Bailey’s POVHe held my hand gently, and we walked into the event together. The closeness between us was palpable, and from the way he gripped my hand, I could feel the excitement coursing through his veins. His heart was racing—at least, that’s what I imagined. There was a soft, melodic tune playing in the background, a faint hum of music that wasn’t overpowering but just enough to fill the silence around us. The noise wasn’t intrusive; it was low enough that two people could hold a conversation without shouting.We moved through the crowd, passing by clusters of people, some chatting in groups, others simply standing and observing. The energy in the room was lively, yet there was a sense of order, like everyone knew their place in this grand social setting. We continued walking, gradually making our way to the center of the event. That’s when I saw him—a man who looked to be in his late 50s, with salt-and-pepper gray hair. Despite his age, there was a vitality to him; he stood with
Lyla's POVI raced toward the warehouse, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Every step felt like it was dragging me closer to some kind of answer, yet farther from the truth. When I arrived, my heart sank into the pit of my stomach. The warehouse was completely empty. Everything was gone. The production materials, the inventory—nothing. It was as if the place had been abandoned for months, not hours.I searched the area, hoping for some sign, some clue. And there he was. Jace was pacing back and forth, his eyes glazed with frustration, as though he was lost in a maze. He didn’t even look up when I approached."I came as soon as I heard," I said, trying to catch my breath. I’d sprinted most of the way from the car, and now I felt the weight of every step. The air was thick with tension, my pulse racing.Jace stopped pacing and turned to face me, his face pinched with stress. "We’re in a deeper mess than I thought. I know I’m going to find the person who did this, but we don’t have enough
Bailey’s POV I was hungry, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat. Instead, I just pushed my food around on the plate, looking lost—as if I were floating in space, somewhere far away. The chatter around me felt distant, and the voices of the people at the table seemed muffled. Rafael, however, didn’t even notice. He was too busy laughing loudly, talking about business with his uncle and a group of older men, while beautiful women sat beside them, laughing and playing along. The table was enormous, and there must have been over thirty people seated at it. It was a lively gathering for them, a sea of animated conversation about business ventures, properties, and upcoming trips. For me, though, it felt like I was stuck in another dimension, where nothing mattered except for the thoughts swirling in my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about my husband, about Bailey… the two of them. The seconds stretched on, and Rafael was so absorbed in his conversations that he barely glanced at me. It wasn
Lyla’s POV“Lyla, have you lost your mind completely? What has gotten into you? You want me to help you outsource guns?” Chad’s face twisted into a frown. He seemed genuinely shocked and confused.When I left the factory earlier, I had called him, wanting to meet and talk. He probably thought I was about to give him another chance, but that wasn’t why I needed him. No, I needed his help. I had to get my hands on the production materials without Collin knowing, and if I left it up to him, I knew his emotions would cloud his judgment. My sister’s life was on the line, and I wasn’t willing to risk it.“Look, Chad,” I said, trying to control the desperation creeping into my voice, “I know this is a lot to ask, but you’re the only person I can trust right now. I really need your help.”He stared at me, his expression filled with concern and confusion. “You’re pregnant, Lyla. And I understand you want to save your sister, who’s been kidnapped, but this is too much for you. I don’t think you
Bailey’s POVI ran as fast as my legs could carry me, my heart pounding in my chest. Fear surged through my veins, and every step felt like it could be my last. There was no looking back—I couldn’t afford to. My body was weak and exhausted, each breath a struggle, but I couldn’t stop. I dared not stop. Not until I was far enough away from them.I ran for what felt like miles, my legs giving out, but I forced myself to push forward. Eventually, I slowed, my breath ragged, as I came to a halt in the middle of a deserted road. I was surrounded by nothing but silence and darkness, the only sound my frantic breathing. The world seemed to stretch on forever, empty and abandoned. I had no phone, no means of communication, and I didn’t recognize a single landmark. It was as if I had entered a ghost town.“Oh God, help me. What have I done?” The words left my lips in a whisper, barely audible in the vast emptiness. My knees buckled, and I hunched over, resting my hands on them to steady myself
Bailey’s POVI didn’t know how long I had been unconscious. Time seemed to stretch and bend in ways I couldn’t understand. My body was heavy and disoriented, and as I began to regain some sense of my surroundings, I felt the sharp bite of cold water on my skin. My heart jolted, and I immediately jerked upright, trying to gather my bearings. But something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.I tried to move, but I couldn’t. My arms and legs were bound, and the tightness of the ropes restricted even the slightest motion. Panic surged through me as I realized I was sitting in a chair, helpless, trapped. My skin tingled from the cold water, and my body trembled, not just from the chill, but from the fear that flooded my senses.Gradually, my mind began to piece together the events that had led to this moment. But the more I thought, the more the memories seemed fragmented and distant, as though they belonged to someone else. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t make sense of the puzzle that was
