The Mafia Boss's Deal: One Wife, Two Mini-Me's!: Chapters 1–5

Ariana Winston's POV:

"Todd's coming back?"

While I was in the nursery, folding the tiny clothes I had just purchased for my baby, I overheard the staff murmuring about it.

Was he coming back?

Was it because my due date was approaching?

A wave of happiness surged through me, causing my hands to tremble ever so slightly.

Todd Lockford was the father of my child.

However, since our marriage, I had only encountered him once. We made passionate love on the night of our wedding, and he didn't wear any protection as he entered and exited my body in high speed, his every thrust reaching the depths of my core, leaving my mind blank. I could do nothing aside from moaning. Then, he left without a trace, and I never saw him again. Todd was involved with the mafia, always caught up in his busy life. More importantly, he didn't have any affection for me.

Our marriage was an unexpected turn of events. Seven years ago, when I was just thirteen, my father suffered a tragic accident. I was completely oblivious to what was happening at that time. When I returned from school, I found my home in ruins, reduced to ashes, and my father ... unrecognizable.

"Dad ... " I gazed at the devastation in shock, as if my entire world had crumbled around me. The sky and ground seemed to spin, and then everything went dark as I fainted.

When I came to, Mr. Charles Lockford was standing in front of me. He informed me that my father had died protecting him and promised to take care of me.

That was the moment I learned Mr. Charles was the godfather of a mafia known as Dark Angel, and my father had been involved with him. I was stunned; in my mind, my father was a kind gentleman, completely disconnected from the world of mafias, but it was the truth, and he had kept it hidden so well.

Despite my reluctance to accept this new reality, I had no choice. I moved in with Mr. Charles and met Todd, who was 15 at the time. He was already incredibly handsome, yet his demeanor was cold. Mr. Charles remarked that Todd was more suited to lead the mafia, a natural-born leader.

I couldn't deny the instant attraction I felt when I first laid eyes on him.

I lived with Mr. Charles for seven years, and the family often joked that I would end up marrying Todd. It brought me joy, but I never fixated on him, especially since he didn't seem particularly interested in me.

Then everything shifted on my 20th birthday when I was kidnapped on my way to school. The plan was to use me as leverage against Mr. Charles to gain control of some territory. I didn't grasp the details of the negotiations; all I could recall from that terrifying night was the man who abducted me bringing over a dozen strong men with him and him saying they would gang-r*pe me, his expression twisted in anger. I remembered he had one eye missing.

He tore my clothes off my body, and I was terrified, convinced I was going to die. I thought Todd would end up seeing my body with disgusting marks on it, but somehow, I survived.

Amidst the chaos, I heard gunfire, and the repulsive man who tried to r*pe me fell to the ground, dead. When I looked up, I saw Todd brutally taking down the attackers. Blood splattered across his face, and he showed no sign of flinching. Instead, he wore a slight smirk that made him appear like the devil, powerful and unyielding.

Then this "devil" approached me, removed his jacket, and wrapped it around my bare shoulders, murmuring, "It's okay; you're safe now."

In that moment, I realized I had fallen for him—completely and utterly.

After that night, Todd assumed control of Dark Angel, and Mr. Charles stepped down as the head. To my surprise, I found out that Mr. Charles had quietly arranged a marriage license for Todd and me beforehand. Being the mafia leader, he had his methods. I became Todd's wife, which thrilled me, and I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of gratitude for the kidnapping. It hadn't harmed me; instead, it had given me a chance to marry Todd.

I knew he didn't love me, but I held onto the naive hope that if I tried hard enough, I could win his heart.

"Sweetheart, I understand that your daddy doesn't have feelings for me, but that's okay. As long as your daddy is here to witness your arrival into this world, I will be so happy."

I caressed my round belly, my heart swelling with uncontainable joy.

Two days later, just as I had wished, Todd returned after being absent for ten months.

Overjoyed, I hugged my belly and rushed downstairs.

But my heart sank when I reached the bottom of the stairs. In the hallway, beside the man I had missed so much, stood another woman.

"Todd, what is going on? I called you back to be here for the birth, and you bring this woman along?" Mr. Charles shouted in fury.

"Don't you see what this means? I've already told you, I want nothing to do with this marriage! The woman I want to marry is Lilith, and she's right here beside me!"

