Chapter 8 — The Baby Adrian Wanted to Own
Chapter 8 — The Baby Adrian Wanted to Own
Daniel's scream lasted only two seconds.
But two seconds were enough to change everything.
Lydia spun toward the staircase.
“Daniel!”
Benjamin grabbed her arm.
“Don't.”
“That's my uncle.”
“And that's exactly what they want.”
A light flickered upstairs.
Then another.
Margaret remained in the doorway, perfectly still.
“You always were impulsive,” she said.
Lydia stared at her.
“You hurt him.”
Margaret tilted her head.
“He chose to hurt himself.”
Benjamin stepped forward.
“Where is he?”
Margaret smiled.
“You'll find him.”
Then the house shook.
A deep mechanical sound came from somewhere beneath the floor.
Lydia felt her daughter move violently.
She gasped.
Benjamin noticed.
“What happened?”
“She kicked.”
Margaret's eyes immediately dropped to Lydia's stomach.
The expression on her face changed.
Not fear.
Not concern.
Possession.
“There,” Margaret whispered.
Lydia understood.
The woman wasn't looking at her.
She was looking at the baby.
Benjamin pulled Lydia backward.
“Stay behind me.”
Margaret laughed softly.
“You still think you can protect her.”
“I don't think.”
Benjamin's voice hardened.
“I know.”
Margaret looked at him.
“You've always been the stubborn one.”
“And you've always been the liar.”
Her smile disappeared.
“You have no idea what Northstar can do.”
“Then explain it.”
“I don't owe you an explanation.”
“No.”
Benjamin stepped closer.
“But you're going to give us one.”
Margaret glanced toward the staircase.
“You're running out of time.”
Lydia's heart began pounding.
“What does that mean?”
Margaret looked directly at her.
“Your pregnancy has reached the activation stage.”
Lydia felt cold.
“What activation?”
“Your daughter is developing the final genetic sequence.”
Benjamin frowned.
“That's impossible.”
Margaret smiled.
“Your brother told you only half the truth.”
A noise came from upstairs.
Something heavy fell.
Lydia flinched.
“Daniel!”
She started toward the stairs.
Benjamin caught her.
“Wait.”
Margaret watched them.
Then she said:
“Go ahead.”
Benjamin stopped.
“Why?”
“Because he's alive.”
Lydia stared.
“Where?”
“Second floor.”
“Why would you tell us?”
Margaret smiled.
“Because the room he's in is where your mother died.”
Lydia went pale.
Benjamin looked at Margaret.
“You're trying to provoke her.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because fear accelerates the activation.”
Silence.
Lydia's hand moved instinctively over her stomach.
Margaret's eyes followed the movement.
“You see?”
Her voice softened.
“She responds to stress.”
Lydia stepped back.
“You're sick.”
“No.”
Margaret shook her head.
“I'm practical.”
They ran upstairs.
The hallway was empty.
A door stood open at the end.
Lydia recognized it.
Her mother's bedroom.
She stopped outside.
The room smelled faintly of lavender.
Everything looked exactly as she remembered.
The old dresser.
The curtains.
The photograph of her parents.
And the small wooden jewelry box her mother had kept beside the bed.
Benjamin entered first.
Then froze.
Daniel was lying on the floor.
His wrists were tied.
Blood covered one side of his face.
“Daniel!”
Lydia rushed forward.
Benjamin knelt beside him.
Daniel opened his eyes.
“Lydia…”
“I'm here.”
His eyes moved to her stomach.
“Get out.”
“What?”
“Get out of this house.”
Lydia shook her head.
“Not without you.”
Daniel grabbed Benjamin's sleeve.
“Listen to me.”
Benjamin leaned closer.
“Margaret has a laboratory beneath the house.”
“What?”
“She isn't trying to steal the baby after birth.”
Daniel coughed.
“She wants to take the baby before birth.”
Lydia felt sick.
“How?”
Daniel looked at her.
“She has a medical team.”
Benjamin's face darkened.
“They've been monitoring you.”
“Through what?”
“Your prenatal records.”
Lydia remembered.
Every appointment.
Every blood test.
Every ultrasound.
Adrian had insisted on using Lumina Grid's private medical network.
She had trusted him.
“Adrian.”
Daniel nodded.
“He gave them access.”
Lydia closed her eyes.
Footsteps sounded behind them.
Adrian appeared in the doorway.
He looked at Lydia.
Then at Daniel.
“Get away from them.”
Margaret's voice came from behind him.
“Adrian.”
He turned.
She was holding a syringe.
His face changed.
“Mother.”
“You've disappointed me.”
Adrian stepped in front of Lydia.
“It's over.”
Margaret laughed.
“You still think you can choose.”
“I can.”
“No.”
She lifted the syringe.
