𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒✓

thirty-four

LUCIAN

"Happy birthday, Lili." I placed the white lilies on the cabinet next to her bed.

Today was her birthday and the third day of her being wired to the hospital bed. Her face was still pale but the heartbeats on the monitor were steady.

The doctor said that she was probably going to wake up soon.

Lifting my hand, I ran my fingers over her cheek and then her hair.

"We'll go back home soon. You'll be able to see your flowers. I know you probably miss them." Lili liked to check up on her flowers every day. Being away from home must have disturbed her routine.

"I was thinking that we should hire a designer to help us with the nursery room. We'll have to do the bigger one because they'll be two." I brought her hand to my lips gently and so slowly and placed a kiss on her skin.

"God, I still can't believe they will be mini you, our little humans running around our house." I chuckled.

"I'm sure you'll be surprised when you hear that you are growing two babies in your stomach." Lili and I have not talked about having kids yet which was pretty irresponsible considering we haven't been using any form of protection.

"Filipa also called and asked about you. She cried on the phone. Artemio was also sad. He feels guilty for not being able to help." But his guilt was nothing compared to mine. I was the one who was supposed to protect her.

All of this happened because of me.

I leaned my forehead on the bed next to her and closed my eyes. I wish I was able to hug her and hold her in my arms. To comfort her. To take her pain away.

The phone in my pocket started to vibrate. I lifted my head and dug my hand into the pocket of my pants.

It was Artemio.

I stood up from the chair and walked over to the window. It was cloudy today but there were still people lying by the beach. The hospital was close to the sea and there were also patients outside, sitting on the benches in the yard.

"Helloo." Artemio immediately spoke when I picked up.

"Hi," I spoke back.

"I was able to find out some news." Artemio already told me about the news articles about Lili's disappearance.

Her real name was Adeline Salazar.

She disappeared while playing in front of her house. We still don't know where she was exactly kept for the first few days or with whom.

Artemio also mentioned that together with Lili, another boy called Rafail. He couldn't find anything about him.

"What is it?"

"I was able to track her parents. They actually live not so far away from you. Maybe two to three hours." So their daughter has been so close to them the whole time.

"Her father works as a salesman and her mother is a primary school teacher. She also has siblings. A younger brother and a younger sister. They are twins. Both of them are in high school, senior year."

I'm sure Lili will be excited to meet them but I had to wait for her to wake up and get better. She might not be ready to meet them right away.

It was her choice at the end of the day.

"Thank you." I was thankful that at least I had Artemio who was doing more than I was able to ask from him.

"And..."

"What is it?"

"It's about Luke." My blood boiled at the mention of his name. I was going to skin him alive.

"What about him?"

"He was found dead. Well... killed."

What?

"His body was found in Brazil where he was staying. He had someone else there, a paid assassin the one you caught." While my men were firing shots at the time Lili was shot, they were able to aim the person.

Sadly he died before I was able to get my hands on him.

"I was able to get a hold of some information on how he died. He was mutilated. His hands were caught off as well as his tongue. Someone did a pretty good job at torturing him before they killed him."

"Do you know who did it?"

"Nope. But rumors are circling around about someone called Shadow. That's how people calm him." I haven't heard anything about this person before.

"If you find something else call me."

"Sure. By the way, how's Lili?"

"She's doing good for now. The doctor said that she will wake up soon."

"I'm sure she'll be fine. And I can't wait for the little humans to arrive. I'm already planning gifts for them." His last sentence made me smile. Artemio had only his mom. His sister was still very little because his parents had her in their late thirties.

His dad sadly passed away three years ago and now he was left to take care of his family alone with his mom.

He refused my help though. As much as I wanted to help him I understood that he wanted to earn the money and not be given as a gift.

"Okay, I'll go now. I have people to stalk."

"People as in Sky?" I joked.

"Yes actually."

A chuckle left my lips and we soon said goodbye.

I slid the phone into my pocket and turned around. Lili was peacefully lying on the bed.

The door cracked open and the doctor stepped in.

"Hello, Mr. Irvine." He greeted me. He had some type of file with papers in his hands.

"Hello."

He went to check on Lili, looked at the monitors, and did whatever he had to do.

"Everything's going good. But I have to remind you that her pregnancy is going to be difficult. She has been through severe trauma. She will have to be very careful." I nodded. I was going to make sure to take care of her.

"When she wakes up we'll see when she will be ready so you can go back home." With that, he shook my hand after I thanked him and left the room.

I closed the distance between me and the bed and kissed her stomach before crouching down next to her.

"We'll be back home soon, baby."

The book is slowly coming to an end🥲

Thank you to everyone who is still reading 🫶

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