Elijah’s POV“I can’t,” she muttered. “You don’t get it. It’s not just Isabelle. There are people… dangerous people… people she’s tied up with.” Her voice broke, and she looked up at me for the first time, her eyes brimming with fear. “If I talk, they’ll come for me. For my family.”I studied her for a long moment, trying to figure out how much of that was true and how much was fear clouding her judgment. “You think staying silent will protect you?” I asked in a firm voice. “Isabelle isn’t going to stop. You know that. If you don’t speak up now, she’ll bury you along with anyone else who gets in her way.”She shook her head again, more desperately this time. “I don’t want to cooperate. You don’t understand… they’ll kill me before I even get the chance.”“Zoey, look at me,” I said, leaning forward, my voice commanding. “This is your chance. You can either be a pawn in Isabelle’s game, or you can help take her down. If you don’t, I’ll make sure you’re the one who gets blamed for all of
Sophia’s POVI stepped into the hospital lobby, exhaustion clinging to my every step. Work had been brutal—Morgana was on one of her impossible streaks again, firing off demands that even a team of magicians couldn’t pull off. But as always, I was trying to meet them, bending over backward to please her as our high-profile client. But right now, none of that mattered. All I could think about was Chris.My gaze darted around, looking for my mom, and I spotted her standing near the information desk, her face softening when she saw me.“Mom,” I called out, walking quickly toward her.She turned and opened her arms, pulling me into a quick hug. “Sophia,” she said softly, patting my back before pulling away. Her eyes scanned my face, relief and concern reflecting there. “I’m glad you’re here. I was just about to head up to see Chris.”“How’s he doing today?” I asked, even though I already knew. I’d been in touch with the doctors, but somehow hearing it from her always made it feel more re
Emily’s POVI fluffed the pillow under Chris’s head, gently lifting it to give him more support. He winced slightly as I adjusted him, and I immediately paused, worried I’d hurt him.“Too much?” I asked, biting my lip as I hovered over him.“Nah,” he replied, flashing me a playful grin despite the pain flickering in his eyes. “Just giving me an excuse to complain more. I might just stretch out this whole injury for a few extra pillows and more time with you.”I chuckled, shaking my head. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”“Yeah, but you love it,” he teased, his grin widening.I couldn’t help but laugh at his antics. I glanced down at him, wondering how he could be so cheerful when he was clearly in pain.“You seem pretty happy for someone who was just in a hit-and-run with a truck,” I said, half-joking but genuinely curious.Chris leaned back, his eyes twinkling with a mixture of humor and something deeper. “Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise,” he said softly. “I mean, look at what
Sophia’s POVThe house was quiet when we walked in, a calm serenity hanging in the air that I hadn’t felt in a long time. As soon as we stepped inside, I saw Elijah waiting for us in the living room, his tall frame silhouetted against the window. “Hey,” he murmured, stepping forward to meet me. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me into his warm embrace.I buried my face in his chest, inhaling his familiar scent. “Hey,” I whispered back, my voice muffled. It was just a single word, but it held so much—relief, gratitude, love. We stood like that for a moment, holding on to each other, before I pulled away slightly, feeling the soft tap of a tiny foot against my arm.The nanny had been standing a few feet away, cradling Roxy with her gentle, practiced ease. She smiled softly as she approached and handed my baby girl to me. My heart melted the second Roxy's tiny face turned towards me, her chubby cheeks pink and her little mouth forming a sleepy pout.“Hi, sweetheart,” I cooed, gently
Emily’s POVIt felt like I had been holding my breath for hours, my chest constricting with fear and uncertainty. But as Elijah's words sank in—We’ve got her—I finally let it out, slow and shaky. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady my nerves. When I opened them, Sophia was next to me, her arm slipping around my shoulders. “It’s going to be okay, Emily,” she whispered. I nodded, not trusting my voice. And then, as if sensing the shift in the room, little Roxy let out a happy, gurgling sound from Sophia’s arms, her tiny face lighting up with a smile. That innocent, joyful noise broke through the tension, and for a moment, everything felt… lighter.I looked down at Roxy, and despite the chaos in my mind, I couldn’t help but smile back at the baby. She didn’t know about the darkness we were fighting. She didn’t know how much pain and chaos Isabelle had caused. She just radiated pure, uncomplicated joy.But the reality of the situation snapped back into place, and I turned to
Emily’s POVI sat quietly on the bench, staring at the still surface of the pond. The park near the hospital had become my escape, a place where I could think. I took a deep breath, the crisp air filling my lungs, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the thoughts of Antoine and Isabelle. How did it come to this? How had I let myself get caught up in their twisted lives?I closed my eyes, the regret heavy in my chest. I wished I had never met either of them. But then, despite everything, my mind drifted to Jared, my sweet baby boy. He was the only light in this dark and tangled web. He was my absolute joy, my everything. Without Antoine, I wouldn’t have him. And for that alone, I couldn’t completely hate him.I let out a sigh, watching the gentle ripples across the pond as the breeze caught the surface. I had no idea how I was supposed to feel. It was all too much, too overwhelming.Suddenly, as if my thoughts had somehow summoned him, I sensed a presence beside me. I turne
Elijah’s POVWhen I walked into the cold room of the prison, the first thing I saw was Isabelle sitting at the table, her usual smug expression on her face. Her confidence radiated through the glass, but I knew better. Beneath the surface, she was rattled, even if she was trying her best to hide it.I sat down across from her, leaning back in my chair, keeping my expression neutral. I didn’t need to play her games.“Elijah,” she said, her voice dripping with that haughty arrogance I knew all too well. “Come to gloat? Or is this another one of your pathetic attempts to feel like a hero?”I didn’t bite. “I just got some good news,” I started, my tone steady. “You can’t bail out. Not yet, at least.”Her smile faltered for just a second, barely noticeable, but I caught it. She quickly regained her composure, flipping her hair back, like she had no care in the world.“Oh, please,” Isabelle scoffed. “This is just temporary. Do you honestly think I’ll stay locked up? My connections—”“Won’t
Elijah’s POVIsabelle’s mask of composure shattered, her eyes darting to the side as if searching for an escape. She recovered quickly, forcing a smirk back onto her face, but I had already seen the fear flash in her eyes.“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. I leaned back, crossing my arms, the smallest smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “Is that so?” I asked, keeping my voice calm, controlled. “Because it seems like they’ve been quite busy lately. Hiding out, keeping their heads low. I’m sure you’ve noticed. And I heard that the Scarlet Shadows could even be the one helping them here.” She glared at me, not responding right away, but the way her jaw tightened told me I was on the right track. She wasn’t going to make this easy, but I didn’t need her to.“Funny thing,” I continued, casually as if discussing the weather. “Authorities are cracking down on the Scarlet Shadows—every major player is being tracked. It’s only a matter of time before Henry and Julia sli