This Is Mine to Protect

Days after her ultrasound at Riverbend Hospital, Alina worked her shifts with her usual calm focus. She checked patient notes, looked at data, and adjusted plans as if nothing had changed. Yet, her secret grew beneath the surface small, undeniable, and waiting for the right people to help her guard it. She had not told Regina, Agnes, or Wilfred. Not until she was sure.

Tonight, after meeting Lila and Samuel, she finally was.

Rain had been steady since evening, a fine mist clinging to the windows of Dr. Lila Monroe's clinic. Most staff had left. The hallways were quiet, lights turned down low. Alina sat in the room, her coat folded neatly beside her, fingers touching the edge of the table.

Lila entered, carrying a slim folder and a sealed envelope. She placed them gently between them.

"This has your results," she said softly. "And the documents Samuel arranged, private care, sealed name, full discretion. No one else will see this unless you decide."

Alina let out a slow breath. "Thank you, Lila."

The door opened quietly. Samuel Keene stepped in, six years older than her, the same age as Adam, yet somehow closer to her and Regina than anyone else from Marlowe. They had grown up chasing summer winds along the river, dreaming impossible futures. Samuel had become a lawyer, steady, sharp, reliable. She had left. Regina had stayed, holding everything together.

"Alina," he greeted warmly, his suit still damp from the misty night.

She stood, and he drew her into a brief hug, the kind they had shared after growing up together.

"You should've called me sooner," he murmured as they stepped apart.

"I waited until I was sure," she whispered, her voice soft. "Because saying it out loud... it changes everything."

His gaze shifted to the envelope. “So, this is it. Private care, sealed records. No one will trace it to you.”

She nodded, fingers curling slightly on the table. “Not yet, Sam. Not them.”

His jaw tightened, protective. “Then we keep it hidden. I’ll handle the rest.”

Lila gave a calm nod. “Routine appointments only. Discreet times. No names in open files.”

Samuel leaned back, watching her. “How are you feeling? Really.”

Alina hesitated, then allowed a small smile. “A little tired. A little dizzy sometimes. But there’s life in me now. Two, actually.”

Lila’s eyes softened. “Twins are rare, but strong. You’ll need rest and quiet.”

Samuel’s expression shifted more certain than surprised. “Then it’s even more important we keep this locked down.”

For the first time in weeks, Alina felt some strength return. “Routine,” she murmured. “Good. I can build from this.”

Samuel nodded firmly. "We start here. Quiet, careful, and on your terms."

The night was quiet outside as they spoke a little longer. Lila checked her schedule, Samuel confirmed the legal protection, and Alina asked a few simple, practical questions. It wasn't full freedom yet, but it felt like the first step toward it, a small breath she hadn't allowed herself in a long time.

A few hours later, Alina stepped into the warm, familiar house. Evening had fully settled. Regina met her at the door, her face a mix of concern and relief. Beside her, Wilfred stood ready to take her coat. The hallway held the faint scent of cedar, with a cool trace of night still clinging to the air.

"I didn't see you when I left the hospital," Regina said softly, her eyes searching Alina's. "What kept you?"

Alina gave a small nod, her fingers tightening on her bag strap. "Let's go inside. There's something you should know."

The door closed behind them, shutting out the city's noise. Agnes' familiar footsteps approached. She dried her hands on a towel, her gaze gentle and a little curious.

"Dear," Agnes said softly. "You look pale. Please tell me it wasn't another long night at the lab."

Alina shook her head. "Not the lab this time... something else." Her eyes moved between Regina, Agnes, and Wilfred, the three constants who had protected her since childhood.

Wilfred stepped closer, steady without pushing. "I've seen that look before," he said quietly. "You're carrying something heavy, and you're not ready to share it yet."

Agnes reached out, brushing a damp strand of hair from Alina's face. "Tell us, child. You've carried this long enough."

Alina paused, then drew a slow breath. "I... I'm pregnant and... it's twins. It's still early, and no one can know yet."

A hush fell over the hall. Agnes cupped her cheek with weathered hands. "Oh, my dear girl, after everything, this is a blessing."

Wilfred inclined his head solemnly. "You have our word. This house, and all within it, will guard your secret."

Regina let out a breath, the worry in her shoulders easing. "So that's why, the quiet movements, the sudden clinic visits."

Alina nodded faintly. "Arthur may want an heir, but I won't let them take this. Not Arthur, not Emilia, not even Sebastian. This..." Her hand brushed her abdomen. "...is mine to protect."

The hall fell into a warm, gentle pause, like holding your breath for a second.

Agnes disappeared briefly and returned with a tray of sliced fruit, setting it gently before her. "Eat first," she said with a small smile, "then plan your world."

Alina allowed herself a quiet laugh, the first real one in weeks. "You never change," she said softly.

"Someone has to keep you standing," Agnes replied.

Regina moved closer, her voice warm but steady. "We'll stand with you. Whatever comes."

Alina nodded. The heaviness in her chest was still there, but it no longer made it hard to breathe. She had chosen herself. She had chosen to protect what was born from betrayal not as a tie to the past, but as a reason to build a better future.

Outside, Marlowe’s skyline glowed. Somewhere in Atheria, Arthur would be planning, Emilia whispering, Sebastian caught between them. Soon, they would understand she wasn’t coming back.

But tonight, in the quiet warmth of her own home, Alina Hart felt the first real beat of freedom.