MasukIt didn’t take long.Barely a few minutes passed before the sound of fast footsteps echoed through the back lot. Heavy, furious, wild. Camilla stood up quickly, her eyes flicking toward the corner.Theo appeared.His chest was rising and falling fast, like he had sprinted the entire way. His hair was a mess, his face pale, his eyes wide with something between rage and pure terror.The moment he saw me—His expression cracked.Not into sadness.Not into fear.But something darker.“Sofia!” he shouted, storming toward me.I barely had time to stand—Camilla’s hands were still on my back—before Theo reached us.He didn't slow down, didn't hesitate. The raw, violent shock of seeing his face contorted by something so cold hit me before his hand did.He grabbed my throat with a speed and ferocity that stole my breath instantly. His fingers dug deep into the sides of my neck, cutting off my air and pinning me against the cold brick wall behind me.“How could you, Sofia? How could you!”The wo
Arzhel’s eyebrows pulled together the moment he saw my face. Camilla stepped closer, her eyes scanning me like she was trying to understand why I looked like I had been ripped open.“Sofia… what happened?” Camilla asked, her voice soft but urgent. “Why are you on the ground? Where’s Martha? Where—”I couldn’t speak.My throat felt tight, my chest crushed. I lifted a shaking hand, pointing in the direction the car had disappeared. My finger barely stayed steady. My whole body felt weak, like my bones couldn’t hold me up anymore.Arzhel turned his head sharply, following where I pointed. “What is it? Sofia—talk to us. What happened?”I opened my mouth, but the words broke apart before they came out.“Mar…” My breath trembled. “Mar—tha…”Camilla’s eyes widened immediately, her hand flying to her mouth. “Where is she? Sofia—where is Martha?”“She—she—” My breath hitched, my voice barely a whisper. “They… took her.”Everything inside me spun. My vision blurred. The world tilted.Camilla gr
I held Martha’s small hand tightly, my fingers curled around hers as if letting go for even a second would shatter everything. She was talking softly to her bear, swinging our connected hands back and forth, completely unaware of the storm brewing inside me. I kept my face calm, my smile gentle, my voice steady—every expression carefully measured, every word chosen like it mattered more than breathing.Theo thought I was scared.He thought I was following.He thought he was in control.But he didn’t know the truth. He didn’t know how long I’d been planning this. How many nights I sat awake, staring at the ceiling with panic twisting in my chest, realizing that the only way to protect my daughter was to disappear. Not temporarily. Not halfway.Completely.And the only way to disappear… was to make Theo believe I was choosing him first.We slipped out of the line slowly, almost casually, right as Theo’s phone rang. He turned his back to answer it without thinking, without suspicion, ass
The day finally arrived.Two weeks had passed since the chaos, two weeks of planning, waiting, and keeping everything tight. Every detail had been checked and double-checked. My private jet was ready on the tarmac, engines humming quietly in the cool morning air, a symbol of escape and safety.Martha bounced beside me, small hand gripping mine tightly. Her excitement made me smile despite the knot in my chest. She had no idea how heavy this move was for me—or for Sofia.“Daddy,” she said, eyes wide, “Mommy is coming too?”I glanced at Sofia, who was standing near the luggage, her face carefully neutral. I could see the tension in her jaw, the way she shifted from foot to foot. This wasn’t just a trip for fun. Every step, every move, was for her safety—and for Martha’s.“Yes,” I said gently, squeezing Martha’s hand. “Mommy is joining us.”Martha’s face lit up. “Yay! I can’t wait!” She giggled, spinning a little before planting herself back by my side.Sofia’s expression softened for a
Sofia guided Camilla deeper into the living room, their voices dropping to low whispers the moment the door shut behind them. I watched them for a second—just long enough to make sure Camilla wasn’t about to lunge back at me again.But I didn’t follow.I didn’t care enough to listen.Their voices were muffled anyway—soft, shaky, full of whatever excuses, panic, or nonsense they wanted to spill out. Camilla’s trembling tone. Sofia’s calming one. Two people trying to clean up the mess they created.I had better things to do.I had bigger problems than whatever they were whispering about behind a closed door.I glanced back toward the hallway. Martha’s door was cracked open, her small face peeking out, eyes wide and worried.I lifted a hand, motioning gently.“It’s okay, Marth,” I said softly. “Stay inside. I’m coming.”She nodded and slipped back into her room.Good.The last thing she needed was more chaos.I turned away from the living room—away from the fading murmurs of Sofia and Ca
I walked down the hall, each step heavier than the last.All that anger… all that noise… and underneath it, the only thing that mattered was the small, quiet sob coming from Martha’s room.I stopped at her door.For a second, I just stood there, hand on the frame, letting the guilt settle thick in my chest. Then I pushed the door open slowly.She was on the bed, knees pulled to her chest, face buried in her hands. Her shoulders shook with every quiet cry.“Marth,” I said softly.She flinched at my voice.That hurt more than anything Sofia had said.I stepped inside, careful, slow, like approaching something fragile.“Hey,” I murmured, kneeling beside the bed. “Look at me.”She didn’t.So I tried again, gentler.“Martha… I’m sorry.”Her crying slowed—just a little—but she still didn’t lift her head.I let out a breath, rubbing a hand over my face.“I shouldn’t have shouted at you,” I said, voice low, honest. “You didn’t deserve that. None of this is your fault.”She sniffled.I reached
By Friday evening, the house was quiet again. The kind of quiet that pressed against your skin, heavy and restless.Martha had fallen asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. I stood beside her bed, brushing a few stray curls from her forehead. Her breathing was soft and even, the rise and
Downstairs, I could hear him moving. The scrape of a chair against the floor. The sound of water running in the sink. The low hum of him existing where he shouldn’t.I hated how easy it was to picture it—him standing in my kitchen like it belonged to him, sleeves rolled up, hair falling into his ey
Theo kicked the door shut behind him with the heel of his boot, the final thud echoing too loudly in the space Camilla had just vacated.“She doesn’t like me,” he said casually, like we were talking about a barista who got his name wrong.I didn’t answer. Just took a long drink from the latte that
A week and two days passed in a blur.It was Monday. Work had finally resumed, and today was the big day—the art auction I’d been planning for weeks. I was supposed to go to the studio early to help set things up and make sure everything was perfect.Arzhel hadn’t spoken to me since the night he pr







