately.
Caleb Voss.
They had served in the same unit years earlier.
Ethan’s stomach tightened.
Caleb had disappeared after leaving the military.
He had become a security contractor.
If Caleb was involved, this was bigger than kidnapping.
He knew Ethan’s methods.
He knew how he thought.
He knew how to bypass security.
Ethan returned to the house.
Victor was waiting.
“What did you find?”
“Someone from my past.”
“Who?”
“Someone dangerous.”
Victor stared.
“Can you stop him?”
“Yes.”
“What will it cost?”
Ethan looked toward the hallway.
“Hopefully nothing.”
Then he heard a scream.
Amelia.
They ran upstairs.
Her bedroom window was open.
She was gone.
