Chapter Forty-oneThe TruthSophie’s POVMy heart raced with fear as I stood there, trying to comprehend where Amara could have gone. I knew my daughter wouldn't just wander off on her own. She was a responsible and cautious child who wouldn't leave the spot I'd left her. Panic gripped me tightly as I imagined all the worst-case scenarios that could have transpired.I knew Amara wouldn’t leave where she always stayed except she was forcibly taken from there, I just couldn’t think of what to do, where was my daughter?My mind raced, searching for answers. Who could have taken her? Why would anyone take my child? The thoughts swirled like a tempest in my mind, and I felt helpless, my breathing becoming shallow as I tried to contain my rising panic.I had never had a clash with anyone, I was always going on my own, who would want to take my daughter? What do I do? Where do I go in search for her?My thoughts sent cold shivers down my body, I trembled, it couldn’t be what I was thinking, I
Chapter Forty-twoMy Kids FatherSophie’s POVI watched as Maxon walked to Amara and pulled her to himself, wrapping her hands around her, “darling,” he murmured as he pulled back to wipe her tears, “you do not have to get angry at your mom. I am back now and I will be with you and your brother forever. No one will ever be able to separate us.” He added and looked at me, pulling her back into his embrace.I couldn’t help but feel like he was trying to take my place, that he was taking my place in the lives of my kids. I was watching it, but I couldn’t say anything about it.I now look to my daughter like a liar, and a wicked mom who has kept their dad away from them for years. I hoped she could understand that I did all that to protect them, I did all that in their best interest.As I stood there and watch them, something struck me, sending shivers down my body. It would be so unbearable for Asher if he gets to know that Maxon was his father, not with his present condition, I had to ke
Chapter Forty-threeHer Silence, My PainSophie’s POVI watched my children sleep soundly, their peaceful faces was a stark contrast to the turmoil that had taken over my thoughts.The weight of my responsibility as their protector felt heavier than ever. My aim was clear: I had to do everything in my power to keep them safe and prevent Maxon from taking them away from me. But how could I achieve that when circumstances seemed to conspire against me? He had so much more than I had, he could have everyone on his side with his influence and money, but I had nothing. How was I supposed to fight against such man? I knew it was almost impossible to do that, but I wanted to try. I couldn’t just let him take my kids away without doing anything. Amara had been shocked after learning about Maxon being her father. I had always tried to shield her and her twin brothers from the truth, fearing that it would expose them to pain and a world I didn’t want them to belong to. But now, in her eyes, I f
Chapter Forty-fourThe Appointment 1Maxon’s POVThe morning light sipped into my room, and casted a soft glow across the familiar surroundings of my quiet house. It had been this way for years, but I could feel the change on the horizon, the promise of laughter and life soon to come. My children, Amara and Asher, would soon be a part of this home, filling it with their joyful sounds and infectious smiles.A hopeful smile curved my lips as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. It was just a matter of time now. The custody battle had been intense, but I knew I was nearing victory. Soon, they would live with me, and every morning would be filled with their laughter and the pitter-patter of their feet.My morning routine began with a sense of anticipation. I knew that life with them would be different, but I couldn't wait for that change. As I made my way to my desk, a sudden, sharp noise pierced through the tranquility of my thoughts. My hand instinctively flew to the drawer where I
Chapter Forty-fiveThe Appointment 2Maxon’s POVSitting behind the wheel of my car, I felt a sense of urgency that I couldn't ignore. The drive to the hospital was a familiar one, a journey I had made countless times. But this time, the stakes felt higher than ever before. I could get a good news, or a bad one. But I really hoped for a good news, because I really needed to be with my kids.I zoomed off towards the hospital, my hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Every moment counted, and I couldn't afford any delays. As the car sped down the road, I couldn't help but think about what awaited me at the doctor's office.The doctor's appointment was an unsettling reminder of the ticking clock. I murmured a silent prayer under my breath, hoping against hope that the doctor would have some good news for me this time. Maybe they had found a cure, or perhaps the percentage of survival through surgery had increased. I longed for any glimmer of hope.But beneath that fragile hope, doub
Chapter Forty-sixA Day With The Kids 1Maxon’s POVThe car's engine purred beneath me as I drove towards Sophie's house. Every moment seemed to stretch as my heart danced to the rhythm of anticipation. I couldn't contain the excitement that surged through me, knowing that I was on my way to pick up Amara and Asher for a day filled with adventure, laughter, and cherished memories.My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, shifting between the joy of the day ahead and the dark cloud that loomed over me. The doctor's words echoed like a haunting melody in the depths of my mind. "Two months." It was a stark reminder of my own mortality, a countdown to an inevitable farewell.I gripped the steering wheel tighter, knuckles white with tension. Two months was such a fleeting span of time, barely enough to scratch the surface of all the things I wanted to do with my children. The weight of my condition pressed upon me, but I forced myself to cast it aside. Today, I had a different pur
