Mia's POV"Mia?" The voice was far away. Familiar but distorted.I tried to respond, but my throat was sandpaper. Where was I? What happened?"Mia, sweetie. Can you hear me?" Closer now. Mom's voice. But different. Strained.Slowly, I forced my eyes open. The fluorescent lights above were too bright. I blinked rapidly, tears forming as my vision adjusted."Oh, thank God." That was Scarlett. "She's awake."The room came into focus gradually. Hospital room. Machines everywhere. Tubes running from my arms. A catheter. The smell of antiseptic was overwhelming."What..." My voice came out as a rasp. "What happened?""Shhh." Mom's cool hand on my forehead. "Don't try to talk yet.""Kyle," I managed to croak. "Where's Kyle?"Mom and Scarlett exchanged a glance."Mia, honey, you need to stay calm," Mom said."My babies." Panic rose in my chest. "The twins. Where are they?""They're fine," Scarlett said quickly. "Both of them. Healthy and perfect.""How long have I been...""Three days," Mom s
Mia's POVI was finally strong enough to be wheeled to the NICU. The actual sight of my sons—not through a screen—overwhelmed me completely. They were impossibly small. Baby A seemed more active, his little fists waving. Baby B was quieter, more still."Can I touch them?" I asked the nurse."Yes, through the ports. But hygiene is crucial."I reached through the isolette opening for Baby A. His skin was warm, softer than anything I'd ever felt. When I touched his palm, his fingers curled around mine."Hi, baby," I whispered. "I'm your mama."The tears came then, pouring out."Careful," the nurse reminded gently. "We can't let any fluids inside the isolette. Premature babies have extremely compromised immune systems."I nodded, wiping my face with my other hand before reaching for Baby B. He was equally tiny, equally perfect."Have you thought about names?" the nurse asked."Not
Mia's POV"Congratulations," Dr. Ray said with a gentle smile, "you're pregnant."I blinked rapidly, trying to focus. Her smile never wavered as she guided my attention to the screen, pointing to two tiny dots pulsing in sync.“Twins,” she added. “You’re having twins.”Twins? I couldn't even grasp the reality of being pregnant. I had been so careful—so cautious. The pills Kyle had insisted I take every single day were supposed to prevent this. We had a contract—one that explicitly forbade a pregnancy. That was the deal, after all.“I… I’ve been taking the pills,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. My hands shook, and I placed them on the edge of the examination table, trying to steady myself.Dr. Ray glanced at me with a slight frown. “If you've been taking them regularly. Are you sure you've been consistent?”I hesitated, unsure. My memory was hazy. There had been moments when I had been distracted. “I…” My voice cracked, and I shook my head. “I’m not sure.”Dr. Ray’s expressio
Mia's POV Kyle walked out of the bathroom. I quickly turned away from his phone, my heart pounding. He picked up the device and left the bedroom without a word to me. The door clicked shut behind him. I pulled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. Even through the closed door, I could hear the low murmur of his voice. He always spoke to her in that gentle tone. That is a tone I'd never heard him use with me. I pressed my face against my knees, trying to hold back my tears. My hand moved unconsciously to my stomach. What would Taylor say if she knew I was carrying Kyle's babies? My stepsister had already taken so much from me. My father, my home, my inheritance - and now she wanted Kyle back. The memories came flooding back, making me feel sick. I was fifteen when my mother fell into a coma. I thought my father would be there for her. I was wrong. A week after that, he brought home his new wife and her daughter Taylor. That's when my whole world fell apart. That
Mia's POVThe morning sickness hit me as soon as I woke up. I barely made it to the bathroom in time. Dark circles under my eyes. Pale skin. I had to look better than this. I couldn't let anyone at work suspect anything.Linda was waiting for me when I arrived at the office. "Are you feeling better?""Yes, much better." I forced a smile. Linda watched me carefully, but didn't push.Linda’s expression as neutral as ever, holding out two cups of coffee. “He asked for these,” she murmured, her tone professional, yet I could sense a hint of pity in her eyes.My stomach churned at the thought of coffee, but I nodded. "Sure."I balanced the two cups carefully. Two cups. My heart sank. I already knew who the second one was for.When I pushed open Kyle's office door, Taylor was perched on the edge of his desk. She wore a tight red dress that probably cost more than my monthly salary. Her perfectly manicured hand rested on Kyle's shoulder."Oh, look who it is," Taylor's voice dripped honey. "H
Mia's POVI sat in the dark living room, watching the hours tick by. The house felt emptier than usual. Kyle hadn't come home since the incident at the office three days ago. I knew he was punishing me, but I still waited.The clock struck midnight. Then one. Then two. No Kyle.My phone buzzed, startling me. A message from an old college friend lit up my screen."Hey stranger! Long time no see. Coffee tomorrow?"Jeo Parker. I hadn't heard from him in ages. Back in college, we'd spent countless hours together in the art studio. He'd always believed in my talent, even when I didn't.I hesitated before replying. A coffee wouldn't hurt, would it?"Sure. Where?"The next morning, I found myself at a quiet café downtown. Jeo was already there, his familiar smile warming the room. He stood when he saw me, and I was struck by how well time had treated him. His dark hair was stylishly messy, his blue eyes as kind as I remembered."Mia Williams," he said, pulling me into a gentle hug. "Still as
