Chapter 6

It felt like the room was turning around us. I stared at Alexander, my hands dropping to my sides. The rich smell of scotch on his breath suddenly felt suffocating.

“What do you mean, a twin?” My voice was barely a whisper. “Alexander, that’s impossible. I was there. I gave birth to Leo. There was only one baby.”

Alexander didn’t look at me. He turned his back, staring down at his phone, his jaw clenched so tightly the bone looked like it might lose control.

“The records were manipulated the night my brother died,” he said. His voice was cold and emotionless. “Julian didn’t create a single embryo. He created two. They were identical split embryos. The digital log shows that while one was delivered to you, the second container was marked to be thrown away. It was a cover story.”

He turned to face me, his stormy sea-gray eyes dark. “It wasn’t discarded. Someone paid the laboratory head five million dollars to scrub the digital footprint and smuggle the second embryo out. It happened about three hours before the car crash that killed my brother.”

I stumbled backward, hitting the edge of the soft cream sofa. I collapsed onto the cushions, my mind racing. Two years ago, when I carried Leo in that tiny town, I thought I was protecting the only piece of Julian left in this world. And all that time, another part of him, another part of ‘me’, was out there.

“Who has my other baby?” I whispered painfully.

“Gideon Ross,” Alexander said angrily, hitting his empty glass down on the marble bar. “The CEO of Ross Industries. He’s been trying to dismantle Blackwood Global for a decade. He knew Julian was working on the global port encryption software. He thought if he had Julian’s bloodline, he could legally challenge my claim to the estate.”

Before I could answer, the door to the adjoining room opened. Marcus stepped into the living room, holding a secure laptop. “Sir, we have an update, but it’s not good.”

I immediately stood up, running over to Marcus. “Did you find him?”

Marcus looked at me with deep pity. He turned the laptop screen toward us. “Our insider managed to clone a security feed from Ross’s primary residence in upstate New York. This footage was taken less than twenty minutes ago.”

On the screen, a video played. It showed a huge, cold, clean playroom with white walls. Sitting in the center of the room on a soft gray rug was a little boy. A painful cry escaped from me.

He was the exact image of Leo. He had the same thick, dark curls, the same button nose and the same long eyelashes. He was sitting perfectly still, his little thumb stuffed into his mouth, his big eyes staring blankly at the wall. He looked completely isolated.

“My baby,” I whispered, touching the cold glass of the screen.

Alexander stepped behind me. His warm hand rested gently on the back of my neck, holding me steady. I could feel the anger coming from him as his chest pressed against my back.

“Ross is playing a dangerous game,” Alexander said quietly, his voice low. “He’s hiding the boy until the shareholders’ meeting next month. Then he plans to show him to the board, prove the DNA match and ask the court to freeze all Blackwood Global assets during the custody fight. That alone could crash our stock and ruin the European expansion.”

“I don't care about your stock!” I yelled, turning around to face him, pulling myself away from his grip. “That is my son out there! We have to go get him right now!”

“We can’t call the police, Elena,” Alexander said angrily, his hands grabbing my shoulders to steady me. His grip was firm.

“The moment a police siren gets near that estate, Ross will move the boy to a country with no extradition laws. We have to be smart. We have to use the contract.”

“The contract?” I asked.

“Yes,” Alexander said, leaning down so his face was inches from mine. “Ross doesn’t know we found the forensic files tonight. Tomorrow night is the elite Vanguard Charity Gala at the Plaza Hotel. Ross will be there. We are going to attend as husband and wife. We will show the world we are united and we will bait him into making a mistake.”

He reached up, his thumb catching a stray tear on my cheek. “You wanted your revenge, Elena. You wanted protection. Now, we fight for both of our sons. But you have to play your part perfectly.”

I looked into his stormy eyes, feeling the unyielding power of the man holding me. “I’ll do it,” I whispered.

The next evening, the transformation was complete.

I stood in front of the full-length mirror in the penthouse master suite. The stylist had dressed me in a breathtaking, floor-length gown of midnight-blue silk that clung to every curve. My chestnut hair was styled in elegant waves and around my neck sat a priceless diamond necklace.

The door opened and Alexander walked in. He was dressed in a flawless black suit. He stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes scanning me from head to toe.

“You look stunning, Elena,” he said, his voice rough.

“Let’s just get my son back,” I replied, forcing my chin up.

