Chapter 1

...

The alarm's shriek tore through the night, like a jagged blade slicing my sleep.

I bolted upright, sweat drenching my pajamas.

The memory of flames devouring my flesh still seared my mind. Barefoot, I stumbled out of my room and collided with my sister-in-law, Hannah Watson, who was also woken by the alarm.

"What's going on? Did someone break in?" she stammered, her face pale.

It was worse than that.

"Safe room, now!" I grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the basement.

She froze. "No, my baby is upstairs in the nursery. I have to get him."

Only then did I remember the one-month-old Aldo Watson. He had been woken up by the alarm, and his cries echoed from the second floor.

Hannah trembled. "We've got security guards, right? They must be coming to check the noise. I need to get Aldo."

Despair hit me because my brother, Cole Watson, had taken every guard with him to escort his first love, Marie Banks, to watch a sunrise in the mountains.

Even the servants had been dismissed, leaving us utterly alone.

Footsteps thundered downstairs. I yanked Hannah into the bathroom and hid in the bathtub behind the curtain.

"Stay calm," I whispered. "The nursery has a steel door with a code lock. They can't get in easily. We need to stay safe first."

Hannah nodded and fumbled with her phone, pulling up the security feed. The grainy image showed the nursery door was being battered, and Aldo's cries grew louder.

Hannah's face crumpled, her maternal instinct warring with fear. But we couldn't call for help, with the intruders right above us. Any noise would give us away.

Aware of it, Hannah trembled as she texted Cole. [Come home! Vicky and I are in danger. Intruders are in the house.]

Like in my last life, Cole made a video call.

Hannah pressed the Answer button but quickly hung up, remembering my warning. She texted, [Can't talk. Hurry! They'll find us soon.]

Cole, realizing the gravity of the situation, asked where we were. Hannah told him everything.

His response came: [Stay put in the bathroom. I'm on my way with help.]

Hannah sagged with relief, but dread coiled tighter in my gut.