I stand up straight and brush the dirt off my expensive dress, another gift from his guilty conscience. "Remember how you always told Eva that a father's love was the best protection? Well, you can't protect her anymore. And I'm going to make sure she loses everything you gave her. The company, the
Chapter 200 Emily's point of view The parking garage feels colder than usual tonight. My heels echo against the concrete as I walk to our usual meeting spot. Level B3, far corner, away from the security cameras. I've made this walk so many times over the past months, always meeting him in his mas
Chapter 201 The wind moved through the maple trees outside Harrison Elementary as four matching lunch boxes sat on the cafeteria table. Mia, James, Leo, and Sam sat at their usual table, their matching lunch boxes lined up like always. Dad had helped them with their science projects last weekend,
Chapter 202 The principal's office suffocated with tension. Eva gripped the arms of her chair, her knuckles white, watching these vultures circle her children. Her babies sat against the wall Mia with dried tears on her cheeks, James vibrating with barely contained anger, Leo staring holes into the
Chapter 203 Eva's Point of View The sun shines through my office windows, making long shadows on the stack of reports I’ve been reading since early morning. Being alone in the Brown Industries office late at night is now normal for me. When Mia buzzes my intercom at 7:30 PM, I assume she's about
"Mr. Socks and Lady Mittens," he chuckles, the sound rumbling against my ear. "The worst ventriloquist act in history." "But it worked. Every time." I sit up, wiping my eyes. "You always knew exactly what I needed. Even when Dad was too busy with work, even when Emily was overwhelmed with taking ca
Chapter 204 Eva's Point of View My hands shake slightly as I unlock the front door, Uncle Louis right behind me. The familiar weight of his presence makes my heart flutter with a mixture of joy and anxiety. How will everyone react? How will he react to my children? "Mommy!" Four excited voices ch
Chapter 205 Max's Point of View Something doesn't feel right. I sit in my office, staring out at the city skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows, but my mind is elsewhere. Last night's family dinner keeps replaying in my head, Eva's uncle Louis, appearing out of nowhere after ten years, hol
As Eva and Max walked back to the main house, the night air cool around them, Max kept his voice low. "Are you sure about this? Having her here?" "No," Eva admitted honestly. "But I'm even less sure about sending her away to be hunted by Diana." "She threatened our children, Eva," Max reminded her
Inside, Victoria stood awkwardly in the center of the living room, suddenly seeming unsure of herself. Without the cover of darkness, her scars were starkly visible under the warm lighting, the contrast between her damaged and undamaged sides even more pronounced. "I'll have clothes brought over,"
The convoy of black SUVs cut through the night, headlights carving paths through the fog. Eva sat in the back seat of the lead vehicle, watching rain streak across bulletproof glass. Across from her, Victoria stared out her own window, damaged profile turned away as if to spare Eva the sight of her
"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