Seraphina’s eyes narrowed, the confidence returning to her stance as she crossed her arms, trying to reclaim control of the situation. “Mr., I don’t know who you are, but I must tell you who I am,” she began, her voice cold and authoritative. “I am the CEO of this hospital. Do you get it?”Ivan didn’t flinch, his expression indifferent. “So?” he replied, his tone flat.Seraphina’s eyes flashed, and she stepped forward, trying to impose her authority. “You must know this is a military hospital,” she said, her voice sharp. “Not your private playground. You can’t do anything openly here.”Ivan’s lips curved into a smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “I get it,” he said calmly. “That’s why I’m taking my leave—with Arisha and Sisi.” His voice was casual, as if he were discussing the weather, but there was a steeliness in his gaze.Seraphina’s eyes widened, her confident mask faltering as she felt control slipping through her fingers. “Hey! You cannot take her away!” she shouted, her voi
The soldiers behind him straightened, their hands resting on their weapons, ready for any signal from their superior. The room felt like it was closing in, the tension thick enough to choke on.Ivan’s eyes darted between the soldiers and Charles, the situation turning into a standoff. He squeezed Arisha’s hand, feeling her tremble beside him, and kept his eyes locked on Charles’s, unwilling to back down. “I suggest you rethink that, Charles. You don’t want to start a war you can’t finish.”Charles’s cold gaze shifted to Arisha as he addressed her. “Arisha! Do you know this man?” His voice was like ice, and it sent a shiver down her spine. Arisha flinched, her eyes darting nervously between Ivan and Charles. She felt the weight of everyone’s eyes on her, and panic clawed at her throat. She shook her head quickly. “No,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, but it was enough.Ivan’s expression darkened, confusion and hurt flickering in his eyes. “Arisha...” he murmured, trying to mak
Arisha flinched, but she forced a nod, her lips quivering as she tried to maintain her composure. “I—” she began, but her voice was shaky, her fear evident.Ivan’s eyes locked onto Charles, his fists clenching at his sides. “If you think I’m just going to stand aside, you’re wrong,” he said, his voice low, the promise of retaliation threading every word. “This isn’t over.”Charles arched an eyebrow, amusement flashing in his eyes. “Is that a threat, Ivan?” he asked, his voice taunting. “Or are you just making empty promises again?”Ivan’s gaze burned. “A warning,” he said. “I’m not walking away.” He stepped forward, his eyes hard, showing he wasn’t backing down. “You can call her your fiancée all you want, but I know what’s been done to her, and I’ll find out the truth.”Charles’s expression darkened, and he straightened, squaring his shoulders. “You’ve had your chance,” he said, his voice dropping to a chilling tone. “Take your leave now, or I’ll have you escorted out.” He gestured,
Arisha’s body moved on instinct as Ivan disappeared down the hallway, her eyes fixed on Sisi, but just as she started forward, Charles’s strong hand clamped around her arm, yanking her back. “Arisha!” he snapped, his voice rough and unyielding.Arisha’s eyes flashed with desperation as she struggled against his hold. “Charles, please—my daughter!” she cried, her voice cracking with panic.Charles’s grip tightened, his expression hardening. “Didn’t Neil tell you never to leave the house with Sisi?” he hissed, his eyes narrowing with frustration. “Why did you bring her here?”“She needed a doctor!” Arisha pleaded, her voice rising in frustration. “Why don’t any of you understand? I was trying to help her.”Charles’s face twisted with anger, but there was something else there too—fear. “You could have told me, Arisha!” he growled. “I could have brought her in myself. But look what you’ve done.” His grip tightened as he pulled her back another step, holding her in place. “Now they’ve got
Seraphina sat behind her desk, her fingers tapping restlessly against the polished wood. The air in her office felt suffocating, and her mind was a whirlwind of anger and frustration. Alysha—or whatever she called herself now—had shown up, right out in the open, and the chaos that followed was still unraveling in her mind. Her grip tightened, nails digging into her palm as she tried to calm the storm inside her.The door creaked open, and Neil Holland strode into the office, his face unreadable but his eyes sharp. Seraphina’s gaze flicked to her father, sensing the tension before he even spoke.“Where is Alysha?” he demanded, his voice cold but measured. There was a hint of suspicion laced in his tone.Seraphina leaned back, her eyes narrowing. “I don’t know,” she answered, her voice flat but filled with irritation.Neil’s gaze didn’t soften. “Did you do something to her again?” he pressed, his eyes piercing.Seraphina scoffed, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. “If I’d had the
The next day. Inside the Military camp Villa.Ivan Anderson Suegra stood there, his tall frame rigid, his piercing blue eyes locked on Alysha. The pain in his gaze was unmistakable, a raw intensity that made Alysha’s stomach twist. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes, couldn’t bear the weight of whatever emotions lay behind them.Instead, she kept her head down, her fingers trembling slightly as she gripped the edge of the desk. Little Sisi, unaware of the storm brewing in the room, sat nearby, watching them with curious eyes. Her tiny hands clutched a doll, but her gaze darted between Ivan and Alysha, sensing the unspoken tension.Ivan’s chest rose and fell in deep, controlled breaths. He wanted to shout, to demand answers. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to shake the truth out of Alysha. How could she not remember him? After everything they’d shared, after everything they’d been through, the thought was unbearable.But he held himself back, his fists clenched tight
Alysha’s lips parted, but no words came. Her mind was blank, spinning as Ivan’s intense gaze bore into her. She couldn’t lift her head to meet his eyes, couldn’t find the strength to confront the emotions swirling inside her. Her whole body tensed when she felt his large hand cover hers, warm and steady, grounding her against the storm in her mind.“Please,” Ivan said, his voice low, almost pleading. “Come home with me.”The word home made her chest tighten. She hitched a breath, her heart thundering in her ears. Home? What did that even mean for her? She had no home—no memory of one, no connection to a place she could claim as her own. She was an empty shell, floating in a life constructed by others. No identity, no family… nothing.“Home?” she whispered, her voice trembling, her gaze still fixed on the floor. “What home?”Ivan’s hand tightened over hers, his thumb brushing gently against her knuckles. “Our home,” he said softly, his words heavy with longing. He stepped closer, reach
In Suegra State, Ivan sat in his grand office, the weight of unresolved questions pressing heavily on his mind. His piercing blue eyes flicked toward the door as Henry stumbled in, his face bruised and swollen, a testament to the chaotic pursuit of answers.Ivan leaned forward in his chair, his voice low and steady but laced with impatience. “Henry. What did you find?”Henry hesitated, clutching a stack of disheveled papers in his hand. “Sir… there are no documents. No records of the baby girl’s birth, no official ties to Alysha Jarl or anyone else.” He took a deep breath, wincing from the pain in his jaw. “The only thing I could secure was the identity Neil Holland crafted for her. She’s listed as Cyndra Holland, named after ‘Arisha Holland,’ the identity they forced onto Alysha.”Ivan’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening as he processed the information. He stood, his towering frame radiating power and barely restrained anger as he paced the room. “So, she’s a ghost on paper? Neil era