Isabel’s POVMargot wanted me to stay at the military base with her for a while. Her insistence was gentle but firm, as if she sensed how fragile I was.“What about your uncle? Won’t he find you if you're here?” I asked, concerns slipping into my voice. Her uncle, General Victor Woods, was no ordinary man. His reach was vast, his power nearly limitless. The idea of him stumbling upon us sent a chill through my body.“Don’t worry,” Margot replied, her voice soothing but with a steely edge. “My brother has allies here. They’re making sure every mention of my presence is kept out of the system. The chances of him randomly visiting this site are slim to none.”I sighed with relief, though a part of me still felt uneasy. Could I really hide here? I didn’t want to endanger anyone. Especially Margot, who had already endured so much. But the truth was, I needed to rest, to heal. Maybe, just maybe, this place could be a temporary sanctuary—a space to regain my strength, with the right medicat
Isabel’s POVMy heart stopped. Emerson? So he was awake. The name echoed in my mind like a bell tolling, sending waves of panic through my veins. I thought he wouldn’t care where I was, at least not so fast. But if Emerson was contacting Sebastian… Had he found me? Was he trying to drag me back into his web again? A knot of fear tightened in my stomach.“Isabel, are you alright? You look so pale,” Margot’s voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. She touched my arm gently, her brows creased in worry.I couldn’t speak. My throat felt dry as if fear had stolen the words. My attention was focused on Sebastian, who stood just outside. His voice was low but clear.“OK, I get it. Help me set up a meeting with him tomorrow.” Sebastian’s words sent a chill down my spine. The phone call ended with a final click. When Sebastian came back into the room, his eyes immediately caught mine.I quickly lowered my head, hoping to hide the panic that must be etched on my face. I couldn’t let him s
Isabel’s POVI was taken aback by Sebastian’s suggestion to eavesdrop on his conversation with Emerson, but grateful for the opportunity. It was the closest I could get to knowing what Emerson wanted without putting myself directly in his path. As the weight of everything began to settle on me, I felt a strange mixture of dread and hope. Just as I was about to return to Margot’s room, Sebastian stopped me.“You should let the doctor check you again, considering your condition. You don’t look well,” he said, his voice firm but gentle.I opened my mouth to protest. But he raised a hand before I could utter a word. “I’m not taking no for an answer. You’ve been through too much to ignore your health.”Reluctantly, I followed him to the medical office. Inside, the sterile scent hit me like a wave. The doctor, a man with sharp eyes and a compassionate smile, greeted us. Sebastian explained why we were there, and the doctor wasted no time in beginning the examination.After what felt like
Isabel’s POVMargot, not one to give up easily, nudged me under the table with a playful grin. “Come on, Isabel! Don’t you think my brother deserves a chance at happiness too? He’s been so focused on revenge, he hasn’t even thought about romance. Someone needs to snap him out of it.” Her teasing tone belied the seriousness of her words. Sebastian shot his sister a glare, though it lacked real anger. “Margot, enough.”“What?” she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes as if she had said nothing out of the ordinary. “I’m just saying, you deserve more than this endless chase for justice. You deserve love, too.”Her words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. The room went quiet. Sebastian cleared his throat, his discomfort evident.“I’m not looking for that right now,” Sebastian said, his voice quieter. As if he was trying to convince himself more than us. “There are more important things.”“Are there?” Margot challenged gently. “Or are you just afraid to live again?”I lowered my eyes
Isabel’s POVI woke up early, long before the sun had fully risen. My mind was already racing. Today was the day I would see Emerson—my ex-husband, the man who had once been everything to me. Who was now a source of fear and uncertainty. I hadn’t seen him since I was kidnapped from the hospital. My thoughts spiraled as I tried to piece together what today’s meeting would bring. How had he been recovering? Did he know that Lilith, his fiancée, was involved in the very scheme that had me kidnapped? And even if he did, would he leave her?I knew the answer in my heart. No, he wouldn’t. But I still feel heartbroken for such a known answer.Emerson was too calculating, too determined. Our past wouldn’t be enough to make him discard Lilith. Not with her power and influence at his side. The weight of this truth pressed against me, making my chest tighten as I threw the blanket off and got ready.A knock at the door pulled me out of my anxious thoughts. It was Sebastian, standing in the doo
Isabel’s POV“No, Emerson. Don’t be impulsive. Control yourself,” I screamed inwardly, watching through the glass. I gripped the arms of my chair tightly. Tension radiated through my body as I anticipated what might come next.Sebastian remained calm, unfazed by Emerson’s looming anger. It was as if the heat rolling off Emerson’s glare was invisible to him. But I could feel it, even from this distance, as if it were directed at me.Sebastian, with a faint smirk, continued his bold provocation. "I’m sorry. Did I misspeak? Is Lilith not your fiancée? Strange, because I can’t recall anyone of such significance in your life—at least, not based on what I’ve found." His tone was polite, almost apologetic, but dripping with intent.Michael, Emerson’s loyal assistant, shifted uncomfortably beside him. "Mr. Sebastian, I’d suggest watching your words," he cautioned, though his voice lacked authority. It was clear who held the reins in this confrontation, and it wasn’t him.For a heartbeat, I fea
