Se connecterAnna’s POVThe air was thick with tension, almost solid enough to choke us. The estate courtyard had become a battlefield, though no one had fired yet. Every step, every glance, was loaded with danger. My stomach fluttered with fear—not just for myself, but for the twins, kicking inside me as if they could feel the threat hovering in the air.Sam’s hand squeezed mine, steadying me. His jaw was tight, his eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. Victor Hale stood alert, muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike. My father… he looked pale, unsteady, and yet determined—his entire being radiating the fierce energy of a man who had survived battles far darker than this.And my uncle… Harold Carter. He had stopped, frozen in disbelief, as he looked toward the distant hill. The sniper—someone who looked exactly like my father—was still standing there, calm, deadly, and watching us.My throat went dry. The twins kicked violently. It was as if they sensed something their mother couldn’t
Anna’s POVThe world went silent.Not the peaceful kind of silence—the kind that suffocates you, that fills your ears with the sound of your own heartbeat.My gaze stayed fixed on the documents in my uncle’s hands.Adoption papers.Forged.Or… were they?My fingers instinctively tightened around Sam’s arm. I could feel the tension in his muscles too. He was calm on the outside, but I knew him well enough now to recognize the storm brewing beneath.My uncle slowly closed the folder, tapping it lightly against his palm like a weapon.“Well?” he said softly.His voice echoed across the estate courtyard, where the chaos from moments ago had frozen in place.Guards.Victor.My father.Everyone was watching.Waiting.My throat felt dry.“You’re lying,” I said.The words came out weaker than I intended.My uncle smiled.“That’s the problem with truth, Anna. It always sounds like a lie when you first hear it.”My father suddenly stepped forward.“That’s enough.”His voice was sharp.Dangerous
Anna’s POVThe tension in the Carter boardroom had barely begun to dissipate when the next wave of threats hit. My phone buzzed again—another anonymous message. My hand trembled slightly as I opened it:“Your victory is temporary. The empire will not be yours unless you face me… in person. —H.C.”I felt a chill. H.C.—Harold Carter, my uncle—was not finished. He may have been detained last night, but he still had the means to strike. And I realized: this time, it wouldn’t be through proxies or legal maneuvering. He would come for us himself.Sam saw my expression and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Whatever he plans, we’ll face it. Together. You, me, your father, Victor—and the twins.”I nodded, my stomach tightening—not just from fear but from the twins’ movements. They were alert, almost instinctively aware that danger still lurked nearby.Victor Hale, ever silent until the moment mattered, spoke next. “We need a plan. If he wants a showdown, we meet him on our terms. Not h
Anna’s POVThe morning light barely touched the marina, but the tension from last night lingered like smoke in the air. My body ached from adrenaline and fear, yet my mind was sharper than it had ever been. Every thought, every heartbeat, was centered on the twins—and on survival.Sam stood beside me, eyes dark with determination. Victor Hale was across the dock, scanning the surroundings with meticulous precision. And my father… my father looked almost younger than I remembered, energized by the rush of finally reclaiming some control over the Carter empire.But peace was fleeting. I could feel it. The Carter board’s message last night had been clear: this was far from over.“Anna,” my father said softly, taking my hand, “the board will act today. Your uncle may be detained, but he still has allies. We need to move quickly.”I nodded, my stomach tightening. The twins kicked—a small, urgent reminder that every decision I made now carried more weight than ever.The Hidden ThreatSam’s
Anna’s POVThe shrill sirens tore through the night air, echoing off the water and metal docks. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might shatter my ribcage. My hands instinctively moved to my stomach, protecting the twins as if my own life no longer mattered.Sam’s hand found mine, gripping it tightly, steadying me. For the first time all night, his face showed clarity. The tension, the hesitation—it was gone. His eyes were sharp, cold, determined. And for the first time, I realized: he had never truly been the enemy.“They’re here,” Victor said softly, his voice low but commanding. “The police. The backup I requested weeks ago. They’ve been tracking your uncle’s financial crimes, and now… they have reason to intervene in person.”I blinked rapidly, trying to process everything. My uncle—the man who had spent my entire life scheming, manipulating, and threatening me—was suddenly vulnerable.Sam whispered in my ear, “Stay calm. Don’t move until I tell you.”I nodded, though my
Anna’s POVCold metal pressed against my stomach.The world seemed to shrink to that single point where the gun touched my body. My breath caught halfway in my chest, refusing to move any further. My hands instinctively rose, palms trembling slightly in the air as the guard tightened his grip on my arm.The twins.That was the only thought racing through my mind.Not the company.Not the inheritance.Not even the man standing in front of me who had spent years manipulating everything behind the scenes.Just the two tiny lives growing inside me.My uncle watched me calmly, almost thoughtfully, like a man inspecting an investment he had waited a long time to acquire.“Careful,” he said mildly to the guard holding me. “Those children are very valuable.”The words made my stomach twist.Valuable.Not precious.Not innocent.Valuable.Like property.Like leverage.My father’s voice exploded across the dock.“Take your hands off her!”Two guards immediately pushed him back, forcing him agai







