“The baby is doing just fine,” the doctor assured Mia, smiling that she was worrying unnecessarily. She couldn’t take any risks. It felt like the baby was the only thing that she lived for. A text appeared on her phone. She checked and saw that it was Liam. She was about to ignore when she saw what was actually written on it. “Just a little warning that you should reconsider the marriage. Or else, this might be the last time that you will be heading to the hospital to check up on your baby.”She looked around immediately, worried that he was somewhere around, looking at her. The doctor frowned, sensing her worry.“You shouldn’t worry much,” she said. “Both you and the baby don’t need any stress at this point.” Mia tried to calm down immediately. She nodded, standing out and taking her prescriptions for the medication that she needed. Her eyes were still on her phone as she headed out of the hospital. She was completely distracted until she bumped into a hard body. “I’m sorry,” she
Liam was minutes away from smashing the television. There was no single channel that Maya liked watching, that Mia and Shaw’s face wasn’t there. He hated the way the media was paying attention to everything that they did on that night. “It’s not like they did anything that special,” he said to himself in frustration. If only he knew what was coming next on the news.“They actually look cute together,” Maya said, chewing her popcorn. It was like she was even looking for any channel that talked about them, and then, she stayed there until the gossip was over. It wasn’t like she was trying to rub salt in Liam’s wounds, she simply adored the dress that Mia wore both times that evening. She couldn’t lie that she also envied Mia’s shape. She planned to order for it once Liam paid her the money that he promised to give her.“Did you hear how much Shaw Carter paid for Mia during the auction?” she asked, looking at Liam with wide eyes. Liam rolled his own eyes in response.“Five million dolla
Shaw was putting on tracksuit bottoms. He didn’t have a shirt on. Hell, he just finished having his bath and his hair was wet and sleek. He was shocked when he heard the doorbell go off. He quickly went to check who it was. He silently hoped that it wasn’t anybody that was going to ruin his mood. He was slightly annoyed when he figured out that he was slightly late to call the security men to ask who was at the door. He was already almost there. He swung the door open, ready to see anything. He was shocked when he saw a smirking Ahmed in front of him. In his hand, he held a glass of whiskey. Shaw wanted to punch him there on the spot until his nose bled. Instead, he managed a small smile. “What are you doing here, Ahmed?” he asked, closing the door slightly to show Ahmed that he wasn’t even invited.“Nothing,” Ahmed, said shrugging. “Quite a show you put up at the last meeting we attended. I just wanted to compliment you for it.”Shaw cocked an eyebrow. “Come on, tell me where the m
“N-nothing,” Mia stuttered, looking at Shaw. Her heart was in her mouth. Grace also didn’t know what to say. She managed to clear her throat and speak up.“Just some female issues,” Grace said. As far as she was concerned, that was the only thing she had to say to keep men from asking unnecessary questions.“Oh alright,” Shaw said, and dropped the cups of coffee. Suddenly, he froze. “Did you both come across Ahmed on your way here?”Grace was about to speak, but Mia gave her the signal to stop speaking. She didn’t want to tell Shaw about anything that concerned Ahmed yet. They had seen him and he smirked, asking her what she was doing at her boss’ house so late at night. She didn’t have anything to say to him, and he told her that she could come and meet him at his office. And that he had all the information that she needed. He knew that she was looking for every information that concerned Shaw and the bridge that her parents died in. She was shocked that he knew everything that sh
Mia didn’t know what to expect. She was still glowing from everything that went on the night before. The way he held her while she slept. She woke up to the sight of him looking at her affectionately, scared to move so that she won't wake up. She was extremely shocked that he could be that caring. And she was shocked that he was ready before she finished having her bath. Well, that’s just the way men get dressed, isn’t it?This time, he didn’t take her to the posh restaurants that she was trying so hard to get adjusted to. He took her to one of those homely roadside cafes. As soon as they walked in, the sound of the bell went off at the door. The nostalgic feeling consumed Mia as the smell of coffee and cakes filled her nostrils. She looked at Shaw, and he took his hands in hers as he led her to the inner part of the restaurant. The people eating there were obviously coming just after a run. “We have to go to the office really soon,” she said, with her voice shaking. He stopped in hi
