The next time I woke, I was in an unfamiliar room.Soft, golden light filtered through the curtains, casting long shadows across the walls. The air smelled of antiseptic and fresh linen. My body ached, a dull, pulsing pain radiating from my side, but the sharp agony from before had dulled to something more manageable.I turned my head slightly and found Leon sitting in a chair beside the bed. His elbows rested on his knees, his hands clasped together, as if heโd been keeping vigil for hours. His shirt was wrinkled, stained with my blood. His face was unreadable, but his eyesโdark and stormyโheld an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.โYouโre awake.โ His voice was quiet, but there was no mistaking the relief in it.I swallowed, my throat dry. โWhere are we?โโA safe house,โ Leon answered, leaning forward. โOne of mine. Dorianโs securing the perimeter. You needed medical attention, but a hospital wasnโt an option. Too risky.โI nodded slowly, my mind still catching up. The last
The world came back into focus slowly, like a dim light piercing through heavy fog. My ears rang, my limbs felt heavy, and my mind was swimming. But Leonโs voice cut through it all, rough and frantic.โMargarette. Margarette, stay with me!โPain pulsed through my shoulder as I blinked, registering the warm, sticky sensation of blood soaking through my blouse. But I was alive. Alive.โElise,โ I rasped.Leonโs jaw was tight as he leaned over me, his eyes frantic with emotion. โSheโs gone. Dorian chased after her. You're going to be okay. Just hang in there.โโIโm fine,โ I murmured, trying to sit up.Leon gently pushed me back. โNo. You're not fine. You were shot, Margarette.โโIโve been through worse,โ I said, forcing a smile, though it came out as more of a grimace. "We need to finish this. No more running."He looked like he wanted to argue, but instead, he nodded and helped me up, careful not to jar my shoulder.We moved together down the hallway. Every step hurt, but adrenaline dull
The smell of cinnamon and warm bread wafted through the air as I stood in the sunlit kitchen, stirring a pot of soup with one hand and resting the other protectively over my growing belly. Outside the window, the sound of laughter echoed from the garden where Leon chased after our two childrenโEmilia, now three, and our spirited one-year-old, Julian. Their giggles bounced off the walls like music.Peace.For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, I could breathe.It had been a year since Eliseโs arc endedโsince we put an end to the nightmare that stole my parents and nearly took my life. The trial that followed felt like a bad dream, and with Dorianโs testimony and the evidence from my fatherโs study, Eliseโs crimesโalong with her father's legacy of corruptionโwere buried with their conviction.Leon and I moved on. We rebuilt our lives, one moment, one breath at a time.And now, as I stirred soup with the ease of a mother content in her routine, I was preparing to share somethin
We visited Havenmoor two weeks later.The air was different thereโsalt-kissed and vibrant. The islandโs green heart stretched wide with wild palms and flowering trees. A gentle wind rustled the leaves as we stepped onto the sand. Liana and Mateo were already running toward the waves, laughing as the tide splashed their feet.Leon held my hand as we walked up a narrow path toward the bluff where our future home would be built.โItโs beautiful,โ I whispered, unable to hide my awe.โItโs yours,โ he said. โOurs.โA local contractor met us at the site, showing us the blueprints. I could already picture itโLiana perched at the window seat with a book, Mateo in the garden chasing butterflies, the sound of waves echoing through our open windows.โThis room will be for the baby,โ Leon said, his voice lower now, reverent. โFacing east, so the sunlight comes in every morning.โI didnโt speak for a moment. Instead, I turned to him, tears threatening to spill. โYou thought of everything.โHe brush
The next few days were filled with packing and preparations for the move. The kids were excited about the idea of living in a new place, and their enthusiasm helped ease some of my doubts. I watched them run around the house, laughing, playing, as Leon and I sorted through our things. They were so innocent, so unaware of the complexities of the world we lived in. I wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.By the time we were ready to leave, I felt a sense of peace settle over me. It wasnโt about abandoning anyoneโit was about creating a future for us, a future where we could heal, grow, and be free from the shadows of our past.The private jet that Leon had arranged for us was waiting, and the twins couldnโt contain their excitement as we boarded. The journey felt surreal, like something out of a dream. We were starting over, building a new life, and for the first time in a long while, I felt hopeful.When we finally arrived on the island, it exceeded all our expectations.
