Introduction

The spotlight burned on Dr. Julian Thorne, my mentor, as he claimed credit for my life's work.

I clutched a crumpled program, every clap of applause a slap, as he casually dismissed my contributions, citing my supposed "unpreparedness" for the pressure.

But his true betrayal was revealed as searing pain tore through me, and I collapsed, the world spinning into darkness.

I woke up in a luxurious clinic, Julian by my side, only to hear his chilling words: "There is no baby anymore, Anya."

He looked at me, cold and indifferent, calling our lost child a mere "complication," a "liability" clouding my judgment.

The man I once trusted, the one who called me a "once-in-a-generation talent," had become a monster who saw human life as a burden.

In the depths of despair, the shocking truth emerged: a twin, a tiny flicker of life, had survived the brutal theft of my research and my first child.

Julian's shocked face, seeing the "complication" he thought he' d eliminated, ignited a fierce, desperate resolve within me.

I had to escape, not for vengeance, but to protect the life still fighting inside me, a life he had already tried to extinguish once.

With the help of a kind doctor, I vanished, disappearing into the vast unknown, armed with a new name and a burning promise to my child: I will protect you, no matter what it takes.