Chapter 191 Is He Back?
The delivery room fell silent.
Kenna and several soft-hearted nurses turned away, wiping tears from their eyes.
Alexander kept calling Caroline's name, his voice raw and hoarse. The taste of blood filled his throat, but he didn't care.
Just as he was about to collapse--his chest seizing, blood spilling from his lips--Caroline's lowered lashes trembled ever so slightly.
Her fingers twitched. Under Alexander's stunned gaze, she forced her eyes open.
Her vision was still blurred, but she could make out that face--twisted with anguish and desperation.
Was this a dream? Was it really him? Had he... come back?
"Alex..."
"It's me! I'm here! I'm right here!"
Alexander's voice broke with relief. He was almost sobbing.
He gripped her hand tighter, pressing it against his cheek so she could feel his warmth.
"I came back. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here with you. Do you hear me? For me, for our baby--hold on! Push! Listen to the doctor and bring him into this world! Please!"
His voice was like water to someone dying of thirst.
The fog in Caroline's eyes began to clear, just a little. A faint spark of light returned.
The pain was still unbearable, but her will to survive--and her love for the man in front of her--ignited like a flame struggling back to life.
"Sir, you..."
The doctor snapped out of his shock when he saw Caroline respond.
"Thank God! Mrs. Hamilton's back with us! Quickly--another contraction's coming! Ma'am, follow me--deep breath, hold it, and push down! This is it! Give it everything you've got!"
Alexander held her hand like a lifeline, pressing his forehead to hers. Their breaths mingled.
"I'm here. Look at me. Push! Our baby's waiting for us!"
"Ahhh!"
Caroline squeezed her eyes shut and screamed.
She clutched Alexander's hand and threw every last ounce of strength she had left into the darkness and agony.
"It's out! The head's out! Shoulders next! Good! Keep going! One more push! Come on!"
The midwife's voice rang with excitement.
Their baby was almost here.
Alexander was shaking from head to toe.
But just as hope began to bloom in the room, a burst of gunfire erupted outside--sharp, sudden, shattering the fragile moment.
A second later, someone pounded on the delivery room door.
"Sir! We've got a problem! Armando's men found us--they've got the island's coordinates and heavy weapons! Felix is holding them off, but their firepower's insane! They've already breached the first line!"
What?!
Alexander's head snapped up.
Three seconds later, his eyes blazed with murderous intent.
His wife was fighting for her life to bring their child into the world--bleeding out, teetering on the edge of death.
And his own father had sent killers to finish them off. Now. Here.
Rage surged through him.
His jaw clenched. Every vein in his forehead stood out as he forced himself to stay in control.
He looked down at Caroline one last time. Leaned in. Pressed a kiss to her cold, sweat-soaked forehead--gentle, reverent, final.
"Wait for me. For me, for our baby--stay alive. I'll be back soon."
Then he let go of her hand.
He stood, pulled his gun, and walked out without looking back.
"Sir!" Kenna and Liam both shouted, but Alexander was already gone.
Outside, gunfire roared. A car parked near the villa exploded in a ball of flame, lighting up the night sky.
The orange glow lit Alexander's face like hellfire. His eyes burned with killing intent.
Inside the delivery room, another wave of agony tore through Caroline.
The light in her eyes flickered. The pain between her legs and the cold creeping through her veins threatened to drag her under again.
"Forget what's happening out there! Focus, Mrs. Hamilton! The baby's almost here! One more push! For you, for Mr. Hamilton, for your child! Push!"
The doctor was screaming now, trying to pull her back.
Kenna threw herself at the bedside, gripping Caroline's hand and sobbing.
"Mrs. Hamilton! Do you hear me?! Mr. Hamilton's out there fighting for you! He needs you safe! He needs the baby safe! You can do this--just one more push!"
Outside, the grounds had turned into a war zone.
Alexander's men and the island's security team were locked in a brutal firefight with Armando's forces.
Bullets whistled through the air. Explosions lit up the darkness.
The black sky over the island glowed orange with fire and smoke.
Alexander charged forward like a man possessed.
His left shoulder was torn open, blood pouring down his arm, but he didn't feel it. Only one thought drove him.
His wife and child were inside. He'd die before he let anyone hurt them.
That single purpose kept him moving. Kept him firing.
Every shot he took dropped an enemy.
"Cover Mr. Hamilton! Take out that machine gunner!"
"Left flank! They're flanking left!"
"Grenade! Get down!"
The battle was chaos.
Armando's men had caught them off guard. Alexander's side was outnumbered and outgunned.
But they had the terrain. And they had Alexander--who fought like a man with nothing left to lose.
Slowly, they pushed back.
Alexander had just taken down an enemy trying to circle around when he reached for a fresh magazine.
A single gunshot cracked through the noise.
Alexander's body jerked. Searing pain exploded in his right side.
He looked down. Blood was already pouring from his abdomen, soaking through his shirt.
He grunted and staggered backward. His legs gave out. He hit the ground hard, his gun skittering away.
"Sir!"
Liam saw him fall and screamed, but enemy fire pinned him down. He couldn't move.
The man who'd shot Alexander stepped out from cover, grinning. He thought he'd won. Thought killing Alexander would earn him a reward.
He raised his pistol and aimed at Alexander's chest.
His finger tightened on the trigger.
Alexander's vision was fading from blood loss, but he saw the gun pointed at him clear as day.