Life on our secluded island had settled into a serene rhythm. Leon and I spent our days basking in the joy of raising our three children, the twinsโLiam and Lilaโand our newborn, Isla. The island, a paradise of golden sands and lush greenery, had become our sanctuary, far removed from the chaos of our past lives.๎One tranquil afternoon, as I lounged on the veranda watching the twins play by the shore, a distant speck on the horizon caught my eye. Squinting against the sun's glare, I realized it was a small boat, rowing frantically toward our island. My heart quickened. Visitors were unheard of here. Leon, noticing my unease, emerged from the house and followed my gaze.๎The boat drew closer, revealing two figures aboard. As they reached the shallows, a man leaped out, pulling the vessel onto the sand. He turned toward us, and recognition struck me like a bolt.๎"Riley?" I called out, disbelief evident in my voice.Riley's face was etched with exhaustion and fear. Beside him, a woman
One Month LaterPeace. Real, actual peace.It settled on our shoulders like a soft shawl, wrapping us in warmth weโd long forgotten existed. Riley and Angela decided to stay on the island for a few more weeks to heal, but soon they were talking about moving to a quieter part of Europe to start fresh. With Victoria behind bars and no more shadows to run from, they deserved that clean slate.As for usโฆ we were starting to dream again.Life slowed into soft routines. Mornings began with giggles from Liam and Lila as they climbed into bed with us, demanding pancake breakfasts and treasure hunts on the beach. Islaโour tiny, perfect miracleโwas thriving, always cooing and gurgling, her smile lighting up the room.And then came the moment.I was standing in the garden behind the cottage, barefoot on the grass, Isla napping in a basket under the shade while the twins dug in the sand nearby. Leon came out, holding something behind his back.โClose your eyes,โ he said, grinning.I rolled mine a
The days that followed Victoriaโs arrest felt like exhaling after holding our breath for far too long. Riley and Angela stayed on the island for a while longer, though it was clear they needed to forge a new chapter of their own. Angela had begun smiling again, truly smilingโwithout fear shadowing her eyes. Riley, too, softened. He built sandcastles with Liam and Lila, cooked with Leon, and talked with me late into the evening, often about forgiveness and starting over.And just like that, they left. Quietly, one morning, before the sun rose. A handwritten note on the kitchen table read:"Thank you for giving us this time, this place, and this chance to be free again. Weโll never forget it. Love, Riley & Angela."I folded the note and placed it in the drawer beside my bedside table, next to the ultrasound photo of our third child.Yes, our third. I was five months along by thenโround and glowing, Leon would say, with that teasing smirk of his. Truthfully, I felt more like a sleepy, wa
The rain was falling again.It always did on days like thisโdays that felt like endings.I stood on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the stormy waters of Anacortes, my coat pulled tightly around me, the hood shielding my face from the wind that carried the scent of salt and something olderโsomething like goodbye.Leon stood behind me. I didnโt have to turn around to feel him there. His presence was familiar now, carved into my skin like muscle memory. Heโd been my gravity, my storm, my salvation, and my ruinโsometimes all at once.โItโs really over, isnโt it?โ I whispered, more to the wind than to him.He didnโt answer right away. His silence was as heavy as the stormclouds above us.โI wanted to fix everything for you,โ he said finally, his voice hoarse, like it had been dragged across a battlefield. โI wanted to give you a life that didnโt hurt.โI closed my eyes. The ache in my chest pulsed with every beat of my heart. โYou did,โ I said. โFor a while, you did.โI heard the crunch
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. โIโm not the same person I was before,โ I said, my voice firm, unwavering. โAnd Iโm not walking away this time.โThe manโs eyes flickered with a moment of doubt, just enough for me to catch. And then, before I could even register what had happened, Leon moved.Faster than I could blink, Leon was in front of me, his hand grabbing the gun and twisting it out of the manโs grasp. The force of it sent the man stumbling back, but he didnโt go down easily. His bodyguards rushed in, but Leon was already a step ahead, disarming one of them with a swift, calculated move.I stood frozen for a moment, trying to process what I was witnessing. Leonโalways so calm, always so carefulโwas ruthless. He was like a force of nature, determined to protect me at all costs.But the fight wasnโt over yet. The man recovered, his eyes burning with rage. โYou really think youโve won?โ he spat, his voice dripping with venom. โYouโre nothing but a pawn in a game you canโt ev
The sound of boots drew closer, pounding the floor with an urgency that echoed through the cavernous halls of the estate. My heart raced as the reality of what I had just heard crashed into me like a tidal wave. The man who had once been a part of my lifeโmy familyโs betrayer, the one who had orchestrated their deathsโstood there, calmly, as if this was just another night for him.Leonโs grip on my hand tightened, but I didnโt let him pull me away. I could feel the air thickening with tension, the walls pressing in as everything I thought I knew began to crumble.The intruders were only moments away.The manโheโsmirked, watching us. โYou think this will end well? Youโve no idea what youโre up against. My people are everywhere.โI took a step forward, ignoring Leonโs silent plea to retreat. โYou killed them. And you thought I would be the next one to fall in line?โ My voice was a whisper, but it held a power I hadnโt realized I had. โYou were wrong.โThe manโs face faltered, just for a
