The mansion had never felt so empty. Every creak, every whisper of the wind seemed louder in Leah's ears as the intruders guided her down the hall. Elias stayed close, trying to shield her, but they had been outnumbered and outmaneuvered.
"Move," one of the intruders hissed, pressing a hand against her back.
Leah's breath hitched as the sudden push made her stumble forward. Pain shot through her abdomen—a sharp, stabbing ache that made her knees buckle slightly. She gasped, clutching at the blanket wrapped around her, instinctively pressing her hand against the rising discomfort.
"Careful!" Elias warned, stepping toward her, but the intruders shoved him back with enough force to keep him from interfering.
Leah's eyes filled with tears, her vision blurring. "…It hurts," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Please…"
"Shut up and keep moving," the intruder snapped, ignoring her plea.
Across the city, Izana's eyes snapped open. A violent jolt ran through him, sharp and unrelenting. The pulse beneath his chest—the whisper of the curse—exploded into a roar of warning, burning through every ounce of his control.
Something was wrong.
Pain. Fear. Vulnerability. Leah.
His hands clenched into fists. Dante, sitting beside him, noticed the sudden shift. "Boss? What is it?"
Izana's jaw tightened, green eyes narrowing. "She… she's in danger." His voice was low, controlled but ice-cold, every muscle in his body coiling. "The curse—it's pulling me to her. She's hurt… her abdomen… now."
Dante's brow furrowed. "Then we move. Now."
Izana's body moved with lethal precision, his mind set entirely on her. He didn't need instructions. The curse guided him—every heartbeat, every shiver of her pain, every tremble of fear radiated across the miles, invisible but undeniable.
Back in the mansion, Leah struggled to remain upright, each step sending another sharp pain through her stomach. The intruders didn't notice her grimace or the way her body stiffened with each jolt.
"Leah!" Elias called, trying to catch her arm, but one intruder shoved him roughly aside. "Get back!" he barked.
Leah's eyes widened in shock as her side hit the edge of the doorway. Pain seared through her abdomen, hot and sudden, making her gasp and stumble forward again. She pressed her hands over the spot instinctively, moaning softly through clenched teeth.
The intruders exchanged a quick glance, silently communicating. This was the moment. The trigger. Enough discomfort to provoke her fear and ensure that whoever protected her—Izana—would sense it instantly.
As they exited the mansion and moved into the black SUV waiting outside, Leah's breaths came in shallow gasps. Every bump in the road made her wince, and the light from the streetlamps glanced off her pale skin, highlighting the dampness of sweat along her hairline.
"Stay quiet!" one intruder snapped. "Or it gets worse."
Leah's stomach churned violently. She wanted to scream, to fight, to call for Izana—but the weight of pain and fear pinned her voice. She pressed her head against her hands, trying not to cry out.
And somewhere miles away, Izana's body reacted as though every nerve in his body had been struck.
The curse wasn't subtle anymore—it was a violent pull, tugging him, twisting him, demanding action. He staggered slightly, chest heaving. "Leah!" he roared under his breath, voice filled with both anger and desperation. "Hold on. I am coming."
Dante's eyes widened. "The curse… it's full force now. She's in immediate danger."
"I know," Izana said through gritted teeth, already standing. "Take me there. Now."
The SUV carrying Leah came to a stop outside an unassuming warehouse at the edge of the city. Its exterior was plain, almost industrial, but the interior glowed with an oppressive brightness. Overhead lights hung low, casting stark illumination across the open floor.
Leah blinked against the sudden glare, her body aching, her hands pressed instinctively to her stomach. The pain made her stumble forward, and an intruder caught her roughly by the arm. She cried out quietly, a mix of fear and pain.
"Easy," the intruder said, roughly pushing her toward a metal chair. "Just sit. You won't be harmed—if you cooperate."
But cooperation was impossible. Her body was shaking, her mind spinning, and the bright lights seemed almost cruel after the darkness of her bedroom. She pressed a hand to her face, wincing against the brightness. Her chest tightened with both fear and the realization of her helplessness.
Somewhere far away, Izana's vision burned from the sudden intensity of the curse's pull. The bright lights, the sudden surge of fear, the sharp sting of pain—all of it reached him across the miles. He felt it in every fiber of his being, an invisible leash pulling him with terrifying force toward her.
"I am coming," he growled, voice low and dangerous. "Hold on, Leah. Do not… do not fall. I will find you."
In the brightly lit warehouse, Leah pressed herself against the chair, shivering from both the cold light and her fear. She didn't know what the intruders intended beyond keeping her here. All she knew was that every second felt like a lifetime, and every jolt of pain from her abdomen reminded her of Izana—of the curse pulling him closer, wherever he might be.
The rival's plan was in motion. Leah was alone, in pain, under bright lights, and fully exposed. And somewhere, miles away, Izana was already moving with deadly precision, guided by the curse that refused to let her remain in danger.
Leah's breath hitched again, tears pooling in her eyes. She pressed her hands over her stomach, whispering under her breath, "…Izana… please… I'm scared…"
The curse's tug on Izana intensified, burning in his chest. Every second away from her was unbearable. Every gasp she let out, every shiver of fear and pain, was a signal he could not ignore.
And as the bright lights above her cast long, harsh shadows across the floor of the warehouse, Leah realized—she wasn't just afraid of the intruders. She was afraid for Izana, too. Because she could feel the invisible thread, the pull, the way he was coming for her… and she knew that nothing would stop him.