Lyla’s POVAll roads led to Nestle Care Health Center. The ride seemed slow, and I had no idea how we magically left Hawaii, but all I knew was that we were on our way to the hospital. By the time we pulled into the parking lot, I couldn’t wait for the car to stop. I jumped out so quickly that I nearly injured myself rushing to the hospital reception. My breath was ragged, and it felt as though I might pass out if I said another word.“Calm down, ma'am. Do you have an emergency? Is there a patient in your car?”“No! I’m here to see my sister,” I panted, struggling to get the words out. It was then that Jace walked in, since I hadn’t waited for him to park properly before rushing inside.The nurse asked, “What’s your sister’s name?”“Bailey. Bailey Martins. She’s the one with the gunshot wound,” I added, and the nurse didn’t need to check her computer further.“Oh, right. She got out of surgery a few hours ago. Take the elevator to the third floor, turn right, and head to Ward 6.”“Tha
Lyla’s POV. I rushed to the location Jace gave me; it was the location of his warehouse. He didn't want me to come, but I needed to see the face of the monster that shot my sister. I picked up the car keys and drove to the warehouse; it was almost midnight so the road was free. I was driving above 100 miles per hour and at that point, I didn't care if I got pulled over or not. I arrived at the warehouse and drove in, parked the car outside and walked down to the basement where Jace had asked me to come. I got to him and I couldn't see the face of the guy clearly because he was tied to a chair and his face was covered in bruises and blood. Jace was seated at the end of the room and his legs were on the table as he puffed his big cigar. His boys were the ones handling the criminal; Jace had about 20 men present in the warehouse that night. “You monster!” I rushed to hit him but I was taken aback when I saw the face of the person; it was Bailey’s childhood sweetheart, Richard. When
Lyla’s POVI was finally going to experience the joy of motherhood, and my heart was soaring with excitement. The moment I found out I was pregnant, I felt like a weight had been lifted. I was going to prove to the world that I wasn’t barren, that I could have a child, that I was fertile. Ever since I discovered the pregnancy, I couldn’t help but touch my tummy every chance I got. Jace would bring me breakfast in bed every morning before heading off to work, and every evening, he would massage my feet—without fail.“Do you really have to do all of this?” I asked, looking down at him as he gently massaged my foot with lavender oil. It felt wonderful, but I needed to make sure it wasn’t too much for him.“Just stay still and enjoy the treat. The doctor said you should rest and eat well, and I’m going to make sure that happens.” He smiled at me as he continued his task.“But you do this every day—massaging my feet, rubbing my back, and my waist. It’s a lot.”“You’re carrying my first chi
Lyla's POVI stepped out of the bathroom and made my way to the closet to change. As I was rummaging through my clothes, I saw Jace, already dressed and preparing for work."Oh, you're finally out," he teased, raising an eyebrow. "I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to come out. You took longer than usual in the shower today.""Well," I said, shrugging as I pulled on a blouse, "I was enjoying the peace and quiet. Didn't want to leave the shower, honestly.""Did you hear the news?" Jace's tone was more serious now, and I could tell something was on his mind."What news?" I asked, feeling a slight itch in my ear. I hoped it wasn’t anything bad."Chad’s company just lost over $10 million," he said, his voice low.Apparently,Chad added Becky to his board of directors, and she advised him to invest in a deal that completely fell apart. Now, his company's net worth is plummeting. If they don’t turn things around soon, they're going to end up in a lot of debt."What?" The shock h
Lyla’s POVAs I washed my hands, my eyes fell upon an unexpected sight—Chad, standing there with that infuriating smirk plastered across his face. I froze, confusion and anger swirling in my chest. How could he be here? What was he doing at the same hospital where I had just registered? The mere sight of him stirred up emotions I thought I’d long buried.“What are you doing here?” My voice was firm, yet laced with the venom I had for him.Chad’s eyes flickered up to meet mine, and the smirk grew wider. “You look… beautiful,” he said, his gaze slowly scanning my body. “More beautiful than the last time I saw you. I can see he’s taking good care of you.”I felt a shiver of disgust run down my spine as he appraised me like a piece of meat. I hated that he still had this effect on me. But I wouldn’t let him see that.“You’ve put on a little weight. Is that something I should know about?” He raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in his voice.I clenched my jaw, trying to suppress the rage b
Chad’s POVI hated her. I didn’t want to see her, didn’t want to think about her. The fact that she had somehow survived the accident, and then married my sworn enemy, Jace, left me seething. Every time I thought of Lyla, my blood boiled. She had been nothing but bad luck for me. My life was better off without her—at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.We were married for over five years before we separated, and the weight of those years without children had gnawed at me. Then, out of nowhere, Becky—my side chick—had gotten pregnant. The joy that surged through me when I found out I was going to be a father was overwhelming. It felt like I’d finally found a glimmer of happiness after everything that had gone wrong in my life. I was going to do whatever it took to protect this newfound joy, and I was certain it would be the start of something better.But, as much as I tried to bury my past with Lyla, fate has a way of bringing two lost souls together in the most unexpected ways.
