Carina’s POV"Nothing," I said quickly."Doesn’t sound like nothing," Rodrigo said, leaning forward."Drop it," I snapped.The car fell silent again, but I could feel their curiosity simmering beneath the surface.*****When we finally pulled up in front of my house, I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough."Thanks for the ride," I said quickly, opening the door."Wait," Antonio said, turning off the engine.I froze, half out of the car. "What now?""Get some rest," he said, his voice unusually serious. "And if you start feeling worse...""I’ll be fine," I interrupted, stepping out.Miguel leaned out his window. "You say that, but you look like you’re about to keel over."I glared at him. "Goodbye, Miguel.""Call us if you need anything!" Rodrigo called as I slammed the door behind me.I didn’t bother looking back as I headed for the front door, their voices fading as I shut the door behind me.As soon as I stepped inside, the exhaustion hit me like a truck. I leaned against the doo
Carina’s POVAntonio’s voice thundered through the bathroom. "What the hell is that?"I froze, my heart racing. The test slipped from my trembling fingers, clattering to the tiled floor. For a moment, neither of us moved. Then, snapping out of my shock, I quickly snatched it up and glared at him.“Do you not understand the meaning of privacy?” I yelled, my voice shaking with anger. “Who even told you to come in here?”He raised his hands, his expression torn between concern and frustration. “Your mom said you were vomiting. She told me to check on you.”“And that gives you the right to barge into the bathroom? Are you out of your mind?”“Carina, I was just—”“Just what? Invading my space? God, Antonio! Do you not understand boundaries?” I was shouting so loudly now, my voice echoed in the small room.“I was worried!” he snapped, his voice rising to match mine. “You’ve been acting off all day, and then I hear from Mom that you’re sick. What was I supposed to do? Just ignore it?”“Yes!
Carina’s POVI woke up feeling groggy and nauseous. My head throbbed slightly, and my stomach churned like I was on a boat in the middle of a storm. I sat up slowly, groaning."Ugh, what is wrong with me?" I muttered, rubbing my temples.Was it the stress? The endless thoughts? Probably. But a small voice in my head whispered otherwise."No, no," I said aloud, shaking my head. "Get yourself together, Carina. You’re fine. You’re totally fine."Dragging myself out of bed, I shuffled to the bathroom, hoping a shower would snap me out of this fog. As I glanced at myself in the mirror, my reflection stared back with tired eyes and a pale complexion.“Not what I think,” I whispered to my reflection. “It better not be what I think.”I brushed my teeth, trying to focus on anything other than the appointment waiting for me. I kept glancing at the pregnancy test I’d discarded last night, half-tempted to fish it out of the trash just to double-check.“Nope. Not doing that.” I spat out toothpaste
Carina’s POVHe raised an eyebrow, holding up his car keys. “Going to work. What’s your excuse for looking like the world just ended?”I groaned, turning away from him. “Not now, Henry.”“Looks like you need a ride,” he said casually, leaning against his car.“I don’t need anything from you,” I shot back, even though I was seconds away from accepting out of sheer desperation.He chuckled, infuriatingly calm. “Right. That’s why you’re standing here, glaring at your dead phone like it owes you money.”I glared at him. “What do you want, Henry?”“Nothing,” he said with a shrug. “Just being a good Samaritan. Come on, Carina. Get in. You’ll get wherever you’re going a lot faster with me than standing here hoping for a miracle.”I hesitated. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck in a car with Henry, but what choice did I have? The hospital wasn’t exactly around the corner, and time wasn’t on my side.“Fine,” I muttered, walking over to his car.He grinned as he unlocked the doors. “Knew y
Antonio's POV"That’s between me and her," he said, his tone firm.My patience snapped. Grabbing him by the collar, I pulled him closer. "Listen to me, Henry. If you’ve done anything to upset her, you’ll regret it. Do you understand?""Alright, alright!" he said quickly, his eyes wide. "I swear, I haven’t done anything."I released him, stepping back. "Stay away from her."Henry nodded, smoothing his shirt nervously. "Fine. Message received."I turned and walked back to our table, my blood still boiling."What did he say?" Miguel asked as I sat down."He claims he hasn’t done anything," I said, picking up my drink. "But I don’t trust him.""Neither do I," Rodrigo muttered. "We need to keep an eye on him.""Agreed," I said. "And on Carina. Whatever’s going on, we’ll figure it out. Together."The waiter returned with our food, setting the platters down in front of usMiguel’s phone started ringing just as the waiter was setting down our food. He picked it up without hesitation.“Yo, man
