Olivia’s POVThe soft glow of my laptop screen illuminated the nursery, casting shadows across the crib where Noah slept, his tiny breaths a quiet rhythm against the hum of the mobile above. My heart thudded gently, my pulse steady as I adjusted the camera, my hands trembling slightly from the weight of my swollen belly. My throat tightened, my eyes stinging as I connected the video call, Nataliya’s familiar face appearing, her smile warm but professional. “Olivia, you look radiant!” she said, her voice bright, her eyes glinting with enthusiasm. My stomach settled, my heart swelling with gratitude for her support, but a faint flicker of anxiety rippled through me, a shadow of the trauma that lingered from two years ago. My pulse quickened, my throat burning as I forced a smile, my eyes burning with the effort to stay present. “Thanks, Nataliya,” I said, my voice soft, my hands resting on my belly. “But I’m calling about work—I won’t be resuming physically until a few months aft
Olivia’s POVThe hospital room was sterile and cold, the beeping of machines a relentless reminder of the fragility of life, but my heart pounded with a heavy mix of relief and anguish as I sat by Lucas’s bed. My pulse raced, my hands trembling as I stared at his bruised face, the bandages wrapping his leg, the IV lines snaking from his arm. My throat was tight, raw with the weight of his injuries—a tibia fracture, the doctor had said, along with mild cuts and bruises, but he wouldn’t be able to walk for months. My eyes stung, burning with tears I couldn’t hold back, torn between the agony of seeing him like this and the inability to look away. My stomach churned, my heart aching with the memory of the explosion, the smoke, the moment I’d thought I’d lost him. My hands shook as I gripped his, his fingers limp but warm, my throat burning with the promises he’d broken. “You promised you’d follow me immediately,” I whispered, my voice cracking, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Yo
Olivia’s POVThe shattered glass crunched under my feet, the jagged edges of the broken window glinting like teeth in the dim light of the reception hall, and my heart pounded with a fear that clawed at my insides. My pulse raced, my hands trembling as I stood frozen, Lucas’s words echoing in my mind—less than five minutes until the bomb went off. My throat was tight, raw with the terror of his risky plan to jump through the window with Lily strapped to my chest. My eyes stung, burning with the image of the chaos behind us—screams, shoving, the crowd’s panic a suffocating wave that pressed against my skin. My stomach churned, my heart aching with the weight of Lily’s tiny body in my arms, her soft whimpers piercing my soul. I didn’t want to jump, the glass was too sharp, but the door was a bottleneck of desperate bodies, and time was slipping away. My pulse quickened, my throat burning with the desperate need to act, to keep my her safe, to trust Lucas’s plan despite the fear
Lucas’s POVI held Olivia close, her ring glinting on her finger, a symbol of the faith I barely clung to myself. My pulse raced, my hands trembling as I felt her warmth, her kiss still lingering on my lips, my throat tight with the desperate wish that we’d survive this nightmare. My eyes stung, burning with the thought of an afterlife where I could be with her forever, a fleeting comfort against the terror of Austin’s threat. My stomach churned, my heart aching as I glanced at him.My throat burned, my pulse quickening with the urge to wipe that smug look off his face, but I held back, my heart thudding with the need to focus, to find a way out before the accomplice outside triggered the bomb.My phone buzzed, a sharp vibration that jolted my pulse, my hands shaking as I pulled it out, my eyes scanning the text from Tom, my private investigator. Police are here, searching for the accomplice. I don’t think there is one. Found a timed explosive—less than five minutes left.My heart
Olivia’s POVThe reception hall was a storm of chaos with the wails of crying guests and the sharp rants of panic, each sound piercing my heart like a shard of glass. My pulse raced, my hands trembling as I paced back and forth, my feet unsteady on the polished floor, my throat tight with the suffocating weight of fear. Austin was pinned down, his wrists now bound by Ethan’s cable, his mocking laughter still echoing in my ears, but his words about an accomplice outside, ready to blow us all up, twisted my stomach with dread. My eyes stung, burning with unshed tears as I glanced at the crowd, their faces pale, their hands clutching loved ones, their fear a mirror of my own. My heart ached, my throat raw as I moved toward the tall windows lining the hall, my pulse quickening with a desperate hope for escape. I pressed my hands against the cold glass, my eyes scanning the frames, but they were sealed tight, too high, too narrow—no way out. My stomach churned, my heart thudding wit
Lucas’s POVThe air in the reception hall was thick with panic, the scent of roses and fear choking my senses as Austin turned his back on Olivia, his boots thudding toward Aiden, his eyes burning with a twisted hunger for chaos. My pulse raced, my heart pounding with a surge of desperation, my throat tight as I saw my chance. Olivia stood frozen, the knife trembling against her throat, her eyes wide with terror. My stomach churned, my hands shaking as I locked eyes with her, my heart aching with the need to protect her, to end this nightmare. I waved subtly, my fingers twitching, signaling her to stab Austin while his attention was on Aiden. My eyes stung, my throat burning with the fear that she might hesitate, that we might lose this moment. She nodded, her gaze fierce but trembling, her heart open with resolve yet shadowed by dread. My pulse quickened, my hands clenching as I saw the fear in her eyes, a mirror of my own.I leaned closer, my voice low, my eyes pleading. “Rela