The phone rang in the quiet of Susan's apartment, shattering the silence like a gunshot. She stared at the screen, her blood running cold as she saw the familiar number. Seraphina.Her hand trembled as she answered, her voice barely a whisper. "Hello?"Seraphina's voice was smooth, cold, and utterly without mercy. "Susan. I've been patient. I've given you time. But my patience has run out."Susan's throat tightened, her voice cracking. "Please—""You have twenty-four hours," Seraphina interrupted, her voice sharp as a blade. "Bring me the O'Connors, or your sister will return home lifeless. Do you understand?"Susan's heart pounded so loudly she could barely hear her own voice. "I need more time—""You have twenty-four hours," Seraphina repeated, her voice dripping with finality. "Tick-tock, Susan."The line went dead.Susan stood frozen, the phone still pressed to her ear, her mind reeling. Twenty-four hours. Brenda's life hung in the balance. Her twin sister, the one person who had

The door clicked shut behind them, and Chance, Christopher, and Wilfreda stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on them. Chance moved to the window, staring out at the darkening sky, his mind racing."We have to help them," Chance said finally, his voice quiet but resolute. "We can't let Brenda die. We can't let Vinita and her mother die."Christopher nodded slowly. "I agree. But we need to be smart about this. We can't just walk into a trap.""We're not walking into a trap if we can come up with a smart plan." Chance said.Wilfreda's hands trembled slightly as she clasped them together, her golden eyes clouded with old pain. The room felt smaller suddenly, the walls pressing in as memories she had tried to bury surged to the surface."The last time we went on a rescue mission," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, "Harry paid with his life." She paused, her throat tightening. "I still see his face sometimes. I still hear his voice. And it stil

Across the city, blissfully unaware of the tension unfolding at the O'Connor estate, Gerald and Ava wandered through the brightly lit aisles of the baby store. Soft pastel colors surrounded them—pale blues, gentle pinks, warm yellows—and the air was filled with the gentle hum of lullabies playing from the store's speakers.Gerald's eyes were wide with wonder as he picked up a tiny onesie, holding it up with both hands as if it were made of glass. "Look at this, Ava. It's so small. How can a human being be this small?"Ava laughed, leaning against the shopping cart. "You've seen babies before, Gerald.""Not my baby," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "This is different."He carefully placed the onesie in the cart and moved on to the next aisle, where rows of stuffed animals lined the shelves. He picked up a small teddy bear, its fur impossibly soft, and held it out to Ava."What do you think? For the nursery?"Ava smiled, her hand resting on her growing belly. "I think he'll love

Miranda took the phone from Ava's trembling hands, her voice calm but firm. "I'll keep trying. You focus on breathing."Ava nodded, her face contorting as another contraction gripped her. She leaned back against the seat, her hand pressed against her belly, her breath coming in ragged gasps.Miranda dialed Gerald's number again. It rang once, twice, three times—then went to voicemail. She left a message, her voice steady but urgent."Gerald, it's Miranda. Ava's water broke. We're on our way to the hospital. She needs you. Call me back as soon as you get this."She ended the call and glanced at Ava, forcing a reassuring smile. "He'll call back. He's probably in a meeting or driving. We'll keep trying."Ava nodded weakly, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, her silent prayers echoing in her heart.---At the hospital, Ava was admitted to the maternity ward. The nurses moved with practiced efficiency, hooking her up to monitors, checking her vitals, and preparing her for delivery. Miranda

"All at once," Julia confirmed, grinning now. "Gorath screamed like a child. He stumbled backward, clawing at his eyes, and in his panic, he fell into his own wolf pit—the one he'd built to trap anyone who tried to escape. The wolf, poor creature, was so confused that it just sat there licking his face while the villagers stared in disbelief."Chloe burst out laughing—a real, full laugh that seemed to surprise even her. "He fell into his own pit?""Headfirst," Julia said, laughing along with her. "Tobin, who'd finally found his voice, walked up to the edge and said, 'S-s-s-seems like the ch-chief-tain h-h-has f-f-found his p-p-place.'"Chloe doubled over, tears of laughter streaming down her cheeks now—but these were different tears, lighter ones. "Oh my God. That's amazing.""The villagers were so emboldened by the sight of their tyrant covered in yellow powder and wolf slobber that they finally rose up. They sealed Gorath in the pit (with his wolf, who'd grown rather fond of him), a