Isabel’s POVThe cool night air hit my face as we rushed outside. Emerson carried Liam in his arms, his face a mask of fear and desperation. The sight was so surreal I could barely process it. Just as we reached the driveway, Caleb’s car screeched to a halt, his headlights cutting through the darkness.“Isabel?” Caleb’s voice was laced with worry as he got out of the car. “I came to see if you were okay after everything that happened at the banquet… What’s going on?”Emerson didn’t slow down, his steps quick and purposeful. “No time to explain!” he barked. “Liam needs help. Stay here with Isabel.”But I stepped forward, shaking my head. “I’m going with you.”Caleb turned to me, confused. “Isa, are you sure? You don’t look well yourself.”“I’m fine,” I replied, though I wasn’t. My legs felt like jelly, and my head was still spinning from everything that had happened earlier. But something inside me couldn’t let Liam suffer alone.Emerson hesitated, glancing between me and Caleb. “You’r
Isabel’s POVAn awkward silence stretched between us as Caleb realized his mistake. He had almost revealed my secret, after promising me he wouldn’t tell Emerson.“Caleb, what are you talking about?” Emerson’s voice rang sharp with alarm, his gaze bouncing between the two of us. “Isa, explain. What’s going on?”My chest tightened as Caleb’s slip hung in the air. The last thing I wanted was for Emerson to know the truth about my illness—not now, not like this. My mind raced, grasping for an excuse that wouldn’t crumble under Emerson’s probing questions.“It’s nothing,” I said quickly, forcing my voice to steady. “Caleb is just overreacting. I’ve been a little unwell recently, that’s all.”Caleb’s face was taut with guilt, his lips pressed into a thin line. He looked as though he wanted to protest. But I caught his eye and gave a slight shake of my head. His shoulders sagged as he understood my silent plea to keep quiet.But Emerson wasn’t so easily convinced. His eyes narrowed, suspici
Isabel’s POVEmerson’s face was a storm of anger as he stood near his phone, which had miraculously survived the fall. The rage that had consumed him moments before was evident in the tense set of his jaw and the tremble in his clenched fists. I lingered by the doorway, unsure of what to say. The aftermath of his outburst settled heavily around us.When he finally noticed me, his hardened expression softened. His exasperation momentarily melted into something gentler. His eyes met mine, a mixture of frustration and guilt swirling in their depths.I forced an awkward smile, unsure of how to navigate the tension. “I… I didn’t mean to overhear,” I said quietly, my voice barely cutting through the silence.He let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. “It’s not your fault,” he muttered. “It’s hers.”I didn’t ask for details; I could already piece together enough. Lilith. Whatever she’d said or done during that heated phone call had pushed him to his breakin
Isabel’s POVWhen the doctor said I couldn’t donate my blood, my heart dropped. I thought it was because of my illness—something I had been so desperate to keep hidden. “Why not, Doctor? What’s going on?” Emerson demanded.My mind raced for an explanation that would divert attention from my condition. But then, the doctor’s words sliced through the air like a thunderclap:“Immediate family members cannot donate blood.”What?The room froze in shock. The statement hung in the air, confusing and impossible. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat loud enough to drown out the quiet murmurs around me. Surely, he must have been mistaken. My illness must have been the real reason. How else could this be explained?“What do you mean by that?” I asked, my voice trembling, barely louder than a whisper. “Please, explain.”The doctor hesitated, his gaze darting between us as if he didn’t know how to soften the blow. “There are indicators in Liam’s DNA that suggest…” He trailed off, adjusting h
Isabel’s POVI slowly turned my gaze to Emerson, my heart pounding in my chest. The words he’d just spoken hung in the air between us, a shock that reverberated through my body. My eyes met his, and I stared at him, stunned by the audacity of the question. My voice caught in my throat.“What?” I finally managed to croak, my voice trembling.“You heard me,” Emerson repeated, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that felt almost suffocating. “If Liam is your son—our son—you’d want him to grow up in a stable home, right? I’m asking if you’d consider giving us another chance.”The question felt like a slap, a cruel and twisted joke at a time when everything else seemed to be collapsing around me. My lips parted, but no words came. The confusion, anger, and disbelief swirled inside me until I couldn’t take it any longer. Without thinking, I raised my hand and slapped Emerson across the face. The sound of the slap echoed through the room, a sharp, resounding reality.“How dare you
Isabel’s POVThe atmosphere in the hospital room was a mix of tense anticipation and fragile hope. Liam’s tiny chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. It was a comforting sight, even if the future still felt like a swirling cloud of uncertainty. Suddenly, the sharp ring of Emerson's phone cut through the quiet hum of the hospital room. Emerson’s brows knitted as he glanced at the screen. He answered quickly, his voice dropping to a low, urgent tone. His expression shifted dramatically—surprise, disbelief, and then a sharp edge of worry settled into his features.“I’m sorry,” he said after a brief pause, his voice wavering for a split second before regaining some composure. “I have to go. There’s trouble at the main house. My parents just got back from abroad, and some policemen broke in. They’ve taken my father away.”His eyes met mine for a fleeting moment, searching for some reaction. “The police said he has to cooperate with an investigation into my company’s bribery event. But I
Isabel’s POVThe room was filled with an oppressive atmosphere, each second a battle between my fear and determination. My hands trembled ever so slightly as I stood protectively near Liam’s bed.My eyes were locked onto Lilith’s unyielding gaze. She stood there, a vision of icy calculation. Her eyes were gleaming with that cold, ruthless confidence that sent chills down my spine.She didn’t answer my question. Not a word. She just stood there, a specter of calculated coldness staring into my eyes. Her silence was unsettling, more menacing than any answer she could have given. My heart pounded against my ribs as a knot of unease coiled in my stomach. Why was she here? What was she really doing?Earlier, when Liam’s life had been hanging by a thread, she hadn’t appeared. So why now? It made no sense. My instincts told me something was off. Something wasn’t adding up.“Why now, Lilith?” I finally managed to ask, my voice trembling but not wavering. “Why are you only coming here after L