Bella’s POVI watched as Lucas’s jaw tightened. The subtle shift in his expression told me everything I needed to know—he wasn’t happy with what I had just said. But there was no turning back. I had made up my mind, and nothing was going to change that. I wanted to be with Nado, and I could feel the weight of that decision settling into my chest. The emotions swirling around me were intense, but my resolve was firm.Lucas opened his mouth to speak, but I could see the hesitation in his eyes. His words stumbled over each other.“You can’t possibly want to be with him. You’ve just met him! I’ve been here for so long. You know I’ve changed, Bella. I changed for you, and you know I would treat you right. We would have been married if not for the fact that our wedding was canceled three years ago. And you know it was all a lie!”I sighed, shaking my head. “I already explained that to you, Lucas. But it’s just too much. It’s always one bad news after another with you. It’s never a happy end
Lyla’s POVWith trembling hands I gripped firmly on my phone while staring at the picture of Collin closely wrapped around his supposed ex - girlfriend as though she was the actual love of his life or as though she was Bailey, my sister. My stomach twisted, filled with a mixture of both fury and nausea gradually rising in my throat. With everything happening? How could he? Did he ever love my Bailey? Or was it just a pretense while he waited for the return of his ex-girlfriend? “Wait, what if she was just a bait in all of this. I said all this to no one in particular, I stood up pacing around my room deep in thoughts, thinking of every possible way to get my sister Bailey released unharmed. But the more I paced, the more inconclusive my thoughts were”. Bailey was my priority and no matter how hard i tried to focus, it still didn't make any sense. On a second thought, whatever Collin was doing behind my back could wait, I had more important and pressing concerns to address. I pi
Bailey's POV The rain came down in a quiet drizzle as Bailey wandered the campus garden, the fog from her breath mingling with the early morning chill. Her textbooks were still in her bag, unread. Sleep had eluded her. Not from exams or stress.But because of that dream again.The same hallway. White tile. The same phrase clung into her memory like a scar.“She was never supposed to know.”She had not told anyone yet, not even Lyla. But last night, she had stayed late in the medical lab and submitted a sample for a DNA test—one she had been carrying around in her mind for months but never had the courage to confront.She will have the results by tonight.And a feeling deep in her chest told her nothing would be the same after that.Jace paced in the hidden room beneath the clinic. It had been two days since they found Becky’s twisted letter to Bailey, and still, the questions piled higher than answers.Lyla sat across him, surrounded by old files. A folder already damaged with water
Jace POV The next morning, the sun was already hot against the windows of Karev Medical & Wellness center. Jace had barely managed three hours of sleep.Lyla made him coffee while reviewing files. Neither spoke about the trapdoor, the lily, or the voice message just yet. Not until they had more information.The bell above the door chimed.Jace looked up—and froze.An elderly man in a tailored navy coat stepped inside. He walked with a slow, deliberate limp. Silver hair, sharp eyes. Something about him screamed military or something worse.The man held out a letter. “Dr. Jace Karev?”“Yes,” Jace said carefully.“I was told you’re the only one who can help.”Jace opened the letter.It was hand-written. “This man should be dead. On record, he is. But he isn’t. Help him—and you’ll start to understand what they erased from your past.Don’t trust the files.From_A Friend.”Jace gasped. “Who gave you this?”The man looked around nervously. “She told me to come here. A woman with short dark
Bailey's POV The emergency lights flickered in the archive room, throwing Bailey and Callum into crimson shadows. The girl—A-11—stood eerily calm between the cabinets.Bailey’s breath hitched. She couldn’t look away.Same height. Same build. Same eyes.But there was something off about her… like a reflection bent by time and darkness.“You’re lying,” Bailey whispered. “I don’t have a sister.”“No,” the girl replied coolly, “you have an upgraded prototype.”A-11 stepped forward, lifting a finger and tapping the metal case with a smug smile. “Everything you need to know about me is in there. Right next to the pages that say you were supposed to be terminated before age five.”Bailey recoiled. “Terminated?”Callum moved protectively in front of her.The girl chuckled. “Relax. You’re useful now.”Gunshots echoed again in the distance.“They’re coming,” she added. “You have two minutes before this place gets turned into ash. Make a choice, Bailey. Come with me—or die like the others.”Bail
