Remember I know part of him, I know what he’s capable of

As soon as I got home, I ran into Claire’s arms, a sense of relief flooding my chest. I missed her terribly. Her embrace was comforting, as if all my worries disappeared the moment her arms enveloped me.

When I walked away and analyzed it better, I could see the size of his belly, its location was very obvious. A smile formed on my lips as I watched the miracle of life unfold within her. Claire looked over my shoulder and noticed the person behind me. Her eyes lit up when she saw Bella. She walked away a little and opened her arms, receiving my half-sister with all the affection in the world. It was comforting to see how much Claire cared about Bella, so she saw her for the first time, as if she were her own daughter. Jordan approached, and a glow of tenderness lit up her face as she caressed Claire’s belly, a smile formed on her lips as she felt the baby kick in response to her touch, that was a moment of pure magic, the union of the family being strengthened around the arrival of a new member and answers being given.

Jordan and Claire were building an alliance, a bond that grew stronger every day. After learning the truth about what really happened to his mother and understanding that Claire was his aunt, Jordan allowed himself to open his heart and allowed himself to have her around. It made me happy and grateful for everything. As I watched the scene before me, I felt a wave of gratitude and love flood my heart, but also feel the emptiness because my little one was not yet with me, was not in my arms. Despite all the difficulties we faced and what was to come, we were united as a family, ready to face whatever fate had in store for us.

After a warm moment with Claire, I drove Bella to one of the rooms, ensuring she was comfortable and cozy. She hugged me tightly before settling into bed, her smile illuminating the room as she watched her belongings being placed in her new space. With Bella properly installed, I made my way back to the living room, where Claire was sitting, lost in her own thoughts. I sat beside him, feeling the gravity of the situation weigh on us.

"How are you feeling, Claire?" I asked, looking for any signs of distress in your eyes.

She sighed, her eyes finding mine. "It’s a whirlwind of emotions, Julie. Sometimes it’s hard to believe all this is happening. But being here with you gives me strength." I put my hand over hers, conveying my silent support.

"We’re in this together, Claire. We’re a team, and we’re going to get through this together. Did you get any news about the baby’s father’s family?" I asked, because my mother wanted to share with the family the man with whom she got involved, who was pregnant. His dream was to be a father, and he went, until John took his life. She smiled, a spark of determination shining in his eyes.

"Nothing," I took a deep breath "Looks like they’re off the map," she said.

"It’ll be all right, don’t worry. I’ll get help Christian, he’s got access to some government networks." she looked at me, hopefully.

"You’re right, thank you so much, daughter," she hugged me once again. "And speaking of being together, how’s the plan going to take John down? Have you and Jordan made progress after negotiating with Camille?" I nodded, feeling a surge of confidence enveloping me.

"Yes, things are going well. We have found out more about his illegal activities and are gathering evidence to expose him further. Hopefully, we’ll be one step closer to putting an end to his dirty plans soon. Jordan got in touch with an acquaintance. He works for my father, so..." Claire touches my hand and my smile closes on time. I knew she had something to talk about. After all, she was my father’s wife and, even if she did not know half of his dirt, she knew a little about it.

"Daughter, I know now everything will be more intense. You’re close to finding Drew, but don’t trust everyone. Don’t trust anyone who claims to be your friend. John is better than you can imagine, and he can use anyone, and make you believe that person is your ally," she says. I felt my chest tightening. "I don’t want to hurt you or put you down, remember I know part of him, I know what he’s capable of." says my mother with watery eyes, and I understood her very well. I knew that everything she said was true, and I could not avoid any of that.

We spent some time in each other’s presence, exchanged stories, and she told me more about the father of her son. Claire was in love with him, and it was clear how she was moved when she talked about him, about everything and how sad she was to feel guilty about his death. She shouldn’t feel that way, she wasn’t to blame, she was always a victim, from the beginning, just like most of us were there. John was rotten, and he couldn’t bear for anyone to be happy, for no one to survive without him, without his control. My father was undoubtedly the son of a monster like him, the son of a true demon.

"Thank you, Julie, thank you. For everything my little one, you and Jordan have been my rock right now, know this," Claire shook my hand with gratitude. We hugged and renewed our determination and commitment to each other. With Claire by our side, we knew we were stronger than ever.

I found Jordan lying with his mouth slightly open. He snored softly. He smiled sideways at that scene, he was so handsome and Drew was his faithful copy. My boyfriend had blond hair the color of the sand of the beach, his skin was almost almond, his body was defined with well-defined muscles, his open lips were fleshy and well drawn in a pink color demonstrating life, and his eyes, ah, his eyes were my doom. Those brown irises with small bright green traces hallucinated me uniquely. I could spend hours admiring him and never, ever get tired of it.