TristinI thought I knew and had seen everything in life. A broken family. Abandoned dreams. Horrible deaths. Secrets that damage your existence. If someone had told me there is still something in this world that I have yet to see, to feel, I would not have believed them.But in the past seven days, I have realized that nothing I have endured compares to the agony of not knowing where your child is. It feels like your existence has been ripped away, and there is no reason to live, and if you live, there is no light. It’s an unbearable mix of terror, helplessness, and guilt. Every second becomes a torment, every moment without your child stretching into an eternity filled with endless questions. Are they safe? Are they scared? Are they hurt?The fear is more constant than the pain. It makes it hard to think, to breathe. It feels like you have failed at the most sacred duty of your life. And that failure echoes in every quiet moment, every sleepless night, gnawing away at you until
Tristin“ Luca! ” I can’t keep the urgency out of my voice, the raw panic creeping through. “Get the car ready. We are going to the hospital. ”I can feel the weight of my son in my arms, feel every breath he takes. I can finally hold onto him. I move as fast as I can, not stopping until I am outside, slipping into the backseat of the car. His little hand clutches at my shirt weakly, and I squeeze it, not caring if I am holding him too tightly.“ Go, now! ” I snap at Luca, my voice rough with urgency. The car starts moving, but as the seconds tick by, my mind snaps back to the one thing I can’t ignore—the hospital. He was taken from a hospital. The place where he should have been safe, and instead, this...This nightmare happened.“ No. No hospital. ” I say, shaking my head as panic makes my chest tighten. “ Call the doctor. Tell him to meet us at home. Now. ”Luca’s eyes flicker to my gaze in the mirror, but he doesn’t argue. He starts calling the doctor after picking up the phone,
GraceIt takes me hours to drive to that spot. The moment I reach there, another message pops up. She changes the location of our meetup. I want to scream and cry in frustration, but at that moment, I move like a robot.Overcome by panic and fear, I put the address on the map and drive to the location without a second thought. The location seems to be deep into the woods, and in the end, I have to abandon my car on the road and walk through the forest to reach the shady small cabin.The night falls, and everything around me darkens. As I turn on the torch and see the signals on my phone going off, my heart doesn’t tremble—not even for a moment.I keep walking to approach that trap faster. I know she won’t let me go once I set foot in that small place and offer myself up on a silver platter.But it doesn’t matter. Saving my son means everything to me.Besides, I have made sure to take a car that has an advanced tracking system activated. Tristin will notice if I am gone for so long.
Grace“ Man, when do we get the money? ” My ears perk up at the name of money. I blink and take a few deep breaths to calm myself.“ How— ” My throat feels drier than the Sahara. “ How much money—did this Boss—offer you? ”All six pairs of eyes turn to me at once. I try to focus on any details I can remember, but their eyes alone can not help me, and the rest of their faces are hidden behind the black masks they are wearing. “ When did she wake up? ” One of the two wiping the gun in the corner questions.I suck in a sharp breath and swallow to wet my throat. “ What—Whatever you were offered—I can pay more than that… I am…richer than whoever…hired you… ”Silence falls in the constricted space before laughter erupts. “ Boss did say she will try to tempt us with her sweet talk, eh? Didn’t expect her to sound so genuine! ” The one in the corner chuckles louder.My shoulders droop. “ Don’t you—Don’t you know who I am? ”“ We don’t care, Lady. Keep your mouth shut before I knock you out
GraceEverything feels like it’s happening in slow motion. My breaths come out ragged like the air has turned too heavy to draw in. I can’t focus on anything except the sound of footsteps thundering behind the cabin. Ethan’s men are chasing the kidnappers, their loud voices echoing through the quiet forest.And then, through the chaos, he walks towards me.His dark, stormy eyes lock onto mine, and for a second, I am unsure if I’m relieved or terrified. His jaw is clenched, his movements controlled, but there is an edge of violence about him that’s hard to ignore. He stops in front of me and without a word, pulls the tape off my mouth. I wince, a burn spreading over my lips and the skin around it.Then, he starts untying the ropes binding my wrists. My skin burns where the ropes had cut into me, and as his hands work quickly, I finally manage to utter. “ What are you doing here? ”“ I could ask you the same thing. What the fuck are you doing here, Grace? ” His voice is loud, filled
GraceMy heart stops. My life flashes before my eyes—Seb’s laughter, Mom’s warm hugs, Ania’s teasing smile. And then Tristin. His face is the last thing I see in my mind, his voice the last thing I hear, telling me he loves me.I should have told him more often how much he meant to me. I should have…The gunshot rings out, and I flinch, bracing for the pain. But it never comes. Instead, there is a thud, and when I open my eyes, the kidnapper is falling to the ground. Ethan stands a few feet away, his gun still smoking. Unconsciously, shock makes me stumble back. I barely have time to process what’s happening before my foot slips on the edge of the cliff. “ Grace! ” Ethan yells my name, panic raw in his voice, but gravity pulls me down. The icy water rushes up to meet me. It doesn’t happen like it happens in the movies—a slow fall that never comes. It happens fast. One moment I am suspended in air, and then I am in the water. It swallows me whole and I am falling deeper into the