Chapter Forty-sevenThe Family MomentAs we savored our delicious breakfast at the restaurant, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. The laughter of Amara and Asher, their smiles, and the simple joy of being with them for this precious moment were all I needed to temporarily banish the shadows of my looming fate.But then, as I took a sip of my coffee, I noticed someone across the room. My heart skipped a beat, and the taste of the coffee turned bitter as I stared at the man who seemed strangely familiar. His face, obscured by a newspaper, held an uncanny resemblance to someone from my past. The man Sophie had an affair with.I turned to Sophie, wondering if she saw the same person, this was the same person. Unable to dismiss the nagging feeling, I put down my coffee cup and observed him intently, my eyes fixed on his profile. His features were etched with the passage of time, but there was an undeniable resemblance that tugged at the corners of my memory.Amara and Asher
Chapter Forty-eightThe Love For HerMaxon’s POVI drove into the parking lot of the park, and we all alighted. The kids' faces were still lit up with excitement and happiness, giving me the kind of soothing feeling I had never had before. I wanted to do whatever it took to keep that smile on their faces. I would do anything to make sure they never had a reason to cry.They got down, and Amara wheeled her brother towards the swing. I turned to Sophie, watching her as she observed the kids leaving, and wondered what would have happened if what occurred five years ago had been avoided. My mind swayed through thoughts, thinking about what could have potentially been done to prevent our family from breaking apart. It all happened because of Sophie.She was responsible for the division in our family. She broke the love we had, betrayed me and shattered our trust. She disrespected me and our love with her infidelity. She was responsible for it all. I sighed and headed for where the kids wer
Chapter Eighty-eightFinal ChapterThe Coronation CeremonySophie’s POV“Please walk down for the final round of the walk-of-ties.”Maxon looked at me, smiling brightly under his Royal hat; the red and blue suede Royal garment which he wore looked so perfect on him.“Shall we?” He asked, stretching out his hand.I took it with a smile, holding up my long red ball gown with my other hand. “Yes.” I grinned.Looking down at our kids on either side of the long red rug that led to the throne, my heart fluttered with so much happiness, I couldn’t be more proud. It had been a few weeks since we got back to this world, and even though I was scared to come back with Maxon at first, it has been the best decision I made.After the confrontation with his mom and the blast at the hospital, Maxon was lucky to have been thrown out of the hospital by the force of the blast; he sustained some injuries which healed in no time after his wolf came back to action.Asher had finally recovered too, even th
Chapter Eighty-sixThe Last FightMaxon’s POVWe were back to where it all started again. The car, which carried us, drove into the palace, and as the door people, a long line of guards marched towards us, saluting as I stepped out of the car.“You are welcome back, your highness.” They all bowed.I smiled; it felt really good to be back, and better because I had Sophie and my kids with me. That feeling of loneliness and emptiness was no longer there. I carried Asher in my arms, his leg still having a cast around it; the doctor had said it would take a few more weeks before he gets fully recovered.The guards formed two lines and kept us in the middle as we walked into the palace. Everyone around was wearing black from head to toe, to pay respect to my father who just passed on.I headed directly for the courtroom, where I was sure my mom would be.“Mother!” I called as I saw her from afar.A big smile fell on her face. “My son!” She murmured. “How long has it been? It feels like eter
Chapter Eighty-fiveMaking Up With My MateMaxon’s POV“You’re not completely healed yet, but since you said you want to leave now, we have no other choice than to let you go,” the doctor said to me.I nodded at him with a smile. “Thank you, thank you so much for your help.”“You shouldn’t be thanking me because I only did my job as a doctor; you should thank the heavens for making this surgery a success.”I had lost all hope that I was going to live, but after I saw Sophie in that condition battling for her life, I got scared of dying and leaving everything behind. Even though I had planned to leave it all behind before, I didn’t want to die.“I’m glad you made the right decision; this just shows that even when it is a 0.5% survival rate, a miracle can happen.”I nodded at the doctor and took a quick glance at my watch; I was running late. “Thanks for everything, doctor; I will take my leave now.”“Sure. Make sure you take the drugs as I have instructed and always go for the checkup
