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 POVI was in the middle of packing Reese’s snacks when I noticed something was off. She usually chirped away in the mornings, but today she was unusually quiet, her little shoulders slumped as she sat at the kitchen table.“Hey, sweetie, you okay?” I asked, walking over to her. She looked up at me with tired eyes, and I immediately noticed the pallor in her cheeks. My heart skipped a beat. I leaned down and pressed the back of my hand to her forehead, then to her neck. She was burning up.“Reese, you feel hot, sweetheart. How are you feeling?” I asked, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.“Not good, Mommy,” she mumbled, her voice small and weak.I quickly grabbed the thermometer from the medicine cabinet and gently took her temperature. The numbers flashed on the screen—101.5°F. My stomach tightened with concern."Looks like you have a fever," I said softly, brushing a few strands of hair away from her clammy forehead. “I think we’re going to stay home today.”“But, scho
Elijah’s POV As Sophia closed the door to her bedroom behind her and went with Reese to the other room, I was left with an odd, awkward feeling. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but look forward to spending the entire night with her. Alone in one bedroom. I had to admit, this is triggering the unforgettable memories from those heated nights we spent together in that small hotel during a storm. When Sophia returned, I glanced at her, attempting to gauge her mood. “If you’d like,” I said softly, “I can go back to the couch in the living room. Reese doesn’t need to know.”She shook her head, a small smile on her lips. “No, it’s fine, really. You can stay here.”I nodded, then added, “Or I could sleep on the floor, if you have an extra mattress or something?”Sophia’s eyes softened. “I do have one, but it’s not necessary. You can sleep on the bed.”A thrill of excitement ran through me. It had been so long since I’d shared a bed with Sophia, felt her warmth beside me. My heart ra
Sophia’s POVThe first light of dawn began to peek through the curtains. I woke up feeling utterly exhausted, every muscle in my body aching from the night’s vigil. But even in my weariness, there was a small comfort in Elijah’s presence beside me.When I opened my eyes and saw his face before me, I was startled. I’d almost forgotten that he’d slept here. Looking at him, memories flooded my mind, of the countless mornings I had awoken to find him by my side when we were still married. Each time, I wished he would open his eyes, greet me with a smile, or maybe even kiss me good morning. But no, nothing like that ever occurred at that time. It just came to a point that I stopped expecting and hoping, and started wishing for a different life. I shook my head, willing those old memories to fade away. It’s all in the past now. I already got my wish for a new life. Just as I was trying to push those thoughts aside, Elijah stirred. He opened his eyes and gave me a faint, sleepy smile.“G
Elijah’s POVI really hope and pray that Reese will be okay, I thought as I raced up the stairs toward Sophia’s apartment. Her message had been brief but alarming: they had been at the hospital with Reese for a check-up. As I reached the door and knocked, I felt a wave of apprehension. Sophia opened the door, and before I could say a word, I was taken aback. There was a woman standing beside her, a stranger to me. She looked worn and anxious, her eyes darting nervously around the room. I glanced at Sophia, who seemed to sense my confusion.“Elijah, this is Emily,” Sophia said, stepping aside to let me in. “Remember when we were in that small hospital in France? I told you I met a woman who was pregnant and had just gotten divorced. Now her ex is coming after her, and she’s scared and feels unsafe. We saw each other again here, and she needed to hide, so… It’s just temporary.”Emily managed a weak smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m sorry for the disturbance,” she said