Henry’s POVI felt my heart sink into my stomach when I realized Sophia had overheard our conversation. My mind raced as I tried to think of a way out of this mess. Sophia’s eyes widened in shock, and she stammered, “I...I was just...”She quickly switched gears, demanding, “What were you doing in the stairwell? What were you talking about just now?”I shot Julia a desperate look. Without missing a beat, Julia screamed and pretended to faint, crumpling to the floor in a dramatic heap. Sophia snapped toward Julia, her expression shifting from surprise to concern.But then, to my disbelief, Sophia turned and rushed away down the hallway.Julia glared at me from her position on the floor. “What are you waiting for? Go after her! She’ll surely go back to Elijah!”I hesitated for a moment, my mind still trying to process what had just happened. But Julia’s urgent tone spurred me into action. I bolted down the hallway after Sophia, my footsteps echoing against the walls.“Sophia, wait!” I c
Elijah’s POVThe fluorescent lights of the hospital corridor flickered above as I hurried after Henry, my heart pounding with worry. Julia had disappeared, and Henry's urgency made me fear the worst. Sophia lagged behind, her footsteps echoing faintly against the linoleum floor. She had mentioned something important she needed to discuss with me, but right now, all my focus was on finding Julia.“Elijah, we need to talk,” Sophia had said earlier, her voice strained with concern. But I knew I had to prioritize Julia. If Henry said she was very stressed and disoriented, she needed immediate help.Henry stopped abruptly, pointing to a vending machine area. “This is where we were talking,” he explained, his voice tinged with guilt. “Julia was crying, and I turned around quickly to grab a drink for her. When I came back, she was gone.”I glanced back at Sophia, who was giving Henry an incredulous look. Her expression was a mixture of disbelief and frustration. Before I could ask what she
Sophia’s POVI couldn't believe this was happening. The air crackled with tension as Julia pointed a trembling finger at me, her eyes ablaze with fury. “You set me up, Sophia! You made Elijah think I was at fault for everything!”Is Julia just so obsessed with Elijah, which is driving her to act like this? Or is this the real Julia whom I didn’t see before?I shook my head, trying to keep my voice steady despite the shock reverberating through me. “That's not true, Julia. You know what’s the real truth. I followed you and Henry here earlier and overheard you talking about your plan to expose Morgana and blame it all on me.”“Hah! What a liar!” she cried out. “You’re the one who’s lying!” I said in frustration and anger. Elijah stood between us, his eyes darting from Julia to me, confusion etched across his features. He obviously didn’t know who to believe. He mumbled something that I didn’t catch as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.Henry stayed quiet, his face unreadab
Sophia’s POVWhen I was finally left alone, I trudged sadly toward the exit of the hospital. My emotions were a tangled mess—frustration, anger, sadness, and bitterness swirling together until I felt completely drained. I just wanted to go home, to escape from the nightmare that seemed to have no end.Lately, things haven’t been looking up. But what happened today was devastating. It felt like the last straw for me, and I just wanted to break down. As I made my way out, my phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw Daniel's name on the screen. Hesitating for a moment, I answered. “Hi, Daniel.” I tried to inject some joy into my tone, but it was challenging. “Sophia, how are you?” Daniel's voice was warm, familiar. “I'm sorry I've been out of touch lately. My business is expanding in Europe, and I've been traveling a lot.”“It's alright,” I said, trying to sound cheerful despite my aching heart. “I understand. I know you're always working hard, and I'm happy for you and your bu
Sophia’s POVAn awkward silence followed as Elijah and I tried to figure out how to explain our actions to our little child. Then out of the blue, Reese walked up to Elijah and hugged him. This surprised us all. “Don’t you care about Mommy?” she asked afterwards. Elijah looked startled, and I felt my heart pounding like crazy as I waited for him to answer. “Yes, of course I do,” he said, though I couldn't tell if he meant it. He hadn't wanted to listen to me earlier and I clearly remembered how he’d stared at me in doubt and had chosen to believe and attend to Julia. Reese stepped back and looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. “Don’t you trust Mommy?”It was odd and almost insane how she knew to ask these questions, and I wondered what was going on in her mind. But she had always been more mature and intelligent for her age, and she was almost four years old now. Elijah looked hesitant and puzzled, but he eventually nodded.“Are you mad at Mommy?” Reese asked directly. Elijah
Elijah’s POVThe walk back to the hospital was a blur. My mind was a whirlpool of thoughts and emotions, all centered around Sophia and Reese. For that brief time with them, I had felt that same joy and fulfillment again. I yearned to experience more of it, but everything was complicated right now. I kept replaying my conversation with Sophia in my mind, trying to decipher what it all meant. I was so lost in thought that I almost didn't notice Julia as I approached the doctor's clinic.She was standing outside, looking around with a panicked expression. But as soon as her eyes landed on me, her face brightened. She rushed towards me, her smile wide, and before I could react, she hugged me tightly and kissed me on the cheek.“Elijah!” she exclaimed, her voice a mixture of relief and happiness. “I’m so glad you’re here. Where have you been? Why did you leave me alone with the doctor?”“Sorry, I just needed to take care of a few things,” I answered vaguely. I couldn’t tell her I’d talk