Carina’s POVDr. Patel’s voice was firm but calm. “Can you all please wait at the reception?” she said, guiding my brothers toward the door.Antonio looked ready to argue, but Miguel gave him a slight nudge, and Rodrigo sighed loudly before following them out.As soon as the door closed behind them, Dr. Patel turned back to me, her expression unreadable.“Now, where were we?” she asked, stepping closer.I took a deep breath, my hands trembling. “Doctor, I’m sorry. I know the results came out positive, but I had to tell them it didn’t.”Dr. Patel frowned. “Carina, this is strictly against my ethics as a doctor. I can’t forge a negative pregnancy test for you.”“I understand,” I said quickly, my voice pleading. “But you don’t know my brothers. They’re… protective. If they find out about this, everything will spiral out of control.”Her gaze softened slightly, but her tone remained professional. “I get that you’re in a tough spot, but lying about something as serious as this isn’t the an
Carina’s POVI sat up on my bed, feeling the weight of everything pressing on me. My head was spinning, and my hands trembled as I thought about the secret I was keeping. How long could I keep this a secret? The question looped in my mind, over and over again, like an endless chant.It felt like a time bomb, ticking away inside of me, waiting to explode. I couldn’t let anyone find out—not yet. The consequences would be too severe. What would happen if my mother found out? Her happiness would be shattered. But what if she found out this—that I was pregnant with my stepbrother’s baby? Her husband’s son? I shuddered just thinking about it. I would be dead. I had no doubt.Turning restlessly, I flopped back down onto the bed, burying my face in the pillow. The stress, the fear, the guilt—they all mingled together, suffocating me. I couldn’t tell anyone. Not yet.Suddenly, my mother’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and demanding. “Carina!”I winced. My heart skipped a beat. Why was s
Carina’s POVThe bell rang, and the classroom filled with the usual buzz of chatter. The session just started back—school again. Phew. I sighed, slumping in my seat as the teacher began writing on the board. My mind, however, was nowhere near the lesson.I wasn’t listening to anything they were teaching. I couldn’t. All I could think about was the pregnancy, the situation I was in. The pressure. How was I going to take care of this? How was I going to handle everything? The constant questions in my mind kept swirling, getting louder with each passing second.I kept my eyes on the teacher but my mind was far, far away. I couldn’t help it. I was too distracted, too consumed by the weight of it all. The secret, the fear of anyone finding out. My stomach twisted into knots just thinking about it."Carina!" The teacher’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up, my heart racing. "Can you answer the question?"I blinked, my mind blank. What question? I had no idea. My mind had been
PROLOGUESkyla’s sister, Brianna who was in love with Antonio arrived. They had Lisa locked up while they both dragged Carina to the edge of a rocky cliff even as Carina struggled against the hands gripping her arms. The rocky cliff’s edge looked so dangerous, even as thorns shone from below."Let me go!" she screamed, thrashing against the cruel grip of the Skylar and her sister Brianna.The first woman, Skylar, laughed darkly. "Oh, sweet little Carina. Did you really think we’d let you ruin everything?"The second woman, Brianna, leaned in closer, her breath warm against Carina’s cheek. "You took everything from us. And now, we’re making sure you never come back."Carina’s heart pounded so hard she thought it might explode. "I don’t even know you! What the hell are you talking about?"Skylar’s grip tightened, nails digging into Carina’s skin. "Oh, but you do. You just don’t remember. You stole them. You made them look at you like we never existed. You turned them against us!"Briann
CHAPTER 126Carina’s POV"What's the noise all about?" Skylar's voice cut through the air, smooth and sharp, as she stepped out of the shadows. Two men flanked her, their eyes cold and unreadable.Lisa, who had been running her mouth nonstop, suddenly shut up. Her whole body went stiff as she sized up the situation. And from what we saw? Skylar wasn’t here to talk. She was here to make sure we didn’t leave in one piece."Shit," Lisa whispered under her breath, barely moving her lips. Her hand brushed against mine, fingers trembling slightly. "What do we do?"I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my ears. "I have no fucking idea."Skylar took a slow step forward, her smirk widening. "You know, Carina, I expected you to come alone. But I see you brought a little… insurance. How sweet."Lisa scoffed, but there was tension in her voice. "Yeah? And I see you brought muscle. Real fair fight, huh?"The man on Skylar’s left—a tall guy with a scar running down his cheek—cracked his knuckles.
