CHAPTER 93Wilson's breath hitched in his throat and his face lost all color, and then, as if his body gave up before his mind did, a wet stain spread down his pants and pattered down to the ground.Lucifer didn’t react. Didn’t blink. He just stood there, watching him with eyes that burned, not just with fury, but with exhaustion and frustration.His body was rigid, his movements were stiff, like he was barely holding himself together. Days without sleep had hollowed his face and deepened the bags under his eyes.“Please,” Wilson begged.Cassius, who was sitting at the edge of his chair, frowned. His thick brows pulled together as he looked between Wilson and Lucifer. "What the hell is going on?”Lucifer didn’t take his eyes off Wilson. His voice was low, clipped, controlled. "Stay out of it, Cassius. Your son knows exactly what I’m talking about."Wilson twitched, his throat bobbing as he took an instinctive step back. He was shaking. His breathing had turned into quick, shallow gasp
CHAPTER 94Katherine stirred at the light tap on her arm, muttering something incoherent before slipping back into the depths of sleep. But the tap came again—gentle, yet urgent. With a groggy groan, she turned sluggishly, her body pressed down by exhaustion.When she finally forced her heavy eyelids open, she was met with a pair of wide, unblinking blue eyes staring back at her. A small figure towered over her, looming close, too close. Her pulse jolted, and without thinking, she shoved the figure away.She heard a gasp. And then, a thud. Katherine shot upright in bed, disoriented, her heart pounding as she scanned the unfamiliar room. Where was she? Her breath was unstable as panic seized her chest.The child, a girl with long blonde curls, was scrambling up from the floor, brushing off her dress with frantic little hands. “That’s mean,” she huffed, pouting. “And Mom will be displeased if I ruin my new dress.”Katherine swallowed hard, her head still foggy. She eyed the girl wari
CHAPTER 95Katherine immediately noticed the shift in Amanda’s expression at the mention of the name. The woman went pale, her lips pressing together as if she were holding something back. Ethan blinked, looking away quickly, his fingers twitching slightly on the table. Something was going on but it wasn't something she wanted to point out and it was definitely something the couples didn't want to mention either but their body language gave them away.Not wanting to make things worse, Katherine quickly forced a smile. “I love the name,” she said, her voice steady but light.The silence stretched for a second longer before Amanda exhaled and nodded. She turned to the girls and, with a slightly strained smile, said, “Girls, this is Marilyn—your new big sister and babysitter.”Adelaide beamed at the introduction, but Madeleine's face scrunched into a pout. She crossed her arms over her small chest and huffed. “I don’t want another big sister.”Amanda sighed. “Madelaine—”“No! Adelaide a
CHAPTER 96The rhythmic sound of fists slamming into leather filled the gym. Each punch landed with a sickening thud and the bag jerked violently under the force. Sweat dripped from Lucifer’s body, soaking the waistband of his shorts, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t. His muscles strained, his knuckles ached, and his breaths came in ragged pulls, but it wasn’t enough. Nothing was enough.He was exhausted, but it wasn't from the workout. He never got tired of that— but from the torment that had been gnawing at him for days.Katherine was still missing.His woman and his child were taken from him, just like that.His jaw clenched so hard his teeth hurt. His vision was blurred with sweat. He punched harder. Again. Again and Again. The bag groaned under the impact, swinging back only to be struck down again.He still hadn't slept and it darkened his eyes and deepened the bags under his eyes.How could he? How did a man close his eyes knowing his family was out there, vulnerable, while he
CHAPTER 97Wilson stepped up to the entrance of Giovanni’s club, the red neon light above the door making his face look bloodstained. His fingers twitched at his side. He could still turn around. Walk away. Forget all of this.But Lucifer had promised him a life-changing deal. And Wilson wanted in.Mustering the courage he could, he pushed through the doors and disappeared.Cassius followed silently and unseen, watching from a distance as he saw his son disappear. This place was hidden. It wasn't a place you could easily trail except with connections.His idiot son had no idea he was being shadowed. He didn't trust him to be okay all on his own in a game like this.Cassius adjusted his cap and his coat, blending in with the rest of the people before slipping inside. But he was stopped by a scary looking man.“What's the code?” He demanded, eyeing Cassius suspiciously.Cassius froze. Code? He had no idea they used such a thing here. Without wanting to get more suspicious, he adjusted h
CHAPTER 98Amanda stepped into the well ventilated room, her nose catching a whiff of floral spray. She gave a small smile as she set the laundry basket on the bed.Her fingers brushed over neatly folded clothes, a few small personal items… and a book. A journal perhaps. Amanda reached to touch it but then she stopped herself. She shouldn't.She had no business going through Katherine’s things.She knew it.But curiosity had a way of winning.Brushing aside her thoughts she reached out and touched the brown leather. Should she set it aside? It wasn't bad though she was snooping right? She just wanted to make sure all was okay. Since Katherine never really spoke, perhaps she could get some information from her.Katherine's appearance was one that baffled her. It was something that didn’t make her sleep quite well at night. Amanda hadn’t quite figured her out yet. Although she claimed she barely remembered anything, yet certain things about her didn’t add up. It was there in the way sh
