Claimed

ALEXIA GREEN. 

What sucks about life? 

We only get one chance. No do–overs. 

No ‘can I retake this scene again“? 

No ‘I messed up can I jump into your time machine and stop this from happening?” 

Nope. 

Just one chance. 

I followed him out of that hotel because 

somehow knowing his story, the reason behind his distrustful nature, his spiteful tone had me wanting to cure him. 

I was going to settle for the ‘no kisses‘ sex just to stay with my captor. 

I saw the gun gleaning in the rain and the speeding car heading towards us and I reacted. 

That one chance at life? 

I was ready to give it all. 

No, scratch that, I did give it all. 

And then the bullet hit me, then the blood 

splashed out of my body like a box of expired. juice getting thrown in the trash at Costco. 

At that moment, my life splayed right before my eyes and regret hit me. 

Would I jump in front of Christian Volkov to save him again? I would. 

But would I risk my chance at life knowing my daughter was going to end up an orphan? Rhett was already a lost cause and God forbid: he took custody of Millie after I was gone. 

So, when I open my eyes at this very second, my body numb, every part of me stinging like hell. I take a minute to sob quietly. 

I sob as I listen to the machines go all haywire with the beeping due to my increasing heart rate. 

I sob when the first rays of light hit my face and I 

taste sunlight. 

I didn’t think I would get to see the light of day. 

I didn’t think I’d ever get to see Millie cry or turn my life around or slap Rhett a couple of times as I watched his ass getting dragged to jail for everything he did. 

Once my cheeks are sodding with tears, laughter chokes me and then like a maniac I laugh at the pain, I laugh at this second chance at life and I laugh at the last face I saw before the lights went 

out. 

I laugh at myself and at my bad decisions. 

“Umm I feel like I should give you some privacy?” 

My neck biting me in all the wrong ways, I turn my head at the curvy woman seated on the couch at the far end of my hospital room. 

Only then do I see the flowers and the teddy bears and the fruits? All for me? 

My eyes travel back to the woman with the dark hair, chubby cheeks that are rosy from what I’m assuming to be embarrassment and the killer floral dress she’s wearing topped with a cardigan. 

I might have been shot enough to make my memories all fuzzy but I don’t know her. 

And I would know her because except for the Virgin Mary look she has going on, the woman is pretty, curvy and I’m expecting her to be really short when she stands up but she is really pretty and she might not even know it. 

She blinks at me. 

I blink back at her. 

Who are you? And where is… 

Pretty Miss Cardigan stands up walking up to me 

with a card in her hands. 

“I brought you a ‘get well soon‘ card. The name’s Brenda Gibbins, we’ve not met yet but I saw your back at the clinic and I wanted to say hi before 

well…the Russian men showed up.” 

“T–thanks“, I groan. 

God, I feel awful. 

“I’m one of your assistants back at the clinic and everyone has been praying for your recovery. They’ll be happy to know you are awake.” 

Her smile and her cheerfulness are in contrast to everything reading on my face right now. 

I’m sure I have eye bags under my eyes. 

There is also the possibility of drool lining the side of my mouth. 

“H–how long was I out?” 

“Um a week at most but don’t worry I have been taking care of Millie and she’s doing better than-.” 

My ears peak at the mention of my daughter. 

“Millie?” I sit up, a headache wades in like a bee sting to the head. Text © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.

“How is she? Has she been feeding? Is she here?” 

“Alexia, you have to calm down, like I said she’s 

fine. I’ve been feeding her what I can and as for where she is, the man who came to my 

apartment is watching her.” 

“What? What man? Why is she with you and 

not…where she’s supposed to be?” 

Brenda chuckles nervously her fingers digging into her tote bag. 

“Well two days ago, a man showed up at my doorstep and threatened to kill me if I didn’t take care of your baby till you woke up.” 

My throat parches as I swallow hard to breathe 

out his name. 

“Volkov?” 

“No, it wasn’t him. I know Christian Volkov 

because he’s pretty farhous and all plus he practically owns our clinic but no, it wasn’t him. 

