Novels by Cardywrites

Elara POVSounds woke me from deep sleep.Shouting. Running footsteps. Alarms blaring.The whole hospital was in chaos.I opened my eyes.Dante was throwing clothes into a bag. Moving fast. Urgent.Luca stood at the window, gun drawn, checking outside.“What’s happening?” My voice came out rough. Confused.Dante turned. His face was hard. Scared.I’d never seen him scared before.“We’re leaving. Now.”“What? Why?” I tried to sit up. The monitors beeped faster. “The baby”“The baby’s fine. But we need to move you. Right now.”Luca appeared at my bedside. Started disconnecting monitors.“Wait stop, someone tell me what’s going on!”Dante pulled out his phone. Show me the screen.A photo.Of me.Sleeping in this bed.Taken from inside this room.Tonight.My blood went cold.“Someone was here,” Dante said quietly. “While you were sleeping. While I was gone dealing with Alicia’s people. They got close enough to photograph you.”“How the door was locked”“I don’t know how. But they were h

**Dante POV**The guard’s face hit the concrete for the third time.I dragged him back up by his collar.“I trusted you,” I said. Blood on my knuckles. His blood. “Five years you worked for me.”“Please” He spat out a tooth. “I didn’t know she’d”I hit him again.His head snapped back.“You gave her the security codes.” Another hit. “You told her Elara’s schedule.” Another. “You helped her get into my house.”“She paid me”“I paid you!” I slammed him against the wall. “I paid you to protect my family! And you sold us out for what? A few thousand? Ten?”He was crying now. “Fifty. She gave me fifty thousand.”Fifty thousand.For Elara’s life.For my child’s life.I let him drop.Pulled my gun.“Boss” Luca’s voice behind me. Careful. “The police are still here. We need to be smart.”I pressed the gun to the guard’s head.He was sobbing.“Please. Please. I have a family”“So do I.” I cocked the gun. “You tried to destroy it.”“Dante.” Luca’s hand on my shoulder. “Not like this. Not here.”

**Elara POV**I couldn’t stay locked in this room forever.But I could be smart.I opened my phone. Started a voice memo recording.Slipped it into my cardigan pocket.Then I went to find her.She was in the garden.Alone.Perfect.I walked out slowly. Let my shoulders slump. I made myself look broken.“Alicia.”She turned. Smiled. “Elara. Are you feeling better?”“No.” I wrapped my arms around myself. “I’m not better. You win. Okay? You win.”Her smile widened. “Win what?”“Everything. Dante thinks I’m crazy. No one believes me. You got what you wanted.”“I don’t know what you mean”“Stop.” I stepped closer. “There’s no one here. You don’t have to pretend anymore.”She studied me for a long moment.Then her face changed.The mask fell away.Cold. Calculated. Victorious.“You’re right,” she said simply. “I don’t.”My heart pounded but I kept my voice steady. “Why? Why are you doing this?”“You really don’t know?”“You said you were in therapy. That you’d changed.”She laughed. Sharp.

Elara POV**I found her in the library.Alone.Perfect.I closed the door behind me.“Elara.” She looked up from her book, surprised. “Is everything okay?”“No.” I walked toward her. “Everything is not okay.”She set the book down. “What’s wrong?”“You.” My voice shook. “You’re what’s wrong.”“I don’t understand”“Stop.” I cut her off. “Stop pretending. Stop playing innocent. I know what you’re doing.”Her face shifted. Just slightly. “What am I doing?”“The book on the stairs. My vitamins. The note. The nursery.” I was shaking now. “You’re trying to make me look crazy.”“Elara, I think you need to sit down”“Don’t!” I stepped closer. “Don’t talk to me like I’m unstable. Like I’m imagining things.”“I’m not”“You are! You’re playing games. Messing with my head. And everyone believes you because you’re so good at acting like you’ve changed.”She stood slowly. “I have changed.”“Bullshit.”“I’ve been in therapy for eight months”“I don’t care!” My voice rose. “I don’t care about your th

Alicia POV“I’m so sorry.” I wiped my eyes. “I know I shouldn’t be here. I know you don’t want me around. But I just need a place for two days. Maybe three. Until I can figure something out. Please.”Dante stood in the doorway, looking torn.Behind him, I could see Elara frozen on the stairs. Face pale. Hand pressed to her stomach.Perfect.“What happened?” Dante asked.“Gas leak. My whole building is being evacuated for renovations. They said "at least a week.” I let my voice break. “I spent everything on therapy. I can’t afford a hotel and I….I have nowhere else to go.”“There are shelters,” Luca started.“I know.” I looked down. Humble. Ashamed. “I understand if you say no. After everything I did. I just thought” I stopped. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have come.”I turned to leave.“Wait.”Dante’s voice.I stopped. Didn’t turn around. Let him see my shoulders shaking.“Two days,” he said. “Guest room. East wing.”I turned slowly. “Really?”“Two days, Alicia. That’s it.”“Thank you.” I

Elara POV**My foot caught on something.The world tilted.I grabbed the railing hard, knuckles white, heart slamming against my ribs.Didn’t fall.But almost.I stood frozen on the stairs, breathing hard, one hand pressed to my stomach.“Baby’s okay,” I whispered. “We’re okay.”I looked down.A book.Lying on the step where it definitely hadn’t been two minutes ago.*What to Expect When You’re Expecting.*I hadn’t left it there.I picked it up with shaking hands and went straight to Dante’s office.He was on a call.I didn’t care.Walked right in and dropped the book on his desk.He held up one finger. “I’ll call you back.”Ended the call.“What’s wrong?”“I almost fell down the stairs.”He stood immediately. “Are you hurt? Is the baby”“We’re fine. Because I caught myself.” I pointed at the book. “This was on the step. Someone left it there.”He picked it up. Frowned. “Where did this come from?”“That’s what I’m asking you!”“Elara”“Don’t.” I crossed my arms. “Don’t tell me I’m ove