Victoria Caldwell had always been a source of contention in the family.Beautiful, headstrong, and accustomed to getting her way, she had grown up in privilege but lacked the discipline and decorum others had, particularly Sarah, had displayed.She was the baby of the family, indulged and adored until her reckless behavior began to overshadow her charm.Recently, her lifestyle had taken a sharp turn. Nights out with questionable men in their affluent social circle, whispered rumors of scandalous behavior at private parties, Victoria seemed to be pushing every boundary, testing the limits of her parents’ patience and their ability to cover for her.As if on cue, the sound of heels clicking against the marble floor echoed through the house.Victoria appeared in the doorway, her outfit more suited to a nightclub than her family’s estate.Her makeup was flawless, her expression unapologetically defiant as she sauntered into the room.“You called?” she said casually, her tone dripping with
Victoria's tears flowed harder as the jealousy and regret she had been suppressing surged to the surface.She hated herself for the bitterness she felt toward Sarah. It wasn’t Sarah’s fault that she was their biological child. Sarah hadn’t asked to be thrust into their lives, just as Victoria hadn’t asked to be replaced.And yet, the resentment burned in her chest.Victoria rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling as her sobs subsided into quiet sniffles.She felt like an impostor in her own family. No matter how much she tried to reclaim her place, it always felt like she was competing with Sarah, a competition she was losing.Downstairs, Eleanor's fingers massaged her temples.“What are we going to do Richard?” she asked quietly, her voice tinged with sadness. “She’s completely lost.”Richard leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His expression was grim. “It’s time we stop shielding her from the consequences of her actions.”Eleanor looked at him, her eyes glistening
Victoria wiped a stray tear from her cheek, her chest tightening with regret.She thought back to the day she had learned about the Millers’ deaths.She had been scrolling through her phone when the headlines appeared, the words “Tragic Shooting Claims Beloved Community Figures” glaring back at her.Her heart had stopped.She had known, instinctively, who the article was about before she even clicked on it.As she read the details, a hollow feeling spread through her.It was too late.The chance to meet them, to understand them, to maybe even find a connection with them, it was gone.Victoria sniffled, her hands gripping the hem of her skirt as guilt crept in.She hadn’t even attended their funeral.She couldn’t bear the thought of facing Sarah there, of seeing the pain in her sister’s eyes and knowing she had done nothing to comfort her.And now, Sarah had every right to hate her.She buried her face in her hands, fresh tears spilling onto her lap. Despite everything, she had wanted
Gerald paced the floor of his lavishly furnished study, his frustration evident in the sharp clicks of his polished shoes against the marble tiles. His usually calm demeanor had cracked, replaced by an anxious edge that unsettled even his most seasoned guards."Where the hell is he?" Gerald muttered under his breath, his tone biting.Seated across from him, a grim looking man in a tailored suit, a member of Gerald's inner circle, shifted uncomfortably. "We’ve sent teams to his usual haunts, boss. Checked every safe house and contact he’s ever had, but there’s no sign of him."Gerald slammed his fist onto the desk, sending a pen rolling onto the floor. "I don’t need excuses, Darren! I need results. It’s been two days. Two damn days, and no one knows where he is?!"The man leaned forward, his expression tense but composed. "We’re doing everything we can, sir. He could’ve been picked up, or worse...""Don’t even say it," Gerald snapped, cutting him off. His most trusted confidant, Marcus
“Marcus,” Carter called, his tone firm but not unkind. “You’ve got two choices, come with us, or stay here and let Gerald deal with the fact that we found you first. We both know how that ends.”Marcus hesitated, his mind whirling.Carter’s words cut deep. If Gerald believed Marcus had talked, or worse, been captured, it wouldn’t matter what the truth was. Gerald’s paranoia would ensure Marcus’s death, no matter the cost.“Tick tock, Marcus,” Carter added, stepping closer. “You’ve got about ten seconds before my men stop being patient.”Marcus’s resolve wavered.He had been loyal to Gerald for years, but loyalty wouldn’t save him now. Slowly, he lowered his gun, his hands trembling as he placed it on the ground.“I’ll come,” he said hoarsely, his voice barely audible.Carter gave a curt nod, signaling his men to stand down. “Smart choice,” he said, stepping forward to retrieve the gun. “Let’s go. Alexander’s waiting.”Marcus was led out of the tunnel, his thoughts a tangled mess of fe
Carter drove through the quiet streets, his sharp eyes scanning the rearview mirror for any signs of pursuit.Marcus sat slumped in the back of the vehicle, his hands bound securely, his face pale and streaked with sweat.The man’s bravado had long since disappeared, replaced by silent fear as the reality of his capture settled in.The base was located on the outskirts of the city, hidden behind an unassuming warehouse façade.The location was one of Alexander’s best kept secrets, a fortress equipped with top of the line security and surveillance systems.As Carter pulled into the compound, the large steel gates closed behind them with a low groan, sealing them inside.Two guards were already waiting.They approached the vehicle swiftly, opening the door to drag Marcus out. The man struggled weakly, but his efforts were futile against the firm grip of the guards.“Get him inside,” Carter ordered curtly, stepping out of the vehicle and adjusting his coat. “Make sure he’s secured. I don’