CHAPTER 99“We'll be late so don't stay up late waiting for us. The girls are having their nap and please check on baby Elodie from time to time, her fever is rising,” Ethan said, holding his wife closely.Katherine nodded. “But don't you think we should take her to the hospital?”“No!” Amanda snapped, catching Katherine off guard. Then she sighed and rubbed her head. “I'm sorry for overreacting. I've just been really stressed.”Katherine pressed her lips tightly together. “It's fine.”“We can't get Elodie to the hospital. She's very overwhelmed by noises and it would cause her to cry.”“That's normal because she's a baby,” Katherine muttered before she could stop herself.Amanda’s gaze hardened. “We'll get medications on our way back. Lock the doors, close the curtains too and do not open up except its us”“Okay,” Katherine whispered and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. “Um, the kids mentioned playing in the garden. Since the sun is—”“Are you tired of your job, Marilyn?” Eth
CHAPTER 100 Wilson barely breathed as he moved, the wood under his feet betraying him with the faintest creak. His fingers had just curled around the doorknob when his father’s voice cut through the silence.“Wilson.”Cassius' voice was low and hard and coming from the dark.Wilson froze. His back stiffened before he slowly turned his head to find his father, Cassius, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He was watching him intently like he’d been there the whole damn time, waiting.“Where are you going, son?” He demanded softly, his eyes still lingering on him.Wilson felt exposed. As though he had been caught in an unjust act. “Mind your business, Cassius.”“I see,” he whispered.Wilson exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “You're seriously stalking me now?”Cassius didn't answer, instead he waited, expecting an explanation. Who the hell snuck out of their parents house if their intentions were pure?Wilson’s hand tightened on the knob, threatening to turn and leave.“It'
CHAPTER 127Katherine’s legs wobbled like jelly. Every part of her trembled like her bones had dismantled beneath her skin. Her hand flew to the wall, looking for support. She was supposed to leave, to go far but her body betrayed her. Her mind blanked as the new truth hit her. Everything suddenly made sense, so much sense it felt like she had been adorned in stupidity all the while.She pulled herself back from the door, her chest rising fast, just as it flung open.She froze as the couple appeared. Ethan stood there, glaring at her with that cruel eyes and smug face. And Amanda, she looked like shit. Tears streaked her face and her eyeliner was ruined. Her lips trembled like she wanted to speak but was scared to do so.Katherine smiled. So bright it reached her eyes and lifted her face.“Hi!” she said in a chirpy voice.Her eyes flicked to Amanda again and dimmed for half a second but she looked away. “Oh dear,” she said.Ethan narrowed his eyes. “What are you doing here?”She tilt
CHAPTER 126Lucifer had waited for days. He knew someday the couples were going to use his card again. And they did. Every damn day after that.Almost every day after that day. They kept making purchases, payments and withdrawals like they had all the money in the world. His money.Lucifer clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening around the phone as he checked the latest transactions. These two were comfortable. Too comfortable.And that pissed him off.Two things nagged at him; one, where the hell was Katherine? Two, how did those nobodies get their hands on her card? Did they kidnap Katherine? That seems impossible. They don't seem like people that would pull a job like that. He had considered bringing the police into this but that was a waste of time. This wasn’t their problem.It was his.And he wouldn't want to scare them, they were his only lead to Katherine and he had to follow it up with kid's gloves. He dialed a contacts number. “Hello. Now is time, Find everything on them
CHAPTER 125“Okay I think I'm a bit jealous of your newfound relationship,” Katherine muttered as she sauntered in with the warm milk bottle.Asher was seated by the bean bag, cooing at the baby in his arms. Noah giggled, showing off his newly attained milk teeth. “I always knew I was going to be one of his favourite person's,” Asher bragged.Katherine sulked. “That's not fair. I carried him in my stomach for nine months and this is how he pays me back.”Asher took the milk bottle from Katherine’s hands and placed the nipple into the boy's mouth. Katherine watched in joy and silent pride.“You see,” he started, gazing down at the boy lovingly. “Boys can't help but be really close to the male gender. Someone they see as their dad.”“Now, that's a very untrue theory,” Katherine pointed out. “They tend to be close to their mothers. The girls always chose their dads.”“Or, that is how you convince yourself?” He teased.Katherine sulked. “It's a very popular discourse.”“And it's not exac
CHAPTER 124(Six months later)Lucifer sat in the corner of his office with a pipe in his mouth and shade on his face. He skimmed through the document before him before picking up his pen to sign.Antonio stood across from him, his arms folded as he watched. “You really want to do this? That’s a hell of a lot of money, even for you.”Lucifer didn’t look up, rather he turned his head to the side and puffed, tapping the pen against the paper before pressing it to the page. “It’s just money,” he muttered, signing with a slow stroke. “I can always make more.”“But—”“No buts,” Lucifer murmured. “He already kept his end of his bargain. I have to keep mine.”Antonio sighed and watched as his master closed the document. “All done. I'll need you to send a Copy to him as soon as you can.”“How about the Cassius?”Lucifer shrugged, smoking hard from his pipe. “They are in foster care and getting good treatment. I guess we're done with that phase.”Antonio nodded and took the document with a bow.
