The villa felt smaller after the failed escape.
Alexander didn’t yell. He didn’t punish me in the brutal way I had feared. Instead, he carried me and the children back to the house in silence, his arms strong and unyielding. The children were confused and frightened, but he calmed them with quiet words and promises of ice cream in the morning. Once they were settled with the nanny, he led me to our bedroom and closed the door.
The click of the lock sounded final.
He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled me onto his lap, one hand resting on my pregnant belly, the other stroking my back in slow, soothing circles. His touch was gentle, almost tender, but I could feel the tension vibrating through his body.
“You tried to take them from me,” he said quietly, voice low and controlled. “My ch
