Synopsis Katherine McQueen's world shattered when her father borrowed from Massimo Hollingsworth, a ruthless New York billionaire who commands the fearsome Hollingsworth dynasty. When Massimo arrived to collect his due, a tragic accident left him in a coma. Desperate and cornered, Katherine was forced into a marriage she never wanted. His powerful relatives plotted his death, certain he wouldn’t survive, eager to erase her as well by throwing her out once she becomes a widow. But Massimo did survive. When he awakened, the ice in his gaze was nothing compared to the fury in his heart. He recognized Katherine as the daughter of the man who orchestrated his accident. Hatred replaced reason. Cruelty became his weapon. “I heard you might be pregnant with my child already? Abort it. I don’t want a child from your wretched bloodline.” Devastated, Katherine fled, building a new life far from his shadow. But seven years later, fate played its cruel hand again. At a bustling amusement park, her brilliant young son, a boy who looked like a miniature Massimo, pointed to a man on stage. “Mom, why does that man look so much like me?” “Because he’s your uncle. But remember, never cross his path. He’s dangerous… he even threatened me while I carried you.” Yet her son was no fool. Taking matters into his own hands, he wrote a letter to Massimo. "You are my dad, but you terrified my mother while she was pregnant with me. What kind of father does that make you? I hate that I look so much like you. But guess what? I’ve come to stay and suffocate you.”
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At the bustling intersection of Ryan Theodore lane, chaos unfolded. A mangled car lay twisted in the center of the road, its shattered glass glinting under the harsh sunlight. Blood pooled beneath the wreckage. Around it, six bodies lay sprawled, lifeless forms painted in crimson. A crowd had gathered, murmuring in panic. “They're all dead!” a voice cried out. “No! Wait!” another shouted, rushing closer. “This young man and the pregnant lady, they’re still breathing. But barely.” “Then hurry! Get them to the hospital! They might still make it!” Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder until an ambulance stooped. Paramedics worked frantically, lifting the injured onto stretchers. The woman, barely conscious with her swollen belly, weakly searched around with her hands, eyes still closed. Her bloodied hand held the hand of the unconscious man beside her. At Athens Ohio Specialist Hospital, the emergency room was filled with panic. Doctors barked orders, nurses rushed in and out, and the two survivors were wheeled in. “Doctor!” A nurse's voice pierced the chaos. “The pregnant woman, she's going into labor!” A grim-faced doctor rushed to her side. “She’s too weak for natural delivery. Prepare for an emergency C-section.” The woman’s fingers trembled as she reached out, her voice a whisper. “My… my husband… and… baby.” “They will be fine, ma’am,” the doctor assured her, though his own eyes betrayed uncertainty. The woman was wheeled into surgery, her fading consciousness replaced by a swirl of cold, sterile lights above. Outside the ward, a woman in her fifties sat, a handkerchief pressed to her lips. Her expression was filled with grief, but beneath it, a subtle smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She stood up, slipping out of the waiting room with her phone pressed to her ear. "It's done. Halfway now," she whispered, her voice a serpent’s hiss. "Good. When the job is done, call me." The male voice on the other end was cold. She returned to her seat, barely masking the gleam in her eyes. Moments later, the door to the ward swung open, and a doctor emerged, wiping sweat from his brow. "Doctor! How’s my nephew and his pregnant wife?" she asked, frantically. "They’ve been stabilized. In fact, congratulations—his wife just delivered a baby girl… but prematurely," the doctor reported. "Oh…" Her lips twisted, feigning shock. "You can see the baby, but please, no disturbances," the doctor warned. In the ward, she stood over the unconscious woman. Leaning in close, her smile sharpened. "This is just the beginning, dear. The best, or worst is yet to come." She turned to the incubator where the tiny infant lay, her smile faltering for just a moment. "Sorry you’re caught in this game, little one. But sacrifices must be made." Weeks later, she stood in the doctor’s office, her tone venomous. "I want her memory wiped. Completely. As we agreed. And his too. But reprogram his mind. I want him molded to my will. Twenty million dollars if you can do it. Are you in?" The doctor’s face paled. "But… why, ma’am?" "Yes or no, doctor?" she snapped. He swallowed hard, greed overpowering his conscience. "Yes. For twenty million, I’m in. And the baby girl?" A cruel smile tugged at her lips. "Leave that to me. Just do your part." As the doctor left, she pulled out her phone again, a familiar voice answering almost instantly. "The job is completely done," she reported. "Perfect. Now, let the game begin," came the chilling reply.Chapter TwelveThe kitchen was warm, filled with the aroma of spices and sizzling oil. Pots clattered, spoons scraped, and voices rose in cheerful chatter. The maids were gathered in small groups, exchanging gossip and laughter as they moved about preparing the evening meal.But Katherine wasn’t laughing.She stood by the far end of the room, back straight, hands hidden in the folds of her apron. Her left palm clenched tightly around a single pill, small, white, and dangerous. Her fingers trembled.She swallowed hard, folding her clammy palms.Her heart pounded so loud she was sure the others could hear it. She tried to calm herself, but her eyes kept flicking toward the large pot humming softly on the cooker. That was her target."Just one drop," she thought. "One drop, and everything changes."“Katherine?”The voice snapped her out of her thoughts.She turned sharply.Standing by the kitchen door was Mariam Rachael. Her eyes were narrowed, arms folded as she leaned against the frame
