SARAHThe moment the doctor uttered those words, my entire world tilted on its axis. I stared at him, frozen in disbelief, his voice ringing in my ears like an unrelenting echo.โThe results of the DNA test confirm that Mr Marco is the biological father of the child.โMy heartbeat quickened, pounding so hard I could feel it reverberating in my chest. I blinked, my eyes darting between Marco, the doctor, and Isabella, desperately searching for some sign that this was a cruel joke. But there was no humor hereโonly cold, stark reality.โThisโฆ this canโt be true,โ I muttered, my voice trembling, barely recognizable. My hands clutched the edge of my chair, my knuckles white. โThere has to be some kind of mistake.โThe doctor adjusted his glasses, his expression calm but unyielding. โMs. Sarah, I can assure you thatโโโNo!โ I interrupted, my voice louder, almost desperate. โYou mustโve gotten the samples mixed up. YouโYou have to check again.โ I turned to Marco, who sat silent and motionles
SARAHI stormed through the gates, my entire body trembling with fury. The guards, who were always so polite and attentive, straightened as I approached. One of them opened his mouth to speak.โMaโam, is Mr. MarcoโโโDonโt!โ I snapped, not even sparing him a glance. My voice was sharp enough to cut steel, and he instantly stepped back, his mouth shutting with a click. I didnโt owe anyone answers, not now, not ever.My heels clattered violently against the driveway as I marched to the house, every step fueled by the storm brewing inside me. I reached the front door, slammed it open with such force that it echoed through the entryway, and stalked straight toward my room.The staff turned to look, their faces filled with confusion and concern. I didnโt care. Let them look. Let them whisper. I was done holding it all together.When I reached my bedroom, I pushed the door open and then slammed it shut behind me, twisting the lock hard enough that it felt like it might break. The click was
*********Isabella closed the door behind her and let out a long, satisfied sigh. Her eyes scanned the roomโthe guest room, as they called itโbut to her, it was so much more. This wasnโt just a room; it was her victory. A smile spread across her face as she walked toward the bed and sat down, sinking into the plush comforter.โI did it,โ she whispered to herself, the words tasting sweet on her tongue. โI finally did it.โShe leaned back on her hands, her gaze traveling across the walls and furniture. The room was simple, tasteful, but it lacked her personal touch. That would change soon enough. She wasnโt just a guest anymore; this was her territory now.โFinally,โ she said aloud, a giggle escaping her lips. โThis house, this lifeโitโs all coming together. And Sarahโฆโ Her lips curled into a smirk as she thought of the other womanโs reaction earlier. โPoor, sweet Sarah. She hasnโt even seen the half of it yet.โThe memory of the DNA test flashed in her mind. The way the doctor had read
SARAHI stood in the middle of my room, staring at the slight mess Iโd made over the past few days. Clothes were draped over the chair in the corner, some hanging halfway to the floor, and a stack of books leaned precariously on my nightstand. It wasnโt a disaster, but it wasnโt neat either. Still, cleaning seemed like the best way to keep my mind from spiraling. Anything was better than sitting here and stewing over Isabella and her smug, self-satisfied attitudeโor Marco, with his infuriatingly calm demeanor, like nothing in the world could touch him.I grabbed a shirt off the chair and folded it with a little more force than necessary, tucking it into the drawer. The movement was brisk, almost aggressive, but it felt good. At least this, I could control. Folding clothes, organizing, tidyingโit was simple and didnโt come with strings attached.โThe Isabella situation,โ I muttered under my breath as I grabbed another shirt. Thatโs what Iโd been calling it in my head. It sounded clinic
SARAHAs I walked down the hallway, the house felt differentโlike someone had been here, touching things that didnโt belong to them. It was subtle at first. A throw pillow on the couch was slightly off-center, its crisp lines disturbed. The vase I had carefully placed on the mini table in the living room was now perched on the corner of the mantle.I frowned, stopping mid-step to glance around. I hadnโt moved it. No one ever moved anything in this house unless I told them to. The staff knew better than to tamper with my things.Who was behind this?I shook my head, forcing myself to keep walking, but the unease stayed with me. By the time I reached the kitchen, I was determined to find some kind of distraction. I'd rather be hanging around in the kitchen than seeing him. Avoiding him right now felt far more important.Martha was there, wiping down the counters with practiced efficiency. She turned as I entered, her face lighting up with a warm smile. โGood afternoon, maโam,โ she greet
SARAHI woke up feeling a little lighter, the tension from yesterday not completely gone but dulled enough to let me breathe. I stretched, letting the faint morning light seep into my room before heading to the bathroom. A warm shower was exactly what I needed to set the tone for the day.After drying off, I opened my wardrobe to pick out a dress, only to freeze. Something was off. The neatly arranged rows of clothes Iโd spent time organizing were disheveled, with hangers out of place and garments folded in ways I would never fold them. My brow furrowed as I scanned the wardrobe again.โWhat the hellโฆโ I muttered under my breath.I pushed aside a row of dresses, checking the back for anything missing. My eyes landed on an empty spot where one of my scarves used to hang. Confused, I stepped back, trying to recall the last time Iโd used it. Shaking my head, I moved to the drawers and opened the one that held my jewelry.Thatโs when I noticed itโmy bracelet was gone.I stared at the empt
