Bonds

Chapter 127 -Maya's POV- It all happened in a dizzying blur. The legalities were settled with surprising speed. Ivan had a notary practically appear out of thin air, papers rustling, pens scratching. Signatures exchanged, and just like that, everything was set in motion. We were packing before I could even process it all.

The thought of a fresh start, a clean slate, as a family - me, the twins, and Ivan as their official father - it filledwith a nervous excitement. No more looming threat of Alex, no more walking on eggshells. And most importantly, I desperately hoped the blackmailer would stay far away, just like whoever it was had vanished for the past week.

Thanks to a reluctant Sarah, I'd finally managed to get confirmation that Nate was safe and sound. Relief washed overin waves, momentarily erasing the knot of worry that had taken root in my stomach.

I'd only told my mother about our plans, allowing her a bittersweet goodbye with the twins. Now, the day of departure had finally arrived.

Ivan had left earlier to prepare the private jet, leavingwith the daunting task of wrangling the twins. Ivy was the picture of defiance, throwing a full-blown tantrum over something I couldn't quite understand. Her little voice, a high-pitched whine, filled the air with a string of nonsensical words.

"No go now!" she wailed, burying her face in my stomach.

"Oh, con," I muttered under my breath, feeling a surge of exasperation.

Taking a deep breath, I scooped Ivy into my arms, her tiny body wriggling against mine. "Hey," I said softly, rocking her gently. "How about we make a deal? We'll go to the airport, get on the airplane, and then when we land, we can go get ice cream. Your favorite kind, with sprinkles!" The mention of ice cream seemed to do the trick. Ivy peeked up at me, her tear-streaked face etched with a cautious hope. "Ice cream?" "The biggest, most delicious ice cream cone you've ever seen," I promised, a mischievous glint in my eye. A smile, tentative at first, blossomed on her face. "Chocolate? And Nate Vanilla?" I smiled at Nate who was staring quietly, "Chocolate and Vanilla with sprinkles, rainbow sprinkles all over," I confirmed, exaggerating my enthusiasm. The prospect of ice cream seemed to have completely erased the memory of her earlier anxieties.

The driver remained patiently by the door, a reassuring smile etched on his face. "Whenever you're all set, ma'am,” he said softly.

I nodded, offering a weak smile in return. "There's just one quick place I need to go before we leave. The hospital." He didn't question my decision, simply offering a curt nod of understanding. Relief washed overmomentarily, replaced by a fresh wave of nervous anticipation as I pulled out my phone, searching for the room number Sarah had reluctantly provided after much pleading on my end.

The hospital was a chaotic scene. The growing interbred war had taken its toll, and the hallways were overflowing with the wounded. Nurses rushed past, their faces etched with a mixture of urgency and exhaustion. Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself for what lay ahead.

Following the directions Sarah had given me, I navigated the maze of corridors, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Finally, I found the room a stark white space filled with the sterile scent of disinfectant.

Pushing open the door, I braced myself for the sight that awaited me. Nate was lying in the bed, looking pale but thankfully Chapter 127 free of any visible injuries. Natalia sat beside him, her back ramrod straight.

The moment I entered the room, the atmosphere shifted and posture stiffened.

"Natalia?" She remained frozen, refusing to meet my gaze. "What are you doing here?" "I cto see Nate," I replied, my voice barely audible. Then, after a moment's hesitation, I added, "And you." Still, she remained silent, her body language a wall between us. Taking a deep breath, I ventured closer, the silence in the room pressing down onlike a physical weight.

"I'm leaving," I muttered after a while, the words tasting like ashes in my mouth. "Ivan, he's adopted the twins officially, and well, we're all going away. He says it will be safer with everything that's happening." Herback tensed even further, a silent storm brewing beneath the surface. After a long, tense silence, she spoke. Her voice was devoid of any warmth, flat and emotionless.

"Good for you." A fresh wave of tears welled up in my eyes. I stood there, paralyzed by the awkward silence that engulfed us. The weight of unspoken words hung heavy in the air.

Letting out a shaky sigh, I broke the silence again. My voice, thick with emotion, cracked as I spoke. "I'm so sorry, Natalia. I am so, so sorry for everything. Tell Nate I'm sorry for everything, and that I love you both, so much." My words hung in the air unanswered. The raw pain in my voice seemed to have no effect on Natalia's stoic facade. Feeling a breakdown rising to the surface, I fought back tears of frustration.

Turning away, I started towards the door, the weight of defeat pressing down on me. Just as I was about to step out, I heard a soft whisper, barely audible.

"Goodbye, Amaya." The unexpected words broughtup short. I turned back, searching her face for any sign of emotion, but it remained unreadable. With a final, lingering look, I turned and left the room, the echo of her goodbye echoing in the sterile silence behind me.

My heart felt like it was shattering in my chest. Each beat was a painful throb, a constant reminder of the loss I was about to endure. Natalia, my best friend, the one person who truly understood me, was gone. It was the most painful thing I'd ever experienced, a raw wound that threatened to consme whole.

But I had to hold myself together. The twins, oblivious to the storm raging within me, were still happily occupied with the toys I'd given them to keep them entertained.

The driver's voice broke the oppressive silence. "Are you all set, ma'am?" he asked politely.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, I forced a smile onto my face. "Yes, we're ready," I mumbled, my voice thick with emotion.

As the car pulled away from the hospital, I stole a glance at the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of the building shrinking into the distance. A part oflonged to turn back, to run inside and beg Natalia for forgiveness, for a chance to mend the broken bond between us. But I knew it was futile. The decision had been made, and there was no turning back. This was my ticket to a fresh start, a chance to build a new life for myself and the twins, away from the chaos and danger that had becour reality.

Hope flickered within me, a fragile flbattling against the darkness of despair. Maybe this new beginning would bring with it the peace and security we so desperately craved.

Chapter 127 Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed the tpassing. The car sped along the highway, the familiar landscape blurring past the window. Suddenly, the driver slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching in protest.

My body lurched forward, thrown against the seatbelt. A startled shriek escaped my lips as the car swerved violently, narrowly avoiding a collision with a speeding vehicle that had swerved into our lane.

My heart hammered in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Taking a deep breath, I glanced e back at the twins. Thankfully, they seemed unharmed, momentarily startled by the sudden jolt but quickly returning to their playful chatter. Just as my pulse began to slow back down to normal, a loud, sickening crunch echoed through the car. It happened so fast, like a scene ripped straight out of the nightmares that had plaguedfor the past week.

A car, seemingly out of nowhere, slammed into the side of ours with a force that sentflying. My body collided with the twins, their startled cries filling the air. A blinding flash of pain shot through my arm, and for a fleeting moment, I saw nothing but stars. Disoriented and dazed, I tried to regain my bearings. The car was spinning out of control, the world outside a blurry mess of motion. Another scream pierced the air, but I couldn't tell if it was mine or one of the twins.

The screech of metal on metal filled the air as our car was sent careening into a concrete wall. The impact was brutal, throwing everything into a chaotic frenzy.

The world tilted on its axis, and with a final, desperate cry for the twins' names, my vision blurred and my entire world faded into an inky blackness.