All Chapters of Tethered To You : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ruby sat on the edge of the bed, knees drawn to her chest, trembling. The weight of the truth pressed on her like iron chains. The surviving baby’s life or lives was tangled in a web of deception and danger, and for the first time, she realized that nothing she had known could protect her. The air in the room felt too thick, heavy with the scent of antiseptic and something metallic, a reminder of the hospital and the trauma she had barely survived.Kelvin sat across from her in the chair, elbows on his knees, fingers interlaced. He hadn’t moved since the door had closed behind the mysterious woman, and his gaze remained fixed on the floor, unreadable. But Ruby could feel the tension radiating off him, a taut cord ready to snap at the slightest provocation.She lifted her eyes to him, searching. “Kelvin… what if it really is Dante’s?”He exhaled slowly, jaw tight. “Then…” His voice cracked slightly, betraying the anger and fear he usually buried deep. “…then we make sure it doesn’t mat

Ruby’s breaths came in shallow, uneven gasps. Her hands were pressed to her stomach, trembling so violently it was a miracle the baby hadn’t sensed her panic and mirrored it. Kelvin’s arm was around her waist, his body taut with tension, a living shield between her and Dante, whose figure leaned casually in the doorway like a predator savoring its prey.The hospital corridor beyond the room seemed endless, dim lights flickering intermittently, casting long, wavering shadows that made the space feel alive, dangerous, and claustrophobic all at once. Every creak of the floorboards, every distant beep from the machines, felt amplified, like the universe itself was conspiring to heighten the terror.Ruby swallowed hard, trying to force her body to calm, trying to silence the wild thumping of her heart. She had survived so much already the loss of one child, the gas attack, the revelation that the surviving baby’s father might not be who she thought but this moment felt different. This mome

Ruby woke to the soft hum of the safe house, the morning light spilling across the room in muted gold. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach, where life stirred gently, insistently, reminding her that the surviving baby was still there, still hers and Kelvin’s. A tremor of relief ran through her, yet the shadow of grief lingered from the child she had lost.Kelvin sat across from her at the small table, his expression taut but calmer than it had been in days. The DNA results had come back, finally, confirming what Ruby had feared would be complicated but also what she had silently hoped: the surviving baby was his. His eyes softened when he saw her awake.“They’re yours,” he said quietly, voice rough with emotion. “All the uncertainty… it ends here.”Ruby’s lips trembled as tears welled. Relief, fear, love, and rage all collided in her chest. She wanted to laugh, to cry, to scream. Instead, she swallowed hard and nodded. “Kelvin… Kelvin reached for her hand. “Yes. We survived. A

They got back home.Ruby sat on the edge of the bed, her hands resting over her stomach, trembling slightly as if even touching herself could break her. The room was dim, bathed in the soft glow of a single lamp. Kelvin had left for a few hours, promising to make some “necessary arrangements,” but the silence pressed against her chest like a physical weight. She had hoped that knowing the truth that both embryos were Kelvin’s and that Dante had manipulated records would bring relief. Instead, it left her suspended between anger, fear, and disbelief.Her mind replayed everything: the hospital, the tests, the doctors, the moment the woman had revealed the truth. The memory of Dante’s voice had not faded, and she could still feel the cold trickle of terror that had accompanied it. How easily he had made her question herself, her body, her instincts. The thought made her stomach twist, even now.Kelvin’s absence made the room feel emptier, lonelier. She pressed a hand to her stomach, feel

The early morning air was sharp and cold, carrying the scent of rain on asphalt. Ruby pressed her palm to her stomach as they left the safe house in silence, each step measured and careful. Kelvin’s hand gripped hers like a lifeline, while Olivia moved slightly ahead, scanning the surroundings with the precision of someone trained to anticipate danger before it arrived.The city was waking slowly, unaware of the storm gathering in its midst. Cars hummed along the streets, people hurried with their routines, oblivious to the threat that had haunted Ruby for months. For the first time since Dante’s intrusion, she felt the world moving forward, but the unease beneath her skin refused to subside. One heartbeat. One life that had survived Dante’s twisted schemes. And yet the knowledge that he was always one step away pressed down on her like a lead weight.Olivia turned to Ruby, her expression serious but not unkind. “We need to get to the facility before he does. I have secured temporary