Jace POVJace was overwhelmed at the quick completion of his clinic, one that he has always wanted to own but his father insisted he carries on with the family business after the demise of his elder brother.But right now, everything was finally falling into place and he couldn't be less excited.At last, he'll be able to practice as a neurologist, something he has wanted all his life.The morning air held the faint scent of rain, the pavement still damp from an early downpour. Jace stood just beneath the bronze plaque as the drill clicked off, leaving behind the last echo of steel on the brick.KAREV MEDICAL & WELLNESS CENTER Dr. Jace KarevThe words unscripted in gold glittered caught in the rising sun like a diamond carved into metal.He took a step back, arms crossed, heart beating just a little faster than he would like to admit. Not for the plaque—but for what it meant.A clean slate.He hadn’t told his father. He hasn't seen the need to. For once, Jace wasn’t chasing legacy. H
Bailey's POVIt was the beginning of the year in medical school,Bailey Turner had never been so excited as she would finally be a neurosurgeon, it's something she had wanted right from her childhood.She got to the gate and waited beneath the arch of St. Clair Medical School’s East Wing, the frosty morning air pulling at the tips of her chestnut hair. She gripped the strap of her schoolbag as though it were a soothing relief to the tension already building within her and gazed up at the building's glass exterior. Rain had created lines on the surface resembling ghost fingers. She took a deep breath.This wasn’t just any school. It was the dream Claire had whispered into her ear since childhood. It was the life that had almost been stolen from her again and again—by shadows, betrayal, and secrets that still clung to her skin like smoke.Now? It was hers.She stepped through the door, clutching the faded photo of her, Lyla, and Claire one last time before sliding it into her coat.Room
Becky’s POV “No, this is unacceptable. None of this makes sense,” Becky said, her voice raised as she ransacked her old hospital files. “If we are not her parents, then where did she come from?”Chad lifted a dusty box marked “Olivia – Birth.”Inside were photos, documents, the footprint card… and then—“Where’s the birth certificate?” he asked.Becky froze.“I… it was always there.”They tore through every folder, drawer, envelope. Nothing.Chad turned pale. “She must have taken it.”“Lyla?”He nodded. “She knew this day would come.”But Becky noticed something else in the box—a small piece of paper tucked inside a baby photo. It wasn’t handwritten. It was typed, and it was coded.It read:"Room 408. 11:47 p.m. Not the one she expected. Claire switched the vial."Becky’s eyes widened. “Claire again.”She immediately pulled out her phone from her purse and dialed a number. “Who are you calling?” Chad asked inquisively. “An old contact,shs said. Someone who worked night shifts that
Lyla’s POV Lyla rose from her seat. This time, her expression faltered —just slightly.“She was never supposed to be mine,” she began quietly. “When I found out Chad cheated, I was furious. I wanted out, but I couldn’t lose everything at once. I had just discovered he was infertile.”Becky stared at her. “So you stole—”“No,” Lyla interrupted. “I made a deal.”She turned to the judge. “That hospital wasn’t just where Becky was restrained. It was where I paid to have her artificially inseminated.”Gasps exploded in the courtroom.“What?” Chad stood again. “That’s not possible. That’s not—”“She signed consent while sedated,” Lyla said. “Technically, the paperwork was in order. I chose the donor. I ensured the embryo was viable.”Becky clutched the side of the wooden chair to keep herself from falling.“You turned me into a surrogate?”Lyla didn’t blink. “You were already falling apart. I gave you purpose.”The judge stared in horror. “This… This is a criminal offense. This is beyond
Becky’s POV The day of the custody hearing felt like the eye of a storm—quiet, but heavy with pressure. Cameras lined the steps of the courthouse. News vans had arrived hours ahead of dawn, crowding the sidewalk like vultures attracted to a newly found carcass. Becky was in the rear seat of a stationary car a block away, her fingers shaking even with the heat of the coffee she held. "She’s going to turn this over," Becky remarked, not glancing up. “She always twists everything.”Chad sat beside her, staring straight ahead. “She won’t this time. Not with the evidence we have.”Becky laughed bitterly. “You don’t know Lyla like I do.”“I married her,” Chad said.“No,” Becky turned to him, her voice soft but sharp, “you married the version of her she wanted you to see.”There was a pause. Then, Chad opened the door.“Let’s go get our daughter back.”Lyla arrived like a queen returning to her court. Sleek black SUV. Immaculate coat. Flawless makeup. Her legal team surrounded her like
Lyla’s POV Lyla was halfway through a business pitch when Chad suddenly barged into her office, unannounced.She raised an eyebrow but didn’t pause.“I need five minutes,” he said firmly.“Not now.” As you can see I'm in the middle of a very important meeting. You need to excuse me now. He didn't leave, rather he dropped a USB drive onto her desk.“You’ll want to see this.” he persuaded. Her tone changed. She nodded and signaled for her team to step out. There was a brief silence immediately the door shut behind them. Chad walked to the screen on her office wall and connected the drive.And with one click, the hospital video began playing.The screen showed Becky, panicked, tied up and restrained, crying out through sedatives. A nurse was forcing a document into her hand. And in the background—clear as day—stood Lyla.Unblinking. Watching. And doing nothing to stop the nurse. Lyla didn’t flinch, she only shuddered her shoulders. But her jaw and fist tightened.“You were there,” C