Chapter 176 Battle Lines

Chapter 176 Battle Lines
Nicholas POV

Several days after Mom's funeral, I find Cherry increasingly confined to our bedroom. Her pregnancy symptoms have intensified—swollen ankles, persistent fatigue, and a restlessness that keeps her awake at odd hours. But today, I bring good news along with the tiramisu her doctor approved for occasional treats.

I approach her bed, and she stirs, sensing me before her eyes even open. I force a half-smile. "Got something from Lennie," I say, my voice low, measured. "But first, eat."

Her lips curve faintly as she reaches for a puff, but I catch the wince as she shifts, her legs visibly swollen. It hits me like a punch, the raw reality of how much she's enduring. "Damn it, Cherry," I mutter, sinking onto the bed beside her, my hand hovering over her calf, hesitant to touch and worsen her discomfort. "No wonder Kyle kept nagging us to wait until things settled before starting a family."

There's a crack in my voice, a rare slip of the control I've built my life around, and she leans into me, her warmth a quiet plea for connection. My body tenses, desire warring with restraint. "Doctor said we shouldn't, not this close to delivery," I murmur, more to myself than to her, the words rough with frustration but laced with care.

She nods, understanding, though I see the flicker of longing in her eyes. For a moment, we're still, the air between us thick with unspoken needs. Then she breaks it with a suggestion that catches me off guard. "Tomorrow, let me clear out Sophia's room. It's time."

I turn away, fists clenching on my knees. "I don't want to touch her things," I say, the words hard, almost brittle. The memory of that room floods back—Sophia's laughter, her steady hand on my shoulder, the way she'd sit at her vanity and make every crisis seem solvable. "When she was there," I tell Cherry once, "there was no crisis we couldn't face. She was my anchor." I can still see her, smoothing my hair as a boy, promising the family would hold while the world outside schemed against us.

Cherry reaches for me, her arms pulling me close, and I let myself sink into her, burying my face in her neck. "It's okay," she whispers. "Then I won't clear it out for now. We'll do it when you're ready." We cling to each other, two broken pieces trying to fit in a world that keeps splintering apart.

After a breath, she pulls back. "Did you find out who that doctor is? The one Lennie caught Russell meeting?"

I nod, my expression hardening as I shift to the business at hand. "Got confirmation this morning. It's Theodus Rossi. And from what we've seen, their interactions... they're not just business. Looks personal. Intimate, even."

Her face pales, a cold dread flickering in her gaze, but before she can spiral, I cup her cheek. "Don't worry about this, Cherry. You focus on resting, on Christina. I've got it handled."

She wants to argue—I see it in the set of her jaw—but exhaustion wins, dragging her down. I stay with her until her breathing evens out and sleep claims her.

Later, I slip out. I'm headed to meet Kyle and Sonya to carve out our next move against Russell. Their voices echo in my mind, sharp and bitter from past conversations. Kyle's growl cuts through: "We kept him comfortable all these years, and for what? To raise a damn traitor." My own response had been colder, a blade in velvet: "Russell's going to get crazier. He's come too far, lost too much—his parents are gone. There's no turning back for him."

I can feel the weight of my decision as I step into the shadowed hall. "You know what needs to be done," I'll tell Kyle, the unspoken order clear as a gunshot.

His reply will be just as firm: "I've got eyes on him. We'll find the right moment, send him to join Anthony."

Russell's betrayal—whatever it is—has sealed his fate. But as I picture myself staring at grainy surveillance photos later, trying to unravel why he'd turn on the entire Salvatore family, a deeper unease gnaws at my gut.

What drives a man to burn everything he's known? And how many more like him are waiting in the dark?

---

Russell POV

I know for sure they're onto me—Nicholas and his damn bloodhounds. That's why I risked everything to get Theodus here, to this sterile hellhole, under the guise of a routine visit. We need a plan, and we need it fast. Sophia's sudden death threw a wrench into everything. I'd counted on her lingering, a shield of sorts, keeping Nicholas's hands tied with sentiment. But that hope was gone. And now I have to speed up my revenge.

The door creaks open, and Theodus slips in, his doctor's coat a flimsy disguise. His sharp eyes scan the room before settling on me, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I was followed on my way here," he says, voice low, almost casual. "Your uncle's got eyes everywhere."

I grit my teeth, irritation flaring. "That's on you for moving too fast with Zoe. If you hadn't killed her without my say-so, we wouldn't be this exposed."

He chuckles, a sound that grates on my nerves. "Exposed? So what? Let's take it to Nicholas head-on. We've got the numbers. He's not unbeatable. Just lay low here, keep playing the sick card. And don't worry, I've got guards coming to watch your back. Word is, some in the Salvatore camp might want you gone for good."

As he turns to leave, I stare at the empty doorway, my mind churning. Theodus is slipping, his interest in me waning. I've seen it in his dismissive glances, the way he speaks of me as a tool, a means to topple the Salvatores with no share of the spoils waiting for me. But I have a much bigger plan for that. I want him and Nicholas tear each other apart. I'll be the one left standing, picking up the pieces when the dust settles.

I settle back against the pillows, feigning sleep, when the door edges open again. My pulse quickens, but I keep my breathing even, eyes slitted just enough to see. A figure slips in—a gunman, his silenced pistol glinting in the dim light.

He raises the weapon, and I brace myself to dodge and fight back, only for him to crumple to the floor, a shadow behind him. Another gunman stands there.

"I'm here on Mr. Rossi's order to protect you," he says curtly, then drags the first body out, leaving no trace, as if nothing happened.

I turn over, staring at the wall, my mind a storm of cold calculation. My cover's blown, no question. They're sending killers now, not just spies. It won't be long before it's an outright confrontation.

I can't sit here, waiting to be slaughtered like a lamb. No, I need to strike first, to turn this game on its head. Nicholas wants to legitimize this family? Then I'll make damn sure his precious transformation doesn't go smoothly...