bChapter /bb141 /b

bOLIVIA’S /bPOV

Wow.

That was the first word that came to mind as I stepped out onto the tarmac and took in the view before me. A soft breeze went across my skin as I looked up at the jet–no, scratch that–the beast of a ne in front of me, the sheer size of its body almost making it look like it belonged to amercial airline rather than a private jet.

“Isn’t this too big to be a private jet?” I asked, half–joking, though I meant every word. The thing looked like it could carry a football teamb, /btheir families, and a marching band.

Julian chuckled softly behind me but said nothing.

“Hey,” he said, extending a hand toward me. “I don’t know if Julian has told you about me, but I’m Damian. Childhood friend, sworn brother, partner–bin- /bchaos, all that good stuff.”

So this was the guy Julian had mentioned would meet us at the airport. I gave him a polite smile and epted the handshake. “Olivia. It’s nice to meet you, Damian.”

His hand was surprisingly warm, the kind of warm that feltforting, like ba /bcup of hot cocoa on arrogant.

And he didn’t let go.

b2 /b

rainy day. His grip was firm, confident but not

“You know,” he added with a smirk, “he didn’t mention the person he was bringing along was not only ady but one this beautiful.”

I raised an eyebrow at him, amusement dancing in my eyes, but before I could respond, a sharp, familiar ahem interrupted us. My mom. She was standing nearby, giving Damian a look that could have melted steel.

Damian let go of my hand immediately, turning to her with an apologetic smile. “Mom! I’m so sorry for not greeting you first. This angel here had mepletely distracted. How have you been?”

“I’ve been better, young man,” my mom responded curtly, narrowing her eyes at him. “And don’t ‘mom‘ me. Back in Mexico, we were in the same city bfor /bthree weeks, and I told you countless times toe visit me. But no–you kept pushing the date, giving me some excuse about work every time. You and Julian are birds of the same feather.”

She reached out and gave him a yful smack on the shoulder.

Damian winced dramatically and rubbed the spot. “Ouch. Okay, fair enough. I deserved that. But when Julian told me what happened to you, I cleared my schedule immediately. I’m d to see you’re okay. Nosting injuries, right?”

“She’s fine,” Julian answered before Mom could speak, stepping forward. “But she shouldn’t be standing out here any longer, especially not in this condition. Let’s get inside.”

“Yes, you’re right. Let me help,” Damian said quickly, stepping to my mom’s other side and offering support–though I was already helping bher/bb. /bbShe /bneed two people holding her arms like she was on her deathbed. But I kept that thought to myself.

Together, we slowly helped Mom up the steps and into the ne. The interior was as extravagant as the outside–leather seats, marble ents, and ba /blong couch that looked morefortable than my own bed.

I gently guided Mom to a reclined seat near the window and buckled her in. Then I took a seat on the plush couch across from her, finally letting out ba /bbreath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The engines began to hum as the pilot started the ne’s moveinent down the runway.

bI /bstared out the small, oval–shaped window/my reflection faint in the ss bas /bthe sun hit the side bof /bbthe /bne. It still didn’t bfeel /breal. I was btruly /bbleaving/b. The city that once caged me, the people who betrayed me, the memories that haunted me—I was flying away bfrom /bbit /bball/b,

There was no going back now.

b08.54 /bbMon/bb, /bb9 /bbJun /b30

Chapter b141 /b

bA /bblump /bbformed /bin my throat. Not this time. I was starting over. A fresh startb, /bin a new ce, surrounded by the few people who bactually /bcared. bI /bwasn’t brunning /baway. No–I was regrouping. Healing. Preparing.

bMy /bhand drifted to my stomach, resting gently against the small swell beneath my shirt. This tiny life inside me… it was my anchor and my fire! whispered silently, “We’lle back one day. Stronger. And when we do, we’ll make them all pay for what they did to us.b” /b

The low rumble of the engine grew louder. The jet began to roll forward, picking up speed on the runway. I gripped the armrest of my seat btightly/b, bmy /bfingers curling around the cool leather as my heart began to race. My stomach flipped, not just from nerves–but from something deeper. Something physical.

“This is your first time?” Damian asked, settling into the seat beside me. His voice was calm,ced with curiosity but also something gentler

I nodded stiffly. “Yeah,” I said, my voice slightly shaky. My eyes stayed fixed on the runway ahead, even as the jet started to tilt slightly upward. I could feel the shift in gravity as we began to lift. My stomach twisted violently.

“I think I’m gonna need a bucket,” I muttered, panic starting to creep in as I turned my head toward the aisle. “Julian…”

Before I could even finish his name, Julian was already on his feet, moving toward me with a worried expression. He ced a small water bottle in y hand, brushing my shoulder lightly as he leaned down.

“Take it easy,” he said softly. Then, with a swift motion, he pulled the window shade down, blocking out the overwhelming view of shrinking buildings and endless sky.

Damian rubbed my back gently. “Just breathe, Olivia. In and out. Nice and slow.”

I tried, I really did–but my body wasn’t listening. I was pregnant, overwhelmed, and terrified. It wasn’t just the flying. It was everything. Everything bI’d /bbeen holding in.

That’s when Mom moved. Despite her exhaustion, despite everything she’d been throughb, /bshe pushed herself out of her seat and came to sit beside me. She took my hand in hers–warm, familiar, grounding–and leaned closer.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “Just focus on my voice. Nothing else matters right now but you and me, okay?”

I nodded, squeezing her hand like it was my lifeline.

“Up and down,” she said slowly, gently. “Up and down. Breathe with me, baby. Match my voice. Let your breathing sync with my words.”

bI /bclosed my eyes. Tried to push away the roar of the engines, the pressure in my chest, the nausea twisting in my gut.

“Up and down… up and down…”

Her voice was a rhythm. A luby. A safe ce I hadn’t realized I needed so badly.

And slowly, slowly… the panic began to fade.

My breathing steadied. The queasiness dulled just enough that I could take a sip of water without fear. The tightness in my chest loosened. I opened my eyes to see both Damian and Julian watching me quietly, concern still evident in their expressions–but I gave them a small nod. I was okay now

Not perfect. But okay.

“Thank you,” I whispered to Mom, leaning my head on her shoulder.

“You’re strong,” she said, brushing my hair back, “You’re gonna be okay. We’re gonna be okay.”