Chapter 1 - The Double Heartbeat
The rhythmic thump-thump, thump-thump of two distinct heartbeats echoed through the quiet clinic, drowning out the ambient hum of the ultrasound machine. I stared at the dark screen, my breath catching in my throat as two tiny, flickering pulses illuminated the grey monitor. My hand instinctively pressed against my stomach, feeling the cool gel clinging to my skin. Two lives. Two secrets growing inside me while I hid under a stolen name in a forgotten coastal town.
The doctor smiled gently, wiping the excess gel from my belly, unaware that every beat of those hearts felt like a countdown to war. "They are thriving, Lena. Perfect development for ten weeks." I nodded numbly, clutching my sweater around my shoulders as I stepped out into the crisp, foggy autumn air. Dante Moretti’s reach stretched across entire continents, built on bribed politicians, lethal enforcers, and an ocean of cold cash. How long could a ghost stay hidden from the deadliest mob chief in the Midwest?
I drove back to my rented cottage along the desolate coastline, checking my rearview mirror out of habit every three minutes. The silence of the house felt like a sanctuary until I stepped inside and noticed a subtle discrepancy. The side window latch, which I always left locked, was unbolted. Before I could sprint back toward the front door, a heavy metallic click sounded from the dark corner of my living room, followed by a voice that used to make my heart race for entirely different reasons.
