Chapter 12 - THE SECOND CHILD
Doctors worked for nearly four minutes.
Dominic stood behind the glass as nurses moved around the tiny body.
Layla lay unconscious beneath surgical lights.
Then one nurse raised her hand.
A faint cry came through the speakers.
The second twin’s heart had started.
Both babies were transferred to neonatal intensive care.
They were small, fragile, and surrounded by machines.
Layla woke six hours later.
Dominic sat beside her.
“The babies?”
“Alive.”
“Both?”
“Both.”
She began sobbing.
Dominic lowered his head against her hand.
For the first time since childhood, he cried openly.
They named the first boy Samuel.
The second was named Elias, after Eleanor.
The decision united two people who had died protecting the truth.
Outside the hospital, the Cross empire collapsed.
Charles was charged with conspiracy, kidnapping, attempted murder, and dozens of financial crimes.
The recordings from the wedding revealed judges and officials who had accepted Cross money.
Vivienne attempted to claim she had acted under her father’s control.
Dominic released the recording of her ordering Layla’s death.
No defense could hide her voice.
Yet one person remained missing.
Martin Cross had escaped before the ceremony.
Vincent discovered that the laboratory technician had been murdered.
Martin had arranged the false DNA test and the attack at Layla’s apartment.
He also possessed copies of Samuel’s files.
Dominic ordered every dock, airport, and private road watched.
Three days later, a nurse entered Layla’s room carrying flowers.
The card read:
Two heartbeats were never part of the agreement.
Layla recognized Martin’s handwriting from the forged laboratory documents.
Dominic moved her and the babies to a secure medical floor.
Julian remained nearby under Isabella’s care.
That night, the hospital lost power.
Emergency lights turned the hallway red.
A man in surgical clothing entered the neonatal unit.
Dominic saw him through the glass.
“Martin.”
Martin held a pistol against Samuel’s incubator.
“Open the door,” he ordered.
Dominic placed his weapon on the floor.
“You want me.”
“I want the evidence.”
“It has already been delivered.”
“Then I want revenge.”
Martin unlocked the incubator.
Layla appeared behind him holding the broken silver locket.
“You still do not know what my father hid inside this.”
Martin turned.
May you like
For one second, the gun moved away from the baby.
Dominic crossed the room.
