"To new beginnings," I whispered to my reflection, watching my smile grow wider in the darkened glass. "And to sweet, sweet revenge." The ice in my glass had melted, diluting the expensive whiskey, but I hardly noticed. In my mind, I was already rehearsing my performance at the bank, imagining Eva'
Chapter 156 Max's Point of View The sharp clatter of the pen against my mahogany desk startled me out of my daze. I hadn't meant to drop it, but my hands were trembling too much to maintain a steady grip. The spacious corner office that had always been my sanctuary now felt like a prison, its wall
Chapter 157 Max's Point of View The world around me blurred into an indistinct haze as my gaze locked onto the children playing in the sprawling garden. Four of them. Four small, vibrant lives filled with an innocence that made my heart ache. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the man
My throat constricted painfully as I turned back to Eva, unable to keep the pleading note from my voice. "Eva... tell me the truth. Are they mine?" Before Eva could respond, Mia's small hand reached out to touch my face. Her tiny fingers brushed against my cheek with such innocent tenderness that I
Chapter 158 Max's Point of View I stood frozen in the fading daylight, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. Josh's words echoed in my head, growing louder with each passing second until they drowned out everything else around me. "The kids are mine, Max." Five simple words that threatened to
Chapter 159 Max's Point of View The glass in my hand felt cold against my skin, the amber liquid inside burning a familiar path down my throat. I welcomed the burnt, it was the only thing keeping me from completely falling apart. Around me, the upscale bar's dim lighting cast long shadows across t
Chapter 160 Eva's Point of View The living room was filled with the sound of laughter and the pitter-patter of little feet as my quadruplets ran around, their energy seemingly endless. James and Leo were arguing over a toy car, their voices rising with each passing second, while Sam was busy tryin
Chapter 161 Max's Point of View The morning sun filtered through my office windows as I absently shuffled through paperwork, my mind wandering to the same place it had been stuck for days Eva's children. The possibility that they could be mine haunted every waking moment. Their faces, so similar t
"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,