Revenge After Divorce by Black Rose

Chapter 295 Olivia I kept the mask of a brave face firmly in place, hiding the storm of emotions brewing within me. I had to; for my husband, Nick, and for Ethan, who seemed so unaware of the deep fear clawing at me. The reality was, though, that I was crumbling on the inside.

It wasn't just the men Nick and Lake had sent to keep watch over me. It wasn't even their looming presence. outside the house that hadon edge. It was the ever-looming possibility that Xander might escape, escape from whatever dark hole he had been burled in, and cto New Village to finish what he started.

I wasn't ready to face him. Not yet. Hell, I wasn't sure I would ever be ready. I had only just begun therapy to heal the trauma he had inflicted on me, but the thought of encountering him again made the pit of my stomach twist painfully. I couldn't even wrap my mind around how much further my sanity would unravel if I had to see him, lef alone face him.

I had been through hell once already. No, scratch that, I had been through hell twice. The first time, when he had ruined everything, I held dear, and the second time, when I had to claw my way back, piece by broken piece. I thought I had recovered, thought I had escaped.

But now, with his ncreeping back into my life, I felt the icy tendrils of dread wrapping themselves around my heart again. It wasn't just about surviving anymore. It was about living with the knowledge that he could return and when he did, I didn't think I would be able to bear it.

As I stood by the window, the sky growing darker with every passing minute, I couldn't shake the images from my mind. The shadows of men moving around the house, Nick's mother being escorted away, and the constant flurry of activity outside, replacing one set of bodyguards with another.

For a moment, I almost laughed, thinking that if anyone were to look at this, they might think the president himself had taken residence in my home. But there was no humour in it. There was no escape from the dread that clung to the air like a fog, choking any semblance of normalcy.

Lilly stirred in my arms, moving restlessly. Even she, my precious little girl, could feel the tension. Her small body shifted uncomfortably, and she let out a soft whimper as though mirroring my own unease. It broke my heart to see her like this, unsettled by something she couldn't understand. The last thing I wanted was for her to sense the fear that coursed through me, but I couldn't help t. It was everywhere. It was suffocating.

I needed everything to be over. Now.

"Mam," I heard a voice crackle through the air, pullingfrom my thoughts.

I froze, heart hammering in my chest. I looked around in confusion before my eyes landed on the walkie-talkie next to the crib, the device seemingly out of place but ominously present.

"Mam, are you there?" the voice repeated, more urgent this time.

I hesitated, my breath shallow. My hand instinctively reached for the walkie-talkie, my fingers trembling as I gripped the cold plastic.

"Yes, who is this?" I asked, my voice shaky, trying to maintain ssemblance of control.

"It's James, mam. At the gate. Your son is here." The words hitlike a thunderclap. My whole body went cold. No. That wasn't possible. My son, Samuel, was asleep in his room. He was safe, tucked in tight under his blankets, his little chest rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm. He couldn't possibly be outside. Not now. Not with everything going on.

"No" I whispered shaking my head as If denying it would omehow make it untrue "That's not possible. My son is sleeping.

I rushed toward Samuel's room, my heart pounding with every step, the dread swelling insidelike a tidal wave. The walkie-talkie crackled again, but I didn't wait to hear what James had to say, I had to make sure Samuel was safe.

I flung open the door to his room, but my heart stopped in my chest. The room was empty.

Empty.

My stomach twisted in a sickening mot. The alt seemed to press down on me, heavy with the weight of panic. My eyes darted around the room, desperately searching for any sign of my son. The bed was untouched, the blankets still neatly folded, but there was no sign of him. The siletice in the room was deafening.

"No," I whispered, my voice cracking as my mind raced. "Where is he?" Before I could gather my thoughts or figure out what to do next, the unmistakable sound of gunfire shattered the stillness. A rain of bullets erupted from the outside, a barrage of gunshots that seemed to echo through the walls of the house.

My heart slammed into my chest, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I dropped to my knees, panic clawing at my throat. The room spun aroundas I tried to make sense of what was happening. Gunfire. Samuel. My son. Where was he? Tears welled up in my eyes as the images of Xander's cruel face flooded my mind. Had he cfor me? Was he behind this chaos? My body shook with the realization that everything I feared had ctrue, my worst nightmare was unfolding before my very eyes.

I scrambled to my feet, barely able to breathe as my thoughts spiralled out of control. I had to find Samuel. I had to make sure he was safe.

But where could he be with all those shots? The gunshots outside were relentless, the sound of chaos and violence raging just beyond the walls. My heart clenched in terror as I realized that in the midst of all this madness, my little boy was out there somewhere. Was he hiding? Was he scared? The images of Xander, of his cold eyes and twisted smile, flashed beforeagain. I couldn't let him hurt Samuel. He hurtbut I was not going to let him hurt my son.

I rushed to the door, my body trembling as I moved through the house with a sense of urgency I had never felt before. I didn't know where to go. I didn't know what was happening outside, but all I could think about was Samuel.

"Please," I whispered, my voice breaking as I called his name. "Please, God, don't let anything m happen to him." But didn't have an answer. I didn't have any answers. Just fear. Just the overwhelming fear that something terrible had already happened, and it was my fault for not protecting him sooner.

The house felt like it was closing in on me, the walls pressing down with every step I took. The sound of m I e gunfire outside seemed to grow louder, more intense. I could feel the heat of it on my skin, the danger too close for comfort. And still, no sign of Samuel.

Where was he? Every moment felt like a lifetime, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was losing him. I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't.

Chapter 295 I had to find him. Now.

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