Chapter 28
Marcus worked late into the night, poring over the latest intel he had gathered on Luka Diaz. The glow of multiple monitors bathed Marcus’s office in an eerie light as he worked late into the night, the faint hum of the computers the only sound in the room. His eyes, bloodshot from hours of relentless research, stayed fixed on the screen as he sifted through line after line of data. The deeper he delved, the more the puzzle pieces began to fit together—and the more alarming the picture became.
The leaked marriage contract, the hidden cameras, the threatening note—those had been calculated strikes meant to destabilize Emma and Alex. But now, the data before him suggested Luka Diaz wasn’t stopping at character assassination. He was laying the groundwork for something far more sinister.
“Damn it,” Marcus muttered, his fingers flying across the keyboard. He opened an encrypted file, cross-referencing it with the new intel he’d gathered. His stomach churned as connections snapped into place like pieces of a twisted jigsaw puzzle.
Luka had been bribing hospital staff for weeks, using shell companies to fund anonymous tips and manipulate court officials. More troubling still, Marcus uncovered a recent transfer to a private investigator notorious for fabricating evidence in custody battles.
“Custody battles,” Marcus whispered to himself, the realization sending a chill down his spine. Luka wasn’t just trying to ruin Emma’s reputation—he was planning to challenge her right to her unborn children.
Marcus grabbed his phone, his hand trembling as he dialed Thomas.
Thomas answered on the second ring, his voice steady but tinged with concern. “Marcus?”
“You need to get to Emma. Right now,” Marcus said, his tone grim. “This isn’t just about the smear campaign anymore. Luka’s making moves to take this further. He’s targeting her ability to keep the twins.”
A beat of silence, then Thomas’s voice hardened. “I’m on my way.”
Marcus exhaled, running a hand through his hair as Thomas ended the call. The tension coiled in his chest refused to ease. He glanced back at the screen, the faint flicker of Luka’s next moves staring him down.
Whatever Luka’s planning, we need to stop him before it’s too late.
* * *
Emma stood by the bed of her hospital room, her gaze fixed on the sprawling skyline, illuminated by countless city lights. The same skyline Alex could see from his penthouse office. She wrapped her arms around herself, her hospital gown too thin to keep the chill at bay—or maybe the cold came from within.
The room was quiet, the hum of machines the only sound. She barely noticed them anymore. Her thoughts were far away, tangled in questions she couldn’t answer.
Thomas had left not long ago, his steady presence lingering in the air like a faint echo. He’d spent hours with her, walking her through strategies to counter Luka’s escalating threats, promising that they would find a way to stop him. Thomas had a way of grounding her, of making the chaos seem manageable.
She appreciated him more than she could express. He was kind, reliable, and genuinely cared about her and the twins. But even with his reassuring words, a nagging feeling gnawed at her, refusing to be silenced.
It wasn’t about Thomas—it was about Alex.
Her arms tightened around herself as she stared into the night, her mind replaying the same unanswered question over and over.
Why hasn’t he come to see me?
At first, she thought his absence was guilt. Maybe he was avoiding her because he blamed himself for everything—for Luka’s blackmail, for the crash, for the relentless attacks on her reputation. But as days turned into weeks, his silence began to feel like something else.
Maybe he didn’t care about me anymore.
The thought struck her like a blow, harder than she was willing to admit. She had told herself she was done with Alex, that his coldness and mistakes had extinguished the love she once felt for him. But her heart betrayed her.
She clenched her jaw, frustration and hurt mingling in her chest. Every time her phone buzzed, she hoped it would be him. Every time the door opened, she half-expected to see his face.
But Alex never came.
Her reflection in the window looked pale and tired, a ghost of the woman she used to be. She hated how much it still mattered to her, how deeply his absence cut.
He should be here, she thought bitterly. But he’s not.
A soft knock broke her trance. She turned to see Thomas stepping into the room, his usually calm demeanor replaced with an uncharacteristic tension. He closed the door behind him with deliberate care, his gaze heavy with unspoken urgency.
“What’s wrong?” Emma asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Thomas crossed the room, pulling a chair closer to her bedside. “We need to talk,” he said quietly, his tone grave.
Emma’s heart raced as she sat down on the edge of the bed. He hesitated, his hand gripping the back of the chair for support. Finally, he sank down beside her, his shoulders tight with restrained anger.
“Marcus found something new. Luka’s threats—they’re not just about Alex anymore. He’s escalating. He’s targeting you and the twins.”
The words struck like a physical blow, and Emma’s breath caught in her throat.
“What do you mean, targeting us?”
Thomas leaned closer, lowering his voice as though the walls themselves might betray them.
“Luka is pulling every string he can. Bribing hospital staff, trying to access your medical records. Marcus even uncovered evidence of surveillance equipment being planted around your room. But it’s worse than that.”
