Except for the occasional groan of the flooring, the church was strangely quiet. A lone, flickering bulb's weak light caught the dust floating languidly in the air. Benjamin's face was a mask of grim delight as he stepped in front of the camera. Before turning it on, he ran his fingers over the device to take one last look at the live feed.A blurry picture of Mira appeared on the screen as it buzzed to life. Her mouth was muffled with a piece of fabric, and her hands were securely chained behind her. Fear was glimmering in the depths of her wide eyes. The white linens on the empty cribs beside her stood out against the room's darkness.Benjamin's low, derisive voice could be heard over the line. "Mira, the little ones are already gone. And you're mine now. How long will it take Harrison to notice this?As Tatiana watched the feed from her position across the room, her fists clenched. Her eyes were fixed on the television, hidden behind the penthouse's darkened windows. She could feel

With the deepening shadows and oppressive silence, the cathedral felt colder. The gentle hum of adrenaline coursing through Tatiana's veins made it difficult for her to hear her breath. There were only minutes, perhaps seconds, left before everything blew up. Figuratively.She recoiled when she heard Grayson-2's voice crackle in her earpiece. "I have information on the bombs, Tatiana. They are connected to the heartbeat of Mira. I need you to hurry up."She glanced at Alexander, who was looking more icy than ever, his hand grazing his gun barrel as he readied himself for whatever was about to happen. He kept quiet, concentrated, and strategic. He always was. However, there was something raw in his eyes now that made her realise that this was more intimate than ever."The bombs are synced to Mira's heart?" Too stunned by its blatant cruelty, Tatiana's voice barely came out. "You've got to be kidding me.""Not kidding," Grayson-2 said sharply. "We all perish more quickly the more she mo

There was a slight iron odour in the air, mingled with the smell of decay and old stone. Except for the subtle flickering of a light overhead, the crypt was eerily quiet. With her head racing and her breath coming in short gasps, Tatiana stood over Benjamin's motionless body. He had murdered himself to evade being apprehended and to avoid taking responsibility for anything. He had left them with more questions than answers, though, even in death.Isabella was standing next to her, her face as hard as rock, and her revolver still in her grasp. She acknowledged quietly that the battle was far from finished, but there was no joy in her eyes.As Tatiana took in the spectacle, her heart raced. She didn't feel relieved. There was a spooky silence that lingered in the pit of her stomach, alerting her to the fact that the real battle was only getting started.Mira clung to Tatiana's side, still shaking after the recent atrocities they had experienced. She was making an effort to control her b

Fear and the smell of antiseptic filled the dimly lit clinic, making it feel like a tomb. Tatiana's knuckles were white from the pressure of keeping herself together as she gripped the edge of the discoloured metal operating table. Her clothes were smeared with blood and mud, and sweat trickled down her cheeks. She was aware of the excruciating tightness of impending labour and the pressure that was rising inside her body.The twins were on the way.With one hand tight around her wrist and the other over the hilt of a revolver, Alexander stood next to her and said, "Hold on," in a gruff, strained voice. "Just a little longer, Tati."Tatiana's body shook as she struggled to resist the inevitable, and her breath came in short spurts. Her world had been reduced to a nightmare of sounds and flashes, and she was surrounded by turmoil. The distant but steady sound of gunshots reverberated outside the tiny clinic. Benjamin was approaching with his mercenaries. Her children were now in danger

The ambulance lurched off the road and into the river, and the entire world shook. It was a scary, inexorable fall, like a nightmare playing out in real life. The noise of the river drowned out the shriek of metal against concrete, and the cold, rushing current engulfed the outside world.As the ambulance raced towards the water's edge, Mira's eyes were wide with fear, and her hands were white-knuckled on the steering wheel. As she struggled to keep control, the tyres shrieked in protest, the wheels barely grabbing the slippery tarmac."Hold on!" she yelled, her voice piercing with panic.With her heart thumping in her ears like a drumbeat, Tatiana's hold on the twins grew tighter as she clutched them near her bosom. The universe was whirling out of control, but she had no idea what was going on. The sound of the car smashing through the guardrails was interrupted by the baby's gentle whimpers, and then there was silence.A horrible calm fell for a time as the ambulance struck the sea