Fated by a Single Night

ISABELLA'S POV :

"You can hide a secret from the world... but you can never hide it from yourself." Five months. I was already five months pregnant. At first my oversized clothes were enough to hide my growing belly.

Now It was becoming harder every single day. I stood in front of the mirror inside my bedroom. Slowly placing both hands on my stomach.A soft smile appeared on my lips.

"Good morning..." I whispered. "How are Mama's little angels today?" As if answering me. A tiny kick landed beneath my palm. Then another. I laughed quietly. "You're awake already?" Another kick.

"They're active today." Mama said from behind me.

I turned around. She was smiling while holding a tray of breakfast. "They're starting to recognize your voice." She placed the tray on the table before gently touching my stomach. "My grandchildren are saying good morning."

---

ELENA'S POV :

Seeing Isabella smile again was something I had prayed for every night. She still cried sometimes. Still woke up from nightmares. But whenever she felt the twins move everything changed. She became stronger. Not for herself. But for them.

---

MIKHAIL'S POV :

"Boss." Igor entered my office.

"I found the obstetrician."

I looked up from the documents. "And?"

He hesitated. "I couldn't get any medical information."

"Why?"

"The doctor refused."

I smirked slightly. "Good."

Igor blinked. "...Good?"

"A doctor who protects their patient is doing their job."

He nodded. "But..."

"We confirmed one thing."

I leaned back. "What?"

"Miss Volkov has been visiting the same obstetric clinic every month."

Silence. Pregnancy. The word echoed inside my head. I rubbed my jaw. "...Coincidence." Maybe. Or maybe not.

---

ISABELLA'S POV v

The hospital was unusually crowded. Mama insisted on coming with me for today's ultrasound.

"Nervous?" She asked.

I smiled. "A little."

The nurse soon called my name. "Miss Volkov?" I stood up. "We're ready for you."

---

Inside the examination room the doctor smiled warmly. "Let's see how your little ones are doing."

I lay down on the examination bed. A few seconds later the monitor flickered to life. Two tiny figures appeared on the screen. The doctor laughed softly.

"Oh my..."

"They're growing beautifully." Mama's eyes immediately filled with tears.

"My babies..." She whispered.

The doctor pointed toward the monitor. "This one..." She pointed to the left. "...is your son." Then she moved to the other side. "And this..."

"...is your daughter."

I covered my mouth. A boy... And a girl... One of each. I couldn't stop crying. "They're perfect..."

The doctor smiled. "Would you like to hear their heartbeats again?" I nodded repeatedly. The room was soon filled with two tiny, steady heartbeats.

Lub-dub...

Lub-dub...

The most beautiful sound I had ever heard.

---

OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL

Mikhail stepped out of his car. He wasn't there for Isabella. One of his injured men had been admitted after a shootout.

"Boss." Igor walked beside him.

"The room is on the fourth floor."

Before entering Mikhail's attention was drawn toward a familiar figure exiting the hospital. An emerald-colored maternity dress. Long brown hair. Isabella.

He frowned. "Maternity..." His eyes slowly drifted downward. This time there was no oversized blazer. No coat. Nothing to hide behind. The gentle curve of her pregnant belly was unmistakable. His heart skipped a beat. "...She's pregnant."

---

MIKHAIL'S POV :

Without thinking I started walking toward her. "Miss Volkov."

She froze. Slowly turning around. The moment our eyes met, I noticed the panic on her face. "M-Mr. Petrov."

He glanced at her stomach. Then back at her. "Congratulations."

She instinctively wrapped an arm around her belly. "Thank you." Silence followed.

Then he asked the question she had been dreading. "How far along are you?"

She swallowed. "...Five months."

His expression remained calm. Too calm. Five months... His mind immediately started calculating dates. The charity gala. Three months ago. The bar. Five months ago. Everything... Matched.

---

ISABELLA'S POV :

I knew what he was thinking. I could see it in his eyes. He was counting. Connecting the timeline.

No... Please don't ask. Please. But fate never listened.

"The father..." He began. "...Is he still around?"

I lowered my gaze. "No."

"Does he know?"

"...No."

"Why?"

I took a deep breath. "Because..."

"I don't even know who he is." The words weren't entirely a lie. The night had been a blur. Back then I hadn't known his name.

He stared at me for several long seconds. Trying to read my expression. Trying to decide whether to believe me. Finally he nodded once. "I see."

Then he walked away. Just like that. Leaving me completely confused.

---

MIKHAIL'S POV :

Inside the elevator Igor noticed my silence. "Boss?"

"...Five months."

"What?"

"The timing."

Igor frowned. "You think the baby..."

"I don't know." I answered honestly.

"But I know one thing." He looked at Igor. "I'm done waiting for fate to hand me answers."

"I'll find them myself."

---

SOMEWHERE IN MOSCOW

Inside an abandoned warehouse a man placed several photographs on a table. Every single picture showed the same woman. Isabella Volkov.

One of the men smirked. "So..."

"That's the woman close to Petrov?"

Another laughed. "Boss will be pleased."

The leader slowly picked up Isabella's photo. His smile was cold. "If we want Mikhail Petrov to suffer..." He tapped the picture with one finger. "We don't attack him."

"We attack..."

"...the woman carrying what might be his greatest weakness."

---

ISABELLA'S POV :

That night I stood on the balcony of my bedroom. The cool breeze brushed against my face. My hands rested gently on my stomach. "I'll protect you."

I whispered to my babies. "No matter what happens." Little did I know someone had already decided to use my children against me.