Isabel’s POVI was frozen. Emerson knew. Somehow, he had pieced it together, connecting dots I didn’t even know existed. Sebastian’s secret, Margot’s safety, my very presence—it was all in jeopardy. My first instinct was to burst through the door, offer myself up in exchange for their freedom. But then, through the one-way glass, I caught a subtle gesture from Sebastian. His fingers shifted. It was a barely noticeable movement, but one I recognized immediately.Don't move.I clenched my fists and forced myself to stay still. Despite every nerve in my body screaming to act. The tension between Sebastian and Emerson was palpable, like the air had thickened with an invisible force. Neither man was backing down. The room seemed to hum with danger.Sebastian’s expression remained calm, his poker face impeccable. "I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about," he said, his voice laced with false innocence. "Woods is a common name. The General's family name, not mine. You must be mista
Isabel’s POVAfter Emerson left, the tension in the room hung heavy in the air. His presence still lingered like a storm cloud threatening to break. I waited a while to make sure he was truly gone. I watched quietly as Sebastian paced the room with clenched fists, muttering curse words under his breath. After a few minutes, I left the small room behind the mirror and joined Sebastian. His normally calm demeanor was shattered. His chest was still heaving with frustration and anger."Are you okay?" I asked softly, unsure of how to ease the storm brewing inside him.He just shook his head, his jaw tight, and said nothing. His silence spoke volumes, though. I could feel the weight of everything we had just endured pressing down on him. I couldn’t blame him—Emerson had come armed with far more knowledge than we had anticipated, and the danger was now more real than ever.I found myself studying Sebastian more closely, suddenly aware of the man behind the disguise. His square jawline was
Isabel’s POVDays passed, stretching into an unspoken eternity, and Emerson’s condition could no longer be kept from Liam and Elena.One afternoon, I was sitting by Emerson’s bed, my hand gently brushing his, when the door to the hospital room creaked open. My heart skipped a beat."Liam, Elena, what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice thick with emotion. I hadn’t expected them today, and the sight of their small faces brought a surge of overwhelming love and guilt.Eric stood behind them, his expression apologetic, his eyes soft with understanding. “They begged me, Isabel. They wouldn’t stop asking to see him... I couldn’t say no anymore.”Liam’s face was drawn, his usual bright energy dimmed with concern. Elena clung to her brother, her eyes wide with fear as they both hesitated in the doorway.Before I could say anything else, another figure appeared behind them, stepping into the room. My heart stopped for a moment as I looked up to see Emerson’s mother, Estelle, walking towards
Isabel’s POVA month had passed. One whole month, and still, no sign of life from Emerson. The machines beside his bed beeped steadily. A monotonous rhythm that I had come to know too well. A rhythm that seemed to mock the stillness of his body. I sat by his side every day, watching him, praying for some miracle—some sign that he was still there, still fighting. But each time I whispered his name, there was nothing. Nothing but the soft hum of hospital machinery.“Emerson,” I whispered, my voice trembling despite my attempts to sound steady. “Don’t you want to be with me? If you wake up, I promise we can live happily as a family of four.”I meant it, every word of it. The thought of a future with him, of raising our children together, was the only thing that kept me going. I needed him to hear me. I needed him to wake up.But Emerson remained unresponsive.He looked like a prince charming, trapped in an eternal dream—strangely peaceful. I combed his dark hair back neatly after gently
Isabel’s POVThe world blurred—shouts, chaos, the metallic scent of blood thick in my nostrils. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I clung to Emerson, his labored breaths hot against my skin.I didn’t dare move. The slick warmth of his blood drenching me was unnerving. His chest rose and fell in erratic, shallow breaths. But then, amid the cacophony of battle, a stunned silence emerged. Orders were shouted. Weapons clicked into position. Something had changed. I forced myself to glance up from Emerson’s chest, my pulse hammering.Alistair stood frozen, his face contorted in pain. Blood dripped from his hand—the very hand that had been pointing a gun at me just seconds before. His grip slackened, and the weapon tumbled to the ground.A sniper.Alistair’s men immediately scattered, taking defensive positions, frantically searching the area. But before they could react, several of them suddenly dropped to the ground.They were convulsing violently, frothing at the mouth. One by one, the
