Page 29 of Knocked Up by the Bratva

Chiara raises an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. “You sure about that?”

Maeve steps forward, her voice steady but her eyes filled with concern. “I’m not going anywhere, Jen. Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out together.”

Chiara lets out a small sigh, clearly annoyed. “Fine,” she says, folding her arms across her chest. “Understand this—you’re not just running away from Timur. The second you betray him, you’ll be a target. The Sharovs don’t take betrayal lightly.”

“I know,” I whisper, my chest tightening with fear. “I’ve seen what he’s capable of.”

Chiara nods, satisfied that I understand the gravity of the situation. “Good. Now, you get me the information I need, and in return, I’ll get you a new identity, a new life. Once you make that decision, there’s no going back. No more Jennifer Jewels.”

The reality of it all presses down on me like a heavy weight. My mind flashes back to the life I’m trying to escape—the brutal world Timur inhabits, the secrets I’ve kept, the pregnancy I’ve hidden. It feels like I’m walking a tightrope over a pit of flames.

“Tell me what you need to know,” I say finally, my voice firmer now. “I’ll do it.”

Chiara smiles, and there’s something dark in her eyes, a calculating gleam that makes me shiver. “Smart choice.”

She leans forward, her voice dropping to a low murmur as she begins to outline the information she wants about Timur’s businesses. Some of it, I already know—his most successful real estate ventures, his investments in Empire City Estates. The details she’s asking for are more… intricate. She wants dirt. Weaknesses. Anything that could dismantle his empire from the inside.

Maeve listens quietly, her face pale but determined. I can tell she doesn’t like this any more than I do, but she knows I’m trapped. If this is my way out, then she’ll support me.

When Chiara finishes, she stands up, smoothing down the front of her sleek jacket. “You know what to do,” she says simply. “When you’ve got what I need, contact Maeve, and she’ll arrange the rest.”

As she turns to leave, Maeve finally speaks up. “How do we know you won’t turn on us?” she asks, her voice laced with suspicion.

Chiara pauses at the door, glancing over her shoulder with a small, knowing smile. “You don’t,” she says bluntly. “I don’t have time for betrayals. Not right now. I need you both alive and well, if I’m going to crush the Sharovs.”

With that, she slips out of the room, leaving me and Maeve in a tense, suffocating silence.

I slump down on the bed, running my hands through my hair. “What the hell am I doing?” I whisper, more to myself than to Maeve.

Maeve sits beside me, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder. “Jen,” she starts softly, “I don’t like this. I’m not sayingnot to do this, I know this could be the fresh start you need; but be careful, okay? This feels… more dangerous than you realize.”

I shake my head, trying to hold back the panic that’s been rising in my chest since Chiara walked out the door. “I don’t have a choice, Maeve. I have to get away from Timur, and this is the only way I can disappear. You know what he did to Russel. What do you think he’d do if he found out about the baby?”

Maeve’s eyes widen, her hand dropping to her lap. I don’t know.” She sounds more alarmed than before. “I just think you need to prepare, you know, mentally.”

“No,” I whisper, feeling the weight of my decision pressing down on me. “If I let myself think about it, I’ll back out. I don’t have the nerve.”

Maeve bites her lip, clearly torn. “I get it, I do, but you’re playing with fire, Jen. You’re not just running from some random guy. This is Timur Sharov we’re talking about. He has power, resources—hell, he probably has people watching you already.”

The thought sends a shiver down my spine. I’ve considered that, more than once, but hearing Maeve say it out loud makes it feel more real. Like Timur could be lurking in the shadows, just waiting for me to make a mistake.

“I know it’s risky,” I say, my voice trembling slightly, “but I don’t see any other way. He’ll never let me go, not after what I saw. Not after what happened between us.”

Maeve sighs, leaning back against the bed. “It just feels like you’re walking into another trap. You’re trusting Chiara, but what if she’s just using you? What if she’s no better than Timur?”

I look at her, my heart heavy. “I don’t trust Chiara,” I admit. “Not really. What choice do I have? She’s offering me an out, and I need to take it.”

Maeve stares at me for a long moment, her expression a mixture of worry and frustration. “I just don’t want you to regret this, Jen. Once you go down this path… there’s no coming back. You heard her. You won’t be Jennifer Jewels anymore. You’ll be a stranger, with no family, no friends.”

I nod, my throat tight. “I know. It’s the only way to protect myself, and the baby.”

Maeve softens at the mention of the baby, her hand squeezing mine. “I just… I wish there was another way. One where you didn’t have to run or betray anyone. Maybe if you just told him—”

“No,” I cut her off, shaking my head. “I can’t risk it. You didn’t see the look in his eyes when he killed Russel. He’s dangerous, Maeve. There’s no way he’d let me leave, not with his child.”

Maeve’s eyes fill with sympathy, and she pulls me into a hug. “Okay,” she whispers. “I’m with you, whatever you decide. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

I bury my face in her shoulder, taking in the comfort of her presence. “I hope so too.”

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