Elijah’s POV“This is just another beginning…” I whispered to myself, feeling the adrenaline pulsing through my bloodstream. The news of Vito Romano’s arrest was definitely a small victory, but it was far from over. Interrogating Vito was our one shot to pry out the answers we desperately needed before he slipped away into the hands of the French authorities. Thinking about facing him had my nerves on edge, but along with it was a fierce determination to finally get answers and hopefully a resolution to close this chapter. I glanced back at Daniel and Sophia. I knew they probably needed some time to talk things through on their own. Daniel was visibly troubled, and Sophia was trying her best to be supportive. It was important that I give them some space, so I decided to step out into the hallway and make a call.I found a quiet corner, away from the busy hospital noise, and dialed Joe’s number. The phone rang a few times before Joe answered.“Hey, Elijah,” Joe’s voice came through,
Elijah’s POVI walked into the faintly illuminated holding room, my footsteps echoing off the cold, concrete walls. Joe had Vito secured in handcuffs, surrounded by his men. Vito's sneer was the first thing I saw as I entered. I steeled myself, keeping my expression calm and cool.“Vito Roman,” I began. “It’s good to finally meet you in person. How do you know Henry?”Vito chuckled, leaning back in his chair as much as his restraints allowed. “Elijah Sinclair… It’s a pleasure to see you…” His tone was sarcastic. “We go a long way back, Elijah. That's all you're gonna get from me.”I kept my temper in check, leaning forward slightly. “When did you start working together?”“Like I said,” Vito smirked, “a long way back. That's all you're gonna get.”I felt a flicker of irritation but maintained my composure. “Where is he now?”Vito's chuckle turned into a low, mocking laugh. “Haven't been in contact. I didn’t go with him to the chateau. How should I know?”I was well aware that Vito and
Sophia’s POVStanding at the crowded airport in France, I tried to calm my uneasy heart. The myriad of announcements and hurried footsteps around us seemed to fade into the background as I looked up at Elijah. His eyes burned with what I recognized as strong willpower, something that will not have him backing down anytime soon. “Be careful,” I whispered, my voice shaking despite my best efforts to sound strong. He gave me a tight smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “I will.”“Are you absolutely sure you can't come with us now?” I asked, desperation creeping into my tone. “I mean, Joe and his team can handle the rest, can't they?”Elijah shook his head, a shadow of sorrow crossing his features. “I'm sorry, Sophia, but I need to see this through. It’s too important.”I bit my lip, fighting back tears. We hugged each other fiercely, clinging to the moment, to the hope that this wasn’t the last time. Over his shoulder, I saw Daniel turning away, trying to give us some privacy and per
Sophia’s POVThe drive to the suburbs felt interminable, and I just couldn’t stop my mind from spinning with thoughts of what lay ahead. I had no doubt that Morgana was at fault for what had occurred many years ago, causing me as a child to be separated from my loved ones. However, I wouldn’t be able to rest and feel any closure without confronting her about it and hearing what she had to say. The neighborhood was quiet and serene, the kind of place where people knew each other's names and waved from their driveways. Not exactly Morgana's usual scene, but perhaps this was all she could afford right now.We pulled up to a modest, well-kept house with a small garden out front. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. I couldn’t tell how I’d end up reacting once we were face to face again. Kayla turned to me from the driver's seat, looking very concerned. “Do you want me to come with you, Sophia?”I shook my head, managing a small smile. “It's alright. I have to do t
Elijah’s POVThe evening air in Durbuy was thick with tension. The outskirts of this quaint Belgian town, known for its picturesque beauty, had taken on a sinister edge under the twilight sky. Towering trees cast long shadows across the narrow dirt roads, and the only sounds were the occasional rustle of leaves and the crunch of gravel under our boots. It was hard to believe that this idyllic landscape might be harboring the two people we’d been hunting for days: Henry and Julia.I glanced at Joe, his face hard as stone. He was a veteran, a man who had seen more in his life than I could ever imagine, but even he seemed on edge tonight. The local team we’d hired—six men, each as rough and ready as the next—moved with quiet efficiency, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement. Each of us was armed; we couldn’t afford to take any chances.The farmhouse came into view, tucked away behind a line of thick hedges, its silhouette barely discernible against the darkening
Elijah’s POVThe tunnel was narrow and claustrophobic, barely wide enough for one person to move through at a time. The air was damp, carrying the scent of earth and decay. I could hear the others behind me, their footsteps echoing softly as we descended further into the darkness.The path twisted and turned, eventually leading us to a small, hidden chamber—a cellar, perhaps, buried deep beneath the farmhouse. It was lit by a single, flickering bulb. And there, huddled in the corner, was Julia.She looked different—gaunt, her face pale and lined with exhaustion. Her once-vibrant hair hung limply around her shoulders, and her eyes, wide with fear, locked onto mine the moment I entered the room. For a split second, time seemed to freeze.“Elijah,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Please… don’t do this.”My grip tightened on the gun, but something in her voice gave me pause. This wasn’t the Julia I remembered—the cunning, manipulative woman who had caused so much pain. She seemed… br
Sophia’s POVThe silence in my office was deafening. My eyes were fixed on the stack of papers in front of me, but my mind was far away. I remembered how I’d almost slapped Morgana in my anger. But luckily, I was able to control myself in the end. She just wasn’t worth it. But more than that issue, something else was bothering me greatly. “Three days without hearing from Elijah,” I murmured. Three days of nothing but silence after that last message, just before they were about to raid the safe house where Henry and Julia were supposedly hiding. My heart ached with worry, my thoughts spiraling into all the things that could have gone wrong. I shook my head, trying to clear the anxiety that clung to me like a second skin. This wasn’t the time to lose focus. I had a lot of work to catch up on.Suddenly, the door to my office creaked open, and Trevis poked his head in. “Hey, you okay in here?”I blinked, snapping out of my reverie. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied, trying to sound convincin
Sophia’s POV“There you go,” I murmured happily as I added the finishing touches to my design, the light from my desk lamp illuminating the sketches and digital renderings sprawled across my workspace. This design for our special client at Urban Next had taken up most of my week, but today, I felt content and relaxed. Everything was falling into place—both in my work and in life.At least I’m somehow assured that Henry and Julia won’t be coming back anytime. They wouldn’t dare, being wanted by the police not just in the U.S. but across the whole of Europe too. They’re probably still on the run somewhere.The idea of them being hunted down like the criminals they were brought me a sense of satisfaction. They had caused enough chaos, and the fact that they’d likely be hiding out for the rest of their miserable lives filled me with relief. There was no way they'd ever appear again. They’d be out of our lives for good.Just then, a soft knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. "Com
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.