CHAPTER 411. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. An Important DecisionShe wanted to hate him; it was much easier that way because she needed someone to blame for everything that was happening. But the truth was, hating Jhon Hopkins wasn’t that simple.She couldn’t sleep the rest of that night, but the next morning, as soon as the sun came up, she stood in front of that bookshelf and began pulling out one book after another, reading through them. Each one had passages like the first she had read—words full of regret, painful because Chiara knew they were true.If Jhon was there watching over her, it meant he could no longer be at the agency working. She understood that the only reason a man like him would have left the job he’d built his life around was for her and their child. Nothing else mattered to him anymore, and he was proving it.She closed her eyes for a moment and remembered the bruises on his face and his split lip. He had to have been desperate to walk into the lion’s den of the ‘Ndrang

CHAPTER 412. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. What’s it going to beIf it hadn’t been for how heavy the equipment was, and the fact that he couldn’t make a sound, Jhon would have shot himself over the outer wall with a cannon. But instead, Billy took control of the cameras again, and Jhon climbed as quietly as he could.Twenty minutes later, in the most perfect darkness, Jhon slipped through the terrace window and into the room.Chiara was sitting on the couch, legs crossed beneath her, looking expectant. The lights were off, and only a small nearby lamp allowed them to see each other. Jhon approached slowly, as if afraid to startle her.“Hi,” he whispered softly as he sat down across from her and handed her a package, which made her smile.“Chocochips,” Chiara murmured, and he nodded.“I’ve got like fifty packs at home since you said they were one of your cravings,” Jhon replied. “If that’s not true, just let me know, and I’ll let the guys steal them—like they haven’t tried already.”Chiara str

CHAPTER 413. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. Trust Yourself“And you won’t have to worry because Daddy’s going to kill all the bad guys in the world, and the monsters, and the ghosts, and the boyfriends...”“So, genocide?”“Leave me alone—she’s mine. No one’s going to take her away. She’ll be a nun,” Jhon replied, gripping her hips and resting his forehead on Chiara’s belly in a gesture that made her shiver.For a brief second, Jhon stroked her, and his lips grazed her skin until he felt the tension in every muscle of Chiara’s body.“Daddy’s always going to protect you, baby girl, and Mommy too, okay?” he whispered, lifting his gaze to meet the woman in front of him. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, baby. I really am!”He wrapped his arms around her waist in anguish, and Chiara couldn’t do anything but envelop him in her embrace. She felt his silent tears soaking her pajamas, then that gentle and tentative, uncertain gesture that led to a sudden surge of courage.“I’m sorry...” Jhon murmured as he des

CHAPTER 414. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. One Single MistakeChiara couldn’t leave. She had already made a decision about that; she wasn’t going to escape and live as a fugitive for the rest of her life. However, that wasn’t the only option she had to ensure her child was born somewhere else. She just needed to think of the right strategy. "Don’t worry," she murmured, looking into Jhon’s eyes. "I have to figure out what to do, but for now, it’s fine if you help me with the doctor."She saw him nod, respecting her wishes even though he still seemed worried. She knew he wouldn’t be entirely at ease. Jhon kissed her hands again and looked around at the box on the table. He slid it closer with a smooth motion and smiled. "Do you want to play?" Chiara gave him a weak smile and nodded. He didn’t want to leave, but they couldn’t just sit there in the same room with the tension building, so playing made the most sense. Unfortunately, the first game ended much sooner than Jhon had expected, and h

CHAPTER 415. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. I'm Resisting Jhon slipped in quietly through the window, hoping everything was fine, but his heart was racing with anxiety. She had turned off the camera in such a rush that Jhon prayed nothing bad had happened. But instead of a disaster, it was Chiara’s muffled moan that greeted him as he entered. Jhon froze in fear at the thought that she might be hurt. He ran to the bed, not stopping to think as he called out her name. “Chiara! Chiara, what's wrong?...” The silence broke the moment she saw him, and her scream echoed throughout the small room. “Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh!” Chiara hurriedly covered herself and threw the first thing she could grab, which luckily was just a softcover book, not too heavy. “Jesus!” Jhon grunted, dodging it, and turned around to avoid seeing her. “Wait, why am I turning around? You...? What were you thinking...?” Jhon approached the bed to scold her, but before he could say anything, a loud knock echoed on the door. “Mrs.

