Chapter 82 Fragile Things
Henry exhaled slowly as he stepped out of Emilia's hospital room, the sterile scent of antiseptic clinging to his senses. His fingers lingered on the doorframe, reluctant to let go. Even with the steady beeping of her monitors behind him, the weight in his chest refused to lift.
He clenched his jaw and pulled out his phone.
Henry: She's not to be alone. Get here now.
The response came instantly.
Cayden: Already on my way.
Footsteps echoed down the hall, pulling Henry's attention. Caleb approached, his phone still in hand, his expression unreadable. [This book is available exclusively and for free on Wattpad. If you find it anywhere else, it has been stolen. Please report any unauthorized copies.] The tension in his shoulders told Henry everything—whatever he'd just learned wasn't good.
"What is it?" Henry asked, his voice sharp.
Caleb exhaled, stopping just in front of him. His gaze flickered toward their parents before he spoke.
"The car," he said grimly. "It wasn't random."
Linda's head snapped up, her hands clutching each other tightly. Elias stiffened beside her, his expression darkening.
Caleb continued, his voice steady but firm. "It was reported stolen three days ago. No plates. No traceable records. And the driver masked." His jaw clenched. "This wasn't an accident. It was intentional."
A heavy silence settled over them.
Linda pressed a hand to her chest. "Oh my God..."
Elias's features hardened, his mind already calculating the implications. "Do we know who was behind it?"
Henry's throat worked as he hesitated for half a second. Then, in a voice filled with quiet certainty, he said, "Zoey."
Linda gasped. Elias sucked in a slow breath, his expression momentarily betraying his shock before he locked it down.
"She's alive," Caleb confirmed. "Vincent told us when we confronted him earlier. She was institutionalized after the accident. Her parents lied to you, saying she died because they knew how volatile she was getting. She got out recently—under questionable circumstances." His voice dipped lower. "She's been off the grid since."
Henry's pulse roared in his ears. Zoey.
He had known she was alive. Known she was out. But this—this was proof that she wasn't just lurking in the shadows. She was making her move.
His fingers curled into a fist at his side.
"She's coming for us,"Beau muttered.
"No," Elias corrected, his voice cold and sure. "She's coming for Emilia."
Linda's face was pale. "But she—she was in love with you, Henry. Why would she—"
"Because love had nothing to do with it," Henry said tightly. "Not with Zoey."
She had fooled everyone once. The charming, sophisticated fiancée. The future Mrs. Kingsley. But beneath the surface had always been something darker, something possessive and unhinged. And now, she was back.
And Emilia had nearly died.
The thought made his stomach turn.
"This is my fault."
He hadn't just moved on. He had built a life with Emilia—a life Zoey believed belonged to her. He should known she was dangerous. Had he done enough to protect them? The weight in his chest thickened.
He reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing against the secret he hadn't told a soul—the baby.
A child they had dreamed about. A child they had wanted—just not like this. Not in the middle of a war.This was supposed to be the beginning of something beautiful, something safe. Emilia had always talked about wanting a big family, and Henry had let himself imagine it too—the late nights, the first steps, the life they would build together. Their life.
But now, that future felt fragile, like it could be stolen before it even had a chance to exist.
If Zoey ever found out—
No. He couldn't let that happen.
For the first time since stepping out of that hospital room, he hesitated. Should he tell his parents? Would knowing make Emilia safer?
Linda's soft voice pulled him back. "Henry... what aren't you telling us?"
Before Henry could answer Linda's question, a nurse approached hesitantly, a small package in her hands. "Mr. Kingsley?"
His entire body tensed. "Yes?"
"This was left at the nurses' station for you." She shifted uncomfortably. "No return name. Just... this."
Henry took the small box, his fingers tightening around the edges. It was light—too light. A slow, creeping dread curled around his spine.
He ripped the tape off and opened it.
Inside, cradled in crisp white tissue paper, was a single pacifier.
New. Pristine. Innocent.
But beside it lay something that made his blood freeze—a hospital bracelet.
Familiar. Worn. From years ago.
Zoey's.
A neatly folded note sat at the bottom.
"Babies are fragile things, Henry. But you already knew that. See you soon."
His stomach twisted. The walls of the hospital seemed to press in.
She knew.
Not just about Emilia. About the baby.
And if Zoey was sending this, she wanted him to remember something else, too.
She was never pregnant.
It had been a lie. Just like everything else with her. A manipulation, a weapon designed to chain him to her forever.
And now, she had found a new way to sink her claws in.
Henry inhaled sharply, masking the pure terror twisting inside him. He turned to the nurse, his voice controlled but urgent. "Who delivered this?"
She shook her head. "We don't know. It was just... there."
Henry closed the box, gripping it so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Zoey wasn't just taunting him. She was ahead of them.
She had a plan.
Henry turned back to his family. Their faces reflected varying degrees of shock, horror, and something else, rage.
"We don't have time," Henry muttered, his voice dark. "She already knows."
Beau stood, his expression now pure steel. "Then we end this. Now."
Henry made his choice.
He exhaled, his chest tightening as he met his parents' eyes. He had kept this secret for a reason—but after tonight, after Zoey's call, he couldn't keep it to himself any longer.
His voice came out low, steady. "Emilia's pregnant."
Linda sucked in a sharp breath, her hands flying to her mouth.
Beau went rigid. He opened his mouth—then shut it. Then: "Holy shit."
Elias—his father, always composed, always ready for battle—only narrowed his gaze. "How far along?"
"Not even a month," Henry admitted. "It's early. Too early for stress, for fear—for any of this. But after tonight, I don't have the luxury of waiting to tell you."
Linda pressed a trembling hand to her chest. "My God... Henry." Her voice broke slightly. "Is she okay? The baby?"
"She's stable. But stress could make things worse, and if Zoey ever finds out..." His throat tightened. "I can't let that happen."
Elias spoke, his voice firm. "She won't."
Beau blew out a sharp breath, dragging a hand down his face. "This changes everything." He met Henry's eyes, steady and serious. "We lock this down. No one outside this room finds out."
Elias nodded. "We move now. Security around Emilia is priority number one. And we go after Zoey before she even realizes we know she's coming."
Linda hesitated before stepping closer to Henry. "Does Emilia know you're telling us?"
Henry hesitated. No.
Linda's voice softened. "She should hear it from you. Before anyone else does."
His phone vibrated in his palm—Cayden.
Cayden: I'm here. Room secured.
Henry exhaled, his gaze drifting toward the closed hospital door.
Zoey wanted a war.
She just got one.