These desperados, ruthless to the core, were capable of the most heinous.
If Geoffrey was indeed Chad's illegitimate son, that made him the eldest in the family. Fredric, Raines, and Leopold would be his half-brothers, sharing the same bloodline. Yet, he had no regard for fraternal bonds. Instead, he was hell-bent on wiping them out, wishing to be the last man standing in Chad's lineage, securing the inheritance for himself.
Lisbeth slumped onto the couch, cradling a steaming mug of cider, and taking a sip.
Aurelia patted her shoulder, "Missing Raines, aren't you?"
Lisbeth nodded, a wistful smile flickering across her face, "Raines must despise me by now. I bet he doesn't want to see me when he gets back."
"Maybe it's not like that," Aurelia consoled, "You were under duress. I've heard Raines is a very compassionate and kind-hearted man. Maybe he doesn't blame you at all and is worried about you instead."
Tears welled in Lisbeth's eyes. Every day of Raines' capture was an ordeal, a suffocating weight that made her wish for death's release.
"The day Raines and Elfreda were taken, I wasn't home. They used my phone to lure Raines into a trap."
"I'm tormented every day, powerless to save him. I know that standing up to the boss is a dead-end, and it wouldn't save Raines, but it'd be the end of me."
Aurelia wrapped an arm around her, "We'll find a way to save Raines. You're pregnant now, and you need to stay positive. Try not to dwell on Raines' situation. Think of the baby. Stress can affect him, you know. He can sense your mood in the womb."
Lisbeth dabbed at her tears and placed a hand on her slightly rounded belly, "Is that true?"
"Of course, it is," Aurelia affirmed, "I'm a mother myself, and I speak from experience."
She had accompanied Lisbeth to her prenatal checkup last time, and all was well, which was a relief.
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