Emma’s hands tightened into fists. “Worse how?”
“He’s using shell companies to pay people—former associates, fake connections. They’re prepared to testify against you, to say you’re unstable, that you’re unfit to be a mother. He’s building a case to take your children from you.”
The room seemed to close in around her, the air thick with tension. But fear quickly gave way to fury, her eyes blazing with a fierce resolve.
“He will not take my children away from me,” Emma said, her voice sharp and unwavering.
Thomas reached out, his hand brushing hers lightly, a grounding gesture. “He won’t,” he said firmly, his eyes locked onto hers. “I’ll make sure of it. Whatever it takes, Emma. I’ll protect you.”
Their eyes met, the intensity of his promise filling the space between them. For a brief second, the air seemed to shift, heavy with something unspoken yet undeniable.
* * *
Alex Barrett sat alone in his penthouse office, the city’s skyline sprawling before him like a vast, indifferent sea of lights. He cradled a glass of whiskey in his hand, the amber liquid catching the faint glow of his desk lamp. He hadn’t touched it—hadn’t even moved, really, in the last hour. His thoughts spiraled endlessly, circling the same agonizing truths.
Emma…
Her name was a constant ache in his chest, her face haunting him every time he closed his eyes. He had watched the news, seen the headlines, and scrolled through the photos. Every single one had driven the knife deeper.
“Emma Barrett Finds Solace in Thomas Hamilton, CEO of Hamilton Corporation.”
The images were burned into his mind. Emma laughing softly, her head tilted toward Thomas as they worked over some documents. The faint smile on her lips as Thomas handed her a cup of tea. The way she looked at him—not with love, not yet, but with trust. With ease.
Her relaxed posture, her unguarded smile, the way Thomas leaned toward her as if he were her anchor. It should have been Alex sitting there, comforting her, protecting her. But he had let the darkness of his own fears and mistakes build an impenetrable wall between them.
Alex downed the whiskey in a single gulp, the burn in his throat dull compared to the fire of his jealousy. It wasn’t just that Emma was spending time with Thomas—it was the realization that she might be happier with him. Safer.
The whiskey bottle was untouched since his first drink. He knew he should go to Emma, that he should apologize for everything and tell her how much she still meant to him. But every time he thought about walking into that hospital room, he pictured Thomas there, filling the space Alex had abandoned.
He stood in his office, the city lights sprawling endlessly below him, but his focus was elsewhere. Guilt and jealousy churned inside him—a bitter mix that left him paralyzed. He had stayed away, convinced it was the right thing to do, but now that distance felt like cowardice.
Phone buzzed, snapping him out of his spiral. It was Marcus.
“What is it?” Alex asked, his voice sharper than he intended.
“You need to listen to me,” Marcus said, his tone urgent. “Luka’s threats—they’re not just about you anymore. He’s going after Emma and the baby.”
Alex froze, the words hitting him like a freight train. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about real danger,” Marcus snapped. “Not just reputational damage. Luka’s escalating. He’s targeting Emma physically, Alex. He’s bribing hospital staff, trying to get access to her medical records. He’s planting surveillance and hiring people to testify against her. If you care about her at all, you need to step up. Now.”
The line went silent for a moment, Marcus’s words lingering like a warning.
Alex’s chest tightened, a cold sweat breaking out on his skin. He had spent too much time drowning in guilt, consumed by jealousy at seeing Emma with Thomas. Now, those emotions seemed petty, irrelevant.
Emma and our child are in danger.
The thought propelled him into action.
He drove to the hospital that night, Marcus’s voice echoing in his ears. Each passing streetlight illuminated flashes of his own failures—every moment he had stayed away, every chance he had missed to protect her.
By the time he reached the hospital, his heart was pounding. He took the elevator to Emma’s floor, the sterile walls of the corridor amplifying his anxiety. When he reached her room, he stopped in the doorway, the sight before him rooting him in place.
Emma was asleep, her hand resting protectively on her growing belly. The faint glow from a bedside lamp illuminated her peaceful expression, a stark contrast to the chaos swirling around her life. Sitting beside her was Thomas, his head bowed as he flipped through a stack of documents. He looked tired but resolute, the kind of steadiness Emma needed right now.
Jealousy flared in Alex’s chest, hot and searing, but it was quickly overpowered by something sharper: shame.
This should have been his place. He should have been the one sitting by Emma’s side, protecting her, fighting for her. But instead, he had let his own fears keep him away, and now someone else was filling the void he had created.
Alex took a step into the room, his presence unnoticed by Thomas. The sight of Emma’s serene face struck him like a blow. For all the turmoil she faced, she had found some semblance of safety here—and it wasn’t because of him.
For the first time, Alex truly understood the depth of his failure. He had let Emma down in every way that mattered.
And now, he wasn’t sure how he could fix it.