Todd stood there clad in a sleek black trench coat, his strikingly handsome face sculpted like a work of art, with his deep, cold black eyes fixed intently on Mr. Charles. He exuded an aura of frostiness as if a chill surrounded him.

Mr. Charles fury erupted instantly, his face flushing red with anger.

"You scoundrel! Do you even understand that Ariana is carrying triplets? She's about to give birth, and you dare to say such things?!"

"Why shouldn't I? If you hadn't drugged me on our wedding night, none of this would have happened! I'm telling you, those kids don't deserve to exist!"

As he spoke, he raised his gun, the cold, dark barrel aimed directly at me. "Ariana, you must agree to divorce me, or you'll deeply regret it."

"No, I ... " My voice faltered as I lowered my head and headed down the stairs, desperately trying to reason with him, when suddenly, I heard a deafening bang. A sharp pain pierced my scalp as something whizzed by.

Screams erupted from the household staff, and I looked up in shock to see a bullet lodged in the wall behind me. If I hadn't ducked just then to go down the stairs, I would have been dead!

The realization crashed down on me like a tidal wave.

Todd had shot at me! My husband wanted to kill me!

He even claimed ... our children didn't deserve to be born!

I felt myself beginning to sway.

"Ah! Mrs. Lockford! You're bleeding!"

"What?"

I saw the staff rush toward me in panic, their eyes wide with terror as they stared at my belly.

I didn't understand what was happening.

Confused, I glanced down to see large pools of blood seeping from beneath my skirt.

My children ...

"Todd, you've just killed your own children. Your love ... is important than your flesh and blood?!"

As I collapsed, I locked eyes with the cold, unfeeling man and whispered those final words.

And I vowed that this would be the last thing I ever said to him in my life!

Todd's POV:

"Ah, Todd, don't stop!" the woman beneath me moaned, begging me to continue thrusting in and out of her core as her long legs were wrapped around my waist. She was hot, inside and out, and so was I.

"Ariana, how could you do this?" I entered her, pushing with all my strength. Fury surged through my veins; she had betrayed me and slipped me an aphrodisiac! I should have eliminated her right then and there, but my father had locked the door. I was trapped. I had never been one to remain passive, and since I had a willing partner in front of me, why not channel my frustrations into her? Regardless, I would never consent to marry her, even as I shifted to go deeper.

After three rounds, the effects of the drug began to wane, and the heat within me diminished considerably, but d*mn it! I didn't want to pull out! She must have slipped me something else!

Her delicate hand brushed against my arm, and my resolve crumbled instantly. I flipped her over roughly, pouring all my anger into her. She trembled and cried out, "Oh, Todd! Please, slow down ... "

"Be quiet." I covered her mouth, wanting to keep the moment silent. I wouldn't admit that her moans only fueled my desire to continue.

Once it was all over, I stepped out onto the balcony to smoke. As the smoke swirled around me, I glanced back at Ariana sprawled on the bed; she was sound asleep, completely worn out. My bite marks were imprinted on her full breasts, and my hands had left bruises on her soft thighs. I had never been this intense with a woman before, not even with Lilith, the one I truly desired to marry.

Lilith was bold and adventurous, a seductress in bed, and that excited me. Ariana was something else entirely; she was innocent and bashful. No matter where I touched her, her cheeks would flush a deep crimson.

"D*mn!" I felt my arousal rising again, further infuriating me because I had never seen Ariana as anything more than a child.

Seven years ago, Ariana lost her father because of my own, and my father had brought her into our household. Back then, she was so small and wouldn't dare meet my gaze, her voice barely a whisper. I had no interest in girls like that—fragile, timid little girls.

Over the years, I hardly spoke to her. Occasionally, when we exchanged a few words, she seemed cheerful, but her soft voice only irritated me. I had no patience for childishness; I preferred women who were confident, sultry, and mature.

When did I realize she had matured? Oh, it was on her 20th birthday when she was kidnapped. The abductors attempted to negotiate with us, hoping to trade Ariana's safety for territory, mistakenly believing she was my fiancée. I couldn't fault them; my father and the staff often referred to her that way, although I didn't agree.

"What do you think we should do?" my father asked.

"I'll kill them all. I'll bring Ariana back unharmed." A surge of murderous intent filled me; anyone who dared threaten the Lockfords deserved to die.

