Sophia’s POV I was in a cafe just outside the school campus, enthusiastically discussing a big project with my classmates, when I noticed a luxury car parked on the other side of the street. My heart lurched when I saw a man step out and cross the street toward me. Elijah?! I thought incredulously, squinting through the glass window of the cafe. I had tuned out the voices of the group as I slowly stood up and focused on the man striding in my direction. Is it really him? My mind whirled with confusion. I gasped as he came into focus. Oh, my god. It’s him. What’s he doing here? Without thinking, my hand went to the bulge on my stomach. “Excuse me, I’ll be back,” I muttered to my classmates and felt an urgent need to escape. I had to get as far away from him as possible! Just then, I saw Serena come out of the car behind Elijah. Her beach waves blew gently in the wind as she joined him and linked her fingers with his. I can’t believe they came to Paris together, I thought bitter
Sophia’s POV Daniel barged into my apartment. “Let her go!” he shouted at Elijah. Elijah reluctantly stepped away. More tears filled my eyes. “What’s happening, Sophia?” Daniel asked as he came over to my side, looking like he wanted to punch Elijah. “It’s nothing,” I whispered, brushing away my tears with the back of my hand and trying to control my overwhelming emotions. As Daniel arrived, a wave of calm washed over me, settling my restless mind. In that moment, I realized that without him, I might have crumbled and confided everything to Elijah. Daniel turned toward Elijah. I could see his mouth twitching, as if he was trying to hold back his angry, sharp-edged words. His stance showed that he was doing his best not to cause any more trouble. And yet, at the same time, he wanted to protect me. Elijah began to calm down, to my relief. I could see him struggling to control himself. “You and I have got to talk,” he said sternly to Daniel. “Outside.” “Fine,” Daniel answered
Sophia’s POV I was glad when Elijah and Daniel came back in, so that I did not have to deal with Serena anymore. Yet at the same time, I was worried and curious about what they had talked about. Glancing at Daniel, I noticed he avoided meeting my eyes. Elijah, on the other hand, seemed composed but his gaze on me was intense, as if he had something important to say. “We better go now, Elijah,” Serena suddenly quipped, sounding more cheerful now. She grabbed his hand and began pulling him to the door. “Bye, everyone. It was great talking to you.” I looked at her incredulously, wondering how she could act like that after everything that had occurred. I let out a sigh of relief as soon as they were out of sight. I felt tired and stressed, so I plopped down on the sofa and leaned back, closing my eyes for a little bit. “Are you alright?” Daniel asked with concern, sitting beside me. I opened my eyes and gave him a faint smile. “Just tired, but I’ll be fine.” He nodded. “Maybe I
Elijah’s POV “Let her go!” Those were the words that came out of Daniel’s mouth when he stormed into Sophia’s apartment. The way he rushed to her protectively and how he looked at her lovingly, was just all too familiar. Sophia’s boyfriend, I thought bitterly. As I watched them interact, I could tell how close they were and how deeply in love this man was with my wife. I wanted to push him away from her, to punch him in the face repeatedly until he bled. But I knew it wouldn’t help my situation with Sophia. So instead, I looked away and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. I tried to control the surge of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. Finally, I told Daniel, “You and I have got to talk. Outside.” As Daniel and I stood in the hallway outside Sophia's apartment, I couldn't hold back the question burning in my mind. "Are you and Sophia... dating?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual despite the knot of emotions in my chest. He didn’t answer at once, so
Sophia’s POV “Oh, boy…” I whispered with great excitement and nervousness as I clicked on the email from Urban Next Design Studio. This is it, my dream internship! I truly admired their work and have heard how interns were always treated wonderfully and given great opportunities. I’m eager to meet new people in the field and learn from them. It’ll be amazing! Plus, I’ll get a monthly salary too! I scanned the email with eager anticipation. The company was impressed with my portfolio and wanted to schedule an interview during their presentation this weekend at the Goldwell Institute of Art. Excitement bubbled up inside me. Oh, gosh! Some good news, finally! The weekend was approaching, and I was looking forward to the design presentation on campus. It had become a place I loved, almost like a second home. Daniel was supposed to come with me, but he had to cancel at the last minute due to an important school project. As I entered the auditorium, I could feel the buzz of exciteme
Sophia’s POV As Trevis sat across from me in a small office near the exhibit hall, his eyes keen with interest, I felt a surge of excitement mixed with nervousness. This interview was my chance to secure an internship at his prestigious interior design studio, and I was determined to make a good impression. “So, Sophia,” he began, flipping through my portfolio, “what inspired you to pursue a career in interior design?” I smiled, feeling a rush of passion for my craft. “I've always been fascinated by the way spaces can evoke emotions and enhance experiences. I believe that thoughtful design can truly improve people's lives, and I want to be a part of creating those meaningful spaces.” Trevis nodded, clearly impressed. “And how do you approach a new design project?” I explained my process, emphasizing the importance of understanding the client's needs and vision while incorporating elements of functionality and aesthetics. Trevis seemed pleased with my response, nodding along as I
