Ch-13

•~•Aziel’s POV

Time seemed to slow as the train's deafening roar filled my ears.

This was it. The end.

I closed my eyes.

In that suspended moment between life and death, memories rushed in like an old film reel—disjointed scenes of choices made and unmade.

My mother’s stern, disapproving face when I chose art over business. The morning the police came to report my father’s car explosion. The day we buried what was left of him.

The times Nathaniel and I were kids, and I was blamed—punished—for the things he did. The night of his accident.

And Irene… God, Irene. The only sweet and good memory among the rest.

Her laugh echoed in my mind first—light, warm, the way her eyes crinkled whenever she got all excited.

The first time she said I love you and how I felt like melted ice cream. Our first kiss—intense. The first time we had sex, and how shy she was.

I let out a sigh.

If I had another chance... if I could go back… Maybe I would have told her the truth.

That Nathaniel and I had switched places.

That I, Aziel Grant, was the father of her child—not him. That every time I looked at her, my chest ached with words I never dared to say.

Maybe, just maybe, I wouldn’t have let the fear of her hatred stop me.

I just wanted to live. I wished I could—just so I could see her again. Even once. Even if that was all I was offered.

But I guess it was too late.

At least, that’s what I thought—until I felt my collar being yanked.

My eyes snapped open just as I was wrenched away from the train tracks, my body slamming onto the rough ground—another body crushing against mine.

A deafening whoosh filled the air as the train thundered past, its force whipping dust into my face.

Pain bloomed in my ribs where I had hit the ground, but my heart… it punched against my chest like it wanted out.

I stared up at the dark sky, dragging in ragged breaths, struggling to believe I had just survived—almost being flattened like mashed potatoes by a train.

Whoa! I was still fucking alive.

Dominic's face swam into focus above me, concern etched into his young features as he crouched at my side.

His usually impeccable appearance was disheveled—sweat streaked his temple, and a smear of dirt marked his cheek.

"Mr. Grant! Are you hurt?"

I managed a shaky nod, my gaze shifting past him to the ruins of the old platform.

The figure that had stood there was gone, fleeing into the shadows along with my captors—scattering like roaches at the first spray of insecticide.

Dominic followed my line of sight, his expression hardening as he began to stand. "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?" My voice came out hoarse, barely more than a whisper.

"Those bastards," he spat, eyes locked on their retreating forms. "I need to catch one… at least one."

No.

The fear hit me harder than the near-miss with the train as realization struck—Dominic’s presence here could only mean one thing…My mother had decided to handle this privately instead of letting the police do their job like any normal person would.

And knowing Dominic, if he caught one of those men, he would hand him over to her without a second thought—his loyalty to my mom was that unwavering.

And she would make sure he suffered for daring to take part in my kidnapping—torturing him until he broke.

And when he did, she would learn the truth—That they hadn’t just kidnapped me at random.

They had actually been hired to abduct me.

He would name Zane Lancaster as their employer.

And with that, my mother would dig deeper—until Irene’s identity and her plans for our family were exposed.

No.

I couldn’t let that happen.

Not when protecting her was the one thing I could still do right.

Before he could fully stand, I grabbed his collar, yanking him back down. Desperation laced my voice as I rasped, "Don’t leave me here."

Dominic froze.

For a moment, uncertainty flickered in his eyes, his brows pulling together.

Damn it. He wasn’t convinced.

I quickly released his collar, my fingers clutching my chest instead. A sharp grunt tore from my lips as I hunched forward, my face contorting like I’d just been seized by pain.

"Mr. Grant? What is it?" Panic edged his voice as he dropped back to my side, his hesitation melting away. "What’s wrong?"

I groaned again, squeezing my eyes shut, making my breathing deliberately uneven.

If I had to fake agony to keep him from chasing after them, so be it.

"My chest," I gasped, pressing harder against it. My shoulders curled inward, my body trembling. "I can't… It's too much. I think… something’s broken." My voice came out weak, strained. "Please stay..."

Dominic hesitated. I could see it in his eyes—the battle waging inside him. Chase the men who nearly got me killed or make sure I didn’t actually die here?

I kept up the act, drawing shallow, rapid breaths, twisting slightly as if in unbearable agony while watching his face from beneath lowered lashes.

It worked.

"Shit!" Dominic cursed under his breath, his hand hovering hesitantly near my chest. "I’m calling for an ambulance. Just hold on."

I closed my eyes, relief flooding through me.

Irene, your secret is safe…

For now.