CHAPTER 74

CHAPTER 74
I haven't been able to think straight ever since Archer told me how his dad died. I'm a monster, just like his mother. I don't want to cause him any more pain, what should I do?
Should I just come clean and tell him everything? Ugh, what if he kills me or locks me up somewhere? This is so frustrating. I got down from the bed to walk around when my water broke. “Oh shit,” I exclaimed as I stared at the floor.
I walked closer to Archer. He was asleep. I tapped him once, and his eyes shot open, and he immediately sat up. “Arc…Edward, my water just broke.” My voice was low and soft. He looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“I'm sorry El, what does that mean?”
He asked innocently. “I'm about to go into labour.” I do feel a minor contraction building up. “Shit.” He immediately jumped up and grabbed his car key and rushed to my side.
“Are you in any pain? Can you walk? Do you need me to carry you?” I didn't even get a chance to answer when he whipped me off the floor like I weighed nothing and made his way outside.
“Savien, call the doctor immediately and tell him we're on our way. Ric, you're driving. He said as we got inside the car. I started getting contractions and grabbed Archer as I squeezed my face in pain.
“Are you okay?” He asked worriedly as he examined me. “No…no, it hurts,” I said through laboured breath.
“Look at me, El, breathe, deep breaths.” “Aahh okay.” I started taking deep breaths with him as we left.
We were finally in the hospital, the lights were so bright and everywhere reeked like detergent. Nurses swarmed like bees, their shoes squeaking against the polished floors as they rushed to my side and wheeled me into a private room. My heart was pounding so hard, and my vision was blurred by my tears.
Oh fuck this hurts so fucking much.
Archer pov
Her screams echoed through the corridor, piercing through me like a dagger. I’d never felt so powerless in my life.
I tried to follow, but a nurse blocked my path. “You can’t go in right now, sir. Please wait here.”
“Elena!” I called out, my voice breaking. “I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere!”
Her eyes locked with mine as the doors swung shut and in them. I paced up and down, scared and worried. I haven't felt this emotion in like forever. The woman I love is about to give birth to a child; I wouldn't wish for anything else apart from this.
My phone vibrated in my coat pocket, and I answered without checking the caller ID, expecting Ric, or maybe one of the guards. “Yeah?”
“Boss.” It was Savien. His voice seemed tense. “We picked up chatter. Puis’s crew was spotted circling the hospital five minutes ago.”
Blood drained from my face. “What?”
“Yes, I confirmed from the hackers here that Pius's men were indeed here.”
“Double the guards. No one gets near that room unless they go through me first.”
“Understood.”
I hung up and rushed back to the nurse’s station. “Double-check who’s been admitted in the last hour. I want a list of names, faces, everything. And get me the damn head of security.”
The nurse looked overwhelmed but nodded and scurried off. I rubbed my face, pacing in front of the doors. I may have lost my title, but I lost it because of this woman, and I'll never let anyone or anything hurt her.
Elena was inside that room, bringing our child into this dangerous world, and I had to protect them.
I returned to where I was and realised that everything had gone silent. What happened? Is everything alright with her?
A nurse in scrubs came rushing down the hall. “Sir, there’s a call for you on the front line.
I blinked. “Who?”
She shrugged. “Didn’t say. The person asked for Mr Edward Cattaneo.”
My gut twisted. And my face turned into a frown. I followed her down the corridor to the wall-mounted phone behind the reception. I observed my environment before I finally spoke.
“Hello?”
“You’re too predictable, Archer.”
The voice sent chills down my spine. Puis.
I didn’t respond immediately. My grip tightened on the receiver.
“I suppose congratulations are in order. A child…with Elena, no less. Beautiful girl. He deserves better than a washed-up ex-mafioso who can’t protect her.” How did he know about her child?
“What do you want?” I asked without hesitation. “You know what I want, Archer, everything that you have, including your wife.” My throat immediately went dry, and I felt my palms grow sweaty.
“If you touch her, I swear…” My voice was venom.
“Ah, ah.” He chuckled darkly. “Too late.”
I turned around, heart in my throat. A nurse screamed. Security guards were shouting. My body moved before my brain did, sprinting down the hallway to Elena’s room.
The door was open. The bed was empty.
Blood smeared the floor near the curtain. I froze in shock trying to process what was happening. The world narrowed to the sound of my breathing, harsh and fast. “No,” I whispered. “No.”
“Archer, over here!” Savien’s voice echoed as he arrived, panting. He skidded to a stop beside me. “What the hell happened?”
“They took her.” My voice was hoarse. “He took her.”
“Who?”
“Puis.”
Savien’s face darkened. “Goddamn it. The security?”
“Overpowered or bribed. We were too exposed.” I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to think. Tiny beads of sweat started to form on my forehead.
“Where would he take her? Fuck, how could I be so foolish? The call was a distraction.” I buried my face in my palm. My heart rate was accelerating, and I felt like I was going to pass out. He took my wife and my child.
This is the last straw, I carved a smile on his face once, and I'll make sure to carve one on his heart next.
She just gave birth; she's in no condition for all of this, for fucks sake.”
That thought nearly brought me to my knees. My daughter. Elena.
In the hands of a monster.
I straightened, fury cutting through my panic like a blade. “Then we’re not wasting a single second. Get the car ready. Load up.
“Boss, where are we headed?”
“I recently gifted Elena a bracelet, it has a tracking chip in it. Tell the trackers to start working now.
Where the fuck is Ric? No time, let's go.”
The world had turned into a blur of vengeance and desperation, but one thing remained clear, this wasn’t about power anymore. This was about the woman I loved and the innocent life she brought into the world.
And I would burn down everything to get them back.