My father was pleased with my reaction. He took charge of the negotiations to buy time while I gathered a team to locate Ariana. Unfortunately, the kidnappers caught wind of our plans and evaded my father's trap before I could reach them. They intended to assault Ariana, and I realized it the moment I entered the scene, as I saw the men stripped bare. Ariana's clothes had been torn, despair written all over her face.

That infuriated me. I had vowed to bring her back unharmed, and I killed everyone there. Surprisingly, Ariana didn't scream; she appeared remarkably calm, which shifted my perception of her, if only slightly. That was the first time I saw her naked. Her skin was tight, her breasts perky, and her bottom was round, looking like an utter beauty.

I didn't comfort her; I was eager to deal with the mafia known as Crimson Claw, the ones who had taken her. I led my Dark Angel crew to their hideout and forced them to scatter. From that day on, only one mafia remained in Raidind, led by our family's Dark Angel faction.

After that incident, my reputation soared within Dark Angel, and my father stepped down, but he insisted that I marry Ariana, claiming she possessed connections to some mysterious power that could benefit me.

"Are you serious? Ariana was nearly assaulted; she won't want to be around a man for a long time." I couldn't help but laugh at that ridiculous notion. My father's idea of some hidden strength behind her was absurd. If there really was something, how could her father have died so violently?

"No, she's willing to marry you," my father insisted.

"Oh, hell no!" What was she thinking, wanting to marry me? Besides, why should my marriage be determined by my father? I angrily refused, "I won't marry her! If you believe she has some mysterious power supporting her, then you can marry her yourself!"

I turned and walked away. But what I didn't expect was that Ariana actually tricked me into taking an aphrodisiac, and then my father locked me and Ariana in a room together ...

I took another long drag of my cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray. I hated being forced into anything, and it only fueled my disdain for Ariana.

When the door finally clicked open, I left without waiting for Ariana to wake. Eight months later, I returned home with Lilith, trying to make Ariana back off, but she had the audacity to stand her ground. I aimed my gun at her. My aim was true, and as I saw her lower her head, I knew my shot would only graze her scalp, leaving her unhurt. But something unexpected happened.

She miscarried.

She bled out and died.

My two unborn children were gone as well.

This was all my fault.

As I gazed at the image my men had sent, my breath hitched in my throat.

The photo depicted three lifeless figures beneath white sheets—one larger body and two smaller ones, all resting on hospital beds. Today was meant to be the day I welcomed three children into the world, but I had shattered that hope.

D*mn it!

Ariana's POV:

Five years had passed, and I found myself at Clarity Hospital in Florence.

"Excuse me, Dr. Nancy, are you suggesting that this patient can avoid surgery? Instead, we could try that Eastern needle therapy?"

"Yes, if you trust my expertise."

I perused the medical file in my hands, wearing a smile that conveyed both confidence and politeness.

Nancy Brown was the name I went by now.

I didn't die five years ago in that hospital. That obstetrician performed a miracle and saved my life. Afterward, I pleaded with her not to inform Mr. Charles but to simply announce that I had passed away.

I would rather have died than return to that household. Todd's cruelty had scarred me deeply; he had wanted to kill me and our children! I understood that even if I went back, nothing would change. Our children would grow up in a dreadful environment.

But I also realized I couldn't take all three kids with me. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I left one behind and took two with me. After that, I came here and quickly rose in the medical field, all thanks to my father.

When I was just ten years old, my father had rescued a woman from the East and provided her shelter. In gratitude, she taught me some medical skills—those that seemed almost magical, where a few needles could bring healing. They called it needle therapy. Surprisingly, I discovered I had a natural talent for it.

Not everyone would believe in needle therapy, and I was aware of that. Sensing their hesitation, I exited the meeting room. I needed to pick up my beloved little ones.

About ten minutes later, I arrived at the kindergarten.

"Mommy, you finally made it! I've been waiting for you forever!"

As soon as I arrived, the quiet atmosphere of the kindergarten buzzed to life. A little girl in a pink dress, her hair playfully tied in pigtails, dashed toward me with excitement.

I stepped out of the car.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart! I was late. I promise I won't keep you waiting again, okay?"

"It's fine! Griffin was here! He brought so much food for me!"

That made my heart swell with warmth.

Griffin, Mirabelle's elder twin brother—he truly was a thoughtful little guy, always taking care of Mirabelle.