CHAPTER 416. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. You asked for 'more."I warn you, I won’t resist," he whispered, closing his eyes as he felt Chiara's hands caressing his throbbing member.He said nothing more, just smiled as she freed him from his pants and boxers. He was so magnificent that Chiara stood there, mesmerized for a few seconds."Dammit, I missed this!" she groaned with a sigh before taking him into her mouth as if he were the best lollipop in the world.Her mouth was intense, her throat deep, while her fingers continued exploring the rest of his skin with urgency."I bet you missed this more than you missed me!" he growled, pulling her up to kiss her between restrained gasps.He fell onto Chiara on the bed, lifting one of her legs to wrap it around his hips, and with a decisive movement, he slowly entered her. He felt her arch and moan beneath him, kissing her desperately, as if this were the last moment he could ever have with her.Chiara couldn't stop moaning from the intense sensat

CHAPTER 417. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. Reasons to CryAnd then it hit. An explosive orgasm for both of them, the wildest climax either could have imagined.Chiara seemed to melt in his arms, and Jhon lay down behind her, holding her close as they both tried to pull themselves together.The next few minutes were spent cuddling, slowly catching their breath, and letting their hearts return to normal. Both had remembered what it was like to be together, what they could conquer from each other.However, when Jhon least expected it, something wet touched his arm. He turned Chiara around, alarmed, and looked at her. She wasn’t crying, but there were tears wetting her eyelashes."For God’s sake, tell me that’s happiness, satisfaction, or something like that," he pleaded in a faint voice."I don’t even know what it is," she murmured. "Or maybe I do—it's the hormones. Lately, I cry a lot for no reason."Jhon pressed his lips together and shook his head."No, you have plenty of reasons to cry, you

CHAPTER 418. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. Hidden MotivesJhon leaned against the shower glass, waiting for the water to warm up, his mind lost in a flood of memories. Her sweat still clung to his skin, and maybe that’s why he hesitated to step under the stream. He had missed her scent more than anything in the world. He loved her just as much as before, and even though she had blamed the hormones, Jhon couldn’t help but wonder if she still felt the same way about him.Finally, he stepped under the shower, feeling the hot water relax his muscles. He wished he could close his eyes and reopen them to find her standing there. He wished he could have her by his side every day, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. He couldn’t sneak into the prison every day without risking being caught, so he was fully aware that their encounters would be brief.He wondered what it would be like to be with her always again, to enjoy every moment, to share in their daughter's life, and to savor eve

CHAPTER 419. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. A Difficult DecisionJhon wasn’t sure if he should answer, but after three calls, the persistence was too much. He finally grabbed the phone and picked up.“Hopkins, who’s this?”A melodic voice responded from the other side. “Agent Hopkins, code and access number, please.”For a second, Jhon hesitated. “I don’t have one,” he answered curtly, almost sensing the doubt from the other end.“I think I didn’t hear you, agent. Your code and access number so I can connect you, please.”“You heard me perfectly. I said, ‘I don’t have one.’ I don’t have a code or access number.”The sweet voice suddenly turned irritated. “Agent, without the requested information, we won’t be able to connect you,” the woman reprimanded him.“Well, that’s perfect because, to begin with, I wasn’t the one who called you,” he replied and immediately hung up.Not even five minutes passed before the phone rang again, and on the other side, he heard a rough, annoyed voice he knew a

CHAPTER 420. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. I Won’t Betray YouJhon knelt in front of her, closing his eyes to hold back the tears as he felt his daughter’s movements inside Chiara. The dance of life, the most precious treasure he had ever known. A deep sense of emotion spread through his soul as tears escaped his eyes. He focused on that moment and wondered what his life would be like once that little girl finally came into the world. He knew he would be capable of doing anything for her.Chiara watched him as he rested his forehead on the curve of her belly, unable to stop herself from melting inside at the sight of him like that. She reached out, her fingers slipping into his hair, gently stroking it. She knew the moment was delicate for both of them, sharing something intimate and unrepeatable, and she wished that everything could just be okay again.“Jhon,” she said softly, “what’s going on?”He opened his eyes and looked up at her. He couldn’t deny that she knew him too well. The deep lo