Chapter 105 ADANNA.

Chapter 105 ADANNA.

MADISON'S POV:

BANG!

A gunshot. So loud in the enclosed space that my ears rang.

The younger man holding me dropped, crashing to the ground. Blood bloomed across his chest.

The older man reached for something at his waist—

BANG!

He fell too.

I crashed to the floor as the younger man dropped me in panic, still tied to the chair.

I hit the concrete hard, dazed, my ears ringing. The impact jarred my teeth, sent fresh pain through my already aching head.

I heard multiple pairs of running footsteps first. Managing to look forward, I was able to see armed officers storm in, shouting commands through the haze.

The two men hit the ground instantly, hands behind their heads.

Through the chaos, through the noise, a voice broke through. One I knew. One my soul knew.

“Madison!”

I blinked up, and there he was. Thane.

Alive. Real.

He ran to me, dropping to his knees, pulling at the ropes with trembling hands. His face was filled with hurt and relief. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? God, Madison—”

Tears burst free before I could stop them. My body shook as he untied me. I was too broken. Completely shattered. Sobs tore out of me as I beat my fists against his chest. "Where were you? WHERE WERE YOU?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He was crying too, hands running over me, checking for injuries. "Are you hurt? Did they—"

"Two months!" I couldn't stop hitting him. "TWO MONTHS, THANE!"

"I know. I know. I'm here now. You're safe." He caught my hands, pressed them against his chest where I could feel his heart racing. "I wanted to surprise you. The perfect wedding gift. But everything went wrong and I, Madison, I'm so sorry."

Police were flooding the room now. Tactical gear. Weapons drawn. They were cuffing the two men, the older one groaning, the younger one was silent. Dead or unconscious, I couldn't tell.

"You're safe now," Thane kept repeating. "You're safe. I've got you. I've got you."

But I couldn't process it. Couldn't understand how he was here, how he'd known, how any of this happened.

Anyways,this nightmare was over. I could go back to my Thane and forget Harper's madness.

I didn’t know another one,stranger, gentler, but just as unbelievable, was waiting at the door.

"Madison." His voice changed. Gentler. Nervous. "There's someone, multiple someones, who needs to meet you. The reason I left. The wedding gift I promised."

I pulled back just enough to look at him, confusion through my tears. “What..what are you talking about?”

He helped me stand, his arm tight around my waist because my legs wouldn't work properly.

Two people stood in the doorway. Flanked by what looked like an entire security detail. Tactical teams. Dutch police. American agents. All parting to let them through.

The man holding an elegant woman whose face was streaked with tears. Yet, they remained regal. Graceful. Familiar in a way I couldn’t explain.

I'd seen them before. On TV. In Thane's photos.

"Madison." Thane's voice was shaking. “This… this is the reason I left two months ago. I went searching for your parents.”

The words didn't make sense. I stared at him, then at them, then back at him.

"This President Kwame Alade and First Lady Liana Alade of Azuvia." Thane's arm tightened around me. "Your biological parents."

The woman, Liana, moved forward like she was in a dream. Or I was in a dream. Someone was definitely dreaming.

"Adanna," she whispered, her voice breaking. "My Adanna. My baby girl."

She reached for me with unsteady hands. Touched my face like I might disappear. No one had ever looked at me the way they did as if I was both miracle and memory.

I couldn't move. Couldn't process this.

"We were made to believe that you were dead," President Kwame said, his voice rough with emotion.

"I don't—" My voice wouldn't work. "I don't understand."

Liana pulled me into her arms. She smelled heavenly.

"You're ours," she sobbed into my hair. "You're ours. We found you. We finally found you."

I stood there, numb with shock, while this stranger, this powerful, elegant stranger, held me like I was the most precious thing in the world.

My parents.

I had parents.

The room spun. My legs gave out completely.

Thane caught me. So did President Kwame. Together they lowered me to the ground, surrounded by police, different teams and the ruins of the place where I'd almost died.

"Breathe," Thane coached, his hand on my back. "Just breathe, angel. You're safe. You're with family now."

Family.

I had a family.

The words kept repeating in my head, impossible and true, while Liana knelt beside me, touching my face, my hair, my hands like she was confirming I was real.

"How?" I finally managed. "How is this possible?"

"Later." Thane pressed his forehead against mine. "Right now, let's just get you out of here. Somewhere safe. Then we'll explain everything."

"Harper—"

"Being arrested as we speak." President Kwame's voice held steel. "Along with everyone involved in your kidnappings. No one touches my daughter and walks free."

His daughter.

I was someone's daughter.

Someone's child.

Someone who was wanted.

The tears came then. Not from fear or pain or relief. From a broken part of me finally, impossibly, being made whole.

I had parents and they were here for me.