POV: HENRY
“I… I regret it, my love.” Mia suddenly lunged forward, trying to hug me.
A groan of pain escaped when she pressed against my abdomen.
Before I could react, Lauren noticed and grabbed Mia’s arm with force, her nails digging into her skin.
“He’s injured, you damn witch!” Lauren shouted, shoveling her hard.
Mia stumbled to the side, caught off guard, but her expression quickly twisted into pure hatred.
“Henry, your bandage.” Lauren’s voice wavered as she noticed the blood spreading through the dressing.
I looked down and saw the red stain growing. A wave of dizziness hit me, and I took an unsteady step back, bracing myself against the hospital bed.
Lauren moved quickly, gripping my arm and helping me settle back onto the bed. Mia tried to step forward, but Kate b
POV: LAURENA few minutes later, in the room, Kate was helping me change clothes. Her hands were quick but careful, always holding my arm whenever she noticed my involuntary trembling. I still felt weak and shaky, as if I could collapse at any moment. My chest still ached, my stomach was in knots, and fear pulsed through every thought.The baby was nestled in the crib next to the bed, sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of all the surrounding chaos, breathing calmly, his little face relaxed. His sweet scent—that unique smell of a newborn—washed over me, soothed me, and, in a way, gave me the strength to keep going.A soft knock on the door interrupted the tense silence in the room.“Come in,” I responded, adjusting the fabric of my blouse. My voice still sounded quieter than usual, tired, but steady.When Henry walked in, my brow automatically furrowed. He was carrying a few shopping bags, and his expression, usually controlled and serious, now held a rare mix of discomfort and un
POV: LAURENMy eyes filled with tears. A knot tightened in my throat, and I felt my chest expand with a different kind of warmth.“Henry…” I whispered, completely moved.He looked at me with firmness and tenderness, then turned back to face Kate, as if he wanted to make it clear that there was no room for doubt.“But that won’t make Theodor, Alice… or this little one here… any less my children,” Carter stated proudly, puffing out his chest slightly, his eyes filled with truth. “Blood doesn’t define a bond. Presence, care, protection… that’s what makes me a father.”No one dared to say anything for a few seconds.It was impossible not to love him. Impossible not to admire him.Even with all his toughness, his steady gaze, and the control that seemed unshakable… in that moment, he was only mine. And everything about him—his strength, his silence, his protection—embraced me completely.“Henry… I love you,” I declared, my voice choked but sincere, and a smile appeared on my lips for the f
POV: LAURENHenry stayed silent for a few seconds. I could feel his breath close to me, but he didn’t move. I couldn’t bear to meet his eyes, so I looked down at the baby and kept gently rocking him, trying to hold back the flood of emotions that was suffocating me.“I shouldn’t have put myself at risk…” I whispered, swallowing hard, my throat raw from holding back tears. “I shouldn’t have let everything spiral out of control. He’s just a baby, Henry…”Henry took a deep breath, as if trying to contain something inside himself. His strong hands gently held my shoulders, and his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that stole my breath for a moment. He was studying me. Analyzing me the way only he knew how—with that steady, cold gaze that was somehow still absurdly protective.Slowly, he turned his gaze to the baby in my arms. His eyes trac
POV: LAURENThe social worker raised an eyebrow and looked me up and down, with a cruel judgment in her eyes.“Does he really?” she shot back, her tone sarcastic and dry. “That’s not what I see.”“How dare you?” Kate stepped forward, her finger pointed, her body trembling with outrage. “You have no idea what this woman’s been through! What she’s lost! How dare you judge her like that?”The woman didn’t even flinch. She kept her posture straight and her gaze condescending, as if she were dealing with just another administrative issue.“I don’t care,” she replied, with absolute coldness. “I’m not here to listen to emotional stories. I’m here for this baby. And my job is to ensure he has a real chance at a future.”“In the system?” I asked, my voice co