Kyle's POVI couldn't focus on work. The image of Mia with that man kept playing in my mind. Jeo Parker. Even his name irritated me."Linda," I called through the intercom. "Get me everything you can find on Jeo Parker.""The designer?" Linda's voice was carefully neutral. "Right away, sir."I loosened my tie. The office felt too hot. What would Mia be doing at his design firm? Would she be alone with him? Would they work late together? Artists do that sort of thing, don't they?The thought of them in his studio made my jaw clench. Would he teach her how to hold a brush? Would his hands touch hers? Would they work on portraits? Would she pose for him?I yanked my tie completely off. The images wouldn't stop. Mia smiling at him the way she used to smile at me. Mia staying late at his studio. Mia letting him get too close."Stop it," I muttered, pouring myself a drink. This was purely professional concern. Nothing more. Mia was my wife. On paper, at least. I had a right to know about he
Mia's POV Linda entered. "Mrs. Branson called. She wants both of you home for dinner tonight." My mother-in-law was the only person who treated our marriage as real, who saw me as more than Kyle's convenient arrangement. Kyle's jaw tightened. "Tell her we're busy." "I already tried, sir," Linda replied, "She insisted. Said, and I quote, 'Tell my stubborn son that if he doesn't bring my lovely daughter-in-law home for dinner tonight, I'll come to his office myself.'" "Fine. We'll go." Kyle said. The drive to the Branson mansion was silent. I watched the familiar neighborhoods pass by, each getting progressively more exclusive until we reached the tree-lined street where Kyle had grown up. The mansion stood proud and elegant, its windows warmly lit against the darkening sky. Catherine was waiting at the door, her silver hair perfectly styled, her emerald dress matching her eyes. "Finally!" She exclaimed, "My darlings!" She embraced me first, holding me tight. Her familiar
Mia's POVI was finally strong enough to be wheeled to the NICU. The actual sight of my sons—not through a screen—overwhelmed me completely. They were impossibly small. Baby A seemed more active, his little fists waving. Baby B was quieter, more still."Can I touch them?" I asked the nurse."Yes, through the ports. But hygiene is crucial."I reached through the isolette opening for Baby A. His skin was warm, softer than anything I'd ever felt. When I touched his palm, his fingers curled around mine."Hi, baby," I whispered. "I'm your mama."The tears came then, pouring out."Careful," the nurse reminded gently. "We can't let any fluids inside the isolette. Premature babies have extremely compromised immune systems."I nodded, wiping my face with my other hand before reaching for Baby B. He was equally tiny, equally perfect."Have you thought about names?" the nurse asked."Not
Mia's POV"Mia?" The voice was far away. Familiar but distorted.I tried to respond, but my throat was sandpaper. Where was I? What happened?"Mia, sweetie. Can you hear me?" Closer now. Mom's voice. But different. Strained.Slowly, I forced my eyes open. The fluorescent lights above were too bright. I blinked rapidly, tears forming as my vision adjusted."Oh, thank God." That was Scarlett. "She's awake."The room came into focus gradually. Hospital room. Machines everywhere. Tubes running from my arms. A catheter. The smell of antiseptic was overwhelming."What..." My voice came out as a rasp. "What happened?""Shhh." Mom's cool hand on my forehead. "Don't try to talk yet.""Kyle," I managed to croak. "Where's Kyle?"Mom and Scarlett exchanged a glance."Mia, honey, you need to stay calm," Mom said."My babies." Panic rose in my chest. "The twins. Where are they?""They're fine," Scarlett said quickly. "Both of them. Healthy and perfect.""How long have I been...""Three days," Mom s
Kyle's POVPain. My eyelids felt like lead weights, but I forced them open anyway.Hospital room. Stark white. The antiseptic smell burned my nostrils. A heart monitor beeped steadily beside my bed, its rhythm matching the throbbing in my chest. I tried to move, but tubes and wires restrained me. My throat was sandpaper dry when I swallowed."Mr. Branson?" A voice. Female. Sharp. "Sir, can you hear me?""Mia," I croaked. God, my voice sounded like gravel. "Where is she? Is she—""Please don't try to sit up, sir." The nurse—young, efficient-looking—pressed her hand gently on my shoulder. "You've had major surgery.""Answer me.""I'll get the doctor immediately."A doctor bustled in. Older man, silver at his temples. Professional mask in place. "Mr. Branson, I'm Dr. Harrison. You've been through extensive surgery. The bullet—""I don't care about the bullet. I want to know what happen to my wife"Dr. Harrison exchanged a look with the nurses. My stomach dropped. No."Your wife..." He pa
