The Weight of Secrets
(Isabelle's POV)
The night was too quiet.
Rain whispered against the windows, thin and uneven, like the world itself couldn't decide whether to wash away the darkness or let it settle. Isabelle lay on her side, wide awake, staring at the pale glow of the clock. 3:14 a.m.
Sebastian's arm was draped loosely over her waist, heavy and possessive even in sleep. His warmth pressed against her back, the steady rhythm of his breathing a quiet comfort and yet, lately, even his nearness made her chest ache.
He had changed since that night she told him about the baby. Softer at times, fiercely protective. But beneath it all, she could feel the tension in him the way his mind was always elsewhere, haunted by something she couldn't touch.
Sometimes, when she woke in the middle of the night, she'd find him standing by the window, staring out into the darkness. Watching. Waiting.
She wanted to ask what he saw out there.
She wanted to ask about Evelyn. About the east wing. About why he locked that door every night before coming to bed.
But the last time she'd asked, he'd just said, "Some doors are safer closed, Isabelle."
And that had been the end of it.
Now, lying there with his hand resting gently over the small curve of her belly, she felt a surge of determination. Secrets had already broken enough people in this house. She wouldn't let them destroy what she was fighting to protect.
She slid carefully out from under his arm. His fingers twitched, but he didn't wake.
The air outside the blankets was cool, sharp. She wrapped a thin robe around herself and slipped into the hall. The marble floor was cold under her feet as she made her way toward the east corridor the one he always kept locked.
But first, she needed to find Liam.
She found him outside near the fountain, leaning against the hood of the patrol car. His eyes widened slightly when he saw her approach.
"Miss Lane," he said, pushing away from the car. "You shouldn't be out here in your condition."
"I'm fine," she lied, tightening her robe. "I need to talk to you."
He hesitated. "The boss"
"Is asleep," she cut in. "And this isn't about him. Not directly."
He sighed. "That's exactly what worries me."
"Evelyn Kane," she said softly.
His expression shuttered. "You should stop asking about her."
"Then stop avoiding the truth."
Liam's jaw flexed. The silence stretched between them until he finally muttered, "You don't understand what you're asking."
"Then make me understand."
He dragged a hand down his face. "Evelyn wasn't who you think she was. She wasn't just the woman before you she was part of what built this entire empire. And when it went wrong, she died for it. That's all you need to know."
Her pulse quickened. "Did Sebastian kill her?"
He froze. "Careful."
"Answer me, Liam."
His gaze flickered with something like pity. "You don't get it, do you? The man you love he's not the one who killed her. But he's the one who buried the truth."
Her breath caught. "What truth?"
Before he could answer, a wave of dizziness hit her so hard she stumbled. The courtyard blurred, the lights smearing into streaks of gold.
"Miss Lane!" Liam grabbed her arms. "Hey, hey easy!"
Her vision swam. The world tilted. A sharp pain clenched low in her stomach, not unbearable, but enough to make her gasp.
"Breathe," Liam said, steadying her. "You're okay. Look at me."
She tried. She really did. But her chest tightened, her ears rang, and the edges of everything went black.
(Sebastian's POV)
The noise of shattering glass snapped him awake.
He was out of bed before his mind caught up bare feet hitting the floor, pulse pounding. He didn't think, just moved, following the echo down the hall and out through the terrace doors.
He saw them immediately: Liam crouched over Isabelle's limp form, rain beginning to fall around them.
"Sebastian" Liam started, but Sebastian didn't hear the rest.
He was already running.
"Isabelle!" His voice cracked as he dropped to his knees, gathering her into his arms. Her skin was cold, her hair damp from the misting rain.
"She just collapsed," Liam said quickly. "One minute she was fine, the next"
"Call the driver," Sebastian barked. His heart was slamming against his ribs. "Now!"
Liam obeyed without another word.
Sebastian lifted Isabelle, holding her tightly against his chest. Her head fell against his shoulder, her breathing shallow. Panic clawed at his throat.
"You're okay," he whispered against her hair. "I've got you, baby. You're okay."
The hospital was too bright. Too sterile.
He'd been here before years ago, the night Evelyn died. The smell of antiseptic still triggered something dark inside him, a memory he thought he'd buried.
This time, though, it was worse.
Because this time, it wasn't guilt he carried. It was fear.
He paced the waiting area, soaked and sleepless, every muscle in his body tight. He'd called her doctor before the car even reached the city, had the entire floor cleared before she arrived. But none of that mattered now. Not until he saw her eyes open again.
When Dr. Patel finally appeared, Sebastian was on his feet in seconds.
"She's resting," the doctor said gently. "It was a combination of stress, lack of rest, and mild dehydration. The baby's fine strong heartbeat, no complications. But she needs to slow down."
Sebastian exhaled shakily. "Can I see her?"
"Yes, but don't wake her. She needs rest more than anything."
He nodded and went inside.
She looked impossibly fragile under the hospital light. Pale skin against white sheets, hair fanned across the pillow. A monitor beeped steadily beside her, the sound both comforting and cruel.
He sank into the chair beside her bed and took her hand in his.
Her fingers were soft and cool. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, watching her chest rise and fall.
"You scared the hell out of me," he whispered.
She didn't stir.
His throat tightened. "You keep running toward things I've spent years trying to keep buried. You think I don't see you sneaking into locked rooms, asking Liam questions but I do. I see everything."
He leaned closer, voice breaking. "And I'm terrified. Because the closer you get, the closer they'll come for you."
He glanced at her stomach, the faint swell just visible under the blanket.
"You don't just carry my child, Isabelle," he murmured. "You carry everything I've ever done right in my life. And I won't let anything take that away not the past, not Eden, not even me."
He brushed his fingers against her cheek.
"Rest," he whispered. "I'll deal with the rest."
(Later — Liam's POV)
When Sebastian finally left the room to make a call, Liam lingered by the nurses' station. He checked the monitor reading Isabelle's vitals, then exhaled slowly.
"Boss isn't going to like this," he muttered.
But something in him twisted guilt, maybe. He hadn't meant for things to go that far.
Then his phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
Unknown: She asked about Eden. Did you tell her?
Liam: No. She collapsed before I could.
Unknown: Good. Keep it that way. If she learns the truth, she won't make it to the end of this pregnancy.
Liam's heart pounded.
He looked toward Isabelle's room where Sebastian sat again beside her bed, holding her hand like he might never let go.
And for the first time, Liam wondered if the real danger wasn't outside their walls
but inside them all along.