Chapter 8

Amirah (pov)

"So you mean that kid is yours?" Jackson looked at me with wide eyes. "Yes, she is mine, I said. Looking over at the others who are just staring at me, WHERE YOU EVER GOING TO FUCKING TELL US AMIRAH! Catenlena yelled. I looked at her with a straight face and said, "No, I wasn't going to tell anyone. I had a kid hiding her away; my world is what was keeping her safe, I tell them." She clearly didn't trust us with her little secret she kept hidden, even though we trusted her with our secrets, Catenlena said.

"Hay guys, stop fighting; all that matters right now is that the kid is okay, Jackson said. "Ya, he's right. Hay, Amirah, tell us about her," Briyah said with a smile. "Her name is Kelani, and she just turned 3 a couple of weeks ago. She is shy but also a ball of energy, very clingy and smart, I said, smiling, thinking about how she would pout every time I was late or laugh at her. "She sounds like a sweet little girl," Briyah said. "She is, I said, smiling but not knowing I was. "I can tell she makes you happy,Jackson said. "This is the first time we have seen you express any type of emotion before, Catenlena said. My face went blank, and I walked away from them.

KeLani (Pov)

Falling into the pit of darkness I feel like I'm floating. 'I died again,' I thought. My body drops to the ground, and I see a dark light shining on a book. "Greetings, child of darkness," I hear in my voice. Looking around, I don't see anyone or anything but the book. "Come closer, child, it is time you learn the truth," she said, walking to the book. A dark purple light surrounds me.

Looking into the book, the pages kept changing . Watching all of my mom's past memories and life repeat over and over again every time she dies.

The book pages flip back to mom's first life and how it all started, but everyone's face is broken out except mom.

Watching the vision unfold. Her mother, Amirah, appeared younger—softer—but the scene was anything but peaceful.

A woman with a blurred face stood across from Amirah, her voice sharp with rage. "You used the accident to get close to him," she spat. "You stole my lover—I'll make your life a living hell."

Amirah's face twisted in confusion. "What are you talking about? I met him in Crystal City. He approached me first—he said he loved me, said he'd marry me. I didn't know he was such an important and powerful person in the world"

"Liar," the woman hissed, turning to the man beside her. "She's after your money."

Without another word, he walked away, leaving her behind.

Months passed without a word from him—until the night he showed up at her apartment, his breath heavy with alcohol. Seeing him again made her heart ache, but she masked it with coldness.

"Why are you here?" she demanded, trying to close the door.

He pushed it open easily, stepping inside. "I needed to see you." His voice was rough, broken. "Why did you use me?"

Tears pricked her eyes. "I never used you—I loved you. You were everything to me."

"Lies," he growled before capturing her lips in a heated kiss. She weakly pushed against his chest, tears slipping down her face.

"You say you hate me," she whispered, "then turn around and kiss me. Why?"

Without answering, he pulled her close, kissing her again—this time deeper, more desperate. Despite herself, she gave in to the longing that had never faded.

When she woke the next morning, he was gone.

Weeks later, Amirah sat on her bed, a wave of nausea forcing her to the bathroom. She brushed it off as a passing sickness, but the symptoms didn't fade. Concerned, she went to the doctor.

Dr. Rose smiled gently as she delivered the news. "You're six to seven weeks pregnant."

Amirah laughed in disbelief. "Pregnant? That's not possible."

But it was. The night they shared changed everything.

Still stunned, she headed home, debating whether to call him—until a headline on her phone shattered her world.

Elite Heir Proposes to Longtime Girlfriend.

Tears blurred her vision as her hand drifted to her belly. "How could you do this to me—to us?" she whispered. Despite the pain, she clung to the life growing inside her.

"You may have left me," she murmured softly, "but you gave me a treasure—my baby."

The book flips to another page, showing Amirah

Months later, seating in her dimly lit bedroom, cradling her sleeping daughter. "Lani, it's just you, mama, against the world," she whispered, pressing a kiss to the baby's forehead.

A sudden, violent crash shattered the quiet—her front door kicked open. The sound startled the baby awake, her cries echoing through the apartment. Heart pounding, Amirah gently laid Lani in her crib, weaving a shimmering protective barrier around her.

Steeling herself, Amirah stepped out of the room and faced the intruders. A woman stood at the front, her eyes blazing with hatred, flanked by a group of men radiating menace.

Amirah summoned her darkness powers—but nothing happened. Panic clawed at her throat as the woman stepped forward.

"I can only live a happy life when you and that bastard are dead," the woman snarled, shoving Amirah aside and storming toward the crib.

"No!" Amirah cried out, lunging toward her.

The baby wailed louder as the woman scooped her up. "Wahh, wahh!"

"Don't hurt her, please. I'll do anything. Just give her back to me," Amirah begged, tears streaming down her face.

A cruel smile curved the woman's lips. "Too late."

Murmuring an incantation, she traced a glowing symbol on Lani's fragile skin—a soul-eating curse. The air grew heavy with dark magic as Amirah collapsed to her knees, helpless and broken, watching as her precious treasure was marked for suffering.

 Amirah grabbing her baby saying I can save you my treasure and, running into a dark ancient-looking cave. "Gods and Goddess of Darkness Please save and protect my child." Amirah said she was kneeling on the ground with a small baby in her arms. "You know the price of saving a dying soul," the Goddess of Darkness said. "Whatever the price is, I'm willing to pay it if that means my daughter will be okay." Amirah said.

"For these, you will live a life full of suffering, desolation, despair and darkness forever; all the memories you have of the child will be gone," the Goddess said. "Bring forth the child," the God said. I saw Amirah look down at the child with tears and whisper, "KeLani, I want you to live a good and happy life. Even if I'm not with you, I'll always love you," kissing the child all over. She wrapped the child in a pink and white blanket with the name Lani on it. Amirah was about to hand the sick baby to the Gods and Goddess. Looking down, she saw the child clinging to her shirt. "Please don't make these harder than it already is," Amirah said, crying, taking the baby's hands off her kissing them then handing her over to the gods and goddesses. They held the baby taking touching the cursed mark. They sent the child through a portal to a whole different universe.

Lani couldn't help but think about the blanket she saw Amirah wrap the child with. 'Why does that blanket look like the one I had when I was younger'. Snapping out of my thoughts, the book pages flip. "Miss, I fought these child at the gate of the orphanage," a lady said. "Look and see if the child has a name," the mistress said while looking at the baby. "The blanket and card say her name is Lani; she is two months old," the lady read.

My eyes widen in shock. "That's me, and my real mom is Amirah"

The book closed. "My mom went through all of these to save my life," Lani cried. "It was all my fault she went through so much pain and suffering." Yelled out. 'Im the reason her pain never stops'.