Sophia’s POVI had been working overtime at the company this weekend, burying myself in paperwork and endless tasks. I guess it’s been my way of escaping the depression that threatened to drown me. But today, it was too much. I needed a break, a breath of fresh air. I made my way to the roof of the building, hoping the open sky and bustling city below would clear my mind and provide some solace.As I stood there, staring down at the busy streets, I could feel the dissonance of the city blending with my agitated thoughts and feelings. The wind blew my hair into my face, and as I turned to fix it, I saw him.Elijah. He’s like a mere vision from the past. And at the same time, he’s also a ghost of my present. Elijah was standing in one corner of the roof deck, looking lonesome and sad. I didn’t expect him to be up here. But there he was, looking as depressed as I felt. I realized then that we haven’t spoken for days since that day at the park outside the hospital.Suddenly, I felt a
Julia’s POVCautiously, I followed Elijah through the familiar corridors of Evelyn's house, my mind swimming with my future plans. At the same time, my heart pounded with fear and agitation. Elijah simply walked ahead with purposeful steps, oblivious to my internal turmoil. He probably suspects something, I thought, feeling paranoid. I could feel it in the way he looked at me, in the questions he didn't voice. Sophia must have told him something, or maybe he had pieced together fragments of truth on his own. I can't afford for him to find out the whole story. Perhaps I need to come up with another plan to make him trust me again completely. I must talk to Henry soon!Evelyn's recovery was both a blessing and a curse. It was rattling and surprising that she had emerged from her coma with an unexpected sharpness of mind. And while I had initially feared her awakening, she had actually been kind, almost unsettlingly so.She even seemed to recall flashes of my supposed childhood as Sab
Sophia’s POVA hush of golden light slipped through the curtains, draping the room in warmth and calm. It felt like the kind of morning that only came after surviving the storm.Weeks had passed since the chaos faded, and for once, the quiet didn’t feel temporary—it felt earned. I stirred slowly, eyes drifting open to find Elijah beside me, his hand resting lightly over mine. I studied him in the silence, taking in the softened edges of a man who’d carried us through fire and finally found peace.I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. His eyes fluttered open, and when they focused on me, he smiled sleepily."Morning," he murmured."Morning," I whispered back, letting my fingers trace the line of his jaw. "Can you believe we actually get to wake up like this? No chaos, no danger—just us."He pulled me closer and kissed my forehead. "I could get used to this."Just as I was about to say something, the door burst open."Mommy! Daddy!" Reese called out, followed quickly by Roxy an
Elijah’s POVWe weaved through the cracked streets, deeper into a part of the city that felt like time had forgotten it. Boarded-up windows, rusted signage, buildings collapsing in on themselves. This was the kind of place where ghosts lingered, and today, we were chasing one of them."We’re close," Joe muttered from the front seat, his eyes scanning the GPS on his phone. "This is the last possible location that fits Hugo's hideouts."Antoine sat beside me in the back, silent but focused. His jaw was tight, hands clenched. I still didn’t know if I fully trusted him, but I couldn’t deny this: he was here, risking his neck like the rest of us. And right now, I’d take any edge we could get.I have to find Grandpa George. For Sophia.When we pulled up to the burned-out remains of what once looked like a chapel, a chill shot down my spine. The stone structure still stood, half-charred, the wooden beams above blackened and skeletal. Nature had tried to reclaim it—vines curling around scorch
Elijah’s POV“Sophia…”Her name was the only thing in my mind as I stormed through the decaying hallway, boots slamming against rotting wood, gun drawn. My pulse thundered in my ears. The floor creaked beneath every step, but I didn’t slow down. I couldn’t.Joe and his men fanned out behind me, covering corners, checking every room.We were running out of time.Then—A scream.My heart nearly stopped. It was her.I charged forward, slamming my shoulder into the door at the end of the hall. It burst open—and I saw red.Morgana was on the ground, gasping for air as Hugo’s hand squeezed her throat, and across the room, Sophia was trying to drag herself toward them, her face pale and streaked with tears.“NO!” I shouted, and without hesitation, I raised my gun.Hugo turned just as I fired.The bullet tore through his shoulder. He howled, stumbling back and releasing Morgana, who crumpled to the floor, coughing violently.I crossed the room in three strides and tackled Hugo before he could
