“Yes, Sara,” he bit out, anger flickering in his eyes. “I hate her for what she did, for what she took from me. From us.” He paused, voice quieter, filled with a bitterness that sent shivers down my spine. “And yet, even hating her doesn’t erase what we had. It doesn’t change the fact that I can’t f
Chapter 52Max’s Point of ViewThe ring of my phone shattered the quiet in my office. I rubbed my eyes, trying to focus on the endless paperwork in front of me. It was late, and all I wanted was to clear my mind, but as soon as I saw the caller ID, I knew that wouldn’t happen. Emily. Sara’s mother.
Chapter 53 :Max's Point of ViewI couldn't move from Sara's doorway. My feet felt stuck to the floor, heavy like stones. The room was so quiet I could hear the old clock on her wall, tick-tick-ticking away. Sara stood there, hugging herself tight, watching me like she was afraid I'd disappear if sh
Chapter 54: Eva's Point of ViewI sat there staring at myself in the mirror, the soft gold light making everything look like a dream. But this wasn't a dream. This was real. My hands shook a little as I watched the woman in the mirror, she looked so different from the Eva I remembered. Gone was the
Each whisper felt like a little knife, but I kept walking. Uncle Josh's arm was steady under my hand."Breathe," he whispered. "You're stronger than all of them put together."I caught bits and pieces of their talks."The nerve of her, showing up here...""With Josh Sinclair, of all people...""Afte
Chapter 55EVA'S point of view Whispers filled the grand hall as I walked through the crowd with Uncle Josh by my side. People were staring at me, their voices a low hum. But I kept my head up, my heart steady, no matter how heavy their looks felt.Then I saw him. Maximilian.He was standing near t
Chapter 56Eva’s Point of ViewI made my way through the grand hall with Uncle Josh, feeling the burn of the crowd’s whispers at my back. Every step I took was steady and purposeful, but my heart pounded beneath my calm facade. After years of hiding, of bending to their will, I was finally ready to
Sara’s face turned a shade of red I’d never seen before, her lips pressed into a thin line as she struggled to find a retort. I could see the rage boiling beneath her surface, threatening to spill over. But before she could say anything, I acted on impulse. I raised my hand and brought it down with
"Why help her?" Eva asked. "Why come after my family?" "Because it was the only thing that made the pain bearable," Victoria answered honestly. "Thinking that one day, you would understand what it feels like to lose everything." A flash of movement caught Eva's eye, something shifting in the shado
Chapter 299 Eva parked at the far end of the abandoned shipyard, exactly where Victoria had specified. The meeting had been Eva's idea, a bold move that Max had fought until he understood there was no other way to end this nightmare. Two days had passed since the children left. Two days of Eva and
Diana leaned back. "There are excellent surgeons overseas. Part of Louis's package includes consultations with specialists in Switzerland." Victoria touched her scars. "Too little, too late." "After tomorrow, you can disappear. Become someone new." "And what life does Eva deserve?" Diana's eyes
The coffee shop sat on the edge of downtown. Victoria chose a corner table with her back to the wall, hair swept forward to cover her scarred face. Through the windows, she watched for any sign of surveillance. Thirty-six hours had passed since her confrontation with Eva in the parking garage. Thir
"You were innocent," Max reminded her. "You didn't ask to be in that prison, didn't ask to be saved from the fire." "I know," Eva agreed, sitting on the edge of their bed. "But I did get to come back to all this, wealth, family, safety. While Victoria got a ruined face and six more years in prison.
And finally, to Mia: "Dance when you're sad, my little butterfly. Find joy even in hard times. Remember how much Mommy and Daddy love you." The garage fell silent as the final goodbyes approached. Eva and Max stood together, arms around each other, facing their four children lined up beside the wai
The blunt assessment hung in the air. Eva reached across the table to take Sam's hand. "We're sending you somewhere Victoria can't find you," she explained. "Somewhere you can play outside again, go to sleep without guards at your door." "But you're not coming," Leo said, his voice rising in compr
Eva woke before dawn, her mind already racing with the day ahead. Beside her, Max slept fitfully, his arm thrown protectively across her waist even in sleep. She watched the slow lightening of the sky through bulletproof windows, wondering if Victoria was watching the same sunrise, planning her next
"Already on it, sir," Jensen replied, dispatching orders through his radio. As they drove back to the compound, Eva stared out the window at the passing landscape, Victoria's scarred face burned into her memory. The pure hatred in those eyes had been chilling, but there had been something else too,