Brooklyn didn't remember falling asleep.
She only remembered pain.
A hot, twisting ache low in her abdomen, followed by pressure — heavy, constant, and terrifying. The kind that snapped her eyes open in the dark and made her instinctively reach for her stomach.
The baby.
Her breath caught.
Then came the second wave — worse than the first. This time, it didn't pass. It stayed like a sharp grip tightening around her waist, dragging panic up her spine.
"Damien!" she cried out, her voice shaking.
Footsteps thundered in from the hallway.
Damien appeared in the doorway in his sleep pants and nothing else, eyes wild and panicked. "Brooklyn?!"
She was curled on the bed, clutching her bump.
"Something's wrong," she gasped. "It hurts. I—I think I'm bleeding."
His face went pale. "Call the car," he barked into the intercom. "Now!"
---
Twenty Minutes Later – Emergency Room
The world became a blur of fluorescent lights, gurneys, and machines that beeped too fast.
Brooklyn gripped Damien's hand as nurses surrounded her, moving quickly. Her gown felt cold against her skin. She couldn't stop trembling.
"Vitals dropping. Fetal heartbeat irregular," one nurse said.
"No, no, no—" Brooklyn whispered. "Please don't let anything happen."
Damien held her hand tighter. "You're okay. You hear me? You're okay."
But his voice cracked at the end.
A doctor appeared — a woman with sharp eyes and calm authority.
"I'm Dr. Adler. We're going to run a scan, check the baby, and get this under control. You're 26 weeks, correct?"
Brooklyn nodded weakly.
The doctor's voice softened. "Hang on, mama. We've got you."
---
Meanwhile – Elias Watches
Across the city, Elias stood in front of a TV screen showing a live stream.
Hidden camera. Hospital room. Damien and Brooklyn.
He watched as Brooklyn cried, begging for her baby to be okay.
He watched as Damien looked helpless — something he'd never seen before.
And it thrilled him.
He didn't even flinch when the tech assistant said, "Should we pull the stream down before they notice?"
"No," Elias murmured. "Let the world see the perfect couple break."
Then he opened the second file:
PROJECT GRACE.
And smiled.
---
Hospital Room – A Moment of Silence
Brooklyn lay still now. The contractions had stopped. The bleeding was minimal. The baby's heartbeat was steady again.
But the fear hadn't left her chest.
"Your body's reacting to stress," Dr. Adler said gently. "This wasn't labor, but it was a warning."
Brooklyn nodded, voice hoarse. "Will the baby be okay?"
"Yes. But only if you rest. And I mean truly rest. No corporate meetings. No social media wars. No drama."
She turned to Damien.
"That includes you, Mr. Carter. You need to protect her from everything. Not just enemies."
Damien reached out and tucked a strand of hair from Brooklyn's face.
"I promise."
---
Later – Just the Two of Them
The room was quiet now, the machines no longer beeping in alarm.
Damien sat at the edge of her bed, holding her hand.
"I thought I lost you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Brooklyn blinked slowly, her eyes still swollen.
"You almost did."
He stood and paced the room.
"I should've pulled us out sooner. Moved away. Kept you far from Elias, from all this madness."
"Damien," she said weakly. "Stop."
He turned to her.
"I love you," he said suddenly.
The words hung in the air.
Brooklyn stared at him, heart racing again — but for a different reason.
"You… what?"
He stepped closer, took her hand again.
"I've known for weeks. But I kept burying it. Telling myself it was just gratitude. Or obsession. Or duty. But it's not."
He leaned down, resting his forehead against hers.
"I love you, Brooklyn. I don't care about the contract, the business, the family name. I just care about you."
Tears slid silently down her cheeks.
She whispered, "I love you too."
---
Across Town – Vivienne's Discovery
Vivienne sat in the Carter security room, surrounded by monitors.
"Still no sign of tampering?" Grant asked, leaning over her shoulder.
Vivienne narrowed her eyes at a flickering feed.
"Wait. That camera—"
She clicked twice. The feed changed.
Her eyes widened.
"That's a hospital room."
Grant's voice dropped. "Is that… Brooklyn?"
Vivienne didn't answer.
She was already dialing.
---
Brooklyn's Hospital Room – Violation
Brooklyn was still lying in bed when Vivienne burst in with her phone held up.
"Don't panic," Vivienne said. "But someone planted a hidden camera in this room."
Damien's face turned to stone.
"Where?"
"Behind the monitor," Vivienne said. "It's live-streaming. Elias is watching."
Rage flushed through Damien like wildfire.
He stormed over and ripped the device off the wall, shattering it against the floor.
"Get me that bastard's location," he growled.
Brooklyn sat up straighter, still weak but furious.
"I want to press charges. For stalking. For digital assault. For everything."
Vivienne nodded. "Grant's already tracing the signal. We'll find him."
Brooklyn looked at Damien.
"Let's finish this."
---
Closing Scene – Elias Cornered
Elias's confidence had finally cracked.
"Sir," his assistant said nervously. "They're tracking us. Grant Maddox just pinged the server. We have minutes."
Elias grabbed a flash drive from his drawer — labeled Project Grace — and slipped it into his pocket.
"Destroy everything else."
"What's on that drive?" the assistant asked.
Elias smirked.
"Let's just say… it's my final weapon."
He headed for the exit.
But as he opened the door—
Two men in black suits stood waiting.
FBI.
"Elias Carter?" the taller one asked.
"You're under arrest for digital surveillance, corporate espionage, and obstruction of justice."
Elias's smirk vanished.
As they snapped the cuffs on, he muttered, "This isn't over."