Prologue

Prologue

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.