Isabel’s POVLilith stood by Liam’s bed. Her hand rested on his small shoulder as if she had every right to be there. Her gaze locked on me, cold and venomous, with a triumphant glint that made my stomach churn. Her lips curled into a wicked smile as she spoke, her words dripping with malice.“You’ve always been a thorn in my side, Isabel,” she hissed, her voice low but filled with fury. “If it weren’t for you, I’d already be married to Emerson. You’d be out of our lives for good, forgotten. Instead, you cling to him, always ruining my plans, always meddling.”I swallowed hard, willing myself not to show the fear creeping through me. Her words stung, but they weren’t what left me shaken—it was the hatred in her tone. This wasn’t just about Liam or Emerson. This was personal.Lilith’s fingers tightened on Liam’s shoulder as she continued, her eyes narrowing. “But now, I have the ultimate bargaining chip. Emerson won’t dare turn his back on me. Not when I have his precious son.”My hea
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
Isabel’s POVCarter first sent a team of soldiers to probe the enemy’s defenses. The plan was simple: test the waters, gauge their numbers, and avoid unnecessary bloodshed before reinforcements arrived. But what they found was far worse than expected.“These are not just Alistair’s usual lackeys,” Carter murmured, lowering his binoculars. “The numbers far exceed our expectations. And what’s worse: these men are seasoned fighters. Most of them have appeared on international wanted lists… multiple times.”Emerson, standing beside him, clenched his fists. “That bastard really went all in.”I narrowed my eyes, straining to make out the details from our vantage point on the rocky hillside. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the rugged terrain. The distant compound was a maze of dilapidated buildings, high fences, and scattered patrols. From here, it was impossible to tell how many men were stationed inside. But it was clear we were up against more than just a handful
Sebastian/Elias’s POVI stood there, rooted to the spot, watching the scene unfold before me. The sterile, cold walls of the laboratory pressed in around me.Alistair’s voice broke the silence, a hint of pride echoing through his words. “This is my proudest work! Thanks to your potions, Scarlet.” His tone was a mix of admiration and satisfaction, as if he had just achieved the culmination of a long and arduous project.Scarlet’s gaze flickered to me, her sharp eyes assessing the situation with cold precision. There was no mistaking it: she was shocked I hadn’t escaped yet. She must be wondering if her antidote had failed.Then, without warning, she lunged forward, grabbing Alistair by the collar with a force that was both unexpected and dangerous. Her voice was low, a warning laced with venom. “I’m telling you, don’t touch my nephew! Otherwise, I’ll make sure you never stand again!” Her words were like a promise, a threat wrapped in maternal protection. But there was something more
Emerson’s POVI sat in the car, fingers drumming absently against the steering wheel as my mind churned through everything that had happened. The weight of it all pressed down on my shoulders like an iron grip. Lilith’s confessions, Elias’s predicament, the looming confrontation with Alistair—it was a tangled mess of threats and uncertainties. Every second that passed only heightened the tension coiling in my chest.A sharp knock on the window pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see Carter standing outside, his sharp gaze scanning the area. I rolled the window down, and he wasted no time.“I heard you caught a woman? How is she involved in this?” he asked, his voice even but laced with curiosity.I exhaled and nodded, stepping out of the vehicle. My eyes swept the surroundings instinctively, old habits keeping me cautious even in relatively safe zones. Carter caught on immediately.“Margot’s with Isabel back at the base,” he assured me. “We can talk there.”I gave him a curt nod,
Isabel’s POVWe delayed our mission. Lilith's intel might be significant and give us clues on how to proceed.In the interrogation room, Lilith sat handcuffed to the chair, her face twisted with a mixture of defiance and resignation. I stood behind the mirrored glass, my arms crossed tightly over my chest, trying to steady my breathing. Emerson and one of his men sat across from her, their expressions unreadable. The tension in the room was thick, palpable."Talk," Emerson commanded, his voice cold.Lilith smirked, leaning back as if the shackles meant nothing to her. "Where do I begin?" she mused, tilting her head. "Maybe with the fact that I was Lila all along?"My stomach dropped. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay rooted to the spot. I knew it. But I’d never expected to hear her say it aloud. My mind reeled as Lilith continued."Alistair took me after you thought I’d died," she said, her tone shifting into something bitter. "He changed me—physically, mentally. His damned
Isabel’s POVCarter and Emerson bent over the map, their voices low but intense as they laid out the plan. The dimly lit tent smelled of sweat, gun oil, and the anticipation of an impending fight. My fingers tightened into fists at my sides. I refused to be left behind.“We move in small teams,” Carter was saying. “Margot and I will take a group to circle around and cover you. The reinforcements are still a few hours out, so we’ll have to be careful.”Emerson nodded, his expression unreadable. “I’ll lead a team ahead to scout their positions.”“I’m going with you.” The words left my mouth before I could second-guess them.Emerson’s head snapped toward me, his brows furrowing. “No. It’s too dangerous.”I squared my shoulders. “I didn’t train for years on that island just to sit in the shadows while you go off to fight. I’m stronger than ever now, and you know it.”He exhaled through his nose, his fingers flexing at his sides as if fighting the urge to grab my arm and shake some sense i