“Babe?” Dominic muttered weakly, his voice rough as it cleared, his eyes struggling to focus before settling on Ivren’s face. “Yes… it’s me,” she replied immediately, relief flooding her voice. She leaned into him, pulling him into an embrace despite the restraints, their son pressed gently between them. Her hands moved over his face, trembling slightly as she wiped the blood from the corner of his lips. “I’m here,” she whispered again, as though her words were to anchor him. Behind them, Draven and Kylen watched, their faces holding no soothing emotion as they looked at the two like they were aliens. Draven’s gaze shifted to the child. “Isn’t it strange,” he said calmly, glancing at Kylen, “that the child is still asleep despite all this noise?” Kylen looked at the baby, then back at Draven. “It is,” he replied. Ivren pressed her lips to Dominic’s forehead, ignoring them completely, her focus locked on him like nothing else in the room mattered. Draven exhaled softly, a fain

Somewhere in Acaryn. Prime Minister Nathan sat comfortably, one leg crossed over the other, a shisha pipe resting between his fingers as though nothing in the world could disturb his ease. Across from him, General Shaw sat motionless. The bodies of the fallen soldiers had already been sent back to Northgate. Nathan had arranged it himself, ensuring they would receive what he called a “benefiting burial.” It was his way of closing the matter, of tidying up the aftermath as though lives lost could be balanced with ceremony. But for Shaw, there was no closure. He had regained consciousness not long ago, only to awaken into something worse…..Grief. It pressed down on him relentlessly. The realisation of the lives he had lost to this task made his heart shatter over and over again. Aside from his wife's death being the most aching amongst all, Thomas's death had him in sorrow. Now no one remained. “Snap out of your useless grief,” Nathan said. “In fact, you should prepare to gr

Ivren lowered her head, letting tears flow freely from her eyes.“How did I not see this earlier?” she sobbed silently, her hands trembling.“My lack of contentment made me see that bastard as someone who could ever love me,” she mumbled between sobs.Draven shook his head slightly.“My time is worth more than three of your lives combined with those of your families, both nuclear and extended,” he sneered.The more Draven spoke, the more Kayden’s wails intensified.“Your so-called husband doesn’t even value you, so why should I?” Draven said, a smirk curling at the edge of his lips.Ivren lifted her head, her eyes reddened from tears.“I’ve cried more than enough for this stupid man. Not anymore,” she muttered. She raised her trembling hands to her face, wiping off her tears with her palms.“I understand the worth of your time, sir,” she said, fixing her blurry gaze on Draven.“But I ask that you please value my life enough to let me and my son go… after making that dog pay for what h

"What's taking Jude so long?" Margaret thought, clicking her heels on the marble floor as her mind raced."Did Draven figure out?" She gasped, clutching her chest."No, no, there's no way. He couldn't have figured that I'm behind Anna's disappearance," she muttered, her eyes widening from the thought."But then where is Jude?!!" Margaret was growing more impatient.As far as she knew, Jude was supposed to be back at her villa by now, and must have chained Anna already as she ordered.She sprang to her feet, her eyes narrowing."Maybe he's back," she said."Old hag!" she called out suddenly, her voice echoing through the space.Immediately, a middle aged woman ran out from the kitchen, her feet steady as she ran to Margaret."Yes ma?" she responded, standing at attention."Find out if Jude is back," Margaret ordered, her voice echoing through the space."Yes ma'am," the woman responded and left in a haste.Outside, the woman rushed up to one of the guards at the entrance to the living

Draven sat on the chair beside him, his gaze fixed on Abigail and Dominic.Abigail turned to Draven. “Dad, I want him to taste all he did to me, he must feel every ounce of pain I endured from his maltreatment.”A small smile spread on Draven’s lips. “As you wish, princess.”Ivren still stood behind, her eyes fixed on Dominic with contempt and disgust.“Once he dies, I’ll leave from here and relocate to New York and start my life afresh with Kayden,” Ivren thought.Ivren turned to Draven, taking firm steps toward him.“Please can you help me hold my son?” she asked, lowering her gaze to the ground.Draven was silent for a few minutes, then he spoke.“Why should I?”“Because I want to take part in punishing that fool,” Ivren responded, her jaw clenched.Draven snapped his fingers, instantly, Kayden rose into the air. His arms and legs kicked softly as though an invisible force held him, rocking him gently as if to sleep.Ivren’s jaw dropped.“Who is this man even?” she thought.“He mus