Page 5

Chapter Five: Jade

M y pulse hammered in my ears, a relentless drumbeat that matched the racing of my heart. Perched on the edge of Ellie’s sofa bed, I could feel every worn spring beneath me, every threadbare patch of the throw that had become my temporary shroud in this refuge turned prison. The darkness of her living room seemed to hold its breath as much as I did, blanketed by the weight of the winter night pressing against the windows.

Memories flickered through my mind like the pages of a book caught in a tempest, each image crisp and searing despite the cold that crept into the apartment. I remembered the sterile gleam of BioHQ’s labs, the heady mix of fear and thrill as I delved into genetic codes that held secrets darker than the Moretti family could fathom. And then there was Dante—his world had snared me in a web I couldn’t have imagined, his presence both a danger and an inexplicable solace in the madness that had become my life.

I didn’t know how he was. I couldn’t find out how he was–if I even so much as called the hospital, Rodriguez would find me. And giving the slip to the police wouldn’t look good if I did have to testify, which I had only just realized on Ellie’s sofa.

So things weren’t looking great for me.

But it was the tiny flutter, the subtle shift within me that anchored me to the present moment. My hand instinctively went to my belly, cradling the promise of new life that bloomed amidst the chaos. This child, innocent and yet unborn, had become my compass, my reason for every hard decision, every step cloaked in shadow. For them, I would brave the treacherous path ahead, forsake the comfort of old alliances, even if it meant walking headlong into the unknown.

Protecting my baby wasn’t just an option; it was the imperative that propelled me forward, past the fear that clawed at my resolve. Even now, with Ellie sleeping mere feet away, her steady breathing a counterpoint to my own erratic one, I knew I couldn’t stay. She’d understand, eventually.

With a silent apology to my friend, I steeled myself for what had to come next. There was no turning back now—not when every heartbeat was a countdown to a future I had to grasp with both hands, no matter how they trembled.

The plush carpet muffled my steps as I tiptoed toward the coat closet where my bag waited—a lifeline in nylon and zippers.

My hands shook as I reached for it, the tremble betraying the icy knot of dread lodged deep in my stomach. I unzipped the main compartment, the faint whisper of fabric against teeth sounding thunderous in the hushed room. I paused, glancing back at Ellie’s sleeping form, praying she’d remain oblivious to my covert departure.

With a shuddering breath that I willed to be silent, I snatched my phone and wallet. They were the sum of my possessions now; everything else was a ghost of a life rapidly receding behind me. I slipped them into my bag, each item a weighty anchor, tethering me to a reality I could no longer afford to ignore. My fingers fumbled over the phone’s cold surface, and my heart pounded a staccato rhythm that echoed the urgency pulsating through my veins.

“Sorry, El,” I murmured under my breath, the words dissolving into the darkness. There was no space for hesitation, no room for second-guessing. The necessity of my actions crystallized with every shaky beat of my heart. For my child, my future—I would do whatever it took.

The stillness of Ellie’s apartment was a deceptive shroud, the quiet only amplifying the hammering of my heart against my ribs. I stood motionless, the bag clutched in my hand like a lifeline, straining my ears for any hint of movement, any sign that my plan was unraveling before it could truly begin.

My breath hitched as the faintest creak sounded from somewhere within the darkened maze of rooms, a mundane noise transformed into a sinister omen by the charged atmosphere of my escape. I waited, every nerve ending alight with a primal alertness that bordered on paranoia. But no footsteps followed, no voices shattered the fragile silence that enshrouded us.

I exhaled slowly, steadying the rapid rise and fall of my chest.

Enough stalling, Jade. It’s now or never.

With practiced precision, I zipped up my bag, each click of the teeth a tiny chime in the cavernous night. I slung it over my shoulder, the strap pressing into my flesh—a grounding pressure amidst the chaos of my racing thoughts.

I inched the door open, my breath coming in shallow gulps that I feared were too loud in the silence of Ellie’s apartment. The cool metal of the doorknob against my palm was grounding, a reminder of the physical world when every cell in my body seemed to be screaming with anticipation and dread.

The hallway lay bathed in shadows, the feeble light from a distant street lamp filtering in through a grime-smeared window at the far end. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for me to confirm the coast was clear. No lurking shapes, no whisper of movement.

I let out a soft sigh as relief flushed through me, quick and heady. My legs, previously tense as coiled springs, carried me forward now with newfound purpose. There was no turning back. I had made my choice, and with each step toward the stairway, I sealed my fate.

With a final glance over my shoulder at the closed apartment door, I stepped out into the cool night air. The chill was immediate, biting at my exposed skin, but it couldn’t rival the ice in my veins. I nudged the door closed with the heel of my boot, holding my breath as the latch clicked softly into place. The sound seemed to echo in the stillness, and for a moment, I stood frozen, waiting for any sign that I’d been heard.

None came.

My heart hammered a rapid beat, urging me on, and I listened. The apartment building was silent save for the distant hum of the city that never truly sleeps. My steps quickened along the hallway, the dim emergency lights casting long shadows that flickered as I passed. I kept my eyes sharp, darting from one murky corner to the next. The Morettis had eyes everywhere, and I couldn’t risk being spotted now—not when I was so close to freedom.

I could almost feel the weight of surveillance cameras that might not even be there, but paranoia had become a second skin. There was no room for error. Every step felt like a negotiation between the need for haste and the caution that my predicament demanded. With each stride, I committed myself further to this path—each soft footfall on the carpet a silent vow to protect the life that thrived inside me despite the odds.

This was it. The beginning of a treacherous journey, walked under the cover of night’s anonymity. A single thought propelled me forward: for the child whose heartbeat was the most vital rhythm I knew, I would brave the darkness and all its lurking dangers.

As I reached the end of the hallway, I didn’t look back. There was nothing left for me in that direction. Ahead lay the unknown, a path fraught with risks and lined with shadows that could hide friend or foe. Yet, despite the uncertainty that awaited me beyond the apartment building’s confines, one thing was crystal clear—I would do whatever it took to give my child a chance at a life unmarred by the sins of their parents. With every step that carried me closer to the street, my resolve hardened into an armor of maternal instinct and sheer willpower.

My mind raced, plotting routes and contingencies, while my heart hammered a staccato rhythm against my ribs. There was no room for error, no second chances. This was it—the moment where I reclaimed our lives or lost everything.

I stepped out of the building, the darkness swallowing me whole. Each step away from the place I’d called a temporary haven was a step toward an uncertain future. But as I vanished into the night, I clung to a single truth: I was Jade Bentley, and I would carve a new path for us—one where my child could thrive, free from the sins of our past.

At the same time, though, I knew there was only one place for me to go.

Home.