Tanggal publikasi:
Julia — First-Person POV
I didn’t sleep that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Ava’s face.
Smiling.
Watching.
Waiting.
The rain had stopped hours ago, but the silence inside the estate felt heavier somehow. Too quiet. Too still. Like the house itself was holding its breath.
Beside me, Alan slept lightly, one arm wrapped around my waist while our son rested in the crib near the bed.
Safe.
At least he should’ve been safe.
But my mind wouldn’t stop replaying Kai’s words.
Someone broke into the prison medical archives.
Why?
What could possibly matter now?
Ava was gone.
Convicted.
Locked away.
So why did it feel like her shadow was stretching back into our lives anyway?
I carefully slipped out of bed, trying not to wake Alan.
The second my feet touched the floor, his voice broke through the darkness.
“Where are you going?”
I froze.
“You were asleep.”
“I was pretending.”
I turned toward him slowly.
Moonlight filtered across his face, sharpening the tension already etched there. His eyes tracked me carefully, alert even half-awake.
“You should rest,” he murmured.
“I can’t.”
That answer seemed to reach him deeper than I intended.
Alan sat up slowly, rubbing a hand across his jaw before looking toward the crib.
Our son was still sleeping peacefully.
Lucky him.
“I didn’t want you worrying about this,” Alan admitted quietly.
“Too late.”
He sighed softly.
Then he stood and crossed the room toward me.
The moment his hands settled on my waist, some of the panic inside me loosened slightly.
Slightly.
“Talk to me,” he said.
I swallowed hard.
“What if she left something behind?”
Alan’s expression didn’t change.
That scared me more.
“What does that mean?” I whispered immediately.
His silence lasted too long.
My chest tightened.
“Alan.”
“We don’t know anything yet.”
“But you suspect something.”
His jaw flexed.
“Kai found irregular records from Ava’s last months in prison,” he admitted carefully. “Medical visits that don’t fully match official reports.”
Cold dread spread through me instantly.
“What kind of medical visits?”
Alan looked away briefly.
And suddenly…
I already knew.
No.
No.
“A pregnancy?” My voice cracked. “You think Ava was pregnant?”
Alan’s eyes snapped back to mine.
“We don’t know that.”
“But it’s possible.”
Another silence.
That was answer enough.
I stumbled backward slightly, my mind spinning violently.
Pregnant?
How?
When?
And why did this feel like the beginning of something terrible instead of the end?
“She never said anything,” I whispered.
“She wouldn’t,” Alan replied coldly. “Not unless it benefited her.”
Fear curled tighter in my stomach.
“What if the child is—”
“Don’t.” His voice sharpened instantly.
I stopped.
Alan stepped closer again, gentler this time.
“Whatever this is,” he said quietly, “I’ll handle it.”
But that was the problem.
Alan always handled things.
Controlled them.
Buried them.
And now I was terrified of what he might already know.
A soft cry suddenly broke through the room.
Our son.
I immediately turned toward the crib, relief flooding me at the distraction.
But before I could move, Alan reached it first.
And something inside me softened instantly at the sight.
The ruthless man feared by entire industries carefully lifted our baby into his arms like he was holding something sacred.
“You’re awake too?” Alan murmured softly to him.
The baby blinked sleepily.
Alan smiled faintly.
And for one dangerous second, my fear disappeared beneath love so overwhelming it hurt.
This was my family.
Mine.
No matter what shadows returned.
Alan carried him toward me before placing one careful hand against my cheek.
“You’re shaking,” he murmured.
“I’m scared.”
“I know.”
“What if Ava destroyed more than we realized?”
His gaze darkened slightly.
“Then I destroy whatever’s left.”
The intensity in his voice sent chills through me.
Not because I doubted him.
But because I believed him completely.
A sudden knock interrupted us.
Three sharp knocks.
At two in the morning.
Alan’s entire body tensed instantly.
So did mine.
Another knock came.
Harder this time.
Kai’s voice followed from outside the bedroom door.
“Alan.”
Urgent.
Dangerously urgent.
Alan handed me the baby immediately before moving toward the door.
The second he opened it, Kai stepped inside.
And one look at his face made my blood run cold.
“What happened?” Alan demanded.
Kai’s eyes shifted toward me briefly.
Then back to Alan.
“The prison called,” he said quietly.
My heart stopped.
Kai swallowed once.
“Ava’s gone.”