“You never could.”
Adrian moved toward her.
Margaret pressed a button.
The bedroom door locked.
The walls began sliding apart.
Behind them was a hidden laboratory.
Medical equipment.
Monitors.
Surgical instruments.
And one enormous screen.
On it was Lydia's medical file.
PREGNANCY: 32 WEEKS.
FETAL DEVELOPMENT: STABLE.
NORTHSTAR MARKER: 87%.
Lydia stared.
“My baby.”
Margaret smiled.
“Your daughter is the key.”
Adrian looked at the screen.
“You said the procedure wasn't dangerous.”
Margaret turned toward him.
“It isn't.”
“You promised she would survive.”
“Of course.”
Adrian looked horrified.
“What procedure?”
Margaret didn't answer.
He stepped closer.
“What are you planning?”
“Extraction.”
Adrian's face went white.
“No.”
Margaret stared at him.
“You knew what this was.”
“I knew about the patent.”
“You knew about the child.”
“I didn't know you were going to hurt Lydia.”
Margaret laughed.
“You've been hurting her for six years.”
Adrian looked at Lydia.
Pain crossed his face.
“I know.”
Margaret's expression hardened.
“Then don't pretend to discover morality now.”
Adrian moved between Margaret and Lydia.
“You're not touching them.”
Margaret stared at him.
“You would betray your family for her?”
Adrian answered:
“She is my family.”
Lydia looked at him.
The words hurt.
Because once, she had wanted him to say them.
Now they sounded too late.
Margaret pressed another button.
The laboratory doors opened.
Four armed security men entered.
Benjamin immediately moved Lydia behind him.
Adrian raised his hands.
“No one touches her.”
One guard stepped forward.
Adrian attacked him.
The room erupted.
Benjamin grabbed another guard.
Daniel tried to stand.
Lydia screamed when a third man reached for her.
Adrian knocked him into the equipment.
A monitor shattered.
Sparks flew.
Margaret calmly walked toward a control panel.
“Stop!”
Adrian turned.
Margaret held a small remote.
“If I press this, the medical equipment will activate automatically.”
Adrian froze.
“You wouldn't.”
“You've seen what I do to people who disobey.”
Lydia stared at her.
“You killed my mother.”
Margaret's face became emotionless.
“Your mother made a choice.”
“What choice?”
“She chose you.”
Lydia's eyes filled with tears.
Margaret continued:
“She refused to give me the patent.”
“So you killed her.”
“No.”
Margaret looked at Lydia.
“I gave her one last chance.”
“She said no.”
“Yes.”
“And you killed her.”
Margaret didn't deny it.
Suddenly, an alarm sounded.
The laboratory doors slammed shut.
A computerized voice announced:
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED.
Margaret looked at the monitor.
Her expression changed.
“What?”
Benjamin looked at the screen.
A new message appeared.
REMOTE OVERRIDE.
Then another.
POLICE NOTIFIED.
Margaret stared at Adrian.
“You.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I didn't do anything.”
Lydia looked at him.
“Then who?”
Daniel smiled weakly.
“Me.”
Everyone turned.
Daniel had managed to reach a control panel.
“I knew you would bring us here.”
Margaret's face twisted with rage.
“You fool.”
Daniel pressed another button.
The entire laboratory was transmitted to an external server.
Every camera.
Every document.
Every conversation.
Everything was being recorded.
Benjamin understood.
“You've been waiting for this.”
Daniel nodded.
“Eighteen years.”
Margaret lunged toward the control panel.
Adrian blocked her.
She struck him.
He didn't move.
She struck him again.
“Move!”
“No.”
“You're nothing without me.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Maybe.”
He took a breath.
“But at least I'll finally be nothing on my own.”
Margaret's face changed.
For the first time, she looked afraid.
Then sirens sounded outside.
Benjamin smiled.
“It's over.”
Margaret looked toward the window.
Then toward Lydia.
“No.”
She grabbed the syringe.
Lydia stepped backward.
Margaret rushed toward her.
Adrian intercepted her.
The syringe fell.
It shattered against the floor.
A guard tried to restrain Margaret.
She fought wildly.
“Don't touch my family!”
Lydia stared.
“I'm not your family.”
Margaret screamed:
“You are the family!”
Then she looked at Lydia's stomach.
“The child belongs to us.”
Lydia stepped forward.
“No.”
Her voice was quiet.
“She belongs to herself.”
Police entered the laboratory.
Weapons were raised.
Everyone froze.
Margaret was arrested.
The guards surrendered.
Adrian dropped to his knees.
Lydia remained standing.
For the first time in six years, no one was telling her where to stand.
No one was telling her what to think.
No one was telling her what she was worth.
Then she felt another kick.
She placed both hands over her stomach.