Kim’s phone beeped. She had been expecting the message ever since. She had been pacing around the house. And for some reason, Shaw’s face had filled her brain. She wasn’t able to think properly. All she wanted was the news that she was yet to get. And now that she was getting the text that she had been waiting for, she was smiling. Check the news stations, the message had said. She quickly picked her remote and checked out the entertainment station. Just as expected, the pictures of Shaw and Mia had filled the television. They were sitting there in a restaurant, looking at each other affectionately. Kim was slightly annoyed that she wasn’t the one sitting there with Shaw at the table. But it didn’t change the fact that all of Shaw’s life was now out in the open. He could barely go out in public with her if it wasn’t displayed out there. He wouldn’t have had any idea that she was the one that caused it anyway. He would probably think that Mia was doing everything,and it was Mia’s faul
Shaw was vibrating with so much anger; he couldn’t bear to say a single word to Mia. He kept looking in her own direction of the car, without talking. She also felt his eyes on her, but she didn’t want to be the first to talk to him at that point in time. Her feet were tapping in the car. For some reason, she was extremely nervous. She felt like they had been watched the whole time. There was something that was going on. Something that she had no idea about. Something that she was scared was going to harm her. Was it Liam? The police might have gone to serve him with the FIR papers. But he wouldn’t be stupid enough to still want to be close to her, would he? Would he still want to harm her and take the baby? Mia felt that there was another reason entirely that made him want to take the baby from her. She knew that it wasn’t because he wanted to eagerly be the father to the baby. It was definitely far from that. Her hand flew to her stomach and she clutched to it, like it would calm h
Mia managed to climb into the bed without making much noise. She couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear as she laid right beside Shaw. He groaned a bit, and buried his nose in her head. She moaned, and wrapped her legs around him as he ran his hands up and down her back. There was nothing she wanted more than his company at that point in time. She snuggled more into him so that her stomach was directly resting on him. He was going to find out about the baby anytime soon anyways. She closed her eyes and allowed herself dream.***The sunlight was gleaming into Mia’s eyes. As she managed to open them, she noticed that Shaw was not in the bed. She frowned before heading downstairs. She was shocked when she saw him in the kitchen. He had already prepared breakfast, and the whole house was filled of the aroma. Grace was just taking the last pieces off her plate as she smiled at her. “Good morning, lazy youth,” Grace greeted, and Mia just smiled. Shaw finally turned and looked at him as he
Father John stood there in shock. Did Liam really just say that? “Liam, can we have a word?” the priest asked, his voice calm but firm.Liam met his gaze before giving a small, almost mocking smile. “Of course, Father.”He followed Father John to a quiet corner outside the room. The dim lighting of the warehouse cast long shadows against the walls, the air thick with tension. The faint hum of the generator in the background was the only sound accompanying their conversation.“What are you doing, son? This isn’t like you,” Father John said, his voice laced with disbelief and disappointment.Liam scoffed, running a hand through his hair. “This is exactly who I’ve always been, Father. When I see an opportunity, I make sure to grab it with both hands.”Father John’s brows furrowed. “By kidnapping a lady and forcing her into marriage? This goes against the will of God, and you know it.”Liam let out a dry chuckle. “Let’s not even go there, Father. Right now, there’s only one person’s will
Kim got back home around 7:30 AM, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she stepped into the dimly lit living room. The weight of frustration and jealousy burned inside her, and before she could stop herself, she grabbed a porcelain flower vase from the coffee table and hurled it against the wall. The shattering sound echoed through the house, the fragments scattering across the floor like her broken patience."Why is he still thinking about her?" Kim seethed, her breathing ragged. "Why can't he just focus on me?"She squeezed her fists, her nails digging into her palms. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down. Losing control wouldn’t get her what she wanted. She straightened her posture, smoothing down the hem of her silk robe, and reached for her phone.She dialed Liam’s number, her fingers gripping the device tightly. He picked up after the first ring."Talk to me," Liam's voice was sharp, impatient."Shaw is onto me. We have to be more careful," Kim warned.