SARAHBy the time dinner rolled around, I felt more settled. The small victories of the dayโreorganizing the spaces Isabella had claimed and setting some quiet boundaries with Marthaโgave me a sense of control I hadnโt felt in weeks. It was almost laughable how reclaiming a few drawers and shelves could make me feel so accomplished, but after days of feeling like I was drowning in chaos, I would take every win I could get.As I made my way downstairs, I mentally ticked off everything I had rearranged earlier. The bookshelf in the living room? Back to its original setup. The vase Isabella had moved to the coffee table? Returned to its rightful place on the mantle. Even the pantry had been sorted, with labels that made sense to me instead of her haphazard system. Nothing seemed out of place. Good.When I entered the dining room, the familiar, comforting scent of roasted vegetables and seasoned chicken greeted me. My dinner was already set on the table, just like always. Martha, ever tho
SARAHโWhere did you find my bracelet?โ I snapped, my voice louder than I intended, trembling with the anger that had been bubbling inside me all day. My gaze locked onto the bracelet on Isabellaโs wristโa charm bracelet I could never mistake. My bracelet. The one I had been searching for like a lunatic all morning, tearing through every corner of the house only to find it here, now, dangling mockingly from her wrist.Isabellaโs eyebrows lifted ever so slightly, her lips curving into the faintest hint of a smile, as if my frustration amused her. โSarah,โ she said softly, in a tone so calm it only fueled my fury, โthereโs no need to get so worked up. Itโs just a bracelet.โโDonโt tell me to calm down!โ I spat, my chair scraping loudly against the floor as I shot to my feet. The sharp sound echoed in the room, but I didnโt care. My anger had its own momentum now, unstoppable. โWhere the fuck did you find it? Iโve been looking for it all day, tearing this place apart, and now itโs just c
MARCOThey dragged me in like a dog. Wrists tied behind the chair, ribs throbbing from the last round of hits. Two of Marcelโs boys kept my arms tight while another threw a punch right into my stomach. I grunted, leaned forward, and caught a second one across my jaw.I didnโt scream or beg.I just looked straight ahead at him.Marcel.Sitting in his chair like some king, legs crossed, drink in his hand. There was a sick grin across his face like he was watching a comedy show.The guards landed another hit. One to my shoulder. One to my gut again. My body was wrecked, but my mind stayed sharp. I kept staring at him. Letting him know I wasnโt broken.When they were done, I coughed and spit a mouthful of blood to the side, then looked right back at him.โYou done?โ I muttered.He laughed. โYou still got that mouth on you.โI didnโt reply. I just kept staring. Waiting. Hoping. Begging for anything โ an opening, a mistake. I wasnโt dying in this chair. Iโd kill him. Somehow, some way. He w
MARCOSmoke swallowed everything. Thick, sour, crawling down my throat. I couldnโt see five feet in front of me. Couldnโt hear anything but that damn ringing โ sharp and endless like it was coming from inside my brain. Felt like the world cracked in half, and I was standing right at the center of it.My knees buckled as I took a few shaky steps. My hand went straight to my head, gripping tight like thatโd make the noise stop. But it didnโt. It only got worse. I couldnโt even tell if I was walking forward or in circles.โGio?โ My voice came out broken. Dry. Weak.โPetrov?โNothing.โTony?โ I tried louder. โDenis!โStill nothing.My heartbeat was the only real sound now. That, and the crunch of debris under my boots as I stumbled ahead. My eyes burned โ from smoke, from panic, I didnโt know. I blinked hard, over and over, until the haze started to shift.Then I saw them.My heart dropped. I mean really dropped โ like the floor disappeared underneath me.All four of them were down. Flat
MARCOWe moved slow down the corridor, shadows thick around us, every step tight and careful. The walls felt like they were closing in more with every turn. My gun was warm in my hand, not from use, but from how long Iโd been gripping it. I didnโt loosen my fingers. Couldnโt. Not now.Denis came up beside me, pressing closer to the wall, breathing heavy but steady. His sleeve was darker than before โ the blood still hadnโt stopped. But he kept moving. Thatโs the kind of man he was.โIts clear now Marcel knows,โ Denis said, voice low.โI know that, Marcel right?โ I responded, even though I already knew the answer.He nodded. โMaybe he thinks its not you. But he knows someoneโs here. Heโs spooked. Movement in the north wing, checkpoints locking up tighter.โI looked ahead, eyes narrowing at the half-lit hall we were creeping down. โWhat where Sarah is being kept?โโThatโs the thing,โ Denis said. โStill no extra traffic to the east side. Either Damien doesnโt believe itโs you, or heโs wa