Chapter Eleven Katherine swiftly shoved the file into the hidden pocket of her maid’s uniform just as the door creaked open, the very door she had made sure to lock minutes ago. Her heart skipped. It was Ma’am Racheal. She stepped inside with narrowed eyes, her gaze scanning the room like a hawk. “What are you doing locked up here all alone, Katherine?” she asked, voice low but sharp. “I waited for you to come out after Master Massimo stormed out of the mansion. But you never did.” Katherine clenched her damp palms into fists, forcing calm into her voice. “Ye—yeah, he told me to stay here… said I shouldn’t go anywhere until he came back.” Racheal nodded slowly, though suspicion danced in her eyes. “Alright. But are you okay?” She asked, noticing Katherine's nervousness like she was hiding something. “Yeah, I'm fine." Katherine said. Thank goodness her voice was steady this time around. Ma'am Racheal nodded. “I’ll bring you your lunch soon,” she said, her glance flicki
Chapter TenToday’s the day.Katherine had finally made up her mind to steal the document from Massimo’s room, the key to her freedom. After everything, she was done. Done with the mansion. Done with the games. Done with him.But now… she stood frozen before the man who had haunted her every waking thought.Massimo lounged on his massive bed like a king on a throne, exuding quiet, dangerous power. The same way he had two nights ago in the living room, when he had stopped her cold with nothing more than his voice, only to let her go when a call came in. She’d thought she was in the clear.Until Ma’am Rachael approached her earlier with a message.“He’s calling you.”And that’s how she found herself here in his room like a criminal awaiting judgment, her legs aching from twenty minutes of stillness, while he sat in silence typing away at his laptop. Occasionally, his gaze would flick to her, dark and unreadable, then back to the keys. No words. Just tension.Katherine’s mind raced. Mayb
Chapter NineKatherine and Ma’am Rachael stood beside the cab that would take them back to the mansion. The very place she had spent months trying to escape. Today, she was finally being discharged, and though it should have felt like a relief, Katherine felt the weight of dread settle in her chest.She’d been turning Uncle Ryan’s offer over in her mind for three days now, and she'd finally made up her mind: she would take the deal. Anything to be free of the suffocating grip of the Hollingsworth household.But one question refused to leave her alone: who was the third person Ryan mentioned? The one who'd known about her pregnancy? That single mystery was like a splinter under her skin. Still, one thing held her back. Thelma. Her heart ached at the thought of leaving her behind.“Make sure you get plenty of rest, Ma’am Katherine,” the doctor’s voice cut through her thoughts.Katherine blinked, grounding herself. She cleared her throat and managed a small smile. “I will.”Ma’am Rachae
Chapter EightKatherine blinked open her heavy eyes, her vision slowly adjusting to the sterile white ceiling above. The sharp scent of antiseptic stung her nose, and in that instant, she knew she was in a hospital.A groan escaped her lips as she tried to sit up, but pain shot through every fiber of her body, as if she'd been hit by a speeding train. Something wasn’t right. She felt… empty.Then it hit her.Her baby.Panic surged through her veins as she fumbled to rip the IV from her hand, her other arm flying to her abdomen. But before she could do anything else, a calm, familiar voice stopped her."Relax, Kath. You need rest. Your baby is okay," Ma'am Racheal said gently, stepping into her line of vision with a warm smile.She’d been there all along.Katherine let out a shakily. “Water.”Without hesitation, Ma'am Racheal helped her sip from a cup, then carefully adjusted her pillows to support her upright. She sat beside her, watching silently as Katherine drank with trembling han
Chapter Seven “Kath, I told you all week to see a doctor, but you wouldn’t listen. You kept insisting you were fine,” Ma'am Racheal said gently, supporting Katherine as she bent over the sink, vomiting yet again.Katherine rinsed her mouth and slowly turned to face her. Her eyes were puffy and red, her face pale. She’d been throwing up for days, and her once-slim figure now fuller was now hidden beneath oversized clothing. Ma'am Racheal had noticed she hadn’t worn her maid’s uniform in days, but until now, she hadn’t asked why.“I’m fine, Ma’am Racheal. Really. I don’t need to go to the hospital,” Katherine said, avoiding the older woman’s penetrating gaze.This girl thinks she can fool me, Ma'am Racheal thought, narrowing her eyes as she studied Katherine's trembling hands and tired face.“Is there something you want to tell me, Kath?” she asked softly.Katherine swallowed hard. Her heart pounded. The truth sat on the edge of her lips, burning to be released. If she told Ma'am Rache
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