“My daughter is okay.”
Daniel smiled.
“Yes.”
But Benjamin noticed something on the monitor.
The Northstar marker had changed.
87%.
Then:
91%.
Then:
94%.
Benjamin stared.
“That's impossible.”
Lydia looked at him.
“What?”
He pointed.
“The activation is continuing.”
Daniel's face changed.
“How long?”
Benjamin checked the data.
“Less than forty-eight hours.”
Adrian looked at Lydia.
“What happens then?”
Daniel answered:
“The child will permanently activate the patent.”
Lydia frowned.
“Then why is Margaret so desperate?”
Daniel looked toward the arrested woman.
“Because once the activation is complete, nobody can control it.”
Margaret laughed.
Everyone turned.
“You still don't understand.”
She smiled at Lydia.
“Northstar doesn't belong to the child.”
Lydia's face went cold.
“Then who does it belong to?”
Margaret answered:
“To whoever controls the birth.”
The room became silent.
Adrian looked at Lydia.
Then at the police.
Then at Margaret.
“What are you saying?”
Margaret smiled.
“Your wife cannot give birth in a normal hospital.”
Benjamin's expression hardened.
“Why?”
“Because every hospital in the city has already been compromised.”
Lydia felt the blood drain from her face.
Margaret continued:
“Doctors. Nurses. Records. Security.”
She looked directly at Adrian.
“You thought you were protecting her by choosing the best hospital.”
Adrian's face went pale.
“Which hospital?”
Margaret smiled.
“The one you already paid for.”
Lydia remembered the hospital.
The private maternity center Adrian had chosen months earlier.
The one he had insisted was the safest.
The one whose director had personally promised him complete confidentiality.
She looked at Adrian.
“You knew.”
“No.”
“You chose it.”
“Yes.”
“And you never checked.”
“I thought—”
“You thought they were protecting us.”
Adrian couldn't answer.
Benjamin looked at Daniel.
“Can they take the baby during delivery?”
Daniel nodded.
“If Margaret controls the medical team.”
Lydia took a slow breath.
Then she looked at Adrian.
“You said you wanted to protect our daughter.”
“Yes.”
“Then prove it.”
Adrian stared at her.
“How?”
Lydia's voice became firm.
“Help me disappear.”
He understood.
“You want to run.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I want to survive.”
That night, Adrian did something he had never done before.
He surrendered every corporate access code he possessed.
Every account.
Every private security credential.
Every secret medical file.
He signed over temporary control of Lumina Grid to an independent board.
And then he walked into the courthouse.
Benjamin was waiting.
“You understand what this means?”
Adrian nodded.
“It means I may lose everything.”
Benjamin looked at him.
“You already lost Lydia.”
Adrian swallowed.
“I know.”
“And if you betray her again?”
Adrian looked directly at him.
“Then you should destroy me.”
Benjamin studied him.
Then stepped aside.
“Get in the car.”
Lydia sat in the back seat.
Adrian entered the passenger side.
No one spoke.
The car pulled away from the city.
They were heading somewhere unknown.
Somewhere without cameras.
Somewhere without corporate security.
Somewhere Margaret couldn't easily reach.
Lydia looked out the window.
Her daughter moved again.
She smiled despite everything.
Adrian noticed.
“She's kicking.”
“Yes.”
“Does she do that often?”
“When she's upset.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“She's stubborn.”
“She gets that from me.”
“I know.”
Silence.
Then Lydia asked:
“What are you going to do after this?”
Adrian looked at her.
“I don't know.”
“You may go to prison.”
“I know.”
“You may lose Lumina Grid.”
“I know.”
“You may lose your reputation.”
“I deserve to.”
Lydia looked at him.
“And me?”
Adrian's eyes filled.
“You don't owe me anything.”
She nodded.
For the first time, she believed him.
Then her phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
One message.
YOU CAN RUN FROM ADRIAN.
Another appeared.
YOU CAN RUN FROM ME.
Then the final message.
BUT YOU CANNOT RUN FROM THE BLOOD IN YOUR DAUGHTER.
Lydia's face went pale.
Benjamin reached for the phone.
“Don't respond.”
A fourth message appeared.
THE BIRTH HAS ALREADY BEEN SCHEDULED.
Lydia stared.
She had never told anyone the planned delivery date.
Not even Benjamin.
Then a final photograph arrived.
An ultrasound.
Her baby's ultrasound.
Taken that morning.
From inside the hospital she had never visited.
Beneath it were four words:
SEE YOU AT BIRTH.
Lydia looked at Adrian.
The fear in his eyes told her everything.
This time, they weren't running from a marriage.
May you like
They were running from an entire system built to claim their unborn child.
And somewhere in the darkness ahead, someone had already prepared the next move.
