To Keirah's surprise, James's face lights up. “Good morning, James.” The young man walks over to the bed and flips over James's charts with a smile. “How are you feeling today?” “I'm feeling much better, thank you,” James replies, handing Lana to Keirah, who takes her to her stroller. “That's great to hear.” The young man nods. “Your recovery has been excellent. Just like we promised Luciano. It's time for you to go home.” “Are you going back to the cottage? Where is Luciano?” Keirah enquires. As if hiding something, James drops his gaze. “Your chopper is ready to take you home. Before you leave, I just need to go over a few things with you…. Miss… We have not met before. I am Dr. Fred.” Dr. Fred extends his hand to Keirah. And Keirah shakes his hand with a smile. “I am Keirah... Thank you so much for taking care of him.” “It was a pleasure. Are you the one that will take care of him?” Keirah exchanges a glance with James and nods. Dr. Fred explains to Keirah about his medicati

*** “You would make a great father,” James speaks as Luciano lays Lana down, changing her diapers. “It is weird how I enjoy it. I love the way baby Lana looks up at me with a smile wide in her eyes. As if I am the most important person in her world.” “She does that to me, too.” James, who is no longer in a wheelchair, walks over to Luciano. “I am jealous that you and Keirah are the only ones who get to change her diapers. “Keirah has shown me how to do it and I have practiced, but I still cannot get it right.” “It's not rocket science. I was so nervous around her when she first came with you from the hospital.” “I used to see you standing aside, watching us taking care of her.” “I was nervous. She was tiny and fragile. Like she would break into pieces in seconds. When I saw you hold her, I thought I would never hold her the right way. “It was horrible when I did not know what to do when she cried. But I practiced until I felt comfortable. I think that applied to everything, inc

Keirah lies unconscious on her bed in her hometown house. Wearing an oxygen tube. It is a tiny apartment compared to Luciano's penthouse or cottage. Keirah stares awake. She can hear beeping machines and distant voices. She blinks her eyes open. Dr. Fred's face comes on Keirah's eyes focus. Soft morning light filters through the window, casting a warm glow across her face. She blinks as her eyes wander into a room that does not feel like hers. They filled the room with the clinical scent of antiseptic. Keirah glances around, taking in her surroundings. The room is clean and sterile, decorated with flowers and green plants. They connect tubes and wires to her arms, monitoring her vital signs. The only thing that looks the same is the window offers her adequate sunlight and a view of a beautiful garden outside. Dr. Fred sits beside her bed, reviewing a patient's file in his hand. A fragile-looking Keirah abruptly brings her hand to her stomach, and nervously fidgets in the bed opposi

LUCIANO'S POV One second, James is giving me the worst news in my life, and the next second, there is a knock on my head. The car at the cliff was a distraction. To take me out into the real trap. It was all a setup, and my uncle was just trying to kidnap me. Before I can fight back and try to save myself, I lose consciousness. *** After the cover, on my head is removed. I open my eyes. I am still out of place and disoriented. I am on my knees, and they tied both my legs and hands with chains from behind. This is not my uncle's way of torture. He knows me better than this. There is someone new in the picture. I gaze around the room. I search for anything that says my uncle has to do with this but nothing. I try to understand what is going on, but it proves very difficult. What is going on? Adding to my worries. I feel my head spinning. The room and everything around me are in motion. In my eyes, everything is blurred. My nose smells of blood everywhere. I want to puke my guts o

After I tried with everything in me to bring the council members to my side and plead with them to sell my uncle out and failed. I snapped and exploded trying to kill the council members. The next thing I know. I am now locked in a dungeon. They had to take me out with the superpowers they were using to make me feel blood and test it on my mouth while making it impossible to move a muscle in my body in my head and body. They carried me out of the meeting unconscious into a dungeon. I have just gained my consciousness. And the first thing I am doing is looking for a way out. Fuck… my life circumstances are turning from bad to worse. There are only three cells in this dungeon. On the left cell to mine. The cell is empty. On the right, a tiny man is sitting by the wall hiding his face in between his lap. I walk close to my cell wall door to try opening the steel door locked from the outside. But ten centimeters from the door I feel an electric fence blocking me. Any move closer to