LOGINAnna's POV "Annie, our son is back with me," Marcus said, his voice carrying through the speaker with a slight tremor I'd never heard before. I clapped my hand over my mouth to muffle the sob threatening to escape. Sophia was sleeping peacefully in the bassinet, and I couldn't risk waking her. Tears streamed down my face unchecked as Marcus adjusted the camera to give me a better view of our son. "Is he—" My voice cracked. "Is he okay?" Marcus nodded, his expression softening as he looked down at Benedict. "He had a mild case of pneumonia, but it's clearing up well. The doctor says he'll make a full recovery." My throat constricted like someone had wrapped a steel wire around it. Pneumonia. My newborn had been sick, and I hadn't been there to comfort him. The weight of my failure pressed against my chest until breathing felt like pushing against concrete. "I hired the best pediatric specialist and a professional nanny," Marcus continued, seemingly reading my thoughts
Marcus's POV My eyes locked on the small bundle in the gunman's arms. Every heartbeat felt like thunder in my ears as I stared at what Id risked everything for-my son, my blood, the living proof of Anna's and my love. "Who knows if this is actually Marcus's child? We should check," Torres muttered cautiously beside me. I ignored him, my focus unwavering. The armed men surrounding us raised their weapons, but they might as well have been holding toy guns for all I surged through me like wildfire. "Hand him over," I commanded, my voice glacial. Oliver stood beside me, his eyes blazing with reluctant acquiescence. I understood his frustration—we'd spent two months orchestrating this trap for Doyle, only to let the bastard walk because of my son. Doyle limped forward, his wounded leg dragging slightly. The smug satisfaction in his eyes made my fingers itch for a trigger. The weight of my son in my arms sent a rush of emotion through me-joy tangled with fury. Benedict was s
Oliver's POV I drummed my fingers against the polished table, scanning the faces of the five family representatives gathered in this isolated meeting room. Torres sat at the head of the table, his meticulously trimmed beard twitching slightly as he outlined Marcus Murphy's European business territories. "Gentlemen, our alliance has flourished under Mr. Murphy's leadership," Torres declared, his voice echoing off the navy blue walls of our Atlantic coastline hideaway. "The question now is how we proceed given recent... uncertainties." A chill slithered down my spine. These "uncertainties" were carefully chosen words to describe Marcus's supposed death. Only Torres and I knew the truth. The conference room door crashed open with such force that the crystal glasses on the sidebar rattled. Doyle strode in, flanked by armed men with semiautomatic weapons trained on us. My blood froze when three of our supposed allies immediately stood and crossed to Doyle's side. "Gentlemen," T
Anna's POV My heart skipped a beat. My fingers shook as I took the phone, afraid to hope yet unable to stop myself. When his face appeared on screen-that face I'd feared I'd never see again— something inside me shattered. Tears spilled down my cheeks in hot, unstoppable streams. "I'm sorry for making you worry again," Marcus said, his voice warm and familiar through the speakers. His eyes were clouded with guilt. I tried to respond, but my throat constricted painfully. All I could do was shake my head vigorously, tears flying everywhere. I knew I looked terrible-red-faced and snotty-but I couldn't control it. Every fear, every sleepless night, every moment of despair since Benedict's kidnapping crystallized into those tears. "Don't cry. I have good news-your son is here," he said urgently. "I swear I'll bring Benedict back without a scratch. Trust me." The news hit me like an electric shock. My son was alive. My tears only fell harder, my breath coming in ragged gasps. T
A ghost of a smile crossed his face. "At least I'm finally not just a supporting character in your life." I fell silent. The irony wasn't lost on me, but I couldn't find the energy to respond. My mind remained fixed on Benedict, my missing piece. As I left Logan's room, my phone buzzed with another update from Rachel. The car used in the kidnapping had been found, stripped and abandoned. Another dead end. Another thread of hope snipped away. The winter sun cast long shadows across Skylake District as Clayton pulled up to the entrance of Shaw Estate. I stared at my family home through the car window, feeling nothing but a hollow ache where my heart should be. Seventy-two hours had passed since Benedict was taken. Seventy-two hours of hell. "We're here, Ms. Shaw," Clayton announced quietly, his usual professional tone softened with concern. I nodded mechanically and allowed him to help me from the car. My body felt simultaneously weightless and impossibly heavy as I move
Anna's POV The detective's face told me everything before he even opened his mouth. Three days of searching, and the defeated slump of his shoulders spoke volumes. My fingers dug into the hospital blanket so hard my knuckles turned white. "Ms. Shaw," he began, removing his hat, "we've found the man who stabbed Mr. Porter and took your son." For one breathtaking moment, hope bloomed in my chest. "And Benedict?" The detective's eyes dropped to the floor. "The suspect was found dead in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. He'd been shot execution-style." The air in the room suddenly felt too thin. My lungs strained against my ribs as I forced myself to breathe. "And my son?" My voice sounded foreign to my own earshollow and distant. There was no sign of the infant at the scene." Each word hammered another nail into my composure. The killer's death meant our strongest lead to finding Benedict had vanished. The person who could have confirmed George Simpso
Anna's POV William Murphy had insisted I sit beside him at the head table rather than join my mother at her assigned seating. This special treatment wasn't lost on anyone present. "This child needs proper nutrition. She must eat more," William announced, gesturing to a server. "Don't make her f
Anna's POV I took a deep breath, one hand unconsciously moving to my still-flat stomach. Tomorrow, I'd go to the hospital for official confirmation. For now, this would be my secret—a fragile, precious thing I needed to protect. "Miss Shaw?" Lily's voice interrupted my thoughts. I spun around,
Anna's POV I arrived at Murphy Estate just as the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the manicured gardens. The sprawling mansion with its imposing facade looked quieter than usual-the winter chill had driven even the most dedicated groundskeepers indoors. Walking past the empty gazebo, I f
Anna's POV Fifteen days of physical therapy had finally paid off. My shoulders no longer screamed in protest with every movement, and I could button my own blouse without wincing. I checked my watch—7:45 PM. Kieran Green was already forty-five minutes late to our dinner meeting. The luxurious p







