Diana’s POV I woke up with a strange heaviness in my body, as if every bone had been put back in the wrong place. The smell of the hospital was strong and invasive, mixed with the constant sound of machines and hurried footsteps in the hallway. For a few seconds, I remembered nothing. Then everything came rushing back at once. The screech of the brakes. The impact. The world spinning. The fear. I instinctively placed a hand over my stomach, my heart pounding. "My baby..." I murmured, my voice weak, barely audible. "Everything is okay," the nurse said calmly. "You and the baby are fine. It's a miracle. Try to stay calm. It's not good for you to get worked up. The doctor will be here to talk to you soon." Tears streamed down my face before I could stop them. It wasn't just relief. It was fear. Guilt. The certainty that I'd been given a second chance and needed to change the direction of my life and reconsider my choices. My mother sat beside the bed, her posture rigid, her

August's POV I watched Isabelle for a few seconds before speaking. She sat in one of the lobby chairs, her shoulders tense, her gaze distant, like someone who knew she had crossed a line she could never uncross. Isabelle had done the unthinkable. And yet, she had done what needed to be done. "You know you just bought yourself a war, right?" I murmured, walking closer. She looked up at me, exhausted but determined. "One more war or one less doesn't make much difference. But if I hadn't said anything, he would've gone upstairs. And then..." She sighed. "It would've been worse. For Diana, who can't go through that. And even for Isaac, who definitely wouldn't just take it lying down." I nodded. As much as my instincts screamed that this would have serious consequences, I couldn't disagree with her. "You did the right thing," I said. "In the hardest way possible, but you did." She stared at me in surprise. "Really?" "Really. And now you're going home." "August, I can s

August's POV The day had been a complete mess, a blur of voices and arguments. Even after things finally seemed to calm down, with Isaac taking care of Diana, I couldn't bring myself to go home. I had no desire to face the loneliness of my own house. I picked up my phone again, even though I knew it wouldn't make a difference. No new messages. No missed calls. Isabelle. If she answered, it would only be to talk about my sister, nothing more. The hospital had brought us closer, forcing us to share the same space, but the distance between us was still there, solid and undeniable. I deserved it. There was no doubt about that. I rested my head against the seat for a few seconds before starting the engine. I was exhausted, physically and emotionally, but there was a kind of exhaustion that sleep couldn't fix. It was guilt and regret. On the drive to Isabelle's aunt's house, I tried to figure out what I would say, but nothing seemed good enough. Apologizing felt insignificant compa

Isabelle's POV By five in the morning, I was already up. I'd done a quick stretch, made coffee, and sat down at the table to go over all the information I'd gathered so far. Despite everything that had happened, I hadn't put the Karen situation aside. The difference was that now there was another enemy on the board. I couldn't afford to forget. It was precisely in moments like these that people made mistakes. And I needed to be alert to every single one. Fear was behind me now, along with the old version of myself. The woman who accepted, swallowed her anger, and stayed silent. That Isabelle no longer existed. As I went over the information, my thoughts drifted to Marcus Aurelius. He wouldn't forgive my audacity. He'd already threatened me once, and now I had no idea what he'd do. I tried to analyze what a man like him would do to hurt me, what I still had to lose now that my marriage had already been affected. What else would he have the nerve to do, and what could I do to sta

Isabelle's POV My goal was to visit Diana, see how she was doing, and find out if she was angry with me for revealing her pregnancy to everyone. I had no idea how she'd react to what I'd done. I knew I'd overstepped, but in my mind, it had made sense. On the way to the hospital, an unsettling feeling followed me, the constant impression that I was being watched. Maybe it was all in my head. Despite Marcus Aurelius's threat, I wasn't afraid of him, but I couldn't afford to let my guard down either. I was allowed upstairs immediately. It was still early, and none of her other relatives had shown up yet. In the room, she seemed calmer, even happier, although exhaustion still showed on her face. "I need to run home and talk things over with Val," Isaac said, looking at me. "Can you stay with her for a while?" At that moment, I was the person he trusted most to stay by Diana's side. The irony wasn't lost on me. "Of course," I replied. "Go ahead." Isaac leaned over, kissed Dian