LOGINGeorge didn’t wait for another word. He rose to his feet slowly, gently slid his arms around Thalia’s waist and pulled her into him. She didn’t fight it, her body melted into his chest as though the strength holding her upright finally collapsed. Her face pressed into his shoulder, her breath shaky, her palms gripping the back of his shirt as if holding onto the last piece of stability she had left.For the first time since Tracey’s death, Thalia allowed herself the luxury of leaning on someone.Not as a mother.Not as a fighter.Not as a woman drowning in questions, grief, and fury.But simply as a human being who was tired, so unbearably tired.George held her with a firmness that didn’t suffocate her. His hands slid up and down her back slowly, grounding her with every motion. He didn’t speak. He didn’t rush her. He simply held her like she was the center of his universe, and if he let go, she would fall apart.He rested his chin gently on her hair.“You’re safe,” he whispered eve
Franklin drove like a madman, the tires screeching loud enough to wake the entire island. His heart hammered painfully in his chest as he pulled into the hospital parking lot, barely putting the car in park before he pushed the door open and stormed inside.He walked down the corridor, ignoring the nurses who greeted him, ignoring the stares, ignoring everything except the burning question clawing at his skull.He needed answers.He needed clarity.He needed to know why George’s blood matched Thalia’s daughter and his didn’t.His breath was uneven when he finally reached the diagnostics wing. A doctor stepped out from an office and instantly recognized him.“Mr. Blackwood...”“We need to talk,” Franklin cut in, his voice sharp and trembling. “Why didn’t my blood match Tracey’s? I want the truth.”The doctor inhaled deeply, gesturing for him to enter the office. Franklin stepped in and slammed the door shut behind him.The doctor adjusted his glasses and sat down slowly.“Mr. Blackwood
(BLACKWOOD’S ISLAND)Franklin stormed into the mansion with heavy, furious footsteps that echoed angrily against the marble floor. The front door slammed so hard behind him that one of the guards flinched. He didn’t care. His chest was burning and his head was pounding with emotions he couldn’t even name, be it anger, confusion, jealousy, fear, desperation, everything twisted together.As expected, his mother was already waiting for him.Delilah stood in the center of the living room with her arms folded, posture sharp, eyes cold and unreadable, like she had been standing there long before he even arrived, anticipating the storm he carried.Franklin tore off his jacket and threw it carelessly on a chair. Then he sat down heavily, folding his legs and running a shaky hand through his hair.“I can’t believe this…” he snapped, voice sharp with bitterness.Delilah’s expression hardened. She moved closer to him, her heels clicking quietly on the floor, stopping just a few feet away.“What
Hours passed before Thalia finally opened her eyes.The room was dim, the single light above her casting a warm, low glow over everything. The scent of disinfectants clung to the air, sharply and coldly. Machines hummed quietly. A faint breeze slipped through the slightly open window, stirring the edge of the curtain.Thalia’s eyelashes fluttered, her eyes moving beneath them as she regained her consciousness. She let out a tiny sigh from exhaustion. A deep, soul-crushing exhaustion that seemed to settle into her bones.She blinked slowly, her vision clearing, and the first thing she saw was George.His head rested on her hand, fingers wrapped around hers as if he feared she would slip away the moment he let go. His hair was messy and his eyes were swollen even in sleep. His shoulders were trembling slightly, like even while resting he was still fighting something inside him.“George…” she whispered.His head snapped up instantly, eyes widening with relief and fear mixed together.“Ba
“Thalia…” Rosy whispered, the name barely escaping her lips.But Thalia didn’t reply. Her vision blurred, the walls tilting, the ceiling spinning, and the voices fading around her. One moment she was standing, the next her knees buckled beneath her and her entire body gave out. She collapsed, like someone had unplugged every cord holding her to life.George reached the corridor that exact second. The moment he saw her falling, everything inside him tore apart.“Lia!” he shouted, sprinting to her, dropping to the floor beside her. His voice cracked, shaking violently as he tapped her cheek. “Lia, look at me...Thalia!”But she didn’t move, her eyelashes fluttered and her eyes remained shut.“Help!” George yelled, his voice booming through the hospital. “Somebody help!”Nurses rushed over immediately. They lifted Thalia gently and wheeled her into the VVIP ward the moment they confirmed her condition. George followed until they blocked him at the door.“Sir, please wait outside. We need
Eliana’s eyes snapped open as the faint buzz of her phone cut through the quiet of her bedroom. She groaned, burying her face into the pillow for a moment before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. Her phone vibrated insistently on the table lamp beside her and with a reluctant sigh, she reached for it, yawning as she pressed the green button walking inside the bathroom to answer the call.“What?” Her voice was low, rough from sleep, and she ruffled her hair with one hand.On the other end, a deep, thick voice spoke, slow and deliberate. “I have… bad news and good news, ma’am.”Eliana’s eyes narrowed instantly. Her casual demeanor hardened, her gaze darkening as she straightened, gripping the phone tighter. “Spill it,” she commanded, her tone sharp, and she sounded so impatient.The voice hesitated for a second, then delivered the words with a chill precision that made her blood run cold. “I shot Thalia’s daughter instead of Thalia herself. It’s all over the news now.”He