Elijah’s POV As I entered the dimly lit bar, the slap mark burning on my cheek, I spotted my friend Trevis at the far end of the counter, starting the drinking without me. When he caught sight of me, he waved with a grin, looking cheerful and apparently not noticing the mark on my face. “Hey,” I greeted, sliding into the seat next to him. Trevis glanced up, and that’s when I saw the shock registering on his face. “What happened to you?” I shrugged, trying to play it off. “Just a little misunderstanding.” “Who did it?” Trevis asked, concern lacing his voice as he leaned in closer. I hesitated, remaining quiet. The bartender approached me, asking for my order. “I’ll have a whiskey neat.” “Coming right up,” the bartender replied, quickly preparing my drink. Trevis continued to look at me curiously. He could tell at once that something was up, and he seemed to stifle his amusement at the way I was reacting. I sighed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration. “Long story
Elijah’s POV I shook my head, not wanting to delve into any more details about Sabrina or Julia. The rest of the night, my conversation with Trevis was distracted. "Hey, man, you seem really off tonight. Everything okay?" Trevis asked with concern. I sighed, swirling the drink in my glass. “I don't know, Trevis. Just a lot of stuff on my mind.” “Emotional stuff?” he probed, raising an eyebrow. “Something to do with that slap mark on your cheek, perhaps?” He was making it light, but I knew that he was becoming greatly concerned because I’d never been like this around him. “Because I don’t think it’s work-related,” Trevis added. He was really quite perceptive. “You’re never like this when it’s about business. You would have tackled it head-on already.” I shrugged, finishing my drink again and signaling to the bartender for a refill. I denied any issues but found myself drinking glass after glass, trying to numb everything that was bothering me. As Trevis pulled out his cell p
Emily’s POVDarkened streets stretched endlessly ahead as we sped through the city, the glow of neon signs flickering across the windshield. The sound of other cars was distant, almost muffled, drowned out by the pounding of my heart. My grip tightened on the edge of my seat, eyes darting to every shadowed alley, every figure on the sidewalk. It felt like eyes were on us—watching, waiting.Chris’s grip on the wheel was tight, his jaw set in a hard line. He hadn’t said much since we got the warning. The burner phone lay silent between us, the last message still glowing on the screen:“Do not go to the docks. You are being watched.”I swallowed hard. "Who sent it?""No idea," Chris muttered. "Could be someone helping us. Could be someone luring us into another trap."My stomach twisted. "So what do we do?"He exhaled sharply, eyes darting to the rearview mirror. "We can’t risk it. If someone’s waiting for us at the docks, we won’t stand a chance. We haven't been able to reach Crimson Ve
Sophia’s POVJared was safe. That was all that mattered.We were gathered in the house, the weight of the night still pressing heavily on our shoulders. But at least Jared was asleep now, curled up in his bed like nothing had happened. He hadn’t seemed afraid, hadn’t even realized the gravity of what Antoine had done. And for that, I was grateful. The last thing I wanted was for him to carry fear because of this.But once he woke up, I knew I would have to face the reality of telling him about his father. And why it was only now that he was finding out about Antoine. “We’re not pressing charges,” I had told Elijah. But we did have to watch our backs more carefully, to stay guarded and alert all the time. And we needed to make sure never to let Jared out of our sights again. Still, we had made Antoine promise never to pull something like this again. Not that his word meant much. I didn’t trust him, and I knew Elijah didn’t either. This wasn’t over. Not really.Phoebe sat beside me,
Sophia’s POVElijah and I sprinted through the mall, dodging past confused shoppers and security personnel as the urgency of the moment drove us forward. My heart pounded in my ears, my breaths coming fast and shallow.“We need to check the parking lot exits,” Elijah said, his voice tight with controlled fury. “If Antoine took Jared, he won’t risk staying here much longer.”Elijah nodded, pulling out his phone and dialing Joe. The moment Joe answered, Elijah got straight to the point. “Antoine’s here. He took Jared. We need to know if he has a car registered in his name or any known places he might go.”I looked at Elijah in anticipation. He nodded then ended the call. "He said he'll get back to us soon."My eyes darted around the busy corridor, searching for any sign of our son.Jared, my sweet boy. Where are you?Phoebe ran alongside me, her face streaked with tears. “He must’ve followed us,” she choked out. “I swear, I didn’t think— I mean, I saw someone watching, but I wasn’t sure
