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Chapter 80 – Final Hours
Last Updated:
2025-01-15 10:26:00
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Ties of a Contract Chapter 81 – The Moment of Truth
AlexanderThe day dawns gray, as if the sky itself understands the tension of this moment. I stand at the clinic window, observing the three identical ambulances strategically placed in the parking lot—each with its own medical team, each following a strict protocol.“Everything’s ready,” Dominic confirms at my side. “The routes are set, the teams are prepared. Victoria won’t know which ambulance they’ll be in.”Sophia is with the babies, helping with their final change before the transfer. Dr. Chen oversees every detail, ensuring the portable monitors are fully functional.“Security in place?” I ask, keeping my eyes on the ambulances.“At every corner, every exit. Nobody comes in or goes out without being checked.”My phone vibrates with a text from the surveillance team: “No sign of Victoria in the last 12 hours.”“That worries me,” I murmur. “She never stays away this long.”“Maybe that’s exactly what she wants,” Dominic suggests. “To make us paranoid.”I return to the room where S
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SophiaInside the ambulance, the world descends into chaos in a matter of seconds. One of the paramedics collapses unconscious while the other struggles with someone in the driver’s cabin. The babies start crying, startled by the jolts.“You’re so predictable,” Victoria’s voice echoes as she emerges from the cabin, dressed as a paramedic. “Always trying to fool me.”I instinctively put myself between her and the incubators.“How?” I manage to ask, while trying to discreetly reach for the emergency button.“Sweetheart, did you really think I didn’t have someone inside the clinic?” she smiles—a cold smile that’s terrified Alexander for so long. “That I wouldn’t know exactly which ambulance you’d be in?”The vehicle screeches to a halt, sending supplies sliding across the floor. Through the small window, I see we’re in some sort of abandoned warehouse.“The babies need their monitors,” I say, trying to buy time. “They’re premature, Victoria.”“I know exactly what they need,” she says, ad
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Ties of a Contract Chapter 83 – A New Beginning
AlexanderThe afternoon sun filters gently through the windows of the country house, casting golden patterns across the living room floor. The babies sleep peacefully in their cribs—no more incubators—and the only sound is the soft ticking of the wall clock.A week has passed since the confrontation with Victoria—a week since the police took her away, since we could finally breathe without fear.Sophia is out on the porch, wrapped in a light blanket, her laptop resting on her lap. She’s back to writing, turning our story into words. I approach quietly so as not to disturb her concentration.“They’re still asleep?” she asks without looking up from the screen.“Like angels,” I say, sitting beside her. “Oliver’s fever hasn’t come back.”She saves her file and closes her laptop, leaning against me.“Did Dominic call?”“He did,” I say, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. “Victoria was formally charged. All the deaths, all the manipulations—there’s no way she can sli
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Ties of a Contract Chapter 84 – Six Years Later
Sophia“Noah! Oliver! Don’t run inside the house!” I shout from the kitchen, as I hear the sound of small feet pounding down the hallway.The noise stops momentarily, followed by identical giggles that make me smile. Even after six years, I’m still surprised by how physically alike they are, yet so different in personality.Noah appears in the kitchen first, always the more cautious of the two. His steps are measured, calculated, so different from his brother’s explosive energy. From a young age, Noah has always been the observer, the one who thinks before he acts. Like now, standing in the doorway, studying the situation before making his complaint.“Mommy, Oliver took my dinosaur book,” he says, his blue eyes—identical to his father’s—full of indignation. “I was in the middle of important research on the Triceratops.”“I did not!” Oliver shows up right behind him, hiding something behind his back, his dark hair disheveled from running around. “I was just… borrowing it. And the Tyran
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AlexanderThe office is quiet as I review the last reports of the day. Sophia left early for her meeting with James, dropping the twins off at school on the way. The house feels empty without their laughter, without the organized chaos that has become our routine.I pick up my phone for the tenth time, rereading her last message: “Meeting might take a while. James has big plans for the book. Love you.”James. Always James.The intercom buzzes, interrupting my thoughts.“Mr. Hawthorne, the twins’ school is on the line.”My heart immediately starts racing.“Put them through.”“Mr. Hawthorne?” the coordinator’s voice sounds concerned. “We had a little incident with Oliver.”“Is he okay?”“Yes, yes. But… he was involved in a fight. He was defending his brother.”I sigh, already grabbing my keys.“I’m on my way.”At the school, I find the twins in the coordinator’s office. Oliver has a scratch on his face, but his expression is determined. Noah stands beside him, quiet as always.“What hap