It was one of the men who work for him, the one 

with the rock star hair and the scary gaze?” 

Maximo had a buzz–cut. Jagger had hair that wasn’t long enough to be termed as ‘rock star hair‘. Nico had…well I guess normal hair? 

“Jett?” 

Brenda nods. 

Before I can prod her for more answers, the door behind her flies open and the devil being spoken 

about walks in. 

Jett’s gaze lingers on Brenda before he stands next to her both of them towering over me and reminding me, I’m on a hospital bed. 

The irony. 

The nurse lying in a hospital bed. And apparently for one week too. 

“Okay, I think that’s all for now. I’m gonna go check if Millie needs something.” 

Brenda doesn’t get to finish her sentence because Jett’s hand captures hers and she squeaks. 

“Not so fast, kitten.” 

Kitten? 

Brenda gazes at me for help. 

Jett’s glances at her taking in her cardigan and her dress before his eyes fall on me. 

“How are you doing?” 

“As good as anyone who has been shot. Where’s my daughter?” 

“With Maximo, outside. You’ll get discharged. soon“, Jett says. 

I almost don’t want to ask in front of Brenda 

where his boss is. 

Why is he not here? 

Did he visit? 

Why is Millie not in his house? With Juana at 

least? 

“I want to see her.” 

“And you will, right after the nurses give us the go–ahead that you are fine.” 

“This–this looks like a private moment, I think I 

should give you two some privacy“, Brenda trembles. 

Jen’s hold on her wrist isn’t wavering. 

“Off to meet your wimpy boyfriend?” 

“He’s not a wimp!” 

If sweet Brenda was pretty, then angry Brenda was on another level of beauty. 

Her cheeks are on fire, whatever game Jett’s playing seems to excite him and torment her. 

“He offered you so I wouldn’t shoot him.” 

“You pointed a gun at us! He was nervous.” 

“Men who offer up their women to a man with a 

gun delivering a baby are no men, kitten” 

This time I’m the one to interrupt. 

“Why?” 

Why is Millie being delivered like merchandise? 

Like an unwanted thing? 

Because they thought I was dead and they had no use for my child anymore? 

Jett looks at me, reads the sadness that I wear like a badge on my face and then releases Brenda’s 

wrist. 

“See you next time, kitten. Make a tuna casserole next time I visit.” 

} 

Brenda gives me a warm smile, sending a glare to Jett as she whispers loud enough getting out of 

my room. 

“There won’t be a next time!” 

“She’s cute“, Jett chuckles. 

Resting my head against the pillow, my body in knots and not from the stitches I can feel on my shoulder, I ask about the boss. 

“Why is he sending my daughter away?” 

“No one is sending anyone away. He’s just making a few changes after what went down the other day.” 

“Yeah? What changes?” 

“Alexia you got shot and there’s no way of saying this but a slight tilt to the wrong direction and they wouldn’t be fishing one bullet from your 

shoulder blade but two and I’m no nurse but I’m 

pretty sure the second one would have gone 

straight for your lungs.” 

Two? 

“He got shot?” 

“Went straight through.” 

“Did they stitch him up?” 

He would never allow himself to be stitched. I 

know Volkov and that’s how bad he operates that 

he can treat himself: he doesn’t need help. 

All I can hope is that he allowed Maximo to stitch him up at least. 

“He’s fine but what I’m laying down right now is the Volkov mansion is too hot for you and the baby. So we relocated you to Brenda’s home. No 

one would cause any trouble there: the place is under surveillance and close to your clinic 

Which translates to: Volkov kicked me and my baby out. 

Ouch. 

It shouldn’t hur 

The place was a prison for us anyway. Yeah. Iber Brenda and her boyfriend are nice people. 

I bet they won’t look at me and Millie as charity. 

“Where will he be? At the mansion?” 

“Yes. 

Rip my insides out. 

“D–did he come to visit? At least just once?” 

“He brought you to the hospital and that’s it.” 

He didn’t visit? 

He kicked me and Millie out? 

After we almost had sex a week ago? 

After 

It’s fine. It’s fine. 

It’s not fine 

“Thank him for me. For everything.