Sophia’s POVI pushed through the crowded mall, my heart hammering in my chest, my breath coming in short, uneven gasps. The world around me blurred into a haze of faces and voices, none of them the one I was searching for. Oh, god, Jared. Please be okay.My mind screamed his name with every step I took, my hands trembling as I grabbed Phoebe’s arm, trying to keep both of us steady.“He has to be here,” Phoebe said, her voice shaking as she wiped at her tear-streaked face. “He has to be here somewhere.”I wanted to believe her. I had to believe her. But the sheer panic clawing at my throat made it hard to hold on to hope. Jared wasn’t just missing—he seemed to have vanished into thin air. And the longer he was gone, the worse the possibilities became.“Elijah’s talking to security,” I said, scanning every store, every passerby, searching for even a glimpse of him. “They’re checking the cameras. We just have to keep looking.”Phoebe nodded frantically, but guilt was etched into every
Elijah’s POVAcross from me, I gazed lovingly at my wife. Sophia looked beautiful, her hair framing her face perfectly as she sipped her wine. For a moment, I let myself pretend that this was just a regular dinner date, that everything was normal.But it wasn’t.“The food’s amazing,” I said, taking another bite of my steak. “You picked a great place.”Sophia smiled faintly, but the crease between her brows betrayed the worry she was trying to hide. “I’m glad you like it,” she said softly. Her fork hovered over her plate for a moment before she set it down. “Elijah… do you think Chris and Emily are okay?”I reached across the table, taking her hand in mine. “They’ll be fine,” I said firmly, though the weight in my chest made me doubt my own words. “The mob’s on its last legs. Even if there are survivors, they’re scattered and in no position to orchestrate anything.”She nodded, but her eyes didn’t meet mine. “I can’t help but worry. What if… what if some of them intercepted Chris and E
Sophia’s POVLennon, who had recently been transferred to a local hospital in the city, sat up in his bed, looking pale but stronger than I’d expected. Morgana sat by his side, her hand clutching his as if letting go would make him disappear. Her eyes were wet with happy tears, her face a mix of relief and joy that she was finally reunited with him.Elijah stood at the foot of the bed, his posture stiff, but his expression was open, filled with something I rarely saw: vulnerability. He cleared his throat, his voice low but steady as he spoke. “Lennon, I need to say something.”Lennon looked at him calmly. “Go on.”“I…” Elijah hesitated, then sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. For doubting you. For questioning your motives. You’ve done so much for all of us, for Morgana, for our family. And… I didn’t trust you the way I should have.”Lennon smiled faintly, shaking his head. “You don’t have to apologize, Elijah. I understand. With everything that’s happened, with all t
Sophia’s POV“It’s probably nothing,” I said softly, my voice trembling despite my effort to sound calm. “Let’s just wait and see.”The words felt hollow even to me, but they were the best I could muster as I sat beside my mother in the Bakers’ cozy living room. Her hands twisted the edge of her sweater, her eyes darting to the phones scattered across the coffee table. Every time one of them vibrated or rang, the room froze.“I can’t take this anymore,” my mother whispered, her voice breaking. Her shoulders trembled, and I reached out to squeeze her hand. “Sophia, what if something terrible happened? What if…”“Mom,” I interrupted gently, trying to keep my composure. “Let’s not think like that. Chris is strong, and so is Emily. They’re going to be okay.”Across the room, the television hummed with a cartoon, the cheerful voices of animated characters clashing painfully with the heavy atmosphere. The kids sat cross-legged on the floor, giggling at the screen, blissfully unaware of what
Elijah’s POV“You can’t just disappear,” I muttered, gripping the steering wheel tighter as my car sped down the nearly empty highway. The words sounded hollow in the space of the car, but they kept me from drowning in my own thoughts.Another day had passed. Another day of silence.The news about the mob had been everywhere—the arrests, the seizing of assets, the public’s outrage. Vito was still out there, probably on the run, but with the walls closing in, it wouldn’t be long now. At least, I hoped not. The Crimson Veil and Arcane Network were relentless. They’d find him. And the authorities in two countries were doing their best in the search too.But my thoughts kept circling back to Emily and Chris. No one had heard from them, not even the Crimson Veil.Are they still traveling, trying to stay off the radar? Or are they in some place so remote they can't reach out? Maybe it's both.The uncertainty ate at me, each unanswered question pressing harder on my mind with every passing h
Elijah’s POVNo one’s answering.I began pacing back and forth. I could feel Adrian’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t end the call. I let it ring and ring, willing for Joe to be alive. Then finally, the call connected. “Elijah,” Joe’s familiar voice came through, slightly hoarse but unmistakably alive.“Joe,” I breathed, relief flooding through me. “Thank God. You’re okay. I… I’ve been worried sick.”“We’re okay,” Joe replied, his voice steady despite the exhaustion I could hear underneath. “We got out before the explosion. Minor injuries, but nothing we couldn’t handle.”“And Lennon?” I asked, gripping the phone tighter.“Safe,” Joe assured me. “We managed to extract him just in time. He’s in the hospital now, recovering. It’s going to take a while, but he’ll pull through.”I released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “Thank God. Joe, I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear this.”Joe’s tone softened. “We all are. It was close, Elijah. Too close.”I nodded, even though he