Serena couldn't stop staring at the message.
Her fingers were numb.
Her chest felt hollow.
"Someone knows," she whispered.
Lucas took the phone from her hand.
His eyes scanned the screen once.
Then his jaw tightened.
"This number isn't public," he said.
"What does that mean?" Serena asked.
"It means this didn't come from gossip," Lucas replied.
"It came from inside my circle."
Her stomach dropped.
"You're saying someone close to you knows about the baby," she said.
"Yes," Lucas answered.
"And they shouldn't."
Fear crept up her spine.
"I didn't tell anyone," she said quickly.
"I know," he replied without hesitation.
That certainty startled her.
"You believe me?" she asked.
Lucas met her gaze.
"I wouldn't bring you here if I didn't."
Hawthorne stood stiffly by the door.
"I've started tracing the number," he said.
"It's masked, but sophisticated."
"Which narrows it down," Lucas said.
"To people with money," Hawthorne agreed.
Serena wrapped her arms around herself.
"So I'm a prize now," she murmured.
Lucas turned sharply.
"No."
"That message didn't feel like curiosity," she continued.
"It felt like a threat."
Lucas stepped closer.
"Listen to me," he said quietly.
"No one touches you."
She looked up at him.
"You keep saying that," she said.
"But you can't be everywhere."
Lucas didn't deny it.
"That's why you won't leave this place alone," he said.
Her chest tightened.
"So I'm trapped," she said.
"You're protected."
"You keep using that word," she replied bitterly.
"It still feels like a cage."
Lucas exhaled slowly.
"I don't know another way," he admitted.
The honesty caught her off guard.
That night, Serena lay awake in the guest room.
The bed was too soft.
The ceiling too high.
She missed the noise of her apartment.
The comfort of familiarity.
A soft knock came at the door.
Her heart jumped.
"Serena," Lucas said from the other side.
She hesitated.
"Go away."
"I won't," he replied calmly.
She sighed and opened the door.
Lucas stood there, sleeves rolled up, tension etched into his face.
"You should sleep," she said.
"So should you," he replied.
They stood in silence.
"You're angry," he said.
"Of course I am," she snapped.
"My life exploded in forty-eight hours."
"I didn't plan this," Lucas said.
"Neither did I," she replied.
His gaze dropped briefly to her stomach.
Then back to her eyes.
"Are you scared?" he asked.
Her defenses wavered.
"Yes," she admitted quietly.
"I am."
Lucas stepped closer.
"You don't have to be alone in that," he said.
She laughed softly.
"That's ironic."
"Why?"
"Because you don't know how to be present," she said.
"You control. You protect. But you don't stay."
His jaw tightened.
"I'm here now," he said.
"For how long?" she asked.
He didn't answer.
That silence hurt more than words.
The next morning, Serena woke to voices.
Sharp.
Urgent.
She slipped out of bed and cracked the door open.
Hawthorne stood with Lucas in the living area.
"They moved faster than expected," Hawthorne said.
"Explain," Lucas demanded.
"A blog leaked details," Hawthorne continued.
"Not confirmed, but suggestive."
Serena's chest tightened.
"What details?" she asked, stepping out.
Both men turned.
Hawthorne hesitated.
"They're implying pregnancy," he said carefully.
Her knees weakened.
"That was fast," she whispered.
Lucas's expression hardened.
"Pull it down," he ordered.
"We can't," Hawthorne replied.
"It's already spreading."
Serena's breath shook.
"My brother," she said.
"He'll see this."
Lucas reached for his phone.
"I'll handle him," he said.
"No," Serena said sharply.
"You won't."
Lucas looked at her.
"He deserves the truth," she continued.
"From me."
Lucas studied her for a long moment.
"Then I want security with you," he said.
"That's not fair," she replied.
"It's necessary," he countered.
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
Eli answered on the third ring.
"Serena?" he said.
"Where are you?"
She swallowed.
"I'm safe," she said.
"That's not what I asked."
She closed her eyes.
"I met someone," she said slowly.
"And things... escalated."
There was a pause.
"Is he the man from the news?" Eli asked.
"Yes," she admitted.
Another pause.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
Tears burned her eyes.
"I'm trying to be," she replied.
He exhaled.
"Come home," he said.
"We'll figure this out."
Her chest ached.
"I can't," she whispered.
"Why?"
Because I'm pregnant.
Because I'm afraid.
Because the world is watching.
"I'll explain soon," she said.
The line went quiet.
"I trust you," Eli finally said.
"But don't shut me out."
The call ended.
Serena lowered the phone, hands shaking.
Lucas watched her carefully.
"You handled that well," he said.
She looked at him.
"You don't get credit for this," she replied.
"This is my mess."
"It's ours," Lucas said.
She didn't correct him.
That afternoon, a package arrived.
No return address.
Security scanned it thoroughly before bringing it inside.
Lucas frowned as he opened it.
Inside was a slim black folder.
And a photo.
Serena froze when she saw it.
It was her.
Leaving the clinic.
Taken that morning.
Her breath left her in a gasp.
"That's impossible," she whispered.
"I wasn't even sure yet."
Lucas stared at the image.
"They're watching you," he said grimly.
A note slid out.
Lucas read it aloud.
"You can hide the truth.
But the heir belongs to us too."
Serena's vision blurred.
"There's more," Lucas said.
He turned the page.
"Come alone tonight if you want this to stop."
Her heart slammed violently.
"Alone?" she whispered.
"They're lying."
Lucas crushed the folder in his hand.
"No," he said.
"They're testing."
She grabbed his arm.
"You can't let me go," she said.
"They'll hurt me."
Lucas looked down at her hand.
Then at her face.
"You're not going," he said firmly.
"Then what?" she asked.
Lucas's phone buzzed.
A message flashed across the screen.
Unknown: If she doesn't come, we'll go to the brother.
Serena's blood ran cold.
She looked up at Lucas in horror.
"They know about Eli," she whispered.
Lucas's face darkened with lethal calm.
"They crossed a line," he said.
Serena clutched his arm.
"Lucas," she said desperately.
"They're using me."
He covered her hand with his.
"And now," he said quietly,
"I'm going to end this."
Her chest tightened.
"How?" she asked.
Lucas's gaze was hard, unwavering.
"By doing exactly what they don't expect," he said.
"And risking everything."
Her heart pounded.
"What does that mean?"
Lucas turned toward the door, already issuing orders.
"It means," he said,
"you're about to see who I really am."
