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Chapter 18: Extraction - Part 2
publish date:
2026-01-24 00:27:59
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The Night Before Christmas Chapter 174: Epilogue
Aria's POVSeveral Months LaterSoft morning sunlight filtered through the large hospital windows, bathing the private maternity suite in a warm golden glow. Beyond the glass, snow-white clouds drifted lazily across a bright blue winter sky, while the city below carried on with its usual rhythm, unaware that inside one quiet room, an entirely new life had just begun.The faint scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, softened by the fresh lilies Jane had placed on the windowsill only an hour earlier. The steady beeping of medical monitors blended with the occasional laughter drifting through the corridor, creating a strange but comforting reminder that this place held both endings and beginnings every single day.Today belonged to a beginning.I lay against the raised hospital bed, exhaustion pulling gently at every muscle in my body. My arms still felt weak, and my entire body ached from the long hours of labour, yet none of it seemed important anymore.Not when I heard the tiny crie
The Night Before Christmas Chapter 173: New Beginnings - Part 2
Aria's POV (Continuation)By the time we returned home, the afternoon sun had begun sinking towards the horizon.The apartment felt alive the moment we stepped inside.Laughter echoed from the living room.Hailey and David had transformed several sofa cushions into what appeared to be an elaborate fortress.The moment they saw us, both children abandoned their construction and ran towards us."Mummy!"Hailey threw herself into my arms.David stopped slightly behind her before smiling shyly."I helped build it.""I can see that."Desmond looked around dramatically."I suppose we don't need furniture anymore."David grinned."We're defending the castle.""Against who?"Hailey answered immediately."Imaginary dragons."Desmond nodded thoughtfully."Very dangerous.""They are.""We'd better leave the experts to it then."The children laughed before racing back towards their game. I watched them together. Just weeks earlier, David had carried fear in every expression.Now he laughed freely
The Night Before Christmas Chapter 172: New Beginnings - Part 1
Aria's POVAs the applause inside the Whitmore Group auditorium slowly faded behind us, I stood for one last moment in the lobby beneath my father's portrait.Morning sunlight streamed through the glass facade, illuminating the polished marble floor beneath my feet. Employees passed by carrying files and tablets, returning to their daily routines now that the uncertainty surrounding the company had finally ended.Life moved forward. Perhaps that was the greatest gift time offered after tragedy. It never stood still.Desmond came to stand beside me, slipping his hand into mine."You've been looking at him for quite a while."I smiled softly without taking my eyes off the portrait."I was just wondering what he would have said if he were standing here today."Desmond followed my gaze."I think he'd be proud."The words settled warmly inside my heart. Not because I needed reassurance, but because somewhere deep inside, I believed him.I nodded once before turning away."Come on."He smil
The Night Before Christmas Chapter 172: The Legacy
Aria's POVThe Whitmore Group headquarters looked exactly the same. Yet everything felt different.I stood beside the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city from the executive floor and watched the morning sun reflect against the surrounding skyscrapers.The building had once represented everything that was never mine. My father's dream, my inheritance, and my future.For years, every mention of Whitmore Group had reminded me that I never belonged.Today, for the first time, it reminded me of something else.Home.The sound of footsteps drew my attention. I turned.Elliot entered the office carrying a leather folder. Behind him walked Jane, Caroline, Desmond and several company lawyers.The atmosphere felt serious.Important.Not because of legal documents, but because of what they represented.Closure.Elliot stopped beside the conference table and placed the folder carefully on its polished surface.For several moments, nobody spoke. The silence carried its own weight. I knew
The Night Before Christmas Chapter 171: Judgment Day
Third Person's POVThe courthouse stood beneath a clear morning sky. For the first time in months, there was no storm. No rain. No darkness hanging over the city.Yet the atmosphere outside the building felt heavier than any thundercloud.News vans lined the streets. Journalists crowded behind security barriers. Cameras pointed towards the courthouse entrance. Reporters spoke into microphones while photographers fought for the best position.Everyone had come to witness the same thing.The end.For years, rumours, disappearances, fraud, manipulation and murder had remained hidden beneath carefully constructed lies.Today, the truth would finally become public.Inside the courthouse, security was tighter than usual. Uniformed officers occupied every corridor. Federal investigators moved quietly between courtrooms. Legal teams reviewed documents one final time.Nobody wanted mistakes.Not today.This case had become too important.Too public.Too significant.At precisely nine o'clock,
The Night Before Christmas Chapter 169: The Family Heals
Aria's POVThe apartment felt different.For the first time in what seemed like forever, nobody was running. Nobody was hiding. Nobody was investigating another crime or preparing for another confrontation.Peace had finally arrived.I stood beside the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city as morning sunlight flooded the penthouse.The view looked brighter than usual. Perhaps because I was finally looking at it without fear. The past few weeks had felt like a lifetime.Helina was gone. Fabien was behind bars. Aviel had finally been arrested. The lies that had controlled so many lives had finally collapsed.Yet standing there, I realised something surprising. Victory did not feel the way I imagined it would.There was no overwhelming celebration. No sense of triumph. Only relief.A deep, quiet relief.Behind me, laughter echoed through the apartment.I turned.Hailey raced across the living room while David chased after her, carrying a toy aeroplane. The two children had become
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