Grace“ Ethan. ” I whisper, my voice trembling. “ Look there. ”My hand is on Ethan’s sleeve before I even realize it, the rough material of his coat brushing against my palm. The contact is fleeting—a moment of impulse I immediately regret. He stops walking and looks down at where I am gripping him. Slowly, his gaze shifts up to my face, his expression unreadable as always. The sharp angles of his face are shadowed under the pale moonlight, making him look even more distant. I follow the trail of his eyes and immediately release his sleeve like it burned me. My fingers curl into a fist as I pull my hand back to my side, my heartbeat drumming in my ears. He starts walking again, and I follow him without saying a word this time. We are dripping wet as we approach the lone figure in the distance. The man stands still as a statue. My chest tightens at the sight of him. Something about the way he is just… waiting puts me on edge.“ Stay here… ” Ethan mutters suddenly, holding his han
GraceEthan’s gaze snaps to mine, cold and unflinching as a blade. “ Fine. Go. Do whatever the fuck you want because I am not responsible for you and I sure as fuck won't stop you from getting eaten by any wild animal. ”I stand there for a moment, just glaring at him. Then, it clicks. I don’t expect anything from him, and he doesn’t owe me anything either.I spin around and start walking, my heartbeat quickening with each step forward. My steps are uneven, my body aching from the cold and exhaustion, but I push forward. Each step sends sharp jolts of pain through my legs, my wet clothes pulling at my skin like dead weight.It’s fine. I can do this. I have to.Then I hear it—a low growl, rumbling through the trees like something ancient and hungry. I freeze, every muscle in my body locking up as my breath catches in my throat. My head snaps toward the sound, eyes narrowing to see in the darkness. The wind howls around me, carrying the sound of several animals.I glance back toward
GraceA moment of silence falls between us. It’s suffocating and heavy.“ Because…if I had told you, you would have asked me to accept that boy into the family. ” Tristin answers in a quiet voice. “ What? Why?! That boy—he…he is your child too. Why— ”“ Unlike Mom, I don’t believe Serena to be a saint. She will use that boy to stir up trouble. Besides, if he stays, he will hold the position of the firstborn son in this family. Did I not tell you before, Grace? The Robertos only care about the son who is born first, and not about those who come after. ”I stammer. “ That’s—we can— ”But he cuts me off harshly. “ You and I…can try to balance things, but…once the extended family gets involved, it will be more business than emotions. First, he will take Seb’s name, then everything else that belongs to him. Our son, no matter how little he is…knows he is the future of this family. I am sure Mom has fed this to him with every meal he shared with her before. Now, do you want to tell him wh
GraceI shouldn’t have doubted Tristin’s determination to frustrate me. He has been sitting in the same spot for hours, watching me with an intensity that leaves me squirming.Eventually, I turn my back to him and pull the duvet to my neck, choosing to glare at the other wall. But the heat of his gaze makes it impossible for me to have even a moment of rest.While we both remain stubborn in our places, the veil of anger starts to lift slowly. I have accused him of knowing about Serena all along and not telling me…But…Can Tristin really deceive me from the start? It’s a strange question, one that I wouldn’t have even bothered to ask myself until a month ago.But everything has become messed up in our lives.“ I didn’t know about her. When you told me you wanted me to fire her, that’s when I wanted to know why you were so adamant about it. That’s also when I found out that she provoked you. I wanted to confront her, but she revealed the secret and caught me off guard. I am not…lying
Grace“ Wait— ” I hiss quickly, stepping closer to Tristin to squeeze some space for myself. “ Tell Mom to come here and—”Before I can finish, the door slams shut. I let out a scream of frustration just as Tristin’s arm wraps around my waist. A startled gasp escapes me as he lifts me off the floor and carries me to the bed easily. “ Tristin, put me down! ” I thrash against him, but his grip is unyielding.He presses me down onto the mattress and hoves above me, leaving me no room for escape. “ Do not act like I am holding you hostage… ” He mutters, his voice returning to the soft note he has reserved for me. “ We are just having a couple’s fight. ”Is he being serious?!I laugh bitterly. “ This is not a couple’s fight, Tristin. When Mom comes, I am leaving, and you will never see my face again. I will make sure of that. Never! ”His jaw tightens as I smirk. I think I have won. But then, in one swift motion, Tristin flips me onto my stomach and yanks my zipper down. My breath cat
