Linda’s POVThe gun stared at me and I stared back. We were not friends nor were we enemies, but it was willing to do some real damage to me.“Wait…” I said to the guy. I had to understand that I was carrying a child in my belly, I was not alone. So whatever decision I would make, should be for the both of us. “I’m listening,” The man replied in a cold tone. “I will do…” My voice broke due to how scared I was. “I will do whatever you want. I will find a way to get you your program back.”I could see that his expression softened. He released a sigh and then lowered the gun from my face, putting it back from where it came from. Then he took a step closer to me, but I flinched away. “Don’t be afraid, Linda. I’m really not the bad guy here, I promise you. I’m just willing to do some bad things to be able to get the life that was stolen from me.” Emotion laced his tone.With heavy breathing, I dared to ask, “Who are you?”He flashed me a tentative smile and then went to the couch to sit
Linda’s POVWilliam’s words took a few seconds for me to process them. This felt like something that I was not worthy enough to know.It felt like a secret that should be only shared with people that were very close to him. But here I was. I now knew about things that I had no business knowing about. But I was still confused. “And your son is still alive? They didn’t do anything to him?”He shook his head. “Surprisingly, no. They didn’t harm him. They raised him as their own and gave him everything life has to offer. I guess they were part-humans and had some heart and conscience.” He chuckled dryly.I furrowed my brows, taking the information in. “Is your son Chris’s brother? Is he Hunter Kingston?”The man shook his head once more. “My son is Chris, Linda. You’re married to my son.” The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. My mind reeled as William’s words sank in. Chris, my husband, was the son of this guy!This was crazy. “So that means that he’s not really a Kingston, he ne
Linda’s POVMy heart pounded in my chest as William's words sank in. Deadly. The word echoed in my mind, sending shivers down my spine. I could not believe what I was hearing. "What do you mean by that? How harmful is it?" I asked, feeling my chest tighten.He had already started the engine of the car and we were now moving. "Very harmful.""Harmful enough for me to lose my baby?"He kept quiet, worry and concern etched onto his face. He swallowed hard before mumbling,"Mm-hmm—but how would I have known that you were pregnant?" He asked, his voice almost as if he was going to cry.I took a deep breath and let it out. Panicking was not going to help me. I needed to stay calm, I needed to keep my cool. As long as I was not feeling any pain, I chose to believe that I was alright.Yes, I was going to let him take me to the hospital but I needed to focus on staying as calm as possible. Despite the fear gnawing at my insides, I forced myself to take deep breaths, willing myself to remain
Linda’s POVAs the car took me home, something started to buzz in my pocket. I thought that it was my phone at first until I found out that it was not, it was actually the burner phone that Willaim had given me. I pulled it out and stared at the small screen. It was a number that I did not know, but again, how was I going to know any number that would call on this miniature phone? I stared at it as it continued to buzz away. Intrigued, I finally answered the call. “Hello?” “Linda…” I knew the voice, it was William. “You have three days to send me five million dollars and get me a shipment of retinol. I don’t care how you make that happen, you’re the wife of a billionaire, you’re part of one of the richest families in the world.” My heart skipped a beat at his outrageous demands. Five million dollars? A shipment of retinol? I already knew what this was about, he wanted to start up the medical program that was stolen from him by the Kingstons. But why would I get myself involved?
Linda’s POVAs I made my way upstairs to my room, the weight of William’s demands hung over me like a dark cloud. Despite the comforting familiarity of home, I could not shake off the feeling of unease that his words had instilled in me. Entering my room, I closed the door behind me and sank onto the edge of the bed. Ben had made me promise him that I would tell him everything by morning, but now, he wanted me to have my rest. I was so tired that I could feel the exhaustion of the day settle into my bones. My mind raced with thoughts of what I should do next. I had planned to tell my brother about the true identity of William and to explain everything else that surrounded me getting taken to his house. But I did not think I should explain about the demands, or maybe I should. I did not know. I was a very indecisive person and all of this was already hurting my head. I reached for the glass of water on my bedside, taking a few sips before putting it back. Then I sighed and crawled
Linda’s POVI was still on the bed, feeling the heaviness sitting on my chest as I explained. But I was not done yet, I still had to tell my brother about the demands, and about we had to rush to the hospital, which was just a false alarm. “Yes, it is a lot to unpack. William has been playing dead and said that the only reason he even came out of hiding was because of me. He thinks…he thinks that I can help him.”“Help him do what?” “He wants to take back his lifework from the Kingstons, he wants his program back.” “Impossible,” Ben chuckled the word out as he adjusted his weight on the bed. “When those people find toys, they are like stubborn toddlers, they would never want to let it go.” I nodded, knowing that this was very true. “But he has another way of taking it away from them though. You know that he was the one who started the program, the research was done by him, and when those monsters struck, they thought that it was all done, but the truth is that it’s not.” “They ne
Linda’s POVFallon hesitated, her concern evident in her voice. “If that’s what you’re saying, then okay, I trust you. I will call off the investigation, but let me be honest, this does not sit right with me. I can’t just ignore potential threats to your safety, especially after how much you helped me.” “I understand, I do, but please, for now. Just trust me on this I have my reasons,” I pleaded, hoping that she would respect my decision.“Okay, fine,” She relented reluctantly. “But promise me you will call me if anything feels off or if you need help. I won’t hesitate to come to your aid, you know that.” “Of course, pinky promise,” I assured her, trying to make the situation a bit lighter but she did not laugh or even chuckle. “Thank you, Fallon. I will keep you updated if anything changes.” After we hung up, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. Despite Fallon’s concerns, I knew i had made the right decision for now. There was no way that I would want Chris’s father to go to pri
Linda’s POVThe journey to the hospital felt like an eternity, each bump in the road sending shockwaves of pain through my body. I clung to consciousness with all my might, desperate to ensure the safety of both myself and my unborn child. As we arrived at the hospital, I was swiftly wheeled into the emergency room, where a team of doctors and nurses sprang into action. Their voices blended together in a flurry of activity as they worked to stabilize me and assess the situation. Through the haze of pain and fear, I could feel the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me. What was causing these sudden, intense pains? And what did it mean for the health of my baby? As the medical team conducted tests and examinations, I tried to focus on breathing through the pain, clinging to the hope that everything would be alright. But deep down, a nagging sense of dread gnawed at my insides, threatening to consume me with fear. Hours passed in a blur of medical procedures and anxious waiting,