When Love Breaks by Jack

Gregory's guilt was palpable, a heavy weight on his shoulders.

"It's my fault, I admit it." "Now you decide to admit it?" Gregory hobbled back to his hospital room, his forehead beading with cold sweat with every step he took. The sweat seeped through his bandages, turning his lips a ghostly shade of white from the pain. Dailey trailed behind him, “I'll find her, Gregory. And I'll bring her back safe and sound. You need to stay put though; with that wound, any infection could be serious, you might even die." But Gregory was hardly listening. He paced the room once before asking, "Where's my phone?" Knowing how stubborn Gregory was, Dailey handed it over without further persuasion.

Gregory immediately dialed Lucius.

Lucius, already feeling culpable for a mishap at the chemical plant, was desperate for a chance to redeem himself.

And now, this.

Mistake upon mistake.

"Gregory," Lucius answered.

"Any leads?" Gregory's voice was urgent.

"I've checked everything - the hospital's CCTV footage has been wiped. I've checked the highways, the airports, the bus stations. Now I'm heading to the docks," Lucius reported.

Gregory let out a bitter laugh. The plan was meticulously executed; even the hospital's surveillance had been tampered with. After the previous incident involving his grandmother, the hospital staff had been replaced, yet the perpetrator found a loophole. This wasn't something Mark could've managed alone.

"Check the ports along the border, especially. Focus on Josiah and Norman,” Gregory instructed.

Lucius and Dailey had dealt with Josiah and Samuel during their last overseas mission. They were out of the picture now.

Despite his confusion, Lucius agreed. After all, he was in charge of security at the hotel that had been bombed, and he had failed to protect Summer. He felt responsible.

"Gregory, I swear, even if it kills me, I'll bring her back to you," Lucius vowed.

"It was Mark who took her," Gregory revealed, a hint of exhaustion in his voice. Lucius was stunned. "What did you say?!" Gregory hung up without repeating himself and started making more calls.

Dailey watched as Gregory's forehead broke out in a fine sweat from the pain of his wounds, feeling a mixture of sympathy and helplessness.

"I can't stop you, but Jane's going to be heartbroken seeing you like this. Take care of yourself for her sake. Whatever needs doing, just tell me, and I'll handle it." Gregory remained silent, absorbed in his task.

During one of his calls, Gregory asked Christine, "How long have I been out? When did Jane go missing?" Christine answered truthfully.

Hearing that Jane had been taken to the emergency room bleeding, agony flickered in Gregory's deep eyes. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "Is the baby still there?" Christine couldn't answer that.

With Jane taken away by Mark under such circumstances, the fate of their child was uncertain.

Gregory read between the lines of Christine's silence, his worst fears seemingly confirmed. He then asked Ike, "Did you see or hear anything else?" Ike shook his head, tears welling up. "I just saw him take Jane. There was blood on her..." His voice broke, "Uncle, you're so strong. Please save Jane. She was bleeding so much... I'm worried." Gregory's heart was heavy with worry, more for Jane's safety than anything else.

"Dad!" The room fell into a tense silence until Ike suddenly shouted.

Herbert approached Gregory, "Ramona and Victor are gone. Jane's missing, and the Myers family is without its members. You need to make a decision. Whether to cremate them or keep them in the morgue until Jane returns." The day was shrouded in gloom, the relentless rain outside seeming never to cease.

As night fell, the city was plunged into damp darkness.

Cut off from the world in Vista Town, without my phone, and no clock in the room, I couldn't tell the time. The sea was just a dark expanse through the small window.

It wasn't until Mark broughtdinner that I guessed it was evening.

"Aren't you going to eat?" I didn't trust Mark. I wouldn't even drink water he gave me, let alone eat his food.

Seeing through my thoughts, Mark said, "It doesn't matter to me. Worst case, we'll just hook you up to an IV.

I never wanted to keep the bastard child anyway." I couldn't let my child starve, but if the food was tampered with, it would only make things worse.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, my hatred for Mark deepened.

Meeting my furious gaze, Mark just laughed.

"Starve then," he said coldly, leaving the room.

I leaned against the headboard, my handh looking out the witain of one resting on my belly, thing-Gregory would find me. And it wouldn't be long. Gregory had scoured the entirety of Vista Town, the docks, and the border ports included, but to no avail.

Despite advice to the contrary, Gregory left the hospital to personally visit each port.

Unable to deter him, Dailey had Dr.

Andrews and his team follow with all the necessary medical equipment, just in case. Five hours had passed since Jane went missing, and with each passing minute, her danger increased.

"Lucius, get the boat ready."

Lucius was no better off, soaked to the bone from the incessant rain his burns sticking to his clothes. But he couldn't afford to complain or rest. "Gregory, let's board the boat."