GraceI sit stiffly in the wing chair, my arms crossed across my chest and my glare fixed on Tristin. He stands by the locked door, his back against the wall, looking calm—too calm. He has lost his mind. That is the only explanation for this whole thing. I scoff. He cannot stay here forever. That bitch is in the house, and sooner or later, he will have to leave. I tell myself that is why I am so composed right now—because I want to see how long he can keep this up. But deep down, I know the real reason.When I saw Serena here, a dark thought crept into my mind. Maybe another woman had given him a family. Maybe he did not need me anymore. And that thought nearly shattered my heart into pieces.Before I can dwell on it, my phone rings. I glance down, and a frown etches between my brows.Why didn’t I think about calling someone? I reach for my phone and see Talia’s name shining on the screen. Before I can answer the call, Tristin’s shadow looms over me. Not even giving me the chanc
TristinI watch as Grace pushes against my chest, forcing distance between us. The fire in her eyes is like nothing I have ever seen before—not directed at me. Not like this.Her words echo through my head. ‘ We are done here. I am leaving. And you can't stop me. ’I can’t breathe.She turns away from me and grabs her packed suitcase. I want to say so much more, but no words come out of my mouth.She leaves me standing there and moves toward the door without hesitation. I should let her go. I should step back and give her space. I should fix this in a way that doesn’t involve desperate measures.But right now…This doesn’t feel like something that can be handled by giving her space. She looks like if she leaves, she won’t return and will never talk to me again. Panic surges through me like wildfire. My body moves on its own, faster than my mind can process, and before she can even reach the handle, I slam the door shut.Click.The sound of the lock twisting into place is deafening.
GraceI finish packing Sebastian’s things and glance at the bed, my chest tightening when I see him curled up. He fell asleep when he saw me packing for too long. His tiny fingers clutch the edge of the blanket, his breathing soft and even. He looks so peaceful. For a moment, my heart wavers. He loves his Daddy so much. How will he live away from him? I walk towards him and press a gentle kiss to his forehead, lingering for a second longer than intended.If we stay, my son will get more hurt when he realizes he has a brother who shares the same name with him.I straighten up and call the nanny over. She comes rushing and stands by my side. “ Stay with him… ” I say, my voice quieter than usual. “ Don’t leave him alone until I come back. ”She nods, and I force myself to walk away.When I reach my room, I head straight to the walk-in closet and pull out my suitcases. This time, I pack my own things. My fingers move automatically, folding clothes and stuffing them into the bag. I fe
Grace“ Whose child is that? ” I question.An eerie silence falls in the space. Looks are exchanged. Heavy breaths are released.The question must be too hard to answer even if it is so clear. I look into the child’s blue eyes and don’t look away. He stays rigid on his spot, never wavering, even under my penetrating gaze. “ What is your name? ” I find myself asking when the silence stretches for too long.A frown forms between the child’s brows, and he replies without hesitation. “ Sebastian. ”My breath hitches, my chest tightening as if the air has thickened around me. My fingers tremble slightly at my sides, and I curl them into fists to stop the shaking.Sebastian. My son’s name. A dizzying wave of nausea rolls over me, tightening its grip on my lungs. I can barely breathe.I swallow hard, my throat dry, and my heart pounding in my chest.“ Sebastian… ” I whisper, the name foreign on my tongue even though I have said it a thousand times before.The boy tilts his head slightly,
GraceTristin underestimates my understanding of him.I know when he is lying. And when he said that ‘no’, he was clearly, desperately trying to make me believe that there is nothing he is hiding from me. But everything I wanted to know was written right on his face.The question is…Will I ask him that question again? No. I gave him a chance. He didn’t take it.Now, I need to find out everything in my own way. As he tells me that we will go home together and that he just has one meeting to attend, I nod and tell him that I will wait for him.After he leaves, I take out my phone and see the contact information Talia has sent to me—the private detective.Her Aunt has already told the detective about me. So, I click a picture of Serena from the photographs and sent it to him with her name.A message appears on the screen, asking me about what kind of information I seek.I stare at the screen for a moment. What do I want to know? Her connection with Ethan or why Tristin looks so uncomfo
Tristin“ Leave, Luca. Do what I said. I want them gone. Tonight. ” I tell Luca while keeping my eyes on her.“ Yes, Boss. ” Luca hurries out and moves past her.Grace walks inside once he has left and closes the door behind her. I straighten up, my gaze flickering to her fingers that are turning white around the envelope she is gripping too tight.“ What is this? ” Grace’s voice stays low as she comes to stand on the spot where Luca sat moments ago.“ What? ” I blink calmly.Her hands shake as she rips the envelope open and takes out some pictures. Before I can open my mouth, she throws the pictures towards me.They fly across the space and hit my chest before dropping on the desk. Instinctively, my hands clench into fists, and my jaw grits. She is rightfully angry—I reason with myself. But a voice inside me keeps whispering…I have seen her in a more compromising position. But I have not reacted this way. I look down at the pictures. Just like I thought…That bitch kneeled between