The baby was meant to change everything. Instead, it exposed a secret powerful enough to bring an empire to its knees overnight.

searching for cover.

And through all the chaos—

I saw Vanessa standing.

Not hiding.

Not panicking.

Standing perfectly still.

Watching.

Smiling.

My blood turned to ice.

Then I noticed her raise one hand.

A tiny signal.

Almost impossible to see.

One of the gunmen outside instantly stopped firing.

The realization hit me like freezing water.

Vanessa wasn’t another target.continue reading …