He walked over to me, stopping just inches away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy velvet box. When he opened it, a massive diamond ring sparked under the lights. 

He took my left hand, his warm fingers sliding the ring onto my wedding finger.

“From this moment on, you are Elena Blackwood,” he murmured, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “Remember your rules, wife. Total devotion.”

The Vanguard Gala at the Plaza Hotel was a sea of luxury and flashing cameras. The moment the double doors opened and Alexander led me into the ballroom, his hand possessively wrapped around my waist, the entire room went silent.

Alexander guided me through the crowd with proud confidence, pulling me close against his side. 

Every time a wealthy investor approached us, Alexander introduced me with a dark, proud look in his eyes that felt terrifyingly real.

But my eyes were searching the crowd.

And then, I saw him. Standing by the private champagne bar was Gideon Ross. He was an older man with cold blue eyes and a sharp, cruel smile. 

The moment his eyes landed on us, his smile froze.

Alexander felt my body tense. He didn’t look at Ross but his grip on my waist tightened. “He’s coming over,” Alexander whispered near my ear. “Smile, Elena.”

Gideon Ross walked across the polished floor, a crystal glass in his hand. He stopped a few feet away. 

“Alexander,” Gideon said, his voice smooth but venomous. “I must congratulate you. The news of your sudden marriage took the entire city by surprise. I didn’t know the Ice King could still have such human feelings.”

“I don’t waste time when I find what belongs to me, Gideon,” Alexander replied coldly. He pulled me even closer, his hand sliding down to the curve of my hip. “Meet my wife, Elena.”

Gideon smiled, a dangerous look appeared in his eyes. “Elena. A beautiful name. You know, Alexander, marriage brings so many unexpected responsibilities. Sometimes, family secrets have a way of appearing out of nowhere and changing the entire landscape of your life.”

I forced a polite smile. “My husband handles his responsibilities perfectly, Mr. Ross. There is nothing a Blackwood can’t handle.”

Gideon’s eyes quickly turned to mine, surprised at the way I stood up to him. Then, he let out a low chuckle. “Is that so? We shall see. Enjoy the evening.”

With a mocking nod, Gideon turned and walked back into the crowd.

“He knows,” I whispered, my voice shaking as I looked up at Alexander. “He was mocking us.”

“Let him mock,” Alexander muttered, his eyes tracking Gideon’s departure. “Marcus just intercepted his personal security detail's radio chatter. Ross’s private jet is currently fueled and waiting on the tarmac at JFK. He’s moving the child tonight.”

My heart stopped. “Tonight? Where?”

“To his villa in Switzerland,” Alexander said, his face hardening. “He realizes our public appearance means the board is solidifying behind me. He’s running.”

Alexander immediately guided me toward the exit. We burst through the front doors of the Plaza Hotel into the cool night air, where his black Maybach was already waiting.

Marcus opened the door for us. “Sir, the jet is prepped. We have clearance.”

We rushed into the back of the expensive car. The door shut hard behind us and the driver sped away from the curb toward the airport.

Inside the dark cabin, the silence was heavy. I pulled off the heavy diamond necklace, my breathing shaky. “We’re going to Switzerland? Right now?”

“Yes,” Alexander said, pulling off his bowtie and unbuttoning the collar of his shirt. He turned to face me, his large hands reaching out to my face. His eyes were wide, burning with a mix of adrenaline and an intense desire.

“We are going to breach his villa before his plane even touches down. I have a faster jet.”

He leaned in, his face mere inches from mine, his grip on my jaw tightening. “This is it, Elena. This is where the contract ends and the real war begins. Are you ready to risk everything?”

I stared into his eyes, my heart violently beating against my ribs. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Alexander let out a low, rough sound as he completely lost control. He pulled me toward him and kissed me hard, his grip firm and possessive.

The kiss wasn’t soft or gentle. It carried all the fear, tension and desire we had both been trying to hide. 

My hands flew to his hair, pulling him closer, my body melting into his hard chest as the car sped through the dark city.

He pulled back just as quickly, breathing hard as his thumb brushed slowly across my swollen lower lip.

Before I could say anything, Marcus’s voice suddenly came through the speaker, cold and urgent.

“Sir! Emergency! The security cameras at the penthouse just went down. Another armed team forced their way into our New York security system. Ross’s men are already inside the penthouse and they’re coming for Leo.”