I smiled. "Oh, really? Let's go find Griffin, shall we?"

"Okay, Mommy!"

A few moments later, I spotted my son.

But what caught my eye was the way he was surrounded in the teacher's office; I couldn't help but wonder what he was up to.

"Griffin, what are you doing?" I asked, stepping inside curiously, and then I noticed a small photo in his hands. It depicted a serious-faced Griffin, which surprised me because he was typically such a cheerful child.

He bore a resemblance to that man, yet he was never as cold or unfeeling. He radiated warmth, always wearing a bright smile on his cute little face.

"Oh, Mommy, you're here! I wasn't doing anything."

Griffin quickly responded. The moment he heard my voice, he lit up and hopped down from the desk.

"You didn't get into any trouble this time? Don't try to fool me. Last time, you even taught your teacher how to mess with the kindergarten's computer so everyone could have a day off! Are you sure you didn't stir anything up today?"

"Uh ... Mommy, I promise I didn't. I just showed them a game. Alright, Mommy, I'm hungry. Can we go home now?" I wanted to see the picture he was holding, but Griffin quickly turned it over, concealing it from my view as he returned it to the teacher. Then he tugged at my hand with a look of desperation.

I fell silent. Fine, every kid had their little secrets. Perhaps he didn't like that picture. I needed to respect his feelings. I smiled and took his hand, guiding him outside.

Once we arrived home, I hurried into the kitchen to prepare dinner for the three of us.

However, just as I began cooking, the hospital called.

"Dr. Nancy, the hospital has agreed to transfer the patient to you. Could you come over now?"

"Right now?"

"Yes, the patient's family is here and wants to talk to you immediately."

The nurse's voice sounded a bit stressed.

Patients like this could be quite challenging; wealthy individuals often assume that everyone should cater to their needs as if they owned the entire world.

After some consideration, I agreed.

"Griffin, I have to go back to the hospital for a bit. Can you stay home and eat with Mirabelle?"

"Of course! Don't worry, Mommy. I'll take great care of Mirabelle."

Griffin waved his hand confidently, reassuring me that I didn't need to fret.

With him there, I really didn't have to worry.

So, I headed out again.

Half an hour later, at Clarity Hospital.

"Dr. Nancy, you made it!"

"Yeah, where's the patient's family?"

"In Mr. Ferrero's office. But be cautious; the family can be a bit temperamental," the nurse advised kindly.

I smiled, donned my lab coat, pulled on my mask, and made my way to the hospital director, Mr. Ferrero's, office.

"Hey, Mr. Ferrero."

"Nancy, you're here! Come on in. You should meet the patient's family."

Inside the brightly lit office, Mr. Ferrero, who was an old man appeared to be struggling to communicate with a female seated across from him, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.

It was clear that this woman, a family member of the patient, wasn't easy to deal with.

I glanced at her, and as soon as I recognized her face, my heart sank in disbelief!

"Mr. Ferrero, is this the incredible doctor you were telling me about? Her?"

The woman stood up at the sight of me.

She was tall and graceful, her makeup impeccable. Cascading chestnut waves framed her face, and she wore an exquisite designer outfit, radiating an air of authority and confidence.

It was Lilith!

No one could have predicted that the first familiar face I would encounter five years later would be hers!

Ariana's POV:

So, the patient I had to treat was her?

I felt my expression harden instantly. Todd had never wanted to marry me all those years ago, but since we were already tied together, he had no right to treat me and our child in such a cruel manner. He could have chosen not to be emotionally abusive and to refrain from threatening me with a gun. All he needed to do was ask for a divorce; did he really believe I would refuse?

"Mr. Ferrero, I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm unable to treat her condition. You need to find another doctor!"

With that blunt declaration, I turned on my heel and walked away.

Mr. Ferrero was speechless.

Lilith's eyes burned with fury upon hearing my words. She shouted after me, "What did you just say? Repeat that!"

Her voice dripped with menace and hostility!

Unfortunately, I had no intention of answering her.

Without a backward glance, I strode away with resolve.

That b*tch wasn't worth my time!

"What's her problem? Is she crazy? Does she want to lose her job?"

"No, no, Mrs. Lockford, please calm down. Dr. Nancy must have misunderstood. I'll clarify things with her and ensure she treats Mr. Lockford tomorrow. You can count on that!"