Lyla’s POVIt was a quiet morning. Jace had a long night meeting and was still fast asleep, but I was already up before breakfast. My usual morning routine was to start the day with a cup of dark coffee, but the doctor had advised me to cut it down for health reasons. So, today, I decided to switch things up and enjoy a soothing cup of hibiscus tea instead.As I approached the kitchen, the soft hum of the TV caught my attention. The newscaster’s voice filtered through the air, announcing the weather report. Descending the staircase, I was greeted by the comforting aroma of the hibiscus tea filling the room. It was just the kind of warm, calming scent I needed to start my day.Mrs. Maddy, the live-in maid, called through the intercom.“Ma’am, should I make your coffee, or would you prefer something else this morning?” she asked.I smiled at the familiar, caring tone in her voice.“No coffee today, Mrs. Maddy. Could you please prepare the hibiscus tea instead?” I replied, glad that my n
Lyla’s POV.The phone call came in like a lightning strike, jagged and fast.“Your sister just woke up from the coma. She’s been calling for you ever since. Please, how fast can you get to the hospital? She needs to see you to stay calm.”I collapsed to the floor, unable to keep myself together. My hand trembled, and the phone slipped from my grasp. Jace, who had been nearby, rushed to my side, thinking something tragic had happened. I could barely form words through the overwhelming flood of emotions.“She’s awake! She’s awake!” was all I managed to yell, my voice cracking from the weight of the relief flooding my system. My anxiety had spiked the moment I saw the call from the hospital, and I had been paralyzed by fear until this moment.Jace immediately pulled me into his arms, wrapping me tightly in an embrace. “It’s alright. It’s alright. She’s alive. Bailey is okay,” he repeated, trying to calm me down as my body shook with a mixture of shock and relief.I tried to steady myself
Chad's POV It was dusk when Chad arrived at the old rose garden—the one Becky used to visit with their daughter when she was just a toddler. The petals had overgrown, nature swallowing what was once manicured and neat.Becky stood in the center, arms crossed, not hiding this time.“Wasn’t sure you would come,” she said. Still facing backwards. Chad stepped closer. “You left a picture of me holding our daughter… as if that could magically erase everything.”? Becky turned her head. “No, It wasn't to erase. But to reprimand.”They both stood in silence for a brief moment .Then Becky spoke, softly.“She needs us both. Whether or not we trust each other… I don’t care anymore. But she deserves the truth. About me. About you. About Lyla.”Chad’s voice cracked. “Why now? Why not just show up, knock on the door, and face it head-on?”“Because the last time I trusted Lyla with the truth, I woke up in a hospital bed with a nurse telling me I’d never see my daughter again.” Becky’s voice trem
Lyla’s POV The Public confrontation: It started on a quiet afternoon at Hale & Harvest, a popular café nestled in the middle of downtown. A known spot for politicians, CEOs, and those who craved both privacy and spectacle. And on that particular day, I was meeting with a client—one of those power-lunch meetings where people pretended their lives were perfectly aligned.Then the bell over the door chimed.Heads turned. Conversations paused.Then Becky walked in majestically. No disguise. No cloak-and-dagger.Just confidence—and the truth.I froze, my wine glass held mid-air.“Hi, darling,” Becky said, voice smooth as ice. “Miss me?”The entire café seemed to hold its breath.I immediately stood up, composed but blazing inside. “You’re not welcome here.”Becky leaned in, just enough for only me to hear. “Then why does your step-daughter draw me every night?” she whispered. My jaw tightened, fist clenched into a blow. “You abandoned her. I picked up the pieces. You don’t get to rewr
Lyla’s POV I already had my plans well played in my head, Chad betrayed me in the past, I can't wait for his go ahead to act. Becky is alive and I am not safe, not even my girls. Even after all this while, she's never going to stop fighting me. She is not careless and definitely not relentless. She would make sure I'm destroyed before she stops. And I on the other hand is a hard nut to crack open. I would protect my family at all costs because my life depends on it. I stared at the picture I got from Chad earlier, all night. I recognized the coat Becky wore. It was from a boutique we used to shop at—one only two cities carried. Infact, I had gotten it for her during one of our shopping spree years back. I sent an assistant to pull credit card logs under the alias “Nora Lake”— which was an identity Becky used once before.Three hits. One in Midtown, two in Westbrook.Becky wasn’t hiding that well after all.I didn’t want revenge. Not exactly.What I wanted… were answers of what
