262 Too Bitter to Swallow

The office's fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sterile sheen on the overflowing stacks of paperwork Ethan was battling. A hesitant cough shattered the rhythm of his stapler clicks. Ethan looked up to see Madison standing awkwardly in the doorway, her usual sunny smile replaced by a worried frown. "Ethan, hey," she said, her voice barely a whisper. Surprise flickered across Ethan's face, quickly morphing into suspicion. "Madison? What are you doing here?" She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "There's something you need to know about Kate," she said. Ethan's jaw clenched. Papers rustled as his grip tightened on the stapler. "What did you do?" His voice was a low growl. Madison's eyes widened in pain. "What? No, I didn't do anything. I just…" She fumbled in her purse, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. "I found some information about her family." Ethan pursed his lips in disdain and asked her angrily, "Where are the kids?" "I left them in the car," sh