Mia's POVPain unlike anything I'd ever known tore through my body, a white-hot blade slicing from my spine to my abdomen. The contractions were relentless now, coming one after another without respite, each one stronger than the last. I could feel myself slipping, the edges of my consciousness growing dim."Her blood pressure is dropping again—80/40," a nurse called out, her voice tight with tension. "Heart rate 135.""She's hemorrhaging," Dr. Levine's voice cut through the haze. "Looks like a partial placental abruption. We need to get these babies out now."A mask was placed over my face, the rush of oxygen cool against my skin. The room swam before my eyes, faces blurring into indistinct shapes as blood loss pulled me closer to unconsciousness."Type and cross for four units of packed cells, two units of fresh frozen plasma, and one unit of platelets," Dr. Levine ordered. "And get me an OR. We're doing an emergency C-section."My body felt foreign to me now—heavy and light simulta
Kyle's POVPain. Unimaginable pain.My consciousness came in waves, each one bringing a fresh torrent of agony. The bullet had torn through me like fire, leaving devastation in its wake. I could hear voices around me, urgent and clinical, but they seemed to be coming from underwater, distorted and distant."BP dropping again!""More blood, now!""We're losing him!"I felt myself slipping. The pain began to recede, replaced by a strange weightlessness that should have alarmed me but instead felt oddly peaceful. Was this what dying felt like?The operating room faded around me. The harsh lights, the metallic clink of instruments, the desperate commands of the surgical team. All of it dissolved into a soft darkness.And then, unexpectedly, light.I was small again. Six years old, terrified, huddled in the corner of a damp warehouse. The ropes had cut into my wrists, leaving them raw and bleeding. I could still feel the ache of hunger, the desperate thirst that had made my tongue stick to
Mia's POV"KYLE!" My scream echoed through the hospital corridor as they wheeled him away, his blood leaving a horrifying trail on the white floor. The medical team moved with terrifying urgency, their faces grim."BP critical at 70/30!" "He's tachycardic, pulse 140!" "Blood loss approximately two liters!" "Move, people! We're losing him!"I lunged forward, desperate to reach him, my hands outstretched toward his motionless form. His face had turned an ashen gray, lips tinged blue, eyelids still. So still. Not like Kyle at all."Ma'am, STOP!" A nurse blocked my path as they rushed Kyle through swinging doors marked AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. "You can't go in there.""He's dying!" I sobbed, my voice breaking. "He took that bullet for me!""If you want him to live, you need to let the surgical team work," she said firmly, gripping my shoulders. "And you—" her eyes dropped to my blood-spattered belly, "—need immedia
Kyle's POVMia.She was alive.The maintenance door opened into a utility closet adjacent to the main room. Through a narrow ventilation grille, I could see part of the penthouse interior—plush furnishings, expensive artwork. A man's voice continued speaking, the tone cultured and cold."...the Branson bloodline ends today."I'd heard enough.The door burst open under my shoulder, splinters flying as the reinforced wood gave way. The scene unfolded before me with crystal clarity—Mia, bound and terrified. Charles Porter, gun raised. Nate Pierce, lunging forward too late.My first shot took Porter in the shoulder, spinning him away from Mia. The second caught him in the upper chest, not immediately fatal but debilitating.Our eyes locked across the room—his filled with shock and hatred, mine with the cold certainty of a man protecting what was his."Kyle," Mia gasped, her voice breaking through the ringing in my ears.Porter recovered with surprising speed, raising his weapon toward me
Kyle's POVTime became a physical entity, something I could feel slipping through my fingers as I raced across the Atlantic. Seven hours had never felt so eternal.As soon as the plane touched down in New York, I was already on my phone. "Status update," I demanded, not bothering with pleasantries."No response from Ms. Williams," Matthew replied, his usual professional detachment wavering slightly. "Her phone appears to be turned off. We've checked her apartment—she's not there. Her mother hasn't seen her since this morning.""And Nate Pierce?""Still tracking. His digital footprint is... unusual. Almost professionally scrubbed.""What about the surveillance feeds? I know you have access."Matthew hesitated. "We've been searching traffic cameras near her building, sir. Nothing conclusive yet.""Keep looking," I said, already striding toward the waiting car. "And tell the security team at her apartment to stay alert. I want to know the instant she returns."But she hadn't returned. Fo
Mia's POVThrough my tears, I recognized the man—it was Nate.I hadn't seen him in so long, and he seemed different from the Nate I remembered. Seemed thiner, taller. His usually compassionate features were hardened.My heart surged with relief and confusion. Had he come to save me?"Uncle Charles, don't kill her," Nate said, his voice steady but urgent.Uncle Charles? I blinked in confusion, my mind struggling to process this new information as it tried to fit the pieces together.The man named Charles turned to face me, sizing me up through the rim of his glass. "Wasn't that your decision? You lost Carol, and now you want Alexander Branson and Kyle Branson to lose their wives too. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."My head was about to explode. The fragments suddenly aligned, and I finally understood the truth.Diana's daughter was Carol.Carol was Nate's wife.Nate's expression was filled with sorrow. He looked at me, then back at Charles, his posture tense with indecision.C