Mr. Ferrero rushed to explain, his voice tinged with urgency as he called for me to stop.

Mrs. Lockford?

Treat Mr. Lockford?

Ha! What was there to treat? I was surprised that after five years, they were both still alive. I thought they would've been in hell by now.

I quickened my pace.

I didn't even realize I was trembling, my fists clenched so tightly that my knuckles turned pale. It wasn't until I jumped into my car and slammed the door shut that I finally broke down against the steering wheel, tightly shutting my already reddened eyes!

Five years. A full five years!

I thought I had moved on, but the moment that woman appeared, I realized my wounds were still fresh, and the hatred inside me flared up, making me want to confront her right then and there!

What right did Todd have to ask for my help? A man who would trample over our child's lifeless body just to get away from me? I wouldn't lift a finger to save him, no matter what!

It took me a while to regain my composure in the car before I finally drove back home.

When I arrived, both kids were already asleep.

Griffin was impressively responsible; he not only ensured that Mirabelle had eaten but also bathed her. At that moment, he was nestled up with her, fast asleep in the nursery, radiating a sense of peace.

"Mommy, is that you?"

He murmured softly in his sleep.

I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss on his small forehead. "Yes, sweetheart. I'm home. Now go back to sleep."

He rolled over and quickly drifted back into his dreams.

A smile spread across my face as I tucked the blankets around them. I took a moment to watch my two precious children before reluctantly heading to my study.

"Susan, are you still up?"

"Yes. What's up?"

"Could you do me a favor? I need you to go to the hospital tomorrow morning ... "

While I spoke to my friend on the phone, I hurriedly booked three plane tickets to Zenovia online.

I had a strong feeling that it wouldn't be long before Todd found out I was alive. With his influential connections, he would undoubtedly track down my two kids, and I couldn't stand the thought of him taking them away from me. They were my entire world.

I needed to escape—quickly!

Todd's POV:

Downtown, Hylton Hotel Penthouse.

I stared darkly at the woman in front of me, who had just returned, sobbing, from her errand. A dull ache was starting to pulse in my temples.

"So what you're telling me is that Clarity Hospital didn't even bother to line up a doctor for me? And it's nothing like its reputation? It's not even a top-notch hospital?"

"Yes, Todd, you have no idea. Their attitude was horrible! This random doctor, I only asked her a few questions, and she just started cussing me out! She said she wouldn't treat an evil person, that there are no good people in the mafia!"

Lilith spoke quickly, her voice seething with anger. I could feel it, and I felt it too.

For years, I've kept Dark Angel under tight control, reigning in my people, making sure they don't harm without reason. I've gotten used to people's obedience. And now, a mere hospital dares to defy my orders?

"Who was she?"

"Nancy! I heard the director call her Nancy. Apparently, she's the only doctor there who knows how to treat sleep disorders."

Lilith's words tumbled out at a rapid clip, and I noticed something venomous in her eyes. She clearly hated this woman. I didn't dwell on it, though, because my head was throbbing with pain.

The truth is, I've had severe insomnia for years. I can go entire nights without sleeping, forced to rely on meds to get even a few hours of rest. But everyone knows you can't take those pills for long—the side effects are brutal. They make my temper even worse, leave me with splitting headaches, and sometimes ... make me feel like I'm a second away from killing someone.

That's why I'd come here, to find a real solution.

And now, some random doctor's saying she won't treat me?

A murderous rage simmered in my chest. I called my lieutenant, William, into the room. "Get Ferrero here, now," I ordered.

Ferrero is the director of Clarity Hospital.

"Yes, sir."

"And bring this 'Nancy' with him."

"Understood."

William left to carry out my orders, and Lilith came up to my side, watching him leave.

"Todd, let me massage your temples," she said, her voice dropping to a syrupy tone, sweet and sticky, like a cake made entirely of frosting with no sponge underneath. Disgusting.

"No," I rejected her offer, ignoring the hurt look in her eyes as I dismissed her from the room.

...

Ariana's POV:

That night, I couldn't sleep well, a few things weighing heavily on my mind.

But even though I hadn't slept properly, I didn't notice my phone lighting up again and again in the dark—I'd put it on silent. It wasn't until my alarm went off the next morning, and I groggily reached over to turn it off, that I saw it. Seven or eight missed calls.