SHAW POVIt didn’t take long before the inspector began investigating. I texted Kim to come over so we could chat, and she agreed almost immediately.After speaking with Alicia, I had found a nice boarding school for Jake and sent him there. I didn’t want him involved in all this mess. He had already been through too much, and with Mia missing, things were getting more dangerous by the second.‘I’ll be at your place soon,’ Kim replied. I informed Jack, who was calling in for some support from his station. Then I turned to Grace and said, “It’s really good she has you as a friend. We’re going to find her. That’s a promise.”Grace gave me a slight nod, her expression unreadable. She had barely spoken since we left the station, but I knew she was just holding everything in. If she let it all out, she’d break down completely.Jack called me over, snapping me out of my thoughts. “So, backup is on their way. This is the plan: when she arrives at your place, try asking her some questions ab
SHAW POVHearing that was shocking. Immediately after ending the call, I tried dialing Mia’s number, but it didn’t go through. I tried a few more times, and it went straight to voicemail. A sinking feeling settled in my stomach.I had just finished having my bath and was about to head to the office when I received Grace’s call. I stopped everything I was doing and immediately began my journey to Grace’s place, my mind racing with possibilities. Something wasn’t right.In a few minutes, I was at her apartment. I knocked on the door, and she opened after the third knock. As soon as I saw her, I could tell she was in a state of panic. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and her hands trembled slightly as she stepped aside to let me in.“What happened?” I asked as I walked inside, my voice sharper than intended.Grace shut the door behind me and took a deep breath before speaking. “Yesterday, I went out to get some groceries, and when I got back, I noticed that she was gone. At first, I thought she
Mia’s POVDarkness. That was all I could see. The space around me was tight, the air thick and suffocating. Every bump in the road sent sharp jolts through my body as I lay curled up inside what I could only assume was the trunk of a car. My hands were bound, the rope digging into my wrists, and a rough sack covered my head, making it impossible to see where I was being taken.I tried to steady my breathing, but panic clawed at my throat. The scent of gasoline and something metallic filled my nostrils, and my stomach churned. My baby. I had to protect my baby. I shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position, but the trunk was too small, the hard surface unforgiving.After what felt like an eternity, the car came to a sudden stop. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come next. I heard the sound of doors opening, footsteps crunching against gravel. Then, the trunk popped open.Rough hands grabbed me, dragging me out. I struggled, kicking out blindly, but my ca
“I’m done with her, Liam. It’s time for Plan B,” Kim said, her voice low and full of venom as she held her phone close to her ear.Liam was silent for a few seconds before he finally replied, “Alright. Where do we meet up?”“We don’t need to meet up. You already know the plan,” Kim responded coldly before ending the call.inside Shaw’s house, Mia and Shaw were enjoying some alone time, but their moments were constantly interrupted. Alicia had been intruding, and Mia was growing frustrated. It was clear that Alicia didn’t want her and Shaw reconnecting.A knock on the door made Mia roll her eyes. “I thought she was here to see Jake,” she muttered.“She is,” Shaw replied, slowly getting off the bed.“So why does she keep knocking here? This is the fourth time already,” Mia complained, folding her arms.“I’ll take care of it,” Shaw said, his voice firm as he walked toward the door.Opening it, he immediately grabbed Alicia’s wrist and pulled her out into the living room. “Jake is asleep
Mia woke up to the soft morning light filtering through her curtains. Today was the day. For the past two days, she had ignored Shaw’s calls and messages, trying to sort through the whirlwind of emotions that had overtaken her. But after much convincing from Grace, she had finally decided to hear him out. Avoiding him forever wasn’t an option—especially not when she was carrying his child.As she stood in front of her mirror, she gently placed a hand on her stomach. It had grown significantly since the last time she checked. Her lips curled into a small smile, but the moment was fleeting. Her mind was clouded with doubt and uncertainty. Would Shaw be the kind of father she hoped he would be? Could she trust him not to break her heart again?Shaking the thoughts away, she grabbed her handbag and headed out.The office was buzzing with activity when she arrived, but she kept her head down, avoiding any unnecessary interactions. She didn’t want to go to Shaw’s office first; she wanted to
Shaw woke up early, his body aching with exhaustion, but his mind refused to let him rest. The events of last night replayed like a broken record—Mia’s heartbroken face, the anger in her voice, the way she walked out without looking back. The sting of her absence was unbearable.He turned his head and found himself staring at Jake, who was still asleep on the couch. His small chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his little fingers curled into the blanket. Shaw studied him, memorizing every feature—the same dark brown hair, the familiar sharp nose, and those piercing blue eyes. His eyes.For four years, he had a son and never knew. How different would things have been if Alicia had told him? Would he have been a good father? Would he have been there for Jake in all the ways he needed?A heavy sigh left Shaw’s lips as he rubbed his tired eyes. There was no use wondering about the past. The only thing he could do now was figure out how to move forward. But could he fix the damage that
Shaw stood in the middle of his living room, his mind still racing from the chaos Alicia had just dropped into his life. His breath was uneven, his fists clenched at his sides. The silence in the room felt heavier than ever. The only sound was the ticking of the clock, each second a reminder that Mia was gone.His gut twisted.He wanted to chase after her, to explain everything, But what could he even say? Mia had been right—this changed everything.A small voice broke through the tension.“Mister?”Shaw turned slowly, his gaze falling on the boy standing in the doorway, his little hand still clutching Alicia’s. His wide blue eyes—very much similar to Shaw’s own—were filled with curiosity, maybe even a little nervousness.Shaw’s heart clenched.This was his child.His son.He exhaled, running a hand through his hair before glaring at Alicia. “You need to start talking. Now.”Alicia sighed, stepping further into the house. “I know you’re angry. You have every right to be. But let’s no