Chapter 97 A Mother's Fear

• Hailey’s POV
• My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest, each beat loud and relentless, drowning out any coherent thought. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t focus. All I could feel was the overwhelming terror gripping me, squeezing my chest so tightly it felt like I might choke. Max and Summer were gone. Taken. My babies were out there, somewhere, without me to protect them, and the thought sent a wave of pure panic crashing through my veins.
• I paced the floor, my steps frantic and uneven, clutching the phone in my trembling hand. The walls of our home—once warm and safe—felt cold and suffocating now, as if every ounce of life and comfort had been drained away. The silence was unbearable. No laughter. No cries. Nothing but the hollow ache of what I’d lost.