LOGINThe emergency room was loud and confusing, all bright lights and that sharp, clean smell of medicine. Devon stood right next to the doctor outside the room where they had rushed Ian. Devon’s bulletproof vest was still on, his face was smeared with dirt, but he didn’t even notice. He only cared about Ian.“How is he, doctor?” Devon asked, his voice rough and tired. He got straight to the point. “Look, will it be possible to do the surgery now? The one for the tumor? If we get him in right away, maybe we can deal with this head injury and the original problem at the same time.”Clarisse was right behind Devon, held up by Sarah, but she pushed forward when she heard those words. Her eyes were wide and fixed on Devon, completely shocked.“What was he saying? Tumor?” Clarisse asked, her voice breaking. Her world had already been shattered by the kidnapping and the violence, and now this, another terrible secret.
Devon, Arielle, and Elliot arrived at the police precinct, they were barely holding themselves together, but they had to know the truth. Richard Cage, Devon's father, was already there, pacing the floor of the private waiting room, his face a mask of sick, aging worry.They were quickly taken to a room where the lead detective was waiting. The evidence, the detective explained, was overwhelming. The anonymous caller’s video was rock solid. It showed everything.Devon watched the small monitor, his stomach churning. There was his own brother, Damon, standing back, his face hard and indifferent, watching the scene unfold. And there was Ava, his wife, taking the gun from Damon’s hand and calmly pulling the trigger on the accountant. It was cold, clinical, and completely horrifying.It wasn't just a crime, it was an execution.Then Ava’s parents arrived, ushered in by their high-priced lawyers. They looked like royalty who had just been thrown into the mud. The lawyers spoke quickly, tryi
Ian got home much later than he had planned. The hospital visit, the awful news, and that heavy, unexpected talk with Devon had taken all his energy, draining him down to empty. He walked into the living room and found Clarisse waiting for him, the dinner table already set for three. The girls, Hope and Lucia, were sitting patiently on the couch, watching a cartoon but ready for food.Clarisse rushed over to him, her face tight with worry. "Ian, you're late! Everything alright? You were only supposed to be out for a drive."He forced a weary smile, kissing her forehead. He held her tight, needing the feel of her more than anything in the world. He was a man, and he’d been told his whole life to bottle up his feelings, to be the rock that never moved. But standing here, knowing the time he might have left was a coin flip, knowing he might leave this incredible woman alone, he felt weak, completely exposed, like a raw wound."I’m sorry, love, I really am," he apologized, his voice sound
Devon was feeling completely frustrated, walking through the maze of the hospital's second floor. He had brought Nana in for her regular checkup, and now he was supposed to find the pharmacy on the other side of the building to pick up her special medications. He had taken a wrong turn somewhere, and now he was in a part of the hospital that felt cold and unfamiliar.He stopped, looking up at a sign that said, "Neurosurgery, Waiting Area 3." Great, he thought. Now I’m lost in the place where they cut open heads. He sighed, running a hand over his face. He hated hospitals, hated the smell, hated the silence that felt louder than noise. He just wanted to get Nana’s pills and get out of here, back to the clean air and away from all the sickness.He was about to turn around and walk back the way he came when he saw Ian Thompson standing frozen a few feet away, looking exactly where he shouldn't be, right in the middle of this quiet hallway.Devon walked toward him, a knot tightening in hi
Yvonne had been driving for what felt like forever, switching out of her own vehicle into a plain, older car her mother had cleverly arranged. The journey ended at a house, quiet and secluded, nestled right by the calm, gray water of a lake. She felt a shiver, a mix of fear and relief, as she killed the engine. This place looked like the end of the world, but for now, it was safe.She got inside quickly, locking the heavy door behind her. The house smelled faintly of dust and old wood, unused for a long time. Yvonne went straight upstairs where her mother had said she would find clothes. There, hanging in the small wardrobe, were simple, new clothes, tags still on them. She realized she was still covered in the stress and grime of running away. She needed a hot bath. She went into the bathroom, ready to clean herself, but saw there was only a dusty bar of plain soap. Her mother hadn't thought of everything, she realized with annoyance.Just as she was about to turn on the tap, she hea
At the Thompson house, Ian had just finished delivering the incredible news to Lucia."Daddy Devon called," Ian said, crouching down to Lucia's level. "And he wants Hope to come and live with us for a while. A long, long sleepover."Lucia’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. "For weeks? In my room?""For weeks," Ian confirmed with a wide smile. "So we need to make sure your room is ready for two princesses."Just then, Ian's phone buzzed with Devon's text: On my way. NOW. No time to talk, will explain when I get there. Don't worry, it's good news. Just be ready.Ian looked at the urgency of the message. Devon was acting like an operative running a covert mission. “Why is he coming here, didn’t he just meet Clarisse, and he was to bring Hope the following day” Ian thought. This intrusion with Devon, was this something he was going to have to deal with regarding Devon?”Ian looked up as a powerful black S







