Chapter 1 — The Worst Homecoming
Daniel Carter had imagined this moment a thousand times during the sixteen-hour flight home.
He pictured Olivia laughing as she waddled toward the front door, one hand resting beneath the enormous curve of her belly. He imagined kissing her forehead before speaking to his unborn twins through her skin, just as he had done over video calls for months.
He never imagined hearing her scream.
The sound cut through the silence of the house before he had even finished unlocking the front door.
It wasn't fear alone.
It was pain.
Raw.
Animal.
The kind of scream that stripped away thought and left only instinct.
Daniel dropped his suitcase where it stood.
"Olivia!"
He rushed down the hallway.
The scene before him stopped his heart.
Olivia lay twisted across the polished hardwood floor, her pale blue maternity dress soaked beneath her legs. Clear fluid spread around her body in an expanding puddle. Her face was white with agony, tears streaking down flushed cheeks as she struggled to breathe through violent contractions.
Standing over her was Vanessa.
His younger sister.
One fist tangled deep inside Olivia's hair.
The other still raised as if preparing to strike again.
"You lying little—"
Vanessa froze when she saw Daniel.
For half a second nobody moved.
Then Olivia whispered through trembling lips.
"Daniel..."
She reached toward him with shaking fingers.
"I think... the babies..."
Another contraction seized her body so violently that she cried out.
Daniel dropped to his knees.
"Oh God."
His hands trembled as he cradled Olivia's head.
"What happened?"
Before Olivia could answer, Vanessa spoke first.
"She attacked me!"
Daniel looked up.
"What?"
Vanessa pointed dramatically toward the overturned coffee table.
"She lost her mind! I came here to help her, and she started screaming about money. She slipped while trying to hit me."
Even while speaking, Vanessa's breathing was uneven.
Her blouse was perfectly neat.
Not a single scratch marked her arms.
The only visible injuries belonged to Olivia.
Long strands of hair still remained wrapped around Vanessa's fingers.
Daniel noticed.
His stomach tightened.
"Let go of her."
"What?"
"My wife."
His voice became dangerously quiet.
"Take your hand out of her hair."
Vanessa looked down as if only now realizing she was still clutching Olivia's hair.
She released it immediately.
Olivia whimpered.
Daniel gently brushed loose strands away from her face.
His fingertips came back stained with blood.
Fresh blood.
Not much.
But enough.
His pulse exploded.
He pulled out his phone and dialed 911.
Vanessa lunged forward.
"Daniel, don't! She's exaggerating! She's been emotional because of the pregnancy."
Daniel stared at her as if seeing a stranger.
"My wife is eight months pregnant."
Another contraction ripped through Olivia.
She cried out, grabbing Daniel's wrist with astonishing strength.
"I can't... I can't stop it..."
Then Daniel saw it.
More fluid.
More blood.
His entire body went cold.
"The babies are coming."
The dispatcher answered.
"Nine-one-one. What's your emergency?"
"My wife is thirty-four weeks pregnant with twins. She's gone into labor after being assaulted. She's bleeding."
Vanessa's face turned white.
"Daniel!"
He ignored her.
"Our address is 118 Willow Crest Lane. Send everyone you've got."
The dispatcher immediately instructed him to keep Olivia still until paramedics arrived.
Daniel removed his jacket and folded it beneath Olivia's head.
She clung to him desperately.
"I'm scared."
He kissed her forehead.
"I know."
"I don't want to lose them."
"You won't."
He prayed those words were true.
Behind him, Vanessa slowly stepped backward toward the hallway.
Toward the security camera mounted near the ceiling.
Daniel was too focused on Olivia to notice.
Vanessa looked once toward the front window, calculating.
Then, with sudden fury, she grabbed a heavy bronze umbrella stand.
She swung.
CRACK.
The camera shattered into dozens of pieces.
Plastic and glass rained across the hallway floor.
"There."
Vanessa breathed heavily.
"No one can prove anything now."
Daniel slowly turned.
Their eyes met.
For the first time in his life...
May you like
He looked at his own sister...
...and felt absolutely nothing but fear.
