Chapter 1

The pounding at the villa's front door snapped me back to reality.

I hauled my pregnant sister-in-law, Sophie Barnes, and my three-year-old nephew, Henry Quinn, into the hidden room of the study.

"Gracie, what are you doing? We have plenty of bodyguards at home. There's no need to hide here," Sophie said.

"Yeah, Aunt Gracie. Didn't Grandpa say we shouldn't let anyone know there's a hidden room unless it's absolutely necessary?" Henry reminded me.

They stared at me in bewilderment, panic rising in their eyes.

They still had no idea that my brother, Elliot Quinn, had taken every single bodyguard from the house for his close friend, Ava Sutton.

"Sophie, Elliot took everyone with him. It's just the three of us at home now."

I threw all my strength into pushing the iron cabinets against the door. They screeched loudly as they shifted, and I knew the intruders would surely find their way to the study soon.

Sophie was stunned, unable to believe that Elliot, who was always so cautious and composed, could do something this absurd.

We were the wealthiest family in Eldoria. Security had always been our top priority. How could there possibly be a moment when not a single guard was left behind?

But seeing the panic on my face, Sophie had no choice but to believe me.

"Call him, then. Tell him to get back here!"

Sophie held her waist with one hand and clutched Henry's hand with the other. Her whole body trembled.

Instead of dialing Elliot, I called the local police station. I rattled off our address, explained the break-in, and begged them to send help right away.

I didn't trust Elliot to come racing to our rescue.

After all, in my previous life, by the time Elliot returned, Sophie had already died with her unborn child, and Henry had been badly hurt.

After I hung up, the thought of the storm raging outside made my heart clench. The weather had been rough these days, and the villa was a good half-hour from the nearest police station.

I couldn't even bring myself to imagine how I was supposed to keep this tragedy from happening again before the police arrived.

Before long, the sounds of the intruders searching echoed outside the door.

I instinctively covered Henry's mouth. Even my own breathing slowed to silence.

That was when Sophie managed to get Elliot on the phone. "Darling, please come home. There are intruders in the house," she cried, her voice trembling.

But on the other end, Elliot laughed mockingly. "Come on, honey. Don't be dramatic. I know pregnancy makes you paranoid, but I need to be with Ava tonight. Just get some rest, alright?"

"I'm not being paranoid!" Sophie nearly screamed. "There really are intruders! Come back now, or our baby and I will die!"

Elliot's tone turned sharp and icy. "I know pregnancy makes you clingy. That's why I told Ava this would be the last time I'd see her. Isn't that enough for you? What else do you want from me?"