MARCOThe door clicked shut behind us as we got into the warehouse, the sound barely louder than a breath, but it made my shoulders tighten anyway. No turning back now.Inside, the hallway stretched ahead, cold and narrow, concrete walls sweating under dim, buzzing lights. Shadows shifted along the floors, long and slow like they were alive. We kept close to the edges, moving low and tight, every step thought out. No wasted moves. No wasted noise.Denis was right behind me, eyes glued to the small handheld device strapped to his wrist. The screen flickered every couple of seconds, showing black and white camera feeds from inside the compound. He tapped the screen twice, then waved me over with a sharp flick of his fingers.โStraight two halls, take a left,โ he whispered, voice so low it barely stirred the air. โOne guard at the station. Heโs sitting, not moving.โI gave a tight nod. Lifted my hand and gave the signal. Two fingers. Tony and Gio caught it instantly, adjusting their posi
MARCELI kicked back in my chair, boots up on the desk, glass of whiskey hanging loose in my hand. The oak groaned under me, but I didnโt give a damn. I earned this seat. I earned everything. Sarah was mine now. Marco? That bastard was a ghost, a scared little whisper hiding in the dark, too broken to come for her.I took a slow sip, letting the burn roll down my throat, and smiled to myself. All the noise, all the fight she had when we first grabbed herโฆ it was fading. Day by day. I saw it in her eyes. Less spark. Less bite. She was still holding on to Marco, sure. But that wouldnโt last. It never did. Not when you had no one left to believe in. Not when all the walls closed in.All I needed was time. Time and a little patience. Women like her, they didnโt fall easy โ but when they did, they fell hard. Iโd treat her good once she saw it. Once she stopped looking at me like I was the enemy. She didnโt get it yet, but she would. Iโd give her everything. New clothes, good food, no more
MARCOAs we moved closer to the warehouse, the world around us shifted. No more breathing room. No more second chances. I lifted my hand, fingers moving in sharp signals the team knew by heart. Petrov and Gio broke off fast, slipping into the tree line to handle the chaos. Their job was simple: create enough noise, enough blood, to keep Marcelโs eyes off me. My job was simpler. Get to Sarah. Bring her home.I moved ahead, leading my half of the team. Tony and Denis stayed tight behind me, heading toward the wing where Denis swore they kept her. The woods around us swallowed the sound of our boots, every step careful, every move sharp. The cold night clung to my skin, biting a little, but I welcomed it. It kept me awake. It kept me locked in.Up ahead, a small light flickered behind a tree line. I crouched low, holding my fist up to stop the others. Two guards patrolled near the inner fence, walking lazy, rifles slung low, no care in their step.I looked at Tony and jerked my chin towa
MARCOThe safehouse stank of sweat and gun oil. It had been a day now. One long, heavy day. I stood over the table, arms braced against the wood, staring down at the maps, the grainy photos, the scribbled notes we had piled together. Every street, every guard rotation, every weak spot Marcel thought he hid. It was all laid out in front of me like a body waiting for burial.The guys were scattered around the room, geared up. Tony sat sharpening a knife that didnโt need sharpening. Gio leaned against the wall, checking his pistol again and again. Petrov stood by the window, looking out like he expected hell to pull up in a car. Denis was at the far end of the table, hands flat, answering the last of our questions like a man who knew his life depended on it. It did.โAlright,โ I said, my voice steady even if everything inside me was screaming. โOne more time.โI tapped the map with the tip of my finger. โWe roll in here. Two SUVs. No fancy shit. We stay fast, clean. Denis says the east f
ISABELLAI sat near the window with a half-full glass of wine, legs crossed, posture easy. Outside, the yard stretched quiet under soft light, the fences glowing under the dim wash of security lamps. The wind barely moved. Even the trees felt too still. It looked like peace, but it wasnโt. It was something else. Something pretending to be calm.Behind me, Marcel was laughing, his voice bouncing off the walls like this place was some damn hotel and not the cage it really was. Two of his men stood with him, drinking, cracking jokes like they didnโt have a care in the world. Thatโs what bothered me. They werenโt tense like they used to be. There was no edge in the air. No clipped words or extra rounds being loaded. Just pride. Stupid, loud pride.Marcel turned a bit, speaking louder now, wanting me to hear. โYou know what I think?โ He didnโt wait for an answer. He never does. โI think Marcoโs done. Crawled into whatever hole he came out of, dragging his tail behind him. Wallowing in that
SARAHThe cold woke me before the pain did. My body was already curled tight, but it didnโt help. The chill still found its way into my bones, into my stomach, into everything. I tried to stretch, just a little, but my back screamed and my legs cramped. My head throbbed with that dull pressure that never really left. I didnโt even open my eyes right away. I just laid there, breathing through it, waiting for the nausea to pass.I was starving. And still, the idea of food made my stomach twist. It wasnโt just the baby. It was the food they brought. Cold, bland, rough like theyโd scraped it off the bottom of a pan and tossed it at me out of pity. Or worse, duty. Iโd thrown it up more than once. Now I just took small bites and held it down as long as I could. My throat stayed dry. My mouth too. Iโd started cutting what little food I got into pieces, counting the bites like that somehow helped. It didnโt. But it gave me something to do, something to control.I turned onto my side slowly. T