Chapter 123 #123

Chapter 123 #123
Chapter 123
~Shailyn's POV~

I stared at my phone, reading the message again.

I scrolled back up to the sender.

Hannah.

Panic hit me.

My phone rang immediately. Hannah.

"Did you watch it?" she asked the second I answered.

"Hannah, what…how did you get this?"

"The camera in Dante's study. Remember? I set it up yesterday before the party."

"Oh my God."

"I know. I was reviewing the footage and found this. Shailyn, he's planning something. Something bad."

"He's going to hurt Dwayne."

"This week. He said this week."

The tears came harder now, my chest tight with panic.

"What do I do? Hannah, what do I do?"

"First, you breathe. Can you do that for me?"

I took a shaky breath. "Okay."

"Good. Now listen. We can't panic. Panicking helps no one."

"But Dwayne—"

"We'll protect him. But you need to sleep first. You're exhausted. The babies need you to rest."

"I can't sleep knowing—"

"Shailyn, you have to. For the twins. Please."

I pressed my hand to my stomach. She was right.

"Okay. Okay, I'll try."

"Good. Tomorrow we'll figure this out. Together."

"We can't do this alone, Hannah. We need to tell Dwayne."

"I know. We will. First thing tomorrow."

"Promise?"

"I promise. Now get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

She hung up.

I immediately opened a new message to Dwayne.

Me: Can you come to Hannah's house tomorrow? 10 AM. Something important. Please don't ask questions yet. Just come.

His response came quickly.

Dwayne: Are you okay?

Me: I will be. Just please come.

Dwayne: I'll be there.

I set my phone down and lay back on the bed.

Sleep seemed impossible.

But I had to try. For the babies.

I placed both hands on my growing stomach, feeling them shift and move inside me.

"I'll keep you safe," I whispered. "All of us safe."

Eventually, exhaustion won.

\---

Morning light woke me.

I felt heavy. So heavy.

The twins were growing fast now. Every day I felt bigger, more weighted down.

I sat up slowly, wincing at the pressure in my lower back.

A knock at the door.

"Come in."

Dante entered with a tray. Toast. Eggs. Orange juice.

"Morning," he said softly. "Thought you might be hungry."

I was, actually.

"Thank you."

He set the tray on my lap and sat on the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Heavy."

"The babies?"

"Growing. Moving a lot."

He smiled. "That's good. That's healthy."

I picked up the fork and started eating.

"Shailyn, about last night—"

"Not now, Dante."

"But—"

"I said not now." I looked at him. "I'm going to Hannah's today. Just to relax. Have some fun. Clear my head."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"I wasn't asking for permission."

His jaw tightened. "Fine. But take security with you."

"I don't need security."

"You're pregnant. With twins. You need security."

"Dante—"

"Please. Just this one thing. For my peace of mind."

I sighed. "Fine. Whatever."

He relaxed slightly. "Thank you. What time are you leaving?"

"Soon. Maybe in an hour."

"Okay. I have some calls to make. Let me know before you go?"

"Sure."

He kissed my forehead and left. Ugh murderer. Just like his father. 

I finished breakfast quickly and got dressed.

Comfortable clothes. Loose sweater. Leggings. Flats.

No point trying to look good when you feel like a whale.

I grabbed my purse and phone and headed downstairs.

Dante was in his study, the door closed.

Perfect.

I slipped out the front door and got into my car.

No security. No driver.

Just me.

I pulled out of the driveway and headed toward Hannah's apartment.

\---

I arrived thirty minutes early.

Deliberately.

If Dante was tracking my movements, and he probably was, I needed him to think I was just spending time with Hannah.

Girl time. Nothing suspicious.

Hannah opened the door before I even knocked.

"You're early."

"I know. Wanted to avoid suspicion."

"Smart." She pulled me inside. "How are you?"

"Terrified."

"Understandable." She guided me to the couch. "Sit. You look exhausted."

I sank down gratefully. "I barely slept."

"Did you eat?"

"Dante brought me breakfast."

"And you ate it? What if he poisoned it?"

"Hannah, he's not going to poison me. I'm carrying his babies."

"His babies are actually Dwayne's babies."

"He doesn't know that."

"True." She sat beside me. "When did you tell Dwayne to come?"

"Ten. So in about twenty-five minutes."

"Good. That gives us time to prepare."

"Prepare how?"

"Figure out exactly what we're going to tell him. How much. What we need him to do."

"We need him to be careful. To watch his back."

"He needs to know everything, Shailyn. The cameras. The footage. All of it."

"I know."

We sat in silence for a moment.

"Are you scared?" Hannah asked quietly.

"Terrified."

"Of what?"

"Of Dante actually hurting him. Of losing Dwayne before I even—" I stopped.

"Before you even what?"

"Before I even get a chance to see what we could be."

Hannah squeezed my hand. "We won't let that happen."

"How can we stop it? Dante has resources. Money. People who'll do anything he asks."

"And we have the truth. The evidence. That's more powerful."

"Is it?"

"It has to be."

A knock at the door made us both jump.

Hannah checked her phone. "It's only nine fifty. He's early."

She went to the door and looked through the peephole.

"It's him."

My heart started racing.

She opened the door.

Dwayne stood there, dressed casually in jeans and a sweater, eyes immediately finding mine.

"Shailyn. What's wrong?"

"Come in. Sit down."

He walked in, closing the door behind him. "You're scaring me. What happened?"

Hannah and I exchanged glances.

"We need to show you something," I said quietly.

"Okay."

I pulled out my phone and opened the video.

"This is from last night. From a camera in Dante's study."

"A camera? You bugged his study?"

"Yes. Now just watch."

I hit play.

Dwayne's expression was calm at first.

Then it shifted as Dante's voice filled the room.

"Dwayne. We need to move up his timeline."

"How soon?"

"This week. I want him handled before the board meeting."

His jaw clenched.

But he didn't look surprised.

The video ended.

Silence.

"Dwayne?" I said softly. "Did you hear—"

"I heard."

"You don't seem shocked."

"I'm not." He looked at me. "I've suspected for a while that Dante wanted me gone. This just confirms it."

"He's planning to hurt you. This week."

"I know."

"How can you be so calm?"

He reached over and took my hand. "Because I've been preparing for this."

"Preparing how?"

"Luke. My investigator. He's been tracking Dante's movements. His calls. His contacts."

"So you knew?"

"I suspected. This just gave me proof."

I felt tears building again. "Dwayne, what if he, what if something happens to you—"

He pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me.

"Nothing's going to happen to me. I promise."

"You can't promise that."

"Yes, I can. Because I'm not going to let him win."

I buried my face in his chest, feeling his heartbeat steady and strong.

"I can't lose you," I whispered.

"You won't."

Hannah cleared her throat. "So what's the plan?"

Dwayne pulled out his phone. "First, I'm calling Luke. He needs to see this."

"Now?"

"Right now."

He dialed, putting the phone to his ear.

"Luke. I need you at Hannah’s apartment. Now. It's urgent."

A pause.

"I'll send you the address. Just get here."

He hung up and looked at both of us.

"He'll be here in fifteen minutes."

"And then what?" I asked.

"Then we go on the offensive."

"What does that mean?"

His expression hardened. Something cold and dangerous flickering in his eyes.

"It means Dante thinks he's hunting me. But he's about to find out he's the prey."