Part 6: The Long Recovery
Two weeks later, the sun streamed through the large windows of the private VIP wing at Vance Memorial Hospital.
Grace woke up slowly, the scent of fresh lilies filling her senses. For the first few seconds, terror gripped her chest—she expected to see the dark, frosted steel of the freezer. She gasped, her hands flying to her stomach.
It was flat.
"Easy, Grace. You're safe."
She turned her head quickly. Sitting in an armchair beside her bed was Ethan Vance. He looked tired, dark circles under his eyes, but he was dressed impeccably.
"My... my babies?" Grace’s voice was raspy, her throat still recovering from the freezing air.
Ethan smiled, a genuine, warm expression that completely transformed his harsh face. He stood up and walked over to a double bassinet parked near the window. He carefully wheeled it over to her bedside.
Inside, wrapped in pink and blue blankets, were two tiny, beautiful babies. They were hooked up to minor monitoring wires, but their cheeks were rosy, and they were sleeping peacefully.
"They are fighters, just like their mother," Ethan said softly. "The doctors say they suffered no permanent damage from the cold. Your body shielded them until the very last moment."
Tears streamed down Grace’s cheeks as she reached out, her trembling fingers touching the soft cheeks of her son and daughter. "I thought... I thought we were going to die in there."
"I wouldn't let that happen," Ethan said, his voice firm.
Grace looked up at him, her eyes filled with immense gratitude, but also a deep, lingering sorrow. "Derek... he did it for money. He told me I was expensive."
Ethan’s jaw tightened. "Derek is currently in federal custody. I personally handed over the security footage, the freezer's digital temperature logs, and the financial records proving his motive. He is being charged with three counts of attempted premeditated murder. He will spend the rest of his life in a maximum-security prison. He will never touch you or these children again."
Grace let out a long breath she felt like she had been holding for months. The nightmare was over, but the aftermath was daunting. "My home... his debts... I have nothing left, Ethan. He ruined us."
Ethan reached out, gently placing his hand over hers. It was warm, solid, and safe.
"You have everything, Grace. I bought out Derek’s company and liquidated his assets to pay off his debts. Your credit is clear. And as for a place to live..." Ethan paused, looking out the window. "My estate in the hills has a guest house that has been empty for years. It’s warm, it’s secure, and it has a nursery already being built. You and the babies are coming home with me."
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Grace stared at him, overwhelmed. "Why are you doing all this for me? We barely know each other."
Ethan looked into her eyes, a rare vulnerability showing through his billionaire armor. "Because a long time ago, no one saved my mother from a monster. I had the power to save you. And I’m not letting go."
