𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

𝘦 𝘮 𝘱 𝘵 𝘺

HOW CAN EMPTINESS be so heavy? Why did it have to make your heart ache so much pain? It's crazy how in a moment, your life goes from being truly happy to utterly miserable. If there was one person who knew all about it, it would be Ariella Cameron.

Just the Cameron name holds so weight on its own. Now, imagine being away from the only people who brought life to your life for two months? Imagine being away from the one person you could never imagine your life without. Imagine being stuck with your psychopathic family on an island you have no idea about.

Ariella Cameron doesn't have to imagine because she's lived through it all. That's not even the worst part. The worst part was giving birth to her baby all alone. She remembers herself being completely terrified, screaming out for JJ, even though she knew that he couldn't be by her side no matter how much she begged for him.

She was alone in the hospital room, crying and screaming as she gave birth to her preterm baby. Due to all the stress, she had her baby at 36 weeks instead of 40 and Ariella has never been so scared in her life. Praying that her baby would come out healthy and after days in the NICU, they did.

Ariella gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Cora Lynn Maybank. She was the most precious little thing, Ariella has ever laid her eyes on. She had the brightest blue eyes and a head full of the lightest blonde hair, Ariella has ever seen. She fit in Ariella's arms like she was made for her. Cora Lynn was perfect in every way possible. JJ would've fell in love with her on the spot, just like she did.

For the past month and a half, Cora has been Ariella's life line. She brought Ari the motivation she needed to keep going and everything she's been doing, has been for her little girl. Ariella needed to work to get back to JJ and that's what she was going to do. She would do anything to get him back. To bring her daughter, her father back.

Ariella tears ran down her cheeks as she gazed down at the newborn in her arms, sleeping peacefully.

"It's just me and you."

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧.𖡼

"I got this." Ariella hears Rafe's voice as she walks out of her room, Cora in her arms. She slowly walks towards the room her father was unconscious in, connected to an IV and a heart monitor. She has never been more grateful than in the moment she found out he was in a coma. "I've almost got the new papers ready, you know? Passports, bank accounts. Just like you taught me. I got it all planned out. Not Rose. She doesn't know what the hell she's doing."

Ariella rolls her eyes at his words as she softly smiles at the baby in her arms. She was so innocent and naive to everything that was going on in the world around her. She didn't know that her uncle was a narcissistic killer and that's why she was the only who completely adored him.

Cora Lynn coos at the sight of her uncle, who was now walking towards them, startling Ariella. Despite him seeing her, she made her way downstairs, knowing he was bound to follow her and she was right. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Does it matter, Rafe? It's not like I can do anything." Ariella retorts, not even glancing at him. "You have me on house arrest."

"You're not on house arrest. You can go outside." Rafe says, hating her dramatics as he follows her into the kitchen.

"You know what I mean." Ariella snaps, turning towards him. "I can't call anyone. I'm miserable, Rafe. Don't you get that? The only reason I haven't tried to strangle you in your sleep is because of Cora."

"You can hate me all you want, but this is for your own good." Rafe states, a hand running through his buzzed cut hair.

"No it's for yours. You're scared of what I can do and say. You know I can ruin this whole operation for you." Ariella quips and when Rafe stays silent, she knew she was correct.