Suddenly, I was wide awake.

All the missed calls were from the hospital.

I'm not an ER doctor. There's no reason for them to be calling me in the middle of the night.

If it wasn't an emergency, then why ... ?

A string of back-to-back calls like that—like a death sentence—what could it possibly mean?

Could it be ... ?

A terrifying thought flashed through my mind, and the next second, I was already leaping out of bed.

"Griffin, Mirabelle, wake up! Mommy's taking you on a trip today, hurry up or we'll be late!"

I rushed into the kids' room, jolting my two sleepy little ones out of their dreams in seconds.

"Mommy ... " Mirabelle mumbled, her voice soft and drowsy.

Her big, sleepy eyes refused to open, clearly still not fully awake.

But Griffin perked up the moment he heard the word "trip."

"A trip? Mommy, where are we going? Don't you have work?"

"I took a few days off. We're going to Zenovia! Mommy already bought the tickets—I wanted it to be a surprise. Now hurry up!"

As I answered Griffin's questions, I quickly scooped Mirabelle out from under her cozy blanket, even though she was still clinging to it.

Seeing this, Griffin didn't waste any time and scrambled out of bed as well.

Twenty minutes later, the three of us were finally packed and out the door.

Buzz ... buzz ...

Right then, my phone started vibrating again. I took it out and saw it was my friend Susan calling, so I picked up.

"Hello?"

"Oh my god, Nancy, what is going on at the hospital? Your office is packed with people—it looks like they're tearing the place apart! And it seems like they're looking for you. What's going on? You suddenly called in for leave, and now the whole place is in chaos. Did you piss someone off?"

Susan's voice rattled off at machine-gun speed, bombarding me with questions the second she started talking.

Hearing this, my face went even paler.

"It's nothing, really. They just want me to treat a patient I don't want to treat, so they're probably just searching my office for files. Don't worry. Since they're already there, you should go back before they notice anything."

"Are you sure?"

Susan sounded skeptical.

But I wasn't about to explain anything more to her. I didn't have the time, nor did I see the point.

I hung up, and without wasting a second, took the kids and sped toward the airport.

There was no way I was going to let myself be found. Not only did I never want to see that bastard ever again, but for the sake of my children, I would never let him know they existed.

Because if he found out, he'd definitely try to take them away.

And with my resources, there was no way I could fight a globally powerful mafia boss.

That's why, the moment I saw that vile woman at the hospital last night, I'd rushed home to book flights and called Susan to cover for me, erasing any evidence they could find at the hospital.

But I was still too late.

I never thought that scumbag would move so fast, showing up at the hospital in the dead of night.

Did he not even need to sleep?

All this over such a small matter, and he's going all out?

Grinding my teeth, I raced to the airport with the kids. It only took about 30 minutes to get there.

"Griffin, keep an eye on Mirabelle here for a moment, okay? Mommy's going to get our boarding passes."

"Okay, Mommy."

Griffin was being so well-behaved. He must've sensed my urgency and tension, and he nodded right away.

I quickly grabbed our IDs and headed over to the self-service kiosk to print our boarding passes.

But to my frustration, after I scanned my ticket and ID, the screen flashed: "Unable to process."

Are you kidding me?

It's like this stupid machine knew I was in a rush and just wanted to mess with me.

I forced myself to stay calm, took my ticket and ID, and walked over to the staffed counter, hoping they'd be able to issue the passes manually.

"Hi, I'd like to check in for Flight XX."

The staff member took my ID and ticket, looked at the screen, and then, without missing a beat, said, "Nancy Brown, right? I'm sorry, but you've been flagged with a travel restriction."

A what?

I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

"Excuse me? Can you tell me why I'm being restricted from leaving the country?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know the details. All I know is that we received an alert stating that Dr. Nancy Brown from Clarity Hospital is prohibited from leaving the country. If you have questions, you might want to contact your hospital," the staff member replied.

I stood there, frozen for a good ten seconds, barely keeping my rage in check.

Dr. Nancy from Clarity Hospital.

I didn't need to ask what was going on.

That bastard. That absolute scum.

He'd reached out and pulled strings here too, enough to block me from leaving the country? Just like that?

And what was even scarier—he'd figured out I was flying to Zenovia.

I was so furious that my whole body was shaking, my vision blurring in and out from the rage.