Emily clutched the baby closer, her body shaking with inconsolable sobs. “But you cared for your other daughter, Olivia! Yet you abandoned me!”
The accusation hung heavy, a testament to a lifetime of perceived inequality.
Alina’s composure snapped, her scream piercing the already fraught atmosphere. “I love you both! My life was brutal and harsh!”
The room felt smaller, the air thicker with each word spoken, each secret unraveled. I watched, still powerless, as the fabric of trust continued to tear, the threads of their bond fraying beyond recognition.
My fingers found Olivia’s amidst the tension that crackled through the air, her palm cool and clammy within my grasp. She turned to me, a flicker of disbelief in her eyes.
“I’m shocked to see Emily so riled,” she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.
She stepped toward Emily, her hand slipping from mine to reach out with words meant to soothe. “Emily, we will find Marcellious and return him to you.”
Lee’s silhouette filled the doorway, commanding the attention of everyone in the room.
“I will find my son and bring him back to you,” he said with unwavering conviction. “I raised him and will do whatever it takes to have him by your side again.”
His gaze locked on Alina. “I think you should go. Emily and the baby need their rest.”
Without a word, Alina receded into the shadows of the hallway, leaving behind a trail of stifled emotions and unanswered questions.
A hush descended as Emily’s tear-streaked face turned toward Lee. His steady gaze seemed to smooth out the raw edges of her anger.
“I believe you, Lee,” she said, her voice steadying. “Marcellious has told me so many things about you. Your presence here eases my pain.”
With trembling arms, she presented the bundle cradled against her chest. “Meet Leo.”
Lee approached with solemnity reserved for sacred moments, extending his arms to receive the infant. As he gazed down at the baby, his expression softened, reverence shining in his eyes like a lighthouse beacon amidst stormy seas. “You have given Marcellious a beautiful son, Emily. I give you my word. I will bring Marcellious back.”
As I stood there, watching the exchange, a silent vow settled in my heart alongside Lee’s promise—a gladiator’s oath to protect and fight for this family, torn and mended by the threads of fate and blood.
Olivia stormed out of the room, her fury a living thing that seemed to burn the air around us. I trailed closely behind, my mind racing, but my demeanor as steady and resolute as a centurion on watch.
“How could she just stand there, Roman?” Her words were sharp, each one slicing through the tension. “After all these years?”
“Easy,” I murmured, placing a hand on her shoulder in a silent bid to steady her tempest and protect her as if I could shield her from the storm of emotions battling within her.
Alina was waiting just outside, her face etched with concern and something else—perhaps regret or fear. As Olivia’s eyes met hers, I felt a shift inside me. Every muscle tensed, every sense heightened. The gladiator in me took over, ready for any threat, real or perceived.
“Olivia, honey, please let me tell you the story,” Alina said, her voice threaded with a weariness that spoke of long-held burdens. “I’m tired of all these secrets and lies.”
Before Olivia could retort, heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway. Mathias appeared, his presence dominating the space as he approached.
“You will get the whole truth, my dear,” he told Olivia, his gaze fixed on Alina with an intensity that left no room for doubt. “Alina will tell you everything.”
Even if they were to tell us their side of the story, could we trust it? Would it be enough to satisfy our burning questions and doubts? Or would we always wonder if there was more to the truth, hidden just out of our reach?
CHAPTER TWO
OLIVIA
We headed downstairs, a somber procession led by Malik’s silent determination, Roman’s steady presence at my side, Lee’s watchful eyes scanning for unseen threats, and Mathias’ enigmatic composure. Behind us, Alina’s footsteps were a hushed whisper of deception. In contrast, my footfalls echoed loudly with my cumbersome and awkward gait, evidence of the life growing inside me. The weight of my pregnant belly slowed my steps, but I trudged on determinedly despite the ache in my back and the heaviness in my limbs.
“My whole life was upended in an instant,” I murmured, the words tumbling like shards of broken glass. “All these years, I thought she was dead. Where was she?”
Roman squeezed my hand, anchoring me to the present amidst the chaos. “Patience, Olivia.”
“Roman, I need answers! I need someone to tell me the truth. Where’s she been all along?” The desperation in my voice clawed its way up from my gut, demanding to be heard.
