LOGINA Few Months Laterfour months had passed since that horrific night — four long months of quiet peace, warmth, and preparation for the baby’s arrival.Julian had been found guilty of attempted kidnapping, assault, and violation of a restraining order. The court sentenced him to twelve years in prison without parole, his name plastered across every media outlet in disgrace. Since then, life had been mostly calm — except for Ava who was now seven months pregnant.Her pregnancy, had begun to take a dark turn. Her ankles swelled painfully, her fingers puffed up so much that she could no longer wear her wedding ring. Her blood pressure had become dangerously high, and she had frequent, blinding headaches that left her weak and nauseous.Now, the sterile white walls of the hospital room seemed to close in around her. Ava lay pale and exhausted on the bed, her once glowing skin now drained of color, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. The monitor beside her beeped steadily, each sound e
Ava’s heart pounded wildly, every breath sharp and ragged as she tried to make sense of what was happening. The restroom lights flickered again before going completely dark, leaving her surrounded by a suffocating silence. Her pulse raced. She could hear footsteps — steady, approaching. A deep, chilling voice broke through the darkness.“Miss me, Ava?”That voice. She froze instantly. Her throat tightened, her body trembling as panic clawed at her chest. She tried to back away, fumbling in the dark for her phone or the light switch, anything — but a rough hand suddenly seized her by the hair, yanking her backward.“Ah!” she cried out, but the sound was smothered by the man’s palm pressing against her mouth.“Don’t even think about screaming,” he hissed, his tone low and threatening. “You thought a court order would keep me away? You really thought I’d let another man raise my child?”Her body went cold. Julian.She couldn’t see his face, but she didn’t need to — she recognized that vo
It was a quiet, golden afternoon — the kind of day that felt like peace had finally come to stay. The garden behind the mansion glowed beneath the soft warmth of the sun, the faint scent of roses and freshly cut grass hanging in the air. Roman and Ava sat together beneath the white pergola, a bowl of mixed fruits between them, their laughter blending with the chirping of birds in the nearby trees.Ava tilted her head back, smiling as she watched a pair of small birds flutter past. “They’re so beautiful,” she said softly, her voice full of wonder.Roman grinned, plucking a strawberry from the bowl and handing it to her. “Not as beautiful as you,” he said with a teasing glint in his eye.She rolled her eyes and took a playful bite, but as she did, a loose strand of her hair kept falling into her face. “Ugh, this hair!” she grumbled, trying to pack it back into place, but the silky strands kept slipping from her fingers.Roman chuckled. “Here, let me help you,” he said, shifting closer.
Ava stood in the middle of Noelle’s living room, her hands shaking, her breath uneven. The television was still on, replaying the same headline that had just shattered her peace. Her heart thudded violently in her chest, and before she knew it, she was pacing back and forth like a caged animal.“What have I done to deserve this kind of torture?” she shouted, running her fingers through her hair. “What kind of sin did I commit that the world won’t just let me live?” Her voice cracked as tears spilled down her cheeks. Every step she took across the floor was restless, angry, and hopeless.Roman watched her silently for a while, his fists tightening at his sides. Then her phone began to ring again — Julian’s name flashing boldly on the screen. Ava froze, her eyes wide with panic. She couldn’t bring herself to answer it. But Roman could.“Give me that,” he said, his tone low and dangerous as he snatched the phone from the table and pressed the answer button.“Julian,” Roman said coldly. “
Roman arrived home late in the evening, his heart heavy with guilt and frustration. The exhaustion from the flight mixed with the chaos in his head made it hard to even think straight. The butler hurried forward to take his suitcases from him, bowing slightly as he greeted him.“Welcome back, sir,” the butler said politely, reaching for the luggage.Roman barely nodded. “Where’s my wife? Has she arrived?”The butler blinked in confusion. “Mrs. Knight? No, sir. I thought you both would be arriving together.”For a moment, Roman stood still, staring blankly at him. He didn’t even know what to say. A cold weight settled in his chest. “Just take my things inside,” he muttered eventually, voice low and rough.He climbed the stairs slowly, every step heavier than the last. Once inside his room, he pulled out his phone and dialed Ava’s number. It rang endlessly, then stopped. No answer. He called again. Still nothing. Just when he was about to throw the phone on the bed, a text message came
The black car rolled up the quiet, tree-lined street of Manhattan, the city lights flickering through the tinted windows like faint sparks. When the driver stopped in front of Roman’s townhouse, Ava didn’t move. The car engine purred softly, the sound blending with the distant hum of traffic. She stared through the glass at the building—Its sleek black door gleamed under the evening light, the same door she had walked through so many times before, laughing, arguing, sometimes crying. But now it felt foreign, almost hostile, as if it were staring back at her, daring her to come inside.Noelle glanced at her, then at the house. “Ava,” she said quietly, “we’re here. Let’s go in, yeah?”Ava shook her head. Her hand lingered on the door handle but she didn’t pull it. Her eyes stayed fixed on the house as if she was seeing every memory, every smile that had taken place there. “No,” she whispered. “I can’t go in there, Noelle.”Noelle frowned, confused. “What do you mean you can’t go in? Thi







