Chapter 81 Annabelle
Annabelle
Ever since her coffee date with Tara yesterday, Annabelle had been uneasy.
Her lawyer was ready to initiate the paperwork to compel a legal DNA test to assert Annabelle’s parental rights.
The DNA test that Scarlett had taken should be enough to convince the court to do the test. If not, then she would have to implicate James and tell the court that he had admitted to switching the babies.
That would bring criminal charges against him, which would be terrible for Scarlett and Olivia, but in the end, Annabelle would do whatever she had to do to prove that Lucas was her son.
He had a right to know her, just as she did to know him.
And she couldn’t sit back and do nothing while Tara took him away.
Their first move was to file a motion prohibiting Tara from taking Lucas out of the country.
After Annabelle’s meeting with the lawyer this afternoon, everything would be set in motion.
She had a splitting headache and decided to lie down for a while.
Stretching out on the sofa, she pulled the fleece blanket up to her chin and closed her eyes.
I’m inside someone’s house, in a large hallway.
It’s a big house; everything is white, and nothing is out of place.
My heels click on the marble floor as I walk from the hallway into a living room where large French doors lead out to a stone terrace.
I glance at the walls. Black framed professional photos: Chase, Tara, and Lucas.
I’m in their house. I walk over to one wall to peer more closely at the picture, my heart clenching as I drink in the image of Lucas.
I hear a woman’s voice, and I walk toward it, up the stairs, down the hall, to a room that looks like a home office.
It’s Tara. I call out to her, but she doesn’t hear me.
I approach her, but she can’t see me either.
She’s on a laptop, and I peer over her shoulder.
She’s searching for how to purchase a prepaid smartphone.
It takes her to a link. I watch as she puts in Chase’s name and credit card information.
Everything goes dark. I blink and she’s holding a phone, texting.
She’s texting Scarlett. She begins to laugh.
“Stupid girl. So gullible.”
The scene changes. I’m outside a rental car agency. I follow Tara in and watch as she completes the paperwork. I glance at the contract. It’s in her name. She goes out and gets into a white BMW, the same model Chase drives.
Another transition. Now we’re sitting in the car outside the coffee shop.
Scarlett runs out, crying, and jumps on her bike.
We follow behind her and when she turns down the alley, we speed up.
We’re going to hit her. I yell, Stop! Stop!
But Tara ignores me. We get closer, and I shut my eyes before I feel the impact of the car slamming into my daughter.
Annabelle sprang up. It was Tara all along! She placed a call to Chase’s cellphone.
“Annabelle?”
“Chase! It was Tara. She set you up!”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I saw her. In a dream. She rented a car just like yours. We can get the rental receipt. There would have been damage to the car. We need to stop her! She’s threatening to take Lucas to Paris.”