POV: LAURENKate nodded with her jaw clenched, her expression determined. But she didn’t hold back from asking what had been circling in my mind from the beginning:“And what about Ethan?” Kate raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed over her chest. “Do you really think he’s going to believe that his own wife kidnapped his ex-wife’s daughter to pretend she was hers? Especially if he’s involved in this. We have no guarantee he’s clean.”I lowered my eyes, feeling that pain in my chest again. It was like a constant pressure, a punch that never stopped.“I know,” I murmured, my voice weak, exhausted from so much crying, from overthinking everything. I brought the back of my hand to my eyes, wiping away the remaining tears. “But right now, that doesn’t matter. I’m not going to wait for Ethan’s moral judgment. I’m not going to a
POV: LAURENEmpty.It was the only word that defined what I had felt since they took my daughter. A hole inside me—cold, dark, suffocating. Nothing filled it. Nothing calmed it.I couldn’t react. I didn’t want to see anyone. Not Theodor, not Henry.Especially not Henry.Because looking at him was like facing the reflection of my failure. And it hurt.It hurt so much that my body trembled just thinking about it.How could I have let her be taken?How did I allow them to rip my baby from my arms?I failed.As a woman.As a mother.Even so, Henry came every day. Despite my protests, my screams, my anger, and the words I threw at him to push him away… he never backed down.He would lie beside me. In silence.He simply… held me.Wrapped me in his strong, warm arms and let me cry on hi
POV: HENRYKate remained still for a moment. Her gaze shifted between hurt, frustration, and helplessness. But in the end, she nodded with a tense, silent gesture.I turned around and walked toward the surveillance sector, guided by the directions the head of security had sent me. Every step felt heavy against the cold hospital floor. My heart pounded in my chest, and my breathing fluctuated between control and the edge of collapse.As soon as I reached the room, I pushed the door open forcefully without announcing myself. The room was dark, lit only by dozens of monitors showing different angles of the hospital. The tension in the air was almost tangible.I entered with a straight posture, exuding authority. Lucian quickly caught up and positioned himself beside me in silence.I stopped in front of the screens, my eyes locked in place, unblinking.“Show it now,” I ordered, my voice firm, low, and laced with anger. “No delays. Show me everything.”The operator swallowed hard and start
POV: HENRY“Henry?” I heard Lucian’s voice behind me—tense, heavy with warning. He walked into the room with a deeply furrowed brow. “Kate’s at the door. And she’s furious. She wants answers. She says Lauren isn’t doing well.”I ran my hands over my face, feeling the cold sweat trickle down my temple. My heart was in chaos, my mind at war.“What the hell am I supposed to tell her, Lucian?” I muttered, exhausted, my voice low and hoarse from holding back an explosion. “That the woman who was supposed to be in this room… vanished, along with our daughter?”The door burst open with a bang.“She vanished?!” Kate stormed in like a hurricane, her eyes wide, her face pale with rage and panic.“Kate, please…” Lucian tried to ease the tension, raising one hand in a calming gesture. “Give Henry a second…”“A second?!” she cut him off with a fierce shout, her eyes blazing. “We don’t have a second, Lucian! Lauren is trying to get out of bed; she’s restless! Her blood pressure is through the roof;
POV: HENRY“That man…” He took a deep breath, his voice catching. “He said he had contacts, resources… that he could destroy my career, ruin my life… he threatened my family, my children. I couldn’t take that risk...”“Believe me when I say…” I stated, my voice low and cold, nostrils flaring, jaw clenched. “No one in this damn country has more power than I do to end your life. And if you think that man could destroy you, it’s because you haven’t seen what I’m capable of yet.”I leaned in closer, and his breath hitched. Sweat dripped down his temples, and his eyes trembled, searching for an escape that didn’t exist.“Now talk.” I snarled in fury. “Where is my daughter?”“I… I don’t know.” He whispered, barely audible, his lips dry. “Honestly… I don’t know. A man… a nurse who wasn’t part of our team… he came into the delivery room wearing a badge… everything seemed fine… he took the baby and left before anyone questioned him.”My vision went black for a second.Lauren whimpered softly b