Se connecterđ€ Jacob đ€I stood there for a full five seconds after Jayden disappeared. Not walked away. Not turned a corner. Disappeared.One second the man was standing in front of us looking like he carried the weight of the entire world on his shoulders, touching Alexandraâs stomach like he was blessing the child with some glowing golden light straight out of a fantasy movieâŠAnd the next second?Gone.Just fucking gone.The hallway stayed quiet around us, nurses moving in the distance completely unaware that reality itself had apparently broken right in front of me.I slowly turned my head toward Alexandra.âWhat the hell was that?âShe looked exhausted.Not shocked.Not confused.Just tired.Which somehow made this worse. Because it meant this was normal to her.Normal.Magic.Actual glowing magic. I stared at the spot Jayden vanished from again before looking back at my wife.âIs your brother some kind of magician?â I asked finally.That sounded insane coming out of my mouth. Alexandra ru
đ€ Alexandra đ€âIf anything happens to them⊠Iâll destroy whoever caused it.â The words had barely left my mouth when a familiar voice spoke behind me.âAre they alright?âEverything inside me stilled. That voice. I turned around slowly. Jayden. My twin stood at the end of the hallway looking completely untouched by the chaos around him. Dark clothes. Clean shoes. Calm face. Like hospitals and blood and panic didnât belong in the same universe as him.And somehowâŠThat annoyed me instantly.Because everyone around me looked exhausted. Doctors were rushing me. Nurses looked stressed. But Jayden?Jayden looked like he walked out of a luxury magazine shoot.I stared at him for a second too long before my expression hardened immediately.âDoes this have anything to do with you?â I asked.Jacob looked between us quietly. Jayden blinked once slowly.âLex,â he said calmly, âIâm asking if our parents are okay.ââAnswer my question first.âHis jaw tightened slightly.âNo.â He answered too qui
đ€ Jacob đ€I have seen Alexandra angry. I have seen her cold. I have seen her calculating, manipulative, terrifying, untouchable.But panicked?That was new. And honestly?I hated it. The moment she ended the call, she moved so fast the chair nearly fell backward behind her. One second she was in my lap talking about our babyâs heartbeat and the next she was grabbing her car keys with shaking hands.Shaking.That alone told me how bad this was affecting her.âLex,â I called calmly, standing up immediately.âWhat hospital?â she snapped, already halfway toward the door before stopping abruptly. âNo wait, Hope City Hospital.âShe looked completely out of it. And that scared me more than I expected. Because Alexandra Fisher Hale does not lose composure.Ever.She reached for the keys again, but I took them before she could touch them.âJacob,â she warned.âYou are not driving like this,â I said firmly.Her eyes flashed instantly.âMy parents could die.ââAnd you could crash into a truck
đ€ Alexandra đ€âI said cats and dogs are cute, I am not,â I repeated while glaring at Jacob from his lap.The idiot actually smiled wider.âYou keep saying that while acting like the most adorable pregnant woman alive,â he said calmly.I opened my mouth, ready to insult him properly this time, when my phone suddenly started ringing on the counter.I frowned immediately.Who the hell was calling me repeatedly like they wanted death? I stretched slightly, grabbing the phone before looking at the screen.Timmy.âWhat now?â I answered immediately, already annoyed.But the second I heard his breathing on the other side, something inside me shifted.âPresidentâŠâ his voice sounded shaky. âYour parents got into a massive accident.âMy body froze. For one second. Then everything inside me went cold.âThe doctors are uncertain if theyâll make it.âWhat?No.No.My grip tightened around the phone so hard my fingers hurt.âWhat?â I snapped, already standing up so fast Jacobâs hands fell from my
đ€ Jacob đ€ âYouâre back so fast,â I muttered the moment I opened the front door. That was all I managed to say before Alexandra crashed into me. Actually crashed. No warning. No cold stare. No sarcastic comment. She just threw herself into my arms like her body already decided where it wanted to be before her brain could argue against it. I caught her instantly, my hands gripping her waist before pulling her fully against me. And then she spoke. âTears came out of my eyes today.â I froze. Completely. âWhat?â I pulled back slightly to look at her face properly. âWho caused it?â My voice sharpened immediately. âWhy were you crying?â My mind was already moving ahead before she could even answer. Someone upset her? Someone at the hospital? One wrong doctor saying something stupid and I would personally ruin their entire career before dinner. âJust tell me who,â I said again, already carrying her inside. âIâll make sure today becomes the last day they ever stress you.â Sh
đ€ Alexandra đ€âThump⊠thump⊠thumpâŠâ The sound filled the room steady, fast and alive. I blinked once, staring at the small screen in front of me like it had personally offended me.âThump⊠thump⊠thumpâŠâThat sound⊠was coming from inside me. I turned slowly to look at the doctor, then back at the screen again, then down at my stomach like I was expecting it to explain itself.âWait,â I said, lifting a hand slightly. âLetâs pause.âThe doctor blinked.I blinked back.âThat sound,â I continued, pointing at the machine like I was in a board meeting and someone just presented nonsense data, âyouâre telling me that is coming from inside my body?ââYes,â she said gently.I stared at her. Then I laughed, not a small laugh. A full one. Because what else was I supposed to do?âSo,â I said, leaning back slightly on the chair, âthere is a whole human being inside me⊠making noise⊠without my permission.âThe doctor tried not to smile.âThatâs one way to put it.ââOne way?â I repeated. âThat