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SophiaThe soft lighting in the restaurant can’t hide the excitement in James’s eyes as he slides a folder across the table.“Look at these numbers, Sophia. Your book isn’t just selling—it’s breaking records in every market we’ve entered.” He leans forward, his subtle yet noticeable cologne wafting through the air. “Especially the Asian market. They’re practically begging for you. Just the pre-orders in Japan…”I leaf through the pages, trying to focus on the figures instead of the guilt churning in my stomach. Three missed calls from Alex. A message about an incident at school involving the boys.“Everything okay?” James’s hand hovers near mine, not quite touching but close enough for me to notice.“The school called Alex,” I say, pulling my hand back to check my phone again. “Something about Oliver.”“I’m sure Alex is taking care of it,” James dismisses with a wave. “We need to talk about the tour. Three weeks might not be enough—we should consider extending it to a month. We have t
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AlexanderNight falls as I watch Sophia helping the boys with their bath. Their laughter echoes down the hallway, mingling with their high-pitched voices arguing about which dinosaur would be a better swimmer.“Spinosaurus, obviously,” Noah insists, his voice loaded with scientific certainty. “He had aquatic adaptations.”“But the Mosasaurus was way bigger!” Oliver counters, splashing water out of the tub.“Mosasaurus wasn’t technically a dinosaur,” Noah begins, but Sophia intervenes.“Boys, less paleontology and more shampoo, please.”I lean against the doorframe, taking in the scene. Sophia is kneeling beside the tub, sleeves rolled up, hair in a messy bun—so different from the elegant author I saw in the lunch photo.“Dad!” Oliver notices me first. “Tell Mom I didn’t start the fight!”“We’ve been through this, champ,” I reply, exchanging a look with Sophia. “And your mom and I will talk about it later.”Dinner is a jumble of overlapping stories. Noah detailing every aspect of the s
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JamesThe coffee in front of me grows cold as I reread Sophia’s message for the tenth time: “Two weeks. It’s the most I can do. I’m sorry.”My fingers drum on the café table. Two weeks. Half the time we needed. Half the opportunities. Half the potential.“More coffee, sir?” the waitress asks.“No,” I reply, then reconsider. “Actually, yes. And bring me the lunch menu, please. Looks like I’ll be having a meeting here.”After sending a quick message to Sophia, I put away my phone and open my laptop. The sales spreadsheets shine on the screen, the numbers telling a story she seems reluctant to accept.Twenty minutes later, she arrives, looking more casual than usual in jeans and a simple blouse. No makeup. No high heels like she normally wears to our meetings.“James,” she greets, sitting down. “I’m sorry, but I only have an hour. I promised the boys I’d watch their presentation at school.”“About dinosaurs, I assume,” I comment, unable to hold back my ironic tone.She raises an eyebrow.
Last Updated : 2025-01-15
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Ties of a Contract Capter 112 - Heart Codes
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Ties of a Contract The Algorithm of Destiny
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Ties of a Contract Chapter 107 - New Beginnings
AlexanderThe house is quiet. The twins are sleeping soundly after a busy day at the park, and Claire took all the case documents to her office. For the first time in months, it's just Sophia and me.The night is especially beautiful, with a gentle breeze swaying the porch curtains. It's almost surreal to think about how we got here, after everything we've faced. Sophia is on the porch, wrapped in a light blanket, watching the moon. I approach quietly, offering a glass of red wine - the same label we drank the night we made our agreement."What are you thinking about?" I ask, sitting beside her."About how everything has changed," she responds, snuggling into my chest. "Who would have thought that meeting about my father's debts would bring us here?"I smile at the memory. "You walked into my office determined to negotiate. I never imagined you'd leave with a marriage proposal.""An arrangement," she laughs softly, her fingers playing with the wine glass. "You needed to improve your i
Ties of a Contract Chapter 106 - The Price of Truth
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Ties of a Contract Chapter 105 - Last Refuge
Chapter 103 - Last RefugeSophiaThe rain lessens as I drive down the dirt road. In the back seat, the twins have finally fallen asleep, Noah still clinging to the rain-soaked dinosaur. Through the rearview mirror, I confirm that Alex and Claire are still following us.The headlights illuminate an old building. A farmhouse, isolated and apparently abandoned, except for the small beam of light escaping from one of the windows."This is it, my loves," I whisper, although the boys continue sleeping.Alex parks alongside, and Claire exits first, typing something on her phone."Security system deactivated," she informs. "You can come in."We carry the boys inside. The house is surprisingly cozy inside, with furniture covered by white sheets and an old fireplace."No one knows this place," Claire explains, closing the curtains. "It was my sister's refuge. Where she kept her discoveries.""And where she died," Alex softly completes.Claire nods. "Morrison found her here. Or rather, my father
