Allison's POV.Two months had passed since that nightmare, and Jessica was finally where she belonged: back in prison. Turns out, she had escaped with the help of her five-star general brother, James. But justice had a way of catching up to people like her. She was given more life sentences, no chance of parole this time, and James? Stripped of his rank, kicked out of the military, and sentenced to 15 years behind bars. The news was the most satisfying thing I’d heard in a long time.And Viktor Romanov? He couldn’t take the heat. The torture got to him. He’d ended his own life rather than face more of what was coming to him. It was hard to feel anything for him, knowing what he’d done to me, but at least that chapter was closed.I was still healing, but at least I was on my feet again. Viktoh had given me a six-month leave, after everything I’d suffered, and I wasn’t about to argue. I needed the time away. Time to breathe, to heal, to focus on what truly mattered.And today, it was ti
Allison's POV.My chest tightened, but I forced myself to sit up straighter. She shouldn’t be here. "You’re supposed to be in prison," I said, my voice steady despite the flood of memories—memories of how she had turned my life upside down, destroyed everything I had with Williams, and left me broken in more ways than one.Jessica’s smile only widened, her eyes gleaming with malice. "I got out." Her tone was casual, like she was discussing the weather. She stepped closer, and I could feel the venom between us. This woman… she had ruined everything. She had turned Williams against me, manipulated him, and made sure I lost our baby that night when I ran through the rain, heartbroken. That accident had ripped my world apart, and Jessica’s hands were all over it.And even after I came back, stronger and more dangerous than before, Jessica hadn’t stopped. She had tried to kill me more times than I could count. The desperation in her had reached insane levels, trying to trap Williams with
Allison’s POVThe steady beeping of the machines was the only sound filling the room, but I couldn’t focus on it. The sharp scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, making the sterile hospital walls seem even colder. My body ached in ways I hadn’t known were possible, but I was alive. I was here.The door creaked open softly, and I turned my head. It took a second for my eyes to adjust, but then I saw him—Williams, standing in the doorway, looking at me with an expression I couldn’t quite place. Was it relief? Concern?He stepped inside, his movements tentative, like he wasn’t sure if he should be here. His gaze swept over me, taking in the IVs, the bruises, the bandages. I could tell he was trying to hold it together, but the tension in his jaw gave him away.“Williams,” I whispered, my voice was shaky and low. I watched as he came closer, his eyes scanning my face. There was something in his expression I hadn't seen before—a softness, a vulnerability. When he reached my bedside, I
Jessica's POV.“Jessica?”I smirked as his voice rang through the office, laced with confusion. He hadn’t expected this. He hadn’t expected me. I slowly pulled back the hood of my jacket, revealing my face. His eyes widened, disbelief washing over his usually composed expression."Surprised to see me?" I asked, my voice light, teasing. I watched him carefully, savoring every second of his stunned reaction. His jaw tightened, but he said nothing at first, his sharp gaze piercing into me like daggers."I was released last week." I gave him a coy smile, stepping further into the office, the click of my heels sounding in the silence. His office was just as I remembered it—cold, impersonal, like the man who sat behind the desk. But I wasn’t here for the decor.Williams’s face remained hardened, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—anger, or maybe it was disgust. Either way, I had expected it.“What do you want, Jessica?” His voice was firm, devoid of any warmth or welcome.
Allison's POV.I blinked against the sterile light filtering in through the window, the room coming into focus in slow, painful waves. My body ached, every inch of me reminding me of what I had been through. But the confusion in my mind was worse. I didn’t know where I was, or how I had gotten here. The hospital.The smell of antiseptic, the steady beeping of machines—it was unmistakable. I was in a hospital bed, covered in bandages, weak and barely able to move. I tried to piece together how I’d ended up here. The last thing I remembered was Viktor, his cold, merciless eyes glaring down at me as his men... My stomach twisted at the memory. The torture, the pain. It was all too vivid, too raw.How did I survive?I shifted slightly, wincing as the pain flared across my ribs. That’s when I noticed Mia, fast asleep in the chair beside me, her head resting awkwardly on the armrest. She looked exhausted, her hair messy, dark circles under her eyes. “Mia?” My voice came out hoarse, barely
Williams POV.The world outside the ambulance blurred as we sped toward the hospital. My heart was pounding, faster than it ever had before. Mia sat across from me, her eyes wide and focused on Allison’s frail form, but all I could do was hold her hand, feeling the warmth slowly fade from her skin.“Allison, hold on,” I whispered, more to myself than to her. Her chest barely moved, her breaths shallow and ragged. I gripped her hand tighter, my throat burning. I was losing her.Mia’s voice cut through the suffocating silence, soft but steady. “She’s strong, Williams. She’ll pull through.”I didn’t answer. The weight of everything bore down on me like a heavy stone pressing against my chest. Her bruised face was a reminder of what they had done. Of what I couldn’t protect her from. Every bump in the road felt like a countdown.As we reached the hospital, paramedics rushed to pull her stretcher out, shouting medical jargon I couldn’t understand. My legs felt weak as I at my side, but my