Next Morning at the Estate Archives. The basement was cold and damp, and the air smelled of mildew and secrets. Old boxes lined the walls, labeled in my fatherโs tidy script. Financial records. Land deeds. Correspondence.Leon sifted through a crate of documents while I dug through another.Then something caught my eye.A faded folder labeled: Project Thornfield.I opened it slowly.Inside were blueprintsโplans for development across coastal land that was supposed to be protected forest. There were signatures from multiple board members, including names I recognized.And then, one I didnโt.N. Vallis.Leon leaned over. โYou know that name?โI shook my head. โNo. But look hereโhe signed off on the project two weeks before my parents died.โLeon pulled out his phone. โIโll run a background check.โI kept flipping through the documentsโand found something that made my blood run cold.An aerial photo.Of the cliffside. Our property.With a giant red X drawn over the coordinates where my p
THREE WEEKS LATER...The investigation moved faster than Iโd expected. With the board fully on our side now, the paper trail unraveled like a thread pulled from an old sweaterโeach piece of evidence exposing the next. Shell companies. Forged contracts. Witnesses who had remained silent out of fear but were finally coming forward.Still, no one had seen him since the day of the summit. He had vanished without a trace. No flights. No offshore activity. No messages. It was like heโd disappeared into smoke.But Dorian didnโt believe in ghosts. โHeโs hiding,โ he said as he handed me a thick folder. โAnd thisโthis will force him out.โI flipped through the documents. Bank records. A property registered under an alias. Hidden deep in the woods outside of Anacortes. I felt my stomach twist.Leon stepped up behind me, his hand grazing my shoulder. โLetโs pay him a visit.โThe cabin was barely more than a shadow tucked between trees. No lights. No car. Just silence and the thrum of insects in t
Sunlight crept cautiously through the cracks in the blinds, casting golden slivers across the hardwood floor of the safe house bedroom. I sat curled up on the edge of the bed, a blanket draped around my shoulders and the journal heavy in my lap. The cover was cracked, worn with age and secrets. My fingers hovered over the first page for what felt like an eternity.Leon was nearbyโhe hadnโt slept much, either. He stood at the window with a mug of black coffee, watching the world outside with quiet alertness. When I finally opened the journal, he turned slightly but didnโt speak. He knew I needed silence for this.The first entry was dated nearly two decades ago.July 14th. We signed the contract today. Two families, one future. The woman from Delmar Holdings is more cunning than I expected. She knows weโre desperateโand she used it. I told Mariana to trust me. That this was the only way. God help me, I hope Iโm right.My breath hitched. Marianaโthat was my motherโs name.I flipped thro
MARGARETTE'S POVBefore we could react, the door behind us burst open.Three armed men rushed in, dressed in black, their movements precise and rehearsed. Leon shoved me behind him, drawing his gun up in an instant. Dorian, who had been lingering near the entrance, took cover behind a cabinet, gun already out.โEliseโs father wasnโt bluffing,โ I breathed, my heart hammering. โHe had backup ready.โLeon fired the first shot, catching one of the intruders in the shoulder and sending him crashing to the floor. Chaos erupted. Dorian ducked low and returned fire, narrowly missing another attacker who retaliated with a spray of bullets that shattered the windows.I crouched behind an overturned table, the sound of gunfire drowning out my thoughts. The locket in my palm dug into my skin, its edges sharpโa painful reminder that I couldnโt afford to lose control now.โEliseโs father!โ I shouted to Leon. โHeโs escaping!โThrough the haze of smoke and broken glass, I saw the man slinking toward
The sound of footsteps pounding in the hallway was the last thing I heard before the door slammed open.I barely had time to react before a rush of armed men poured into the room, their eyes scanning every corner, landing finally on me. There was no mistaking the intent behind their cold stares.โGet down!โ Leonโs voice crackled through the earpiece again, but there was no time to obey. I couldnโt allow myself to hesitateโnot now, not when the truth was within reach.I raised my gun, my hands steady despite the chaos unfolding around me. I wasnโt going down without a fight, not after everything I had lost. Not after everything Eliseโs father had taken from me.Before the first man could react, I fired. The sound of the shot echoed in the confined space, the bullet finding its mark in the manโs chest. His body crumpled to the ground with a sickening thud, but the others didnโt hesitate. They moved in faster, their guns drawn, but I was ready.I ducked behind the desk, using it as cover
Dawn came in silver slivers through the cracks in the window. I hadnโt sleptโnot really. My mind was too loud, looping the footage over and over like a broken reel.Leon sat across from me at the table, sipping his coffee like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. Neither of us had said much since the footage. We didnโt need to. The truth had cut so deep, it didnโt leave room for small talk.But I had questions.And I needed answers.โHow long do you think heโs known I survived?โ I finally asked, voice hoarse.Leon didnโt look away from his mug. โLong enough to start covering his tracks. But he didnโt expect the locket to resurface.โMy hand instinctively reached for it. The locket was warm now, like it had absorbed my grief and fury. Inside was a picture of my mother and meโher arm around my tiny shoulders, her smile soft but tired. A photo I hadnโt even remembered until last night.โHe killed her,โ I whispered. โHe killed my father. For what? A project?โโNot just a project,โ