CHAPTER 125Carina’s POV“Shit..." I muttered, squeezing my eyes shut as Lisa pressed another cotton pad against my wound. The sting burned straight to my bones. "I just remembered... Deven!" I winced, gripping the edge of the table. "I’m supposed to meet Skylar today! We have an appointment."Lisa froze. Her hand, still holding the antiseptic, hovered over my skin. Her face darkened, brows pulling together in a deep frown. "Carina..." she called my name, slow and serious, like she was afraid of what I’d say next.I blinked. It had been a long time since she used my name like that. Not 'girl' or 'dumbass'—but my actual name. My chest tightened.Lisa placed the antiseptic bottle on the table, leaning forward, eyes locked onto mine. "Skylar is pure doom. You know that, right?"I swallowed. "Lisa, she said she can help me sever the bond... If I do that, I’ll finally know the whole truth."Lisa, who had been quiet in the corner, suddenly scoffed. Her voice was sharp, almost bitter. "It’s
CHAPTER 124Carina’s POVI had to leave this restaurant. The air felt thick, and something in my gut told me I shouldn’t stay here too long. I glanced toward the entrance just as a group of rogue wolves came in. They were rough-looking—like they’d been on the road since morning. Clothes dusty, eyes hollow, their energy was off.Weird set of people.I lowered my gaze, pretending not to notice them as I reached for my watch and jewelry, slipping them into my bag. I didn’t want any trouble. If they saw anything shiny, they might think I had something worth taking. Best to play it safe.But as I was tucking the last ring into my bag, I heard a voice behind me. Low. Rough. Dripping with arrogance.“Pretty girl, come closer.”I stiffened. My grip on my bag tightened. I didn’t turn around. Maybe if I ignored them, they’d leave me alone.“I said, come here.” His voice was louder now. More demanding.Lisa tensed beside me. “Don’t,” she whispered. “Let’s just go.”I swallowed hard, still refusi
CHAPTER 123Carina’s POVI didn’t even know what to think at this point. My mind was a fucking mess. My head was spinning. My heart was pounding so damn hard I thought it might burst.Rodrigo. My stepbrother. Skylar. His ex-wife. And now this? What did it even mean?Lisa’s voice snapped me out of it. “Carina,” she said, her tone sharp. “What if—” She hesitated. “What if he was actually working with Henry?”I stared at her. My throat felt dry. “No,” I said, but it was weak. It wasn’t convincing. Because deep down, I knew—It was possible.Lisa slammed a hand on the table. “Think about it! Henry kidnapped your son. Henry works for someone. And now we find out Rodrigo’s past is tangled up in some shady-ass shit? What if it’s all connected?”I shook my head, standing up and pacing. “No, no, no. Rodrigo might be a lot of things, but would he really do this?”Lisa’s eyes darkened. “Do you really wanna bet your son’s life on that?”That hit me hard. My stomach twisted. I swallowed down the f
CHAPTER 122Carina’s POVI didn’t answer. My heart pounded as I stared at the words written in thick, dark ink. Words I never thought I’d see.Rodrigo was behind your son’s kidnap.I swallowed hard. Looked up at Skylar.She nodded. “Now do you believe me?”I read the words again. My hands shook. My breath caught in my throat. My head was spinning like I was about to pass out. What the actual fuck?Rodrigo was behind your son’s kidnap.My stepbrother?No. No way. That was impossible. Rodrigo may have been an asshole, but this? Kidnapping? My son?I looked up at Skylar, my voice barely above a whisper. “What the fuck do you mean?”She crossed her legs, completely unfazed by my reaction. “Exactly what it says.”Lisa snatched the paper from my hand, her eyes scanning over the words. Then, like a bomb exploding, she lost it.“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lisa threw the paper onto the table, glaring at Skylar like she was ready to rip her apart. “You come in here with this bullshit, expecti
CHAPTER121Carina’s POVLisa strolled in just as the investors walked out, her hands clapping softly, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Damn, Carina. That was close. We almost lost that deal."I leaned back in my chair, stretching my arms out. "Nah. I had it under control."Lisa scoffed, dropping into the chair beside me. "Oh, please. You were sweating bullets. I thought for a second Benson was gonna eat you alive."I smirked. "And yet, here we are. Deal signed. Money in the bank."She laughed, shaking her head. "You and that big mouth of yours. You stress me out.""It’s part of my charm," I said, winking at her.Lisa rolled her eyes before standing up and walking over to the coffee machine in the corner of the room. She grabbed two mugs, pouring the steaming liquid into them. "Here. You need this more than me."I took the cup gratefully, inhaling the rich scent. "You’re a lifesaver."Lisa plopped back into her seat, crossing one leg over the other. "Alright, now spill. Why the
CHAPTER 120Carina’s POVGetting to the office, I barely parked the car before jumping out, my heels clicking hard against the pavement. My heart was pounding. My hands were sweaty. I was so late.Lisa was already outside, standing near the glass doors, her arms crossed tight over her chest. Her eyes locked on me the second I got out. She didn’t even wait for me to say a word."You’re late, Carina," she snapped, marching towards me.I tossed my keys to her, nearly dropping them in the process. "Help me repark. No time for that now," I rushed, already heading towards the doors.Lisa caught the keys but didn’t move. "You can’t just run in there without knowing what’s going on!" she hissed, grabbing my arm.I stopped, breathing hard. "What? What do I need to know?" I asked quickly, looking around like the investors could pop up at any second.She let out a sharp sigh, glancing towards the meeting room. "They’re pissed. Been waiting too long. Mr. Harrington already checked his watch three
CHAPTER 119Carina’s POVInstead, I just kept my eyes on the road. “I just want to keep you both safe,” I said softly.Liam had his head down. “Safe from what?”I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.More silence.Then, a small voice.“Are you mad at us?” Leo asked, his voice though was kinda shaky.My heart squeezed. “No, baby,” I said immediately. “I could never be mad at you.”“Then why do you always sound so angry?” Liam asked, his voice cracking.I let out a shaky breath. I felt somehow but I just pushed the feeling away. I couldn’t cry. Not now. Not in front of them.“I’m not angry,” I whispered. “I’m just… tired.”They didn’t say anything after that. They just sat there, the silence wrapping around us again.I sighed and focused on the road, my chest heavy.I needed to fix this. But I didn’t know how.It was a really long ride home. The roads were quiet. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, my mind heavy with thoughts.Thinking so deep, the conversation with my mother, the way Li