Sophia’s POVThe first thing I felt was cold.A biting chill that wrapped around my arms and legs like a second set of restraints. Then came the pressure—tight, scratchy ropes cutting into my wrists. My head pounded like a drum, fog thick behind my eyes. Everything smelled like mildew and dust.My eyes struggled to make sense of the shadows.The room was dim, lit only by a weak bulb overhead that flickered like it couldn’t decide if it wanted to stay on. I was on a metal chair, hands tied behind my back, ankles secured to the legs. The air tasted stale and old, like the walls had been sealed off from the world for decades.Panic bloomed in my chest.My brother Chris. What had become of him?I jerked forward, straining against the ropes. “Chris!” I called, my voice hoarse and raw. “Where is he?!”I noticed some movement in the darkness. A shadow stirred in the corner of the room. I froze as a figure stepped out into the light. Tall. Gray-streaked beard. Sunken eyes like old coals. A d
Sophia’s POV“This is insane,” Elijah muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. “We’re relying on Antoine to lead us to Hugo. Does no one else see how crazy that is?”Joe, who had been checking messages on his phone, barely looked up. “We don’t have another choice.”I watched Elijah pace the room, his frustration clear. He wasn’t wrong, but I knew that if there was even the smallest chance of finding Grandpa George, we had to take it.Joe sighed and turned to Antoine. “You sure you can make him bite?”Antoine shrugged. “I know Hugo. He’s a cockroach—he won’t go down without a fight. But if he thinks his last hiding spot is compromised, he’ll make a move. That’s when we strike.”Elijah muttered something under his breath, but I didn’t catch it. Joe’s phone buzzed. As he studied the screen, he said, “We got something. Two possible locations.”Elijah straightened. “Then let’s move.”They all hurried out, and I had the sudden, overwhelming urge to call Elijah back—to make sure he’d pick up
Sophia’s POVMy mother sat on the couch, clutching Grandma Evelyn’s hands, trying to calm her down. My father stood near the window, staring out into the darkness, his face pale and unreadable.Chris and Connor were huddled over a laptop at the dining table, analyzing security footage.Joe was already there, speaking into his phone, barking orders to his contacts.But no one had any answers yet.And Grandpa George was still missing.I turned to my grandmother, kneeling in front of her. “Grandma—did you see anything? Anyone suspicious? A car, a stranger?”Her red-rimmed eyes filled with fresh tears as she shook her head. “No… nothing. I don’t know how this happened.” Her voice broke. “George was just in his study… and then he was gone.”Elijah placed a hand on my shoulder, grounding me, but I could feel the rage simmering beneath his calm exterior. He wasn’t just worried—he was furiousJust then, Chris snapped his fingers at the screen. “We’ve got something.”Connor turned the laptop t
Sophia’s POVWe had been trying to track down both Antoine and Hugo, but they had vanished like ghosts.No leads. No sightings. Nothing.Lucas had called me earlier, still searching, still digging. Even Elijah and his contacts have been working doubly hard. But so far, they’d come up empty too. It was frustrating—knowing the danger was out there, lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike.But tonight…Tonight, we weren’t going to think about it.Tonight, we were here to celebrate.After all, Lila and Adrian’s joint concert was finally happening. This was their moment, their dream unfolding before them.And for the first time in what felt like forever, we were all together, enjoying something good.Kayla was everywhere at once, her headset on, clipboard in hand, barking last-minute instructions into her earpiece. She was stressed, frantic… but glowing. Even though there could have been other people to take care of all this from her company, she wanted to be in charge, to personal
Emily’s POV“Walk away, Hugo,” Antoine said sharply, stepping in front of us as if to shield us from the strange man.The name triggered a memory.Chris had mentioned it just yesterday—Hugo Tournier. Suddenly, I remembered. It’s the name Sophia and Elijah had been trying to track down. The man who had supposedly changed Sophia’s life forever.And now he’s here. Why?!My hands instinctively balled up as my heart slammed against my ribs. Could this really be the same man?Hugo’s expression darkened with satisfaction as he took another step, exuding an air of quiet arrogance.“Well, well,” he drawled, his voice smooth but laced with something sinister. “You’re not as fun outside of prison, Antoine.”Phoebe’s grip on my wrist tightened. “Emily, let’s go,” she muttered under her breath.I wanted to. Every instinct screamed at me to turn and leave. But I couldn’t—not yet.Hugo came forward, his eyes staring straight at me. He gave a low chuckle, mocking. “It’s interesting to meet Sabrina Ba
Emily’s POVI refused to flinch. Even as Antoine stood in front of me, blocking my way, I forced my body to stay still, to stay firm.I squared my shoulders, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. “Move.”Antoine didn’t budge. His gaze shifted between me and Phoebe, like he wasn’t sure if I’d actually listen or turn and run.“I’m not here to fight,” he said, his voice calm. “I just want to talk.”Phoebe’s grip on my arm tightened, and her anger was immediate, sharp.“Oh, hell no,” she snapped. “What are you even doing here? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”I inhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm. I wasn’t going to let him see me feeling nervous or affected by him. Antoine exhaled, his face unreadable. “I just wanted to talk.”Phoebe laughed coldly. “Talk? You took Jared, Antoine. Without permission. Do you have any idea what you put us through?”“I know,” he admitted. “I made a mistake.”Phoebe scoffed. “A mistake?”I stepped forward, my gaze hardening. “Please, Antoine.