Isabel’s POVMy wrists ached from the tight ropes binding my hands behind my back as I was shoved forward. The rough ground beneath my boots felt unsteady, my knees weak with exhaustion. The air smelled of blood, gunpowder, and sweat. The night was still alive with distant gunfire, but here, in the heart of the enemy’s grasp, there was only the sound of my ragged breathing and Alistair’s mocking laughter.“Stop resisting, Emerson,” he drawled, his voice filled with smug amusement. “You’re in over your head. Oh—look who finally decided to join us.”Emerson was holding back several opponents, bruised and bloodied from the fight. His head snapped up at Alistair’s words.He turned, and when his eyes landed on me, something in his face shifted. Shock, then rage, then a devastating kind of fear. He lunged forward, but a guard was faster. A rifle butt slammed into Emerson’s ribs. The sickening crack echoed in the night, and he crumpled to the ground, gasping for air."Emerson!" I screamed,
Isabel’s POVAt first, Emerson and I managed to escape the building, slipping into the shadows like ghosts. The night was thick around us, swallowing our hurried footsteps as we navigated through the wreckage of Alistair’s camp. The distant gunfire and shouts of battle echoed behind us. But just as we reached the edge of the compound, the world seemed to shift.From the darkness, figures emerged—silent and predatory, their weapons gleaming under the pale moonlight. They moved like shadows given form, their presence an unspoken promise of violence. My breath caught in my throat as a dozen, no, more than two dozen enemies surrounded us, blocking every escape route. The sheer hatred in their eyes sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. These weren’t just guards; they were fanatics, men who thrived in the chaos of bloodshed and terror.Emerson moved instinctively, stepping in front of me, gun raised. “Stay close,” he murmured, barely audible over the wind. I nodded, steadying my grip
Sebastian/Elias’ POVScarlet’s scream echoed through the dimly lit room, raw with disbelief and fury. “You’re lying!” she spat, her eyes blazing with denial. The restraints binding her wrists rattled as she struggled, but I didn’t move to stop her. There was no point—her fight wasn’t with me. It was with the truth.I let out a slow breath, pulling a small, timeworn pocket watch from my coat. The silver casing had dulled over the years, but the engraved initials remained clear. I clicked it open and held it out to her, revealing a faded family photograph inside.“My father gave this to me before he died,” I said evenly, my voice softer than before. “He cared about you, Scarlet. No matter what you believe, you were never forgotten.”Her breath hitched. For a moment, the fire in her eyes flickered, replaced by something rawer—uncertainty. “How could it be?” she murmured, barely more than a whisper.All the pieces had finally clicked into place as Scarlet unraveled her story. The tangled
Scarlet’s POVTelling my story, I was flung back into the past. Lost in the grip of memories that had never truly left me. The present moment faded, and I found myself reliving those painful years. As vivid and raw as the day they had happened.I had been young, hopeful, foolish. Despite the years of neglect, I had still wanted my parents' love. But when I overheard them denying my very existence, something inside me snapped.Disheartened, I had returned to the countryside, burying myself in my studies. Medicine became my refuge, my salvation. I dedicated myself to understanding the human body—not just how to heal it, but how to manipulate it, how to break it. My hands, once weak and trembling from years of frustration, became steady, precise instruments of control.The first time I killed a lab mouse, something dark and exhilarating bloomed inside me. Power. The ability to decide whether something lived or died. The ability to take control of what had always been out of my grasp.
Elias’ POVI watched from the shadows as Isabel and Emerson disappeared into the night, their figures swallowed by the chaos of battle outside. I clenched my fists and tried to push down the sharp, aching weight that settled in my gut.Maybe it had been foolish to think I ever stood a chance with Isabel. Emerson had always been the one she turned to in the end. The one she trusted in the heat of battle. The one she looked at with that fierce determination in her eyes. And me? I was just a shadow lingering on the edges of her world, never quite stepping into the light.A slow clap echoed through the dimly lit room."Are you just going to let them go?" Scarlet’s voice slithered through the shadows like a snake.I turned away from the exit, my expression unreadable as I faced the woman bound to the chair before me. Her wrists were tied behind her back, her face partially obscured by strands of disheveled hair. Even restrained, she exuded a sickening confidence, her smirk unwavering.I m
Isabel’s POVI had to stop Margot.There was no time to think, no time to call for backup—just raw instinct and the desperate need to prevent her from making a terrible mistake. My boots pounded against the forest floor as I sprinted after her, weaving through the pine trees in pursuit. I knew why she was doing this. I understood the desperate, reckless pull of wanting to save someone you love. But charging straight into enemy territory? Alone? It was suicide.“No!” I hissed under my breath, pushing my legs harder.Margot moved swiftly, her figure barely a shadow in the dim light. She reached the edge of the enemy’s perimeter and, without hesitation, hoisted herself up onto a low window ledge. She pulled her body through with practiced agility. She was inside before I could even call her name.Damn it.I skidded to a halt near the building, pressing myself against the rough exterior. The compound was crawling with patrols. My heart pounded as I scanned the area, calculating the be