Isabel’s POVThe next morning, I woke up with a strange heaviness in my chest, a sensation I couldn’t quite shake. The weight of everything was pressing down on me—my father’s health, my own secret illness, and the looming presence of Emerson in my life. Today was the day I needed to take back some control. I had to contact Emma and Robert, and I needed to do it discreetly. I reached for the phone Emerson had given me, knowing it was likely monitored, but I had no choice. I had to let my friends know I was safe.I researched Robert’s company, MedTech Innovations, and immediately dialed the number.“MedTech Innovations, good morning. How may I help you?” The secretary answered, her tone professional.I cleared my throat. “Good morning. I need to speak to Mr. Robert Evans, please. It’s urgent. Tell him Isabel is calling.”“Alright, ma’am. One moment please.”The seconds stretched, the silence amplifying my heartbeat. What if he didn’t pick up? What if Emerson had warned him to stay away
Isabel’s POVThe sound of Liam’s delighted squeal sliced through the air. My heart lurched as I saw him wobbling dangerously in his highchair. Without thinking, my body reacted on instinct. I rushed toward him, arms outstretched, as though I could somehow catch him in time.But Emerson was faster and closeby. His reflexes, though weakened by his recent injury, hadn’t dulled enough to let anything happen to his son. He grabbed Liam just before the boy could topple over, pulling him securely into his arms.The room seemed to hold its breath for a moment.Liam was completely unaware of the chaos he had caused. His small face broke into a wide grin. One that exposed his tiny teeth as he clapped his hands, clearly pleased with the attention.My arms, now useless, hung awkwardly at my sides. Embarrassment crawled up my neck like an unwelcome heat. Why had I reacted like that? Why had I leapt into the fray as if I had any right to? This was Emerson’s and Lilith’s child. But before I could mo
Isabel’s POVEmerson hadn’t told Lilith he was awake? The thought gripped me like a cold hand on my heart. Why wouldn’t he tell her? What had changed between them? The more I tried to rationalize it, the more tangled I became in my thoughts. There had to be a reason, but what was it?As I cleared the breakfast bowls from the table, I caught sight of Liam still happily banging his spoon against the high chair. His innocent laughter was a sharp contrast to the storm of questions raging in my mind. That little spoon clattering against the bowl felt like a small anchor pulling me back from the whirlwind of emotions Emerson always stirred in me. But still, I couldn’t shake the growing unease.From the hallway, Emerson and Michael’s low, urgent voices filtered through, muffled but distinct enough to catch snippets of their conversation. I wiped my hands on a dishcloth, straining to hear more.“She’s been looking everywhere for you,” Michael said. “She was even spotted near the villa.”“Wha
Isabel’s POVArriving at the hospital felt like I was finally coming up for air after being submerged in deep waters for too long. The sterile smell, the faint hum of machines, even the cold white walls—all of it was oddly comforting. It was the only place that hadn’t changed in the whirlwind of my life lately. As I stepped into my father’s room, relief surged through me. Seeing him there, safe, breathing, alive—it made the months of uncertainty and fear fade, even if just a little.I stood by his bed, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. His face was peaceful, like he was just sleeping. But I knew better—he was trapped in the unyielding prison of a vegetative state. His hand lay limp at his side. Without thinking, I reached out and held it. His skin was warm, but there was no reaction. I had grown used to that over the months, but it still stung every time.“Dad,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.” The words tumbled out before I coul
Isabel’s POVWhen I stepped out of the bathroom, the three bodyguards were waiting. Their eyes scanned me with suspicion. I plastered on a casual smile, pretending not to notice their scrutiny. “I’m heading to see a gynecologist,” I said lightly, adding a pointed look as I continued walking past them. “Do you really need to follow me for that?”They exchanged glances, uncertainty flickering across their faces. One of them finally spoke, “We have to check with the boss.”Of course. Emerson.I crossed my arms, impatience bubbling up inside me. One of the guards pulled out his phone. His voice was a low murmur as he relayed my request. After a short conversation, he turned to me and handed over the phone.“He wants to speak to you.”I rolled my eyes and took the phone, bringing it to my ear. “What is it, Emerson?” I asked, letting my annoyance slip into my tone.His voice came through the line, tight with frustration. “What’s going on, Isabel?”I paused, knowing exactly how to frame my r
Isabel’s POVThe phone rang incessantly in my hand, vibrating like a heartbeat. Emerson’s name flashed on the screen, demanding my attention. I could almost sense his impatience seeping through the device. My thumb hovered over the green button, but I couldn’t bring myself to answer just yet. Not now.I needed a moment to think.If this had been a few days ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated. I would’ve used this exact moment—this opportunity—to slip away from Emerson’s grip. As far as possible from the life of constant surveillance and control. I had spent too long in the grip of powerful men, waiting for the right window to escape, knowing that my time was slipping away like sand through my fingers.But now, everything had changed.“The tumor hasn’t grown.” Robert’s news had been like a sudden, unexpected crack of light in the darkness. The results from the secret examination still echoed in my mind. The tumor was no longer spreading, and there was even the chance of improvement. A pos
Isabel’s POVI sat in the waiting room of the private hospital, my mind still reeling from the good news about my tumor. But my thoughts were quickly overshadowed by Emerson’s angry, suspicious voice.“I couldn’t answer the phone during my gynecologist examination now, could I?” I said smoothly, even though I could feel my nerves rising. It was a lie, but a necessary one.There was a pause on the other end of the line. Emerson’s voice, when it came, was tight, still edged with suspicion. “Well… Why did it take so long?”I swallowed, quickly coming up with an explanation. “There are some complications because of the miscarriage,” I said softly, adding just enough vulnerability into my tone to disarm him. “I’m still awaiting the results, but they might have to run additional tests and treatments.”I wanted to plant the seed of a future cover—an excuse for any medical visits that Robert would arrange for me. This was all about buying time, staying under the radar while I figured out what
Isabel’s POVI scooped Liam off the floor just in time, as the heavy bookshelf came crashing down behind us. I felt a sharp sting as the shelf scraped against my arm. But the pain was nothing compared to the terror that gripped me just moments before. If I had been a second later, the shelf would have crushed him.The sound of the crash brought Emerson and two maids rushing into the hallway. I sat on the floor, my arms wrapped tightly around a trembling Liam, as the heavy cupboard lay sprawled beside us.“Isabel! What happened?” Emerson’s voice was laced with panic as he knelt down beside me, his eyes scanning the chaotic scene.Still catching my breath, I managed to explain. “He pulled the shelf down... it was falling... I just grabbed him in time.” My voice trembled, my pulse still racing from the near disaster.Emerson’s face softened, relief flooding his features. “You saved him, Isa…” His voice was quiet, almost reverent. He crouched down beside me, staring at Liam as if the real
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