CHAPTER 123“Enough!” Amanda said when she finally tore them apart. “Can't you see She's in pain? Have you both lost your sanity?”Asher panted as he wiped his blood stained mouth on his arm. “Yes I can see. What she needs is a hospital.”“We can't take her to the hospital,” Ethan countered. “Yes I agree,” Amanda said as fear crept into her voice. “Because of what you all did, yeah? Now you're letting your mistake rub off on someone else,” Asher mocked. “Nothing better happens to her.”“We can't expose her to the public,” Ethan said, rubbing his hands together. “They'll ask questions at the hospital and we haven't got that kind of money on us.”“You're just scared you'll get caught and get arrested by the cops.”“Shut up!” Amanda screamed. “I'll do it. I've seen a lot of videos online.”“You're not about to experiment with someone's baby are you?” “I'm going to push,” Katherine screamed. “God…”Ethan held Amanda by the shoulder. “Babe, you can't do it.”“I can,” she said, slipping
CHAPTER 122Amanda stepped out of Katherine’s room, shutting the door behind her quietly. She barely moved before the muffled cries from inside reached her ears. Katherine’s ragged, pain-laced sobs echoed through the hallway.Her stomach twisted.“We've got a problem,” she announced, her voice heavy with worry. The two men rushed to her. They could still hear Katherine’s muffled cries.“What's going on?” Asher demanded, his chest rising and falling with anger, with his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His eyes flickered to the door where the wail was coming from. “And why the hell did you leave her alone? You know she's in pain don't you?”Amanda sighed, lifting her hands in utmost exasperation. “Shut up for goodness’ sake, Asher! I said we have a problem.”“What kind of problem?” Ethan asked.“She's—” Amanda swallowed, forcing the words out. “She's having a baby.”Asher’s mouth parted slightly. “What?”“That's not possible,” Ethan muttered, breaking into cold sweat. He shook his
CHAPTER 121Something was wrong with Katherine. It wasn't just the dull cramps that had been plaguing her all day, nor the strange, twisting discomfort that made her insides feel like they were being scraped raw with a thousand scalpels. It was like a bad omen and it sent a feeling of dread down her spine. She ached everywhere— her shoulders, her backs, her legs. It was like she wanted to tell and sit and cry and lay down at the same time.She had forced herself to sit at the dining table, her fingers trembling as she lifted the fork to her mouth. The moment she chewed, nausea engulfed her and her stomach clenched in protest. The potato tasted like paste on her tongue, and for a second, she thought she might choke.She swallowed hard as she struggled to keep her breathing even. She pushed her fork into the potato on her plate, lifting it for a second bite.Across the table, Asher’s gaze flickered to her again. He had been watching her for the past ten minutes with concern in his eye
CHAPTER 120Wilson’s head snapped to the left as another vicious blow landed across his face, sending a sharp wave of pain through his skull. His lip split further as blood dribbled down his chin and stained his already ruined skin.His breath came out ragged, almost too painful to bear. His arms were bound behind him with chains that dug deep into his wrists, leaving bruises under the layers of grime and dried blood.The almost dark room reeked of sweat and rust and was unbearably hot. He shut his swollen eye and his ribs ached with each breath. A kick to his side caused his body to slump forward but the chains kept him upright.To offend them the more, he grinned through bloodied teeth, defiance burning in his eyes. “Go ahead. Hit me again,” he spat, with blood pooling at the corner of his mouth. “Doesn’t change a damn thing. I want to see my father.”The guards exchanged unimpressed glances, unimpressed, before one of them raised his fist again. But before the blow could land, the
CHAPTER 119Riley pushed open the door without knocking, her frustration overriding courtesy. The dim light from the bedside lamp barely illuminated Antonio’s room.“Typical him,” she murmured as she strode in, a grocery bag in hand.Her eyes scanned the space. There was no one there. She walked around. Maybe she should just lay and wait for him to come or perhaps she should play some games.She took her time before deciding to go to his work table. She picked up the figurines and nodded in amusement. Her fingers trailed the documents she knew she shouldn't dare mess with, and locked onto a notepad sitting on the desk with the pages slightly ajar. She ignored it but the lines on it caught her attention. Without hesitating, she picked it up, flipping through hastily scribbled notes, dates, markings and trails leading to God knows.The door creaked open behind her, causing her to jump and drop the note.“What the hell are you doing?” Antonio’s voice was sharper than intended while his