Chapter 88: Lost and Found

Cattleya’s POV

“Jaxon…” I whispered his name softly, and he stared at me with worried eyes as if he wanted to shield me from Elise’s men.

Fear seized me as I placed my hand over my baby bump and cried out in terror, “Please… no…”

Jaxon’s gaze fell upon my stomach, his expression a mix of surprise and overwhelming emotion. He slowly turned to Elise, who looked terrified. “ELISE!” he shouted.

Elise began to cry, “Jaxon…”

As Jaxon drew his gun, every other weapon in the room turned towards him. They were all Salvatore’s men, and unfortunately, Jaxon was alone, outnumbered by three to five opponents. At any moment, we could all be killed.

Elise scoffed suddenly, “Do you want Cattleya to die? Is that what you want?! Look at her, she’s also pregnant with your child, and I can kill them both right now if you don’t put your gun down!”

Terror consumed me. I was more afraid of what the next few seconds would bring. Jaxon slowly lowered his gun, and Elise smirked creepily.

“You can kill me, Elise,” Jaxon said. “Just let her go…”

Elise scoffed. “You’re throwing away your life for this woman? How could you?”

“I love her, and I’ll do anything to save her life!” Jaxon exclaimed passionately.

A single tear rolled down my cheek as I stared at him, my lips trembling. If he died because of me, I couldn’t forgive myself. I hadn’t told him everything and was so scared of the inevitable that I couldn’t avoid it and now it’s really happening!

"Jaxon... I'm so sorry," I sobbed, tears blurring my vision.

He replied, his voice weak, "Don't apologize. It's all my fault. I should have let you go from the start."

If only we could rewind time to a moment before our eyes met. None of this would be happening. But I have never regretted meeting him; he's the best part of my life.

The man gripping my arm released me, shoving me towards the cliff's edge. Jaxon raced after me, his desperate hand reaching out to grasp mine just as I teetered on the brink. I looked up at him, my eyes wide with fear and sorrow. But a gunshot echoed, and blood erupted from Jaxon's mouth. Elise's father had struck.

"Dad! No! Please, don't kill him!" Elise screamed in anger.

"If we don't kill him, he'll kill us!" her father replied, his voice cold and ruthless.

“Dad! We’ve already talked about this! Let me handle this!” Elise snapped back. “Dad! No!”

BANG!

Jaxon's grip on my hand loosened, but I nodded, pleading with him, "Jaxon... it's okay... w-we are going to be okay.... I love you…. just let me go if you can’t take it anymore ...."

"I love you..." he said, his eyes, once filled with life, now dimming. “Cattleya, I will find you… I will…” With a final, agonizing breath, he slowly let go of my hand, his body tumbling over the cliff's edge, and he hit his head on the rock.

As I was pulled into the icy water, I could only watch in horror as Jaxon disappeared. The weight of the world crashed down on me, and I slipped into unconsciousness….

“Jaxon….”

I gasped as I woke up in the hospital. Memories flooded back, and I remembered what happened to Jaxon. I tried to get up, but a strong arm stopped me.

My eyes widened when I saw Vlad. He looked worried. "You're finally awake," he said.

Confusion flushed over me as I looked down at my swollen belly. It didn't look like a three-month-old belly at all. "What's going on?"

I looked up at Vlad, and he said, "Cattleya, you were in a coma for five months-"

"What?"

He continued, "-and three days. And in a few weeks, you're going to give birth."

My jaw drops, "What...."

I was speechless, but I sighed in relief, knowing my baby was safe. "W-Water..." I managed to say in shock.

He handed me a water bottle, and I drank it greedily, sighing heavily. "Vlad... how did you find me? I thought I... I died," I asked.

“It’s a long story… but everyone thought you died that day, and that’s better,” he said, his tone serious.

My heart ached as I replayed the events of that terrible day. I felt a pang of guilt, knowing that if I had told Jaxon about the baby, he might have been able to protect me from Elise. I should have been honest, but fear had consumed me. I had wanted to escape danger, but it seemed to follow me wherever I went.

“Five months…” I whispered, still in shock.

"You have to remain dead. No one can know you're alive. I can't bear the thought of losing another innocent woman and child. I lost my wife and child to this same darkness, and I won't let it claim another victim," Vlad said, his voice heavy with sorrow. "You remind me so much of her. The same gentle spirit, the same radiant hope. If I can't protect her, I will protect you. I'll do whatever it takes. Even if it means keeping you hidden from the world." Then his eyes bore into mine. "I know this isn't easy, but it's necessary. You need to trust me, Cattleya. I'll make sure you and your child are safe."

I smiled at him, tears welling up in my eyes. "I thought you'd already abandoned me, but I'm so happy you didn't."

He didn't respond, and as he turned to leave, I grabbed his hand, my grip tight. He turned back, his eyes meeting mine. "What is it?" he asked.

"What happened to Jaxon? Is he dead?" I asked, fear gnawing at my heart.

He hesitated, his expression pained. "I don't know if you can handle the truth," he said, his voice heavy.

I frowned, my confusion growing. "What? What really happened to him?" I pressed.

Just as he was about to speak, the door swung open, and my eyes widened in shock.

"YOU?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" I screamed, my blood boiling at the sight of the person standing in the doorway.