Sarah twirled the black card between her fingers as she slid out of bed, the plush carpet warm beneath her feet.The glint of the card caught the morning sunlight streaming in through the windows, and she couldn’t help but smile.Her mind raced with possibilities, a sudden surge of excitement bubbling to the surface.“Thousands of ways to enjoy the day, huh?” she murmured to herself, heading toward the closet.Sliding open the doors, Sarah stared at her wardrobe, filled with designer clothes and shoes that could rival a boutique. But today, she wanted something different, something new.Maybe she’d stroll through the high end boutiques downtown, find something completely out of the ordinary.Or perhaps she’d visit the luxury spa she’d been meaning to try, complete with hot stone massages and cucumber infused water.She flipped the card again in her hand, her grin widening. “I could buy an art piece, a rare one, or maybe surprise Alexander with something extravagant. He did say the wor
Sarah’s first race was a night she would never forget.She was sixteen, filled with a mixture of nerves and excitement that buzzed through her veins like the hum of a finely tuned engine.The streets on the outskirts of the small town came alive after dark, transforming into an arena where the boldest drivers tested their skills.Word had spread about an upcoming race, and though she had never participated before, Sarah knew she couldn’t resist the call of the asphalt.Mr. Miller had always told her to respect the road and her instincts, but he’d never forbidden her from racing.It was an unspoken understanding between them, he trusted her judgment. That trust emboldened her as she slipped into the driver’s seat of an old but reliable car she and Mr. Miller had worked on together, a vintage Camaro with a roaring engine that could still hold its own against modern speedsters.The crowd gathered along the makeshift race route was a mix of seasoned racers, adrenaline junkies, and curious
Gerald’s world had flipped, literally and figuratively.The scent of leaking gasoline still clung to his shredded suit.His once polished shoes were coated in blood and gravel, and his jaw ached with every breath he took.The crash had thrown him like a ragdoll, flinging his body into a ditch after his vehicle, tires blown out from a desperate chase, had careened off the hillside road.He’d blacked out for a moment. Maybe more.But when he came to, it wasn’t mercy that greeted him.It was Darius.He’d heard the boots crunching over leaves and dirt long before the shadows finally stretched toward him.Then came the firm grip of gloved hands dragging his broken form to a clearing, rifles trained on him, and a half circle of men in black combat gear standing like a wall of death.And at the center of it all, Darius.Pristine as ever, yet colder than a winter grave.Darius stood tall, hands behind his back, his expression unreadable as he stared down at the bloodied man in front of him.G
Sarah turned slowly to Alexander, her hand still pressed to her mouth. “We’re… we’re going to have a baby.”His eyes glistened with fresh tears, shock, joy, fear, all colliding in one single breath.He reached out to cradle her face with both hands, his broken leg momentarily forgotten.A baby.A child made from chaos and pain, love and survival.“I don’t deserve this,” he whispered hoarsely. “Not after everything I’ve done. Not after I almost lost you.”“You didn’t lose me,” she whispered back. “And you won’t. Not now. Not ever.”He kissed her forehead, resting there for a long moment, his tears soaking into her hair. “I swear I’ll protect both of you. Even if I can’t walk. Even if I have to crawl to the ends of the earth, Sarah.”She laughed through her tears, arms wrapping around him tighter than ever. “Then we’ll crawl together. And when we’re ready… we’ll run.”They held each other in the stillness of that room, at the beginning of something even greater.A heartbeat they hadn’t
Sarah stayed curled in Alexander’s arms for a long moment, breathing him in like he was the only tether keeping her from floating away.His hand cradled the back of her head, his chest rising and falling in unsteady waves as if he still couldn’t believe she was real, that she was here.But then her eyes drifted down.Her gaze locked on the white sheets, crumpled and slightly lifted around his lower half.Something tugged at her memory, the shot.The sharp crack of a bullet.The sight of him falling behind her as she ran, screaming his name. Her stomach twisted.She leaned back slightly, her hand moving instinctively to the edge of the blanket, brushing against the thick padding of a cast beneath.Her voice was soft. “You were shot… I remember… I...”Alexander caught her hand gently, pressing it to his lips. “It’s okay. I’m here.”But Sarah’s heart had already begun to race again. “You were limping… and I saw… but I didn’t know it was this bad.” Her eyes darted toward the crutches now