Chapter Eighty-fourThe LetterSophie’s POVMy head banged as the light shone into my eyes; I closed my eyes back and remained in the bed. My whole body felt so heavy; it felt as though the most weight was suspended around my left shoulder and down to my arm.I tried once again, turning away from the ray of life this time, and I saw Rose, sitting beside me.I closed my eyes one more time as I tried to recollect all that had happened, where I was, and what led to me being hospitalized.It took a few minutes for me to remember it all; my heart skipped when I remembered I took the bullet for Maxon.“Rose!” I called.“You are up!” She jumped up on her feet and held my hand. “Thank goodness, I was so scared, I thought I would lose you?”“It isn’t that fatal; I was just out for some hours.” I murmured. She smiled at me.“Hours?” She chuckled and looked at her wristwatch. “Some hours more will make it a week that you’ve been out.”My eyes bulged out, “a week?” I asked, fumbling to sit up on
Chapter Eight-threeThere, It Ends.Maxon’s POV"Charge it to 250 joules!" The doctor instructed and rubbed the surface of the defibrillator against each other before charging Sophie with it.I could no longer watch; I staggered back, staring blankly in horror. Why did this have to happen? Why does she have to go through all of this because of me? Why is she always at the receiving end of it?"What will happen to our mom? Will she be fine?" Amara asked, tears rolling down her eyes.I fell beside her and pulled her closer to myself; I wasn't sure of what to say to them, I wasn't sure of how to assure them. Sophie was there battling between life and death, and I was the reason for that; it was all because of me. My heart shattered, my body trembled as I forced my tears back, trying hard to act normal in the presence of the kids."Make way! Make way!" I heard the loud voice and quickly jumped up, pulling the kids away from the way.I saw the nurses pushing Sophie out of the ward room on
Chapter Eighty-threeThe TruthMaxon’s POVSophie and I stood steps away from the uncompleted building the map directed us to, but I wasn’t sure if that was the exact location we were coming to.“Are you sure we didn’t miss the way?” Sophie asked.I nodded at her. “The map directed us to this place.” I looked around. “They should be somewhere here, the building, maybe.”Just when we were still talking, Sophie’s phone rang again, it was from the same private number as before.She picked it and put it on speaker. “Look at the building in front of you, tell him to come with the money to the building.” The man said and dropped the call.Sophie’s face dropped, her hands shook as she held mine. “Please promise me that you will be fine, please promise to come back with the kids safely.”I smiled faintly and nodded at her. “I will bring the kids back, no matter what.” I pulled her hand away from mine slowly and picked up the bag which contained the money from the car before heading towards th
Chapter Eighty-twoThe KidnapMaxon’s POVI turned off the light in my room, moved on to the hallway, and turned it off, down to the main room, the last place. I looked around; I had spent my life there since the last five years, I had been there with sadness and emptiness, and just the moment when I was supposed to enjoy the warm and happiness of being with my kids, I had to let them go so they wouldn’t be in danger.It’s been a week since I forced Sophie and the kids out of my life, for the best reason. It had been hell since then; I tried so much to avoid her in the company; I couldn’t deal with it. I had never known happiness since I came to this world; it changed a bit when I saw Sophie again, and I got the happiness I needed when I found out about my kids and got to claim them as mine, but now, I was losing all of that happiness again.It would be better to keep them away and know that they’re doing well than to keep them close to me and have them in danger.I sighed, taking my
Chapter Eight-oneThe Real Culprit Maxon’s POV“I have said this before, and I will say it again. I know nothing about this; I have never stolen anyone’s idea and I will never do that! Never!”“You can keep going on and on with that, but we have the evidence against you.” The officer lashed at me. “It will be better to own up to your mistakes and crime now before it is too late.”Own up to my mistake? That sounded familiar; I had heard it before.From Leo, he had told me to pen up to my mistakes too. Were the heavens trying to punish me? Am I being punished for the mistakes I made already? I shook my head. “You have to believe me, officer. I do not know anything about all these; I didn’t steal this idea, it is mine!” “Well, the...”He stopped when the door came, and another officer walked in. He got to him and whispered in his ears before leaving.“I’ll be right back,” the officer said and walked out.I sighed and buried my face in my palms; who could have done this to me? Who coul
Chapter EightyFinding The TruthSophie’s POVI wasn’t sure of what to do; there must be a mix-up somewhere. Maxon would never steal someone else’s idea; he would never do such a thing.I wandered around the hallway, going back and forth with my mind racing. I wasn’t sure where to go next.He had given me the project, and he even lost the contract he was working on because of me. Now he was getting arrested for stealing that same idea. What the officer said struck me again, that I must have been the one who leaked it, and I was sure Maxon must be thinking the same thing.I shook my head; it wasn’t the time to start brooding. I had to take actions. I rushed back to my space, grabbed my bag, and rushed into his office to pick up the car keys.I rushed back out and headed down; I had to go see him first to talk to him, maybe he was the one who did the mix-up.Maybe he mixed up the project with another one, or he mistakenly leaked it because I was sure the mistake wasn’t from my end. The