Emerson’s POV"How the hell did this happen?!" My voice echoed through the cold, sterile halls of the hospital. "You assured me this hospital had the most high-end security in the country! Was that all a goddamn lie?!"I had never felt so panicked and furious as when I found Isabel’s room empty. How could someone have gotten to her, here, in this heavily guarded military hospital?The head of security flinched under my glare, stammering something about protocols and procedures. I barely heard him. My entire focus was on the CCTV footage playing out in front of me. Mateo, standing beside me in the small, dimly lit surveillance room, was furiously scanning the feed. His face was pale but focused."Stop. Zoom in here," Mateo ordered sharply, pointing at the screen.The grainy footage showed a nurse moving briskly down the corridor with a gurney. Something was off. Mateo muttered, “She’s not staff.”"What do you mean she’s not staff?" I barked.He leaned closer, squinting. “Look at the un
Isabel’s POV“Well, well. Long time no see, beauty.” A gravelly voice carried a dark satisfaction, the kind that sent a shiver down my spine. “Do you remember me?”A hulking figure loomed over me. His one good eye was gleaming with malice. The other was covered by a black eyepatch. His scarred face twisted into a cruel smile, revealing gold-plated teeth as he leaned closer.I didn’t want to, but the memories hit me like a freight train. The eyepatch was new, but I’d recognize that face anywhere—the auction boss.My stomach churned. No, not him. Not this nightmare again.“You,” I whispered, my voice trembling. My throat felt parched, the words barely audible.“Ah, so you do remember me,” he sneered, straightening to his full height. “You and that bastard Emerson. You cost me everything—my business, my empire, my eye!” He pointed at his eyepatch with a flourish. “Do you know what it’s like to lose everything? To live in the shadows like a rat because of you two?”The anger in his voice
Isabel’s POV"Don't play tricks on me, Lilith," I spat, my voice hoarse but sharp, cutting through the tension in the air. My mind raced with confusion and disbelief, but my gut told me there was more to this than a simple threat. Something didn’t add up. I had always believed in Emerson’s promises. He had assured me time and time again that my father would be taken care of, that nothing would harm him. But now, here I was, trapped in a situation I couldn’t control. All I could feel was a gnawing sense of dread.Lilith’s smile widened, cruel and knowing. "You think I'm lying?" she said, her voice dripping with malice. Her presence was like a poison, seeping into every crack of my resolve. I hated it. Every word she spoke twisted like a blade in my chest.Then she did something that made my blood run cold. With a flick of her wrist, she took a small tablet out of her purse. She pressed a button, and a live video feed flickered to life on the screen. My heart skipped a beat. There,
Isabel’s POVI sat in the dark, my wrists bound to a cold metal chair. The air around me felt stale, suffocating, and heavy. My eyes were covered by a thick cloth that added to the sense of helplessness that wrapped around me like a vice. My throat was parched, my stomach hollow with hunger. But it was the complete isolation that gnawed at me the most. It was as if the world had forgotten I existed, as though I had vanished entirely. No medication, no comfort—just the slow, relentless drain of my strength.I could feel the seconds ticking away. My life was ebbing away with each passing minute. But more than that, I could feel the presence of my fear. It pressed against my chest, the weight of it unbearable. Was I going to die here? Was this it—an end so quiet that no one would ever know?The sound of a ringing phone broke through the stillness. "Emerson," the guards’ cold voice sliced through the darkness. "You know we have your precious Isabel. No tricks for our little meet-up ton
Isabel’s POVThe searing pain in my head made it impossible to think clearly. Every throb felt like a nail being hammered into my skull, dulling my senses and clouding my judgment. But through the haze, one question refused to fade: Who had saved me?As the man carried me through the darkness, his firm grip steadied me despite his hurried pace. Then, a deafening gunshot rang out. The sound pierced the air like a whip. My entire body jolted in reflex. The man stumbled, nearly dropping me. His arm faltered, and I felt him tense under the weight of what might have been an injury."Are you hurt?" My voice was raw, panicked. "Put me down. I can walk! We’re not getting out of here like this if you—""Quiet," he hissed, urgency dripping from his tone. Yet, there was a tremor there. A hint of pain he couldn’t hide.The adrenaline coursing through me sharpened my awareness despite the pounding ache in my head. Each jarring step he took reminded me how perilous our escape was. Finally, he du
Isabel’s POV“Don’t ‘Isa’ me,” I snapped, my voice raw with anger. My chest heaved as the adrenaline coursed through me, my head throbbing in rhythm with my heartbeat. “I know more than you think, Emerson! I know about your lies, your betrayal... all of it!”“Isa, you don’t understand—” Emerson’s voice was calm, too calm, like he was trying to soothe a wild animal.“No idea?” I cut him off, my voice rising. “You think I have no idea what’s been happening? You knew about Lilith. You knew what she did to my father, and you said nothing! You kept me in the dark while she wove her web of chaos around us!”He raised his hands, a desperate attempt to placate me. “It wasn’t like that. Please, Isa, keep your voice down—”“Why?!” I barked, stepping closer to him. “Afraid someone will find us? I don’t care anymore, Emerson! If I die right here, right now, at least I’ll be free from your endless games. You wanted this, didn’t you? The end of me, the demise of me—”My rant was cut short as a sea
Isabel’s POVThe deafening gunshot echoed in my ears. For a moment, I was sure it was over. My eyes shut tightly, bracing for the inevitable. This was how it all ended—alone, betrayed, and broken.But… the pain never came.Instead, there was silence, punctuated by the dull thud of something—or someone—hitting the ground. Slowly, I opened my eyes, heart racing.Lilith had fallen to her knees before me, her face frozen in shock. Her wide eyes seemed to reflect disbelief. Her body was trembling. The woman who had always seemed untouchable—impeccably perfect, cold and calculating, an unshakable force of destruction—was now crumpling before me. Lilith, the woman who had orchestrated so much pain, who had relentlessly sought to destroy my life, my family, my children, was dying. For a moment, it felt surreal. As though fate’s cruel wheel had finally shifted in my favor. The sight before me was almost jarring: her impeccably styled raven hair still clung to its carefully sculpted waves, he
Isabel’s POVI kneeled next to Emerson’s crumpled body. My hands trembled as they pressed against his bleeding wound. The blood was everywhere—dark, warm, and terrifyingly fast. A desperate panic rose in my throat as I looked around the dimly lit terrain. We were isolated, surrounded by danger. Silas Kane’s men could be lurking around every corner.Emerson’s breaths were shallow, his face pale. “Stay with me,” I whispered hoarsely.My mind raced. We were miles from help, but I couldn’t leave him here to die. He had saved me, shielded me with his own body. And yet, the lingering doubts whispered cruel truths. How could I care for someone who had caused me so much pain? But could I bear the thought of losing him?Emerson groaned softly, pulling me out of my spiral. I shook my head to focus. “On the other side of the silos,” he had said earlier. That’s where Michael would be waiting.I scanned my surroundings frantically and spotted an old sheet crumpled in a dusty corner. It wasn’t muc
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