Page 73 of Sinful Embers

The line connects. A cold, professional voice answers.

“Gold Crown Security.”

Relief slams into me so hard I nearly cry.

Two hours later, I’m in Moscow, checking into a five-star hotel under an assumed name my security detail provides, and they assure me I’m safe. No one, not even my father will find me. I’m safe.

For now.

I stare at the small bag from the pharmacy—the pregnancy tests I bought at the airport. My hands shake as I take them into the bathroom, my stomach is a mess of nerves.

Minutes later, I stare at the results.

Three tests. All positive.

A choked breath escapes me. My knees buckle, and I sink onto the floor, gripping the counter.

I’m pregnant.

With Radomir’s child.

I let out a shuddering sob, pressing a hand to my stomach. I should be happy. But all I feel is fear. Because when he finds out the truth… there will be no coming back from it.

The next morning, I get the call.

“Miss M, your presence is requested at the Gold Matriarch Private Bank in Mayfair. We have sent a private jet for you to Moscow to fly you to London and we’ll see you in the morning.”

I look at my new classic wrist watch – analogue and non-traceable.

This is my life now—analogue and untraceable. The front desk rings my room.

“Your car is here, Miss M.”

“Thank you.” I hang up and have one last look at the sleek, expensive woman in the mirror. I don’t recognize her. She doesn’t even feel like me. Because it’s not me—it’s Miss M.

Taking a breath I leave the luxurious room behind, zoom down the lobby and I walk to the front pick up where I step into the sleek black car waiting for me.

Six hours later I’m making my way through toward London in another long sleep black car from the private airstrip the Gold Key Legal Group jet landed on.

When I arrive at the Matriarch Gold Bank, I’m treated like royalty. I’m ushered into a luxurious office where two men stand waiting—Giles Gold and Parker Keys.

“We’ve been waiting for you,” Giles says, smiling warmly.

Parker gestures to the table. “There’s a lot to go through.”

Hours pass as I sign paperwork, securing my inheritance, my assets. Then, Giles hands me a small velvet case. Inside are three gold keys.

“The keys to Vivienne’s deposit boxes,” he explains. “Inside each are two bio-lock boxes.”

Parker hands me a sterile needle after they usher me into the big private room. I get the boxes and secured into a viewing room.

The instant I see the bio boxes I remember them. The fight I had with Vivienne who was always wanting me to get blood tests for this, then give blood or plasma for that. It’s bad enough becaue of my blood group the amount of times I have to give blood wherever I am to ensure if anything happens to me I have blood. I prick my finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the scanner.

The box unlocks.

Inside, there are documents, thumb drives, confessions. They are all the same. I wonder what is on them but after having read her journals I actually don’t want to know. In fact I should get all this shit destroyed.

The last box I open has one smaller bio box in it markedLeigh.

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