LOGINLucas drove for a long time before arriving at Guildford, the road stretching endlessly ahead of him as his thoughts refused to settle, because not knowing where Maya was felt worse than anything else, it felt like time was slipping away and every second he wasted could cost her life. He was not ready to sit back and let that happen, not after everything they had already been through. He slowed down when he saw a small roadside market and pulled over, stepping out with urgency written all over him as he walked in and asked if there were any abandoned buildings or houses further ahead. Still, the people there only looked at him strangely, like his question made no sense, like he was the one out of place, and it irritated him because he knew he was close, he could feel it, until a young girl spoke up and said she was heading in that same direction and asked if he could drop her off.Lucas didn't hesitate, he agreed, and they got into the car, continuing the journey down a road that grew
Lucas refused to believe it.He stood outside the ward, staring at the closed doors like if he looked long enough, something would change, like the doctor would walk back out and say they were wrong, that Henri was fine, that everything was under control. But nothing changed.His father was inside, fighting for his life, and for the first time in a long time, Lucas had no control over anything."I won't accept this..." he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening.Footsteps approached.Lucas turned.Alicia walked in, Layrus beside her, her face filled with concern the moment her eyes landed on Lucas."I heard what happened," she said softly. "I'm sorry."Lucas didn't respond immediately. He just nodded slightly, his mind still elsewhere, still running through everything that had happened, everything that didn't add up."I will have to find Maya," he said after a moment, his voice low but firm. "Her life is in danger."Alicia's expression changed slightly."Do you remember anything
As Lucas arrived home, Kade called him."I see you decided to put my own mother into your plans that's nice," he laughed sheepishly then his face changed."My revenge is almost complete and there is nothing you can do about it."Lucas's grip on the phone tightened instantly, his jaw clenching as anger surged through him. Where are you, Kade?" he snapped. "Stop being a coward and hiding in the shadows."Kade cut him off, not allowing him to say another word, "I decide when we will meet and that should be soon."Then he sent Lucas a video ,He opened it immediately.The moment the screen lit up, something inside him dropped.Maya.Her mouth was tied, her hands restrained, her eyes the only thing visible, and even through the screen, the fear in them was undeniable.Lucas's breath stilled. Yes, yes," Kade's voice returned, almost pleased now, "I am with your lover... or should I say, baby mama."Don't you dare hurt..." Lucas started, his voice rising, but the words didn't even finish.Ka
Lucas left the house before dawn.The penthouse was still, the kind of quiet that made every small movement noticeable, so he made sure there were none. He didn't want questions, not from the staff, not from anyone and definitely not from Sophie. Whatever he was about to do, he preferred it stay that way for now.Outside, the air was cold and empty. He got into his car and drove off without looking back.The roads were almost deserted at that hour, giving him the space he needed. He drove for a long time, far enough for the city to disappear behind him and the surroundings to grow unfamiliar and isolated. His mind stayed active the entire time, moving through the same thoughts over and over again. Is Kade alive?Nothing was lining up the way it should.By the time he reached his destination, the sky had begun to lighten slightly. The building in front of him resembled a clinic, but not one that welcomed patients. It stood apart, quiet, almost forgotten. There were no signs of activity
Lucas stood in the hospital corridor, his mind unsettled despite the quiet around him. Something didn't feel right, and no matter how much he tried to push it aside, the feeling only grew stronger. He had called Maya several times, yet there was no response. That alone was enough to bother him. Maya wasn't careless, and she wouldn't ignore his calls without a reason.The last time he saw her replayed in his head. She had told him clearly that she was going to meet Sophie. At that moment, it didn't seem like anything serious, but now it felt like the beginning of something he should have paid attention to.He turned as Damien approached him. Lucas didn't hesitate."Maya is missing," he said, his voice calm but firm.Damien looked at him, his expression controlled. "What do you mean by missing?""The last time I saw her," Lucas continued, "she said she was going to meet Sophie. And I suspect Sophie has a hand in it, but right now she is not in a situation to say anything."There was a b
It hadn't even been forty-eight hours since Sophie gave birth, yet everything around her was already falling apart She lay awake on the hospital bed, staring blankly at the white ceiling. The steady beeping of machines filled the silence, but her thoughts were far louder-chaotic, restless, unforgiving."That wretched Maya..." she muttered under her breath, her fingers tightening around the bedsheet. "I always knew she would ruin everything."Her lips curled into a faint, bitter smile."Thank God she's out of the way."But even as she said it, unease crept into her chest. Things were not going as smoothly as she had imagined. The plan so carefully crafted was beginning to show cracks."I just need to fix this... I just need one way out," she whispered to herself.Slowly, she pushed herself up from the bed despite the weakness in her body. Ignoring the dull pain that shot through her, she made her way toward the neonatal unit.The soft hum of machines greeted her as she stepped inside.
The sharp scent of antiseptic filled the private recovery room, thick and suffocating.Sophie lay against the white hospital sheets, her fingers clutching the fabric so tightly her knuckles had turned pale. Her body felt weak, heavy, as if someone had drained all the strength from her bones. A dull
Damien carried a small container of strawberry ice cream. He placed it gently on the kitchen counter. "Here," he said softly. "I know it won't reach the baby, but... I wanted you to have it."Maya's fingers brushed the lid. She smiled faintly, her lips trembling with exhaustion. "Thank you, Damien.
The cold Swedish night wrapped around Maya as soon as she stepped outside Damien's family's house.The warmth, the laughter, the comfort she had briefly allowed herself to feel vanished the moment the door closed behind her. Snow crunched softly beneath her boots as she walked, her breath uneven, h
The morning air in London was thick with drizzle, grey clouds pressing low over the skyline. Maya stepped out of her apartment one last time, her fingers lightly brushing the soft swell of her stomach. Two months pregnant, carrying a life she would raise alone, she had never felt more fragile or mo







