LOGINAdrian’s presence lingered like fire in the room, unrelenting, impossible to ignore. She had thought hiding would protect her, but now the truth was out, he knew her secret, and there was no turning back. “You can’t stay here,” she whispered, voice trembling. “If anyone sees us… if anyone finds out about the baby… it’ll ruin everything. My mother, Alyssa… they’ll hate me. You… you’ll be caught in it too.” Adrian stepped closer, dark eyes sharp and unreadable. “I don’t care what anyone thinks. What matters is you and the baby. That is all that matters. You’ve tried to hide, to run, to protect yourself, but you can’t do this alone. I won’t let you.” Jannah’s hands tightened over her stomach. “I have to leave. I need to go far away. You already know too much. If I stay, I’ll be forced to tell everything, and I… I can’t. Not yet. Not until Alyssa… until everything is safe.” He studied her carefully, expression unreadable. “So you think leaving will protect you? Running will only make
The apartment was quiet again, but Jannah could not calm her racing thoughts. Adrian’s presence lingered in her mind like a storm cloud she could not escape. Every second she stayed, the risk grew. Every breath outside her hiding place was a gamble. She sank onto the sofa, phone in hand, and began making lists. Travel documents. Money. Safe routes. Disguises. Every detail had to be precise. Mia watched silently, offering small reminders and warnings, but leaving the planning to her. “I need to leave in the next few days,” Jannah whispered, voice tight. “Before he discovers anything. Before anyone sees… before my family finds out. If they do, I cannot control what will happen. They’ll hate me, blame me, and I can’t let that happen.” Mia nodded. “Then we make it fast. Flights, passports, everything. We cannot afford a single mistake. You need to be gone before he even suspects the plan.” Jannah’s hand instinctively went to her stomach. She felt the baby, fragile and vulnerable, and
Jannah pressed her back against the wall, staring out the window at the quiet street below. Her mind raced, every thought circling the same terrifying truth. Adrian already suspected something. Every careful step she had taken, every moment of hiding, was now a fragile shield against discovery. If he found out, she shivered. Not just because of him, but because of the fallout. Her mother, her sister, Adrian’s family, they would all turn on her. Hatred would be swift and merciless. Alyssa might blame her entirely for the disruption, and their mother, who had always adored Alyssa, would never forgive her. Even Adrian’s family. They had always treated her differently, suspiciously. The birthmark she bore, the one they whispered was a sign of bad luck for the clan, had marked her as separate, lesser. They had never accepted her the way they did Alyssa. If the secret came out, she would be cast aside, despised, and blamed for everything. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach. The b
The apartment was quiet, a faint hum of the air conditioner filling the space. Jannah sat near the window, hands folded tightly in her lap, trying to make herself as small and inconspicuous as possible. Mia moved around the room, placing a few papers on the table, giving her space but occasionally glancing at her with concern. The quiet was broken by the faint sound of a car stopping outside. Jannah froze, chest tightening. Her eyes darted to the window. Adrian’s car. “He’s here,” she whispered, panic lacing her voice. Mia’s brow furrowed. “Stay calm. Don’t let him know you are here.” Jannah nodded, pressing herself closer to the window, her heartbeat hammering. She could see him now, walking slowly toward the building, glancing around, sharp eyes scanning the street. He moved with the same precision that always unnerved her, as if he could sense her presence without seeing her. Minutes felt like hours. Adrian stopped just outside, tilting his head as though listening for somethi
The bell above the cafe door jingled, and Jannah froze. Her pulse jumped before she even dared to look. Adrian. He stepped inside slowly, scanning the room, his eyes locking almost immediately on her. She felt as if the air had thickened, pressing against her chest. Every instinct screamed at her to vanish, to sink into the shadows, but she couldn’t move without drawing attention. He stopped at the counter, pretending to order, but his gaze never left her. That sharp, calculating look made her stomach twist. It was the same intensity she remembered from the wedding day, but now it was sharper, more searching, as if he was trying to read her very soul. She hugged her bag to her side, pretending to scroll on her phone, willing herself to appear calm, casual, like she belonged there. Then he moved, deliberately, taking a seat at the table across from hers, far enough that it looked coincidental, close enough that her heart thundered in protest. “You look tense,” he said, his
The morning sun poured through the curtains, warm but unforgiving. Jannah moved quietly through her room, careful not to disturb the floorboards that groaned with every step. Her bag was packed lightly, essentials only, clothes, documents, the little envelope of cash she kept hidden, tucked deep beneath the folds of the bed. Her heart thudded, not from exertion, but from the thought of Adrian being nearby. Every day since Alyssa returned, Jannah had learned a careful rhythm, avoid the main living areas when he was home, slip out for errands, and stay invisible whenever possible. Today was harder. She peeked through the curtain of her bedroom window. Adrian’s sleek black car gleamed in the driveway. He was outside, moving with that effortless precision that always made her pulse spike. She quickly drew back. Not today. Not today, she whispered. Her phone vibrated on the bedside table, a message from Mia confirming her next meeting and the final details for the prenatal check-up sh