Chad's POV I immediately began the search for Becky’s death certificate. And that's where I found discrepancies. The time of her supposed death was logged before the last nurse’s shift ended. Autopsy wasn't done, even the body Identification was made “visually” by someone anonymous. Then it dawned on me that it has been a plot all along, but why? I reached out for my phone and called the hospital. The nurse who cared for Becky that night? Had earlier resigned two days later. With no forwarding address.Asides other discoveries, this was another red flag, infact a forest of red flags.I was looking for a cover-up, probably this was all a lie. But with all this new findings it wasn’t sloppy. It was intentional, it was the truth. Becky is alive. I decided to visit the cemetery, I went to the cemetery alone that evening. Becky’s supposed grave was neat. Flowers were neatly placed on it once a week, always fresh. But not by me and definitely not by Lyla.Then, Who was visiting? I whis
Becky's POV Becky’s Death Was Never Real—It Was Her Greatest LieBecky knew she was running out of options.The walls were closing in. People believed she had double-crossed powerful people. The threats were real—but the worst one came from someone she once betrayed;, her best friend_ Lyla.Becky had seen it all before—how Lyla always ended up safe, polished, untouched. Even after every disaster, she landed on her feet, walking through life like she was untouchable. Becky, on the other hand, was the one left picking up pieces.But this time, Becky wasn’t going to be the one left behind.So she disappeared. On purpose. And she made it feel so real. Three years ago, she faked her own death and made everyone think she truly died. Becky is one manipulative being who makes sure everything works according to her wish. But Lyla on the other hand had trusted and loved her more as a sister than a friend that she was. It really pained her when she back stabbed her and got pregnant for her ex
Lyla’s POV The floodlights overhead began to hum, pulsing once—then twice—as if sensing the tension in the air.Seraphina didn’t move. “You’re not here to destroy the Syndicate,” she said rashly. “You’re here because you’re scared of what will happen if you don’t stop me.”“You’re right.” I replied, stepping forward. That made Seraphina pause.“You’re right,” I continued, drawing the compact blade from her belt. “Because we’ve seen what monsters like you do when the world’s asleep.”Seraphina tilted her head. “And yet you brought your ghosts with you.” She glanced at Gabriel. “Poor thing still thinks he gets to choose what he is.”Gabriel’s jaw clenched. He could hear her voice—the one that had once promised him salvation. Power. Purpose. He had followed her, believed in her... until the Architect’s programming shattered and truth flooded in.“Do it,” Jace hissed beside him, his voice sharp. “Take the shot.”But Gabriel didn’t. Not yet. He couldn’t.Not until he understood why she s
Lyla’s POVThe wind smelled different now.No more smoke from secret labs. No more burnt circuits or rusted cables threading their way through cities like veins. The Architect’s network—her programming, her algorithms, her reach—was gone.And yet… I still couldn’t sleep.Because darkness doesn’t die.It simply waits to be reborn.One year later, our estate near Lake Virelle was finally complete. Jace and I took turns walking the twins through the glass garden, the lake shimmering behind us.Bailey had taken over as Director of Public Safety, reshaping what the Karev Group once was. While she also prepared to begin medical school, it has always been her dream and her passion for saving lives was undoubtedly surreal. And Collins on the other hand, after the serum wore off—was in secure witness protection, supplying information on the Architect’s global shell companies.Everything seemed peaceful.But scars have memories.And mine still itched.It was dusk when I first saw him again.Ga
Lyla's POV After the incident, life went back to normal, to its usual hustle and buzzling. But while we were relaxed and thought that the Architect's reign died with her code. That peace could be coded back into the world like a firewall. But peace is never permanent apparently when blood remembers.Deep beneath the frost-ridden city of Australia, in a facility cloaked in electromagnetic silence, a woman stood before the embryonic remnants of a war long thought ended.Seraphina, twenty-one years old. Raised in secrecy by the last loyalists of the Architect’s bloodline. Not born—but built.She was the perfect shadow. Not a clone. Not a daughter. A weapon with emotions calibrated just enough to manipulate.The lab walls shimmered with biometric maps. One showed Lyla’s DNA spiral interwoven with Jace’s—Chimera-7.“They think they’ve won,” Seraphina said coldly to the masked board seated before her. “But their children carry the seed of what’s next.”Behind her, a glass cylinder opened,
Lyla’s POVThe forest around us was silent, except for the whisper of wind brushing dead leaves against my boots.Gabriel stood just a few feet away, his pupils dilated, absorbing everything—and nothing. His face was unreadable, but I saw it: the faintest tremor in his left hand.He was fighting something. Or maybe someone.“Gabriel,” I called softly, moving closer to him, “You don’t have to be what they have made you.”His gaze flickering to the side, then back to me.“You think I've been brainwashed,” he said. “But what if this—” he put his hand to his chest, “—is freedom? What if they showed me the truth?”“They showed you control. Lies. Chains dressed as destiny.”“No. They showed me what we are, Lyla.” His voice was suddenly sharp, aching with conviction. “Not victims. Not orphans. But Architects of evolution.”He suddenly dipped his hand into his coat. My body became tense. But he only pulled out a necklace.The other half of our mother’s coin.He let it dangle between us.“Do y