The first thing Sarah registered was the scent of antiseptic, clean, sharp, and nauseating.Then came the ache. Deep in her bones. In her chest. In the marrow of her soul.She stirred, her fingers twitching over crisp hospital sheets as her body shifted ever so slightly, and her mind scrambled to catch up.She wasn’t tied down. She wasn’t cold anymore. She wasn’t in that dark room. That house. That… nightmare.She was safe.Or… something like it.Her eyes fluttered open slowly, lashes damp from tears she hadn’t even known she’d been crying.The ceiling was a sterile white blur. The walls hummed faintly with distant activity, soft footfalls, medical monitors, the low murmur of conversation somewhere outside the door.But none of it mattered.Because he wasn’t there.And without him, none of this felt real.Her lips parted, cracked and dry, and she tried to speak. Tried to push out the name that had lived on the edge of every prayer she'd whispered during captivity.It came out broken a
Alexander turned his head, his eyes bloodshot and glistening. “I’ll be a burden now. She’ll never say it, but I’ll see it in her eyes. Pity. Guilt. I’d rather she hate me than pity me.”“She’s not that kind of woman,” Darius said firmly.A pause. Then Alexander swallowed hard and asked the question that had been clawing at him since the moment the doctor said the word paralysis.“What if she stays… just because she thinks she owes me?”Darius’s brow furrowed. “Then you remind her what you both have been through. Remind her who the hell you are. And what you mean to each other.”Silence again.Then Alexander leaned back against the pillows and stared up at the ceiling. “Gerald got away.”Darius’s expression hardened. “Barely. One of my men put a tracker on his vehicle before he escaped. Victoria got caught in the crossfire. Gerald used her,” Darius replied coldly. “He doesn’t care who dies as long as he gets what he wants.”Alexander’s jaw clenched. “Then we’ll burn every last shadow h
The sterile beep of Alexander’s heart monitor filled the hospital room like a metronome, steady and soft. The worst had passed, so the doctors said. He had survived the bullets, the blood loss, the surgery. He had defied death.But outside the room, just as Darius turned to check on Sarah again, something in her expression shifted.Relief.That was the first thing he saw.A full bodied, all consuming relief that weakened her spine, dulled her eyes, and uncoiled every taut muscle that had kept her upright through pain, fear, and heartbreak.Then she crumpled.“Sarah...!” Darius lunged forward and caught her just before her knees slammed into the polished floor.Her body was limp in his arms, barely conscious, her breathing shallow and unsteady. Her bloodied hands slipped against his shirt as he pulled her close, his voice sharp and commanding as he yelled over his shoulder, “Get a doctor! Now!”Within seconds, nurses flooded the corridor. A gurney was wheeled over, and Darius laid her d
The woman he’d secretly crushed on since the first night he saved her bleeding and defiant.“Holy shit,” he muttered.But she was already in the driver’s seat.The moment her fingers wrapped around the wheel, she changed. Her spine straightened. Her breath slowed. The fear didn’t vanish, but it sharpened, fused into her bones like steel.And when her foot hit the gas, the tires screamed their fury into the night.The SUV became a blur under her hands.Trees melted past them. Headlights glared like ghosts. The world narrowed to instinct and motion.Sarah didn’t flinch when they nearly sideswiped a truck. She didn’t panic when the back tires fishtailed across loose gravel. She was in it.. back.Back to the part of herself she’d buried when she married into the Blake family.Back to Sparrow.“Hang on,” she said under her breath, glancing at Alexander in the mirror, his head resting in Darius’s lap as the man tried to stop the bleeding.“He’s fading,” Darius warned. “We’ve got fifteen min
The air turned electric as Darius’s boots pounded the forest floor, his rifle cradled tight against his shoulder. His men moved ahead of him like shadows, silent, fast, lethal.Their coordinated breaths were drowned out by the distant echoes of gunfire erupting from the estate.Alexander was still fighting.He was alive.But for how long?“Alpha to all units,” Darius growled into his earpiece, “entry on my mark. Hostile count is high. Primary objective, get Alexander out alive. Secondary level anyone who tries to stop us.”“Copy that,” came a chorus of calm, battle hardened voices.Behind him, the night swallowed his words.But not all of it.He turned briefly, his sharp gaze locking onto Sarah, who stood beside the black SUV Darius had arrived in. Her body trembled, her eyes red from tears, but she had not collapsed.She hadn’t fallen apart.And that, Darius admired deeply.“Can you drive?” he asked, voice hard but not unkind.Sarah blinked, startled. “What?”“If this goes south, we’
SarahShe sat on the floor, trembling hands curled around a piece of porcelain, a broken teacup she’d stashed away after a “servant” delivered tea hours ago.The sharp edge glittered in her shaking grip.She was pale.Her lips cracked from dehydration. Her dress hung off her like it didn’t belong to her anymore. Her eyes were void. Empty.As if she was no longer here.“Just one cut,” she whispered to herself. “Just one cut and I’ll see him again.”She looked up, eyes glassy, smile fragile, as if she could see someone standing in front of her already.“Alexander,” she breathed to the ghost in her mind. “I’m sorry I didn’t wait. I couldn’t. I’m just... so tired…”She raised the shard to her wrist.And a hand caught her.Real. Warm. Strong.Her eyes widened in horror and disbelief. “No…”She turned, and for a heartbeat, she didn’t believe it.But he was there.Kneeling before her.Alexander.His chest heaving from the run. Dirt on his clothes. Gun holstered at his side. Eyes red, wild, b