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I Was the Deal He Sacrificed 8
Noa’s POVFinally, Elias’s voice snapped through the room: “Enough.”The guards stepped back.Harper was sobbing. Her voice was weak, but her words still rang clear.“Please, Elias… Your nephew died. I was alone. You promised to take care of me. How could you do this to me?”His voice roared in return. “How could I do this to you? What the fuck did you do to Noa? To my twins? You psychotic bitch!”Harper laughed through her tears—bitter, manic. “I did what I had to do! You think I could survive in the Ward house without doing those things? Would you have even noticed me otherwise?”“Have I not protect you? Have I not promise you the Ward casino? Why can’t you just leave my Noa and the twins alone?”“You talk like you had a choice. But even I knew—everyone knew—if you didn’t have Noa, you’d be nothing. Your casino, your deals, your reputation? All because of her. And now you want to name Lila your heir? Please. If Noa doesn’t agree, you can’t do shit.”For once, I was almost impressed.
I Was the Deal He Sacrificed 7
Noa’s POVBy the time Elias’s wedding wrapped up, I was already long gone.Jose—my brother—had personally escorted me and the twins back home. We were officially back to the Bennet family.I’d grown up by the sea, raised in a loud, brilliant house in Los Angeles. My time in New York was never meant to be permanent. I only stayed because of Elias. I built a life for him, settled for him.But I’d always belonged here. Near the ocean and my family.Ever since I made up my mind to leave that selfish, arrogant bastard, I’d been planning how to do it right.Because Elias?He was the kind of man who would never let me go. Even knowing it was wrong to keep me under the same roof as Harper, even knowing how much it destroyed me, he still would’ve held on.So I had to disappear cleanly and permanently.Oddly enough, it was those thugs at the mall who gave me the idea. Elias didn’t hesitate to leave me behind that day. He didn’t even blink. I could’ve died in that alley, and he would’ve walked
I Was the Deal He Sacrificed 6
Elias’s POV“Elias—” Harper’s voice trembled as she clutched my arm, stopping me. “You can’t just walk away. This is our wedding.”The words were too familiar. I’d heard them again and again.“You said you’d take care of me.”“You knew I was hurting.”“You said you’d give me a child. A Ward child.”And finally—“Please, just tell everyone we’re getting married. I don’t want Lila to be called a bastard.”Had I given Harper too much?Maybe.And this time, her words didn’t land.The only thing that mattered now was finding Noa. Finding my twins. Even if all that was left were bodies—I needed to bring them home.“Let me go, Harper.” I shook her off and stepped away from the stage.She clung tighter. “Elias, I forbid you to leave now!”I turned slowly, stunned.How had I not seen her clearly until now?So needy and entitled and selfish.She’d heard about the video and she still forbid of me saving Noa?“I said let me the fuck go.” My voice was cold and final.But Harper only shook her head,
I Was the Deal He Sacrificed 5
Elias’s POVToday was supposed to be my wedding day with Harper.I’d taken care of her ever since my nephew died, protecting her and keeping her safe.Harper said it was her dream—to have a Ward baby. To honor my promises of protecting her, I gave her the child she wanted.But I didn’t think I did anything wrong.In my mind, all I was doing was granting her wish and fulfilling an obligation.After Lila was born, Harper started talking about marriage.She didn’t want her daughter labeled a bastard.And I agreed. Once again, it was just for honoring the promise of taking care of her.Today, everything was going smoothly. The church was packed. The music soft and golden. Harper looked radiant in the white gown I picked for her, practically floating down the aisle like a dream.It was all exactly how she wanted. Perfect.We stood at the altar, facing each other, exchanging vows and rings.I slid the band onto her finger. She smiled, glowing.And just as the priest opened his mouth to prono
I Was the Deal He Sacrificed 4
Noa’s POVAt first, it was just posturing. Then one of them squinted. Recognition clicked. "Hey… you’re that casino guy from TV, ain’t you?"And just like that, the stakes changed."A couple hundred ain’t gonna cut it now," the thug sneered. "We know you got cash. You’re rich. Let’s see how generous you really are."Elias stiffened. "We don’t carry much cash," he said carefully. "How about I call my assistant? They’ll bring the money."Then he pointed—to me."My wife can stay with you while I get the cash."My blood ran cold. He pointed at meThe thug leader laughed, low and dirty. "Your wife?" He looked me up and down like he was inspecting a piece of bruised fruit. "You’re kidding. Dressed like that? Looks more like a stray you picked up."Elias frowned. “She is my wife, just check the news. And if I don’t come back, you can… do whatever you want with her."The thug checked the news and confirmed my identity, smiling wider at me, flashing those rotten teeth. “Alright, let your wife
I Was the Deal He Sacrificed 3
Noa’s POVI scooped them up in my arms and carried them back to the guest house and ordered the butler to call a doctor.The doctor arrived quickly, "The girl's condition is poor but manageable. The boy’s… it’s worse. He’s malnourished and showing signs of emotional trauma. I suggest spending time with him. He needs stability. Love."I nodded.Later, as Tessa dozed off with Milo curled against her, the doctor gone, I sat there in the dim light, piecing together the nightmare they’d lived through.From Tessa’s whispered confessions, I learned the whole truth.The day Harper moved into the master bedroom was the day my children lost their safe world. They were banished from their rooms. Locked away in the basement. Fed scraps, beaten with slippers, threatened into silence.All the while Harper played the doting stepmother in public—and Elias, blind idiot that he was, worshiped her like a saint.When the twins tried to tell him, he hadn’t believed them. Why would he? Harper was pure. Swee
I Was the Deal He Sacrificed 2
Noa’s POV"I’m here, my babies." I dropped to my knees, reaching out. "Did you miss Mommy?"Tessa scrambled into my arms, clinging to me with a sob that shattered my heart.Milo trembled where he sat, his tiny body shaking. Tessa smiled at me, “Mommy. Daddy said you were never coming back.” Her voice wobbled on the last word."Mommy, are you here to take us away?" Tessa asked, “Miss Harper said if we left this room, she’d get really mad and tell Daddy to throw us out."That bitch. Guest in my house—and she dared treat my babies like this?I gathered them both into my arms, holding Tessa’s tiny hand and cradling Milo against my chest.I carried them to the master bedroom—the one that used to be mine—and headed straight for the bathroom. They needed a bath. Real clothes.The master bathroom had the giant marble tub, big enough for both of them to soak in clean water for once.As I set Milo down gently and told Tessa to hold him, something caught my eye.The wedding photo. Elias and Har
I Was the Deal He Sacrificed 1
Noa’s POVI was kidnapped by my mafia husband’s rivals—and he didn’t rush to save me. Wait for me, he said. He was too busy looking after his dead nephew’s wife, Harper. So I waited. Days turned into weeks, then months. Nearly a year passed before I finally got tired of waiting… and escaped on my own.The second I stepped into the Ward mansion, I knew something was wrong.Streamers hung from every window. Champagne glasses clinked. Laughter drifted on the spring breeze. It was a party. A one-month celebration. For a baby girl named Lila.I watched, frozen, as Elias, my husband, and Harper, his nephew’s wife, swept into the courtyard, hand in hand. The crowd erupted in cheers, clapping like trained seals. In Harper’s arms, dressed in a froth of pink lace, was a newborn. It must be Lila.Harper wore white—a soft, dreamy thing that made her look like an angel. Elias matched her, an all-white suit clinging to his tall frame, his hand protectively on her back.Elias lifted his champagne g
