LOGINQUAN The doorbell rings, and I get up to answer it, giving Lia a reassuring glance. "It's the doctor, baby. I'll be right here." Lia's eyes flicker with hesitation, her hand instinctively going to her 5-month bump. I can see the memories flooding back – the kidnapping, the fear... I kneel beside her, voice low. "Hey, we don't have to do this if you're not ready. We can reschedule." She takes a deep breath, eyes locked on mine. "No, I want to do it. I need to know the baby's okay." I nod, squeezing her hand. "Okay. I'm not leaving your side." The doctor, a kind-looking woman with a warm smile, comes in and starts setting up. Lia's tense, her grip on my hand tight. I lean in, whispering, "Breathe, Lia. I'm here." The ultrasound starts, and Lia's eyes are glued to the screen. The doctor's expression is professional, but then she smiles. "Your baby's doing great, Lia. Want to know the sex?" Lia's eyes flick to mine, a hint of excitement. "Yeah, we want to know." The doct
QUAN I'm gently guiding Lia to the bathroom, helping her wash away the remnants of her ordeal. I hand her a soft towel, and she wraps it around herself, a sense of normalcy washing over her. As we retire to bed, exhaustion takes its toll, and she drifts off to sleep, wrapped in my arms. But the night has other plans. My arm tightens around her, sensing her distress. "Hey, it's okay," I whisper, voice low and soothing. "I'm here. You're safe." Lia's breathing is erratic, tears streaming down her face. "They're... they're still there," she whispers, voice barely audible. "They can't hurt you. Not now. Not ever." I pull her close, my warmth seeping into her chilled skin. "Tell me, baby. What's haunting you?" Lia's voice cracks. "The...the baby...what if..." My voice is firm. "Our baby's safe. We're safe. I've got you." I press a kiss to her forehead. "Sleep, Lia. I'll be right here." Her breathing evens out eventually, but I’m wide awake now. I stare at the ceiling,
QUAN The masked figure steps forward, removing his gloves with deliberate slowness. The room is frozen, waiting. "Quan," he says, voice dripping with amusement. "I've been expecting you." He steps into the light, a smirk playing on his lips. "You've been... enthusiastic. I approve." His eyes flick to Lia then back to me. "But you've interrupted the party. Unfortunate." He moves closer, confident. "You see, Quan, you're predictable. And predictable is manageable." He stops in front of me, tilting his head. "Now. Are you going to behave?" The air was thick with tension.The masked man's smirk widened, a cold glint in his eyes. "Ah, Quan. You think you're here for Lia don't you?" He steps closer, voice dripping with amusement. "The little plaything. Don Salve's pet wife. " My gut twists. The man's eyes lock to Lia. "Did she tell you about the baby, Quan?" The masked man's smile falters for a split second, and then he bursts out laughing. "Oh, Salve knows, doesn't he?
QUAN My anger has been simmering for two months, and it's about to boil over. Lia had not yet been found, and no one's talking. I've scoured this city, every dark alley, every shady contact, every inch of pavement. Nothing. She had vanished like smoke. My crew is avoiding me, and I don't blame them. I'm on edge, and they know it. One wrong move, and I'll snap. My control is frowning, and I'm not sure how much longer I can keep it together. I had gotten a tip earlier on. A trafficking ring is on the outskirts. It could be a lead or could be a dead end. I don't care. I'll chase anything right now. I slide into my car, the darkness swallowing me whole. The drive is a blur, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.If they're hurting her... I push the thought away. Can't afford to lose it now. The warehouse district is slowly coming up. Abandoned joints, shady deals, possible dead ends. I know the smell.The engine roars as I push harder. What if ... I won't let it play out. Sh
LIA I’m running. The hallway is dark. The door in front of me is half-open. I don’t want to look inside. But I’m already there. “On your knees.” The voice slices through the dark. I try to move. My feet won’t obey. Laughter follows,then silhouettes of men surround me. “They always pretend to have dignity at first.” My throat tightens. Inside the room, shadows move across the wall. I can’t see faces. Just shapes. “Look at me when I speak.” A muffled response. “Good girl.” The words echo, louder this time. I clap my hands over my ears. The door swings open fully, and the room is empty — except now I’m the one inside. Four silhouettes turn toward me. “You’re next.” I wake up choking. The darkness is real this time, and so is the pain in my chest. It takes me a second to remember where I am. Then it all floods back. The house. The booking. The hallway. The voices. I sit up, dragging air into my lungs. My hands are shaking badly. I
LIA I sit on the edge of the mattress when the lock turns again. My body tenses automatically. A different man steps in this time. He sets a tray on the table. “I’m not hungry,” I say before he can speak. “Doesn’t matter,” he replies. There’s rice. Meat. A bottle of water. The sight unsettles me more than scraps would have. “You should eat.” “I said I’m not hungry.” “Listen,” he says, lowering his voice. “You don’t want to start like this.” “Start what?” “They don’t like defiance.” My jaw tightens. “They hit me anyway.” His eyes flick briefly to my cheek. “That was a warning.” My stomach twists. I fold my arms. “And this is what? Kindness?” “No,” he says bluntly. “It’s survival.” “You’re pregnant,” he adds quietly. “I heard.” I hate that word here. It feels exposed. Weaponized. “So?” I challenge. “So starving yourself won’t hurt them.” “I’m not your enemy,” he mutters. “But I’m not your friend either. Eat. Don’t make yourself a problem. Pro
QUAN “I heard you finally saw the reality,” Quan’s voice cut through the quiet of Lia’s room before she even realized the door had opened. He leaned against the frame, casual as always, a half-burnt cigarette dangling from his fingers. The smoke curled lazily in the air, carrying with it the sh
LIAI said nothing.Salve’s hand was still heavy on my arm, his grip steady but not cruel. He didn’t need to be cruel. The weight of his words was enough. I forced myself to look away from the girl in the collar. Back to the glossy marble floors. Back to the people who glanced at us with envy, admi
QUAN The night was eerily quiet. I’d spent enough years under Dimitri’s wing to know quiet was just the pause before hell opened up. I’d been patrolling the back courtyard, trying to shake off the weight of my thoughts. Lia.Every time I saw her, I felt like I was walking into a storm I couldn’t c
QUAN Avoidance was easy. I’d been doing it all my life. You learn early, when you grow up in a family like mine, that silence is safer than words and distance is safer than touch. Keep moving, keep working, keep your hands busy, and nobody notices the thoughts you shouldn’t be having. Since tha







