They were eating dinner when Parel's phone rang, so she excused herself to take the call. Without anyone noticing, Silver dropped a pill into her sister's soup.
The next morning at breakfast, Parel suddenly ran toward her room. "What happened to her?" their father asked, becoming alert.
"Don't worry, husband. It's probably morning sickness from the pregnancy. I'll go check on her. You guys continue with your breakfast," their mother replied.
Their mother came back holding a weak Parel. "What happened?" their father asked as the three of them stood up and walked over to the two.
"Husband, she's been feeling really unwell. We need to take her to the hospital right away," their mother said, concern etched on her face.
"Alright," he said, quickly grabbing his coat and car keys. "Let's go."
"Silver, watch over Ruby. I'll call you with updates," their mother said as Silver and Ruby watched their parents take a weak Parel out the door.
"What's wrong with sis?" Ruby asked.
"Don't worry, she's going to be fine," Silver said, resting both her hands on Ruby's shoulders for reassurance.
Ruby nodded, though worry lingered in her eyes. As they returned to the breakfast table, the aroma of pancakes and syrup filled the air, a stark contrast to the unease that hung in the room.
"Let's eat," Silver suggested, trying to lighten the mood. "We need our strength."
They sat down and began to eat, the clinking of utensils and the sound of chewing filling the silence. Ruby picked at her food, her mind clearly elsewhere, while Silver forced herself to take a few bites, glancing at the clock every now and then.
"Do you think they'll be back soon?" Ruby asked between bites.
"I hope so," Silver replied, trying to sound optimistic. "Mom will call with updates, remember?"
Once they finished breakfast, Silver stood up and started clearing the table. "Let's clean up, and then we can watch a movie or something to take your mind off things," she said, giving Ruby a warm smile.
"Okay," Ruby replied, a little more cheerfully now.
At the hospital, the doctor stood by Parel's bedside, delivering the heartbreaking news while her parents hovered close, their faces filled with concern. "I'm very sorry, but you've had a miscarriage," he said gently.
The weight of his words hit Parel hard, and she broke down in tears, her sobs echoing in the sterile room. The coldness of the hospital made her grief feel even heavier, closing in around her. Even with her parents nearby, she felt utterly alone, their helpless expressions reflecting her own pain.
The doctor looked sad and guilty, knowing there were no words that could ease their suffering. He stepped back to give the Miller family space to process their loss.
Meanwhile, Silver was on the phone with Charlie. "What you want to do is dangerous, Silver," he said, concern clear in his voice.
"I know," she replied softly, feeling guilty.
"I understand; we'll go with your plan. I promise he can't touch you," Charlie reassured her.
"I know that, my lion. Bye," Silver said.
"Bye. See you later, my angel," Charlie replied as they hung up.
"I'm sorry, sis, but I had to do this," Silver whispered. "Even though the child is innocent, it has that monster's blood." Horrific scenes flashed before her eyes—memories she wished she could forget.
"Are you done?" Ruby asked, peeking into her room with wide, curious eyes.
Silver turned to her. "Yes," she said, her voice softer than she intended.
"Is something wrong?" Ruby asked, stepping into the room and noticing the worry on Silver's face.
Silver knelt down to Ruby's level, looking her in the eyes. "Everything's okay," she said, forcing a smile. "I won't let anything happen to you or our family, alright?"
Ruby felt a bit confused by her sister's behavior, but she quickly stepped forward and hugged Silver tightly. "Okay," Ruby replied, her voice soft against Silver's shoulder. "You promise?"
"Promise," Silver said quietly as she wrapped her arms around Ruby, holding her close. Ruby nestled into Silver's embrace, feeling the warmth and comfort of her sister's presence.
As they pulled away, Ruby looked up at her with bright eyes. "Now let's go watch the movie!"
"Yes, let's go!" Silver said, standing up and taking Ruby's hand.
"Is the movie good?" Silver asked as they walked to the living room.
"Very!" Ruby exclaimed, her face lighting up with excitement. "There was this funny part where the cat steals the pizza! And then the dog tries to chase it!"
Silver smiled, enjoying Ruby's enthusiasm. "That sounds hilarious! I guess I missed it."
"We can watch that scene again!" Ruby said eagerly. They settled onto the couch, ready to dive back into the movie.
After three hours, the intercom buzzed, grabbing Silver's attention. She glanced at the screen on the wall, which displayed the camera feed from the gate. A message popped up on her phone immediately after.
"I'm outside the gate." It was from Charlie.
Silver sighed, then looked over at Ruby. "Ruby, go pack what you want to take with you."
"Why? Are we going somewhere, Sister?" Ruby asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Yes, go pack now. I'll come check on you soon," Silver said, her voice calm but firm.
Ruby nodded and quickly went to her room. Silver glanced back at the screen and saw Charlie's car parked by the electric gate. She pressed the button to open it and watched as he drove in, then headed to the front door.
Charlie stepped out of the car, his expression softening when he saw Silver.
"Hi, my lion, is everything going as planned?" Silver asked with a small smile.
"Hey, my angel. Yes, your parents and Parel are safe at my place," Charlie said, walking up to her and giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead.
"That's good. Come in," Silver said, holding the door open. Once they were inside, she asked, "Are my family upset about the plan?"
"They're not thrilled, but I promised them I'd stay here with my team to protect you," Charlie said as they settled onto the sofa.
Silver sighed. "I knew they wouldn't agree if I told them myself."
"They'd have stopped you for sure," Charlie nodded. "But where's the little princess?"
"Since when did she become your little princess?" Silver teased. "By the way, she's packing right now, and you're starting to sound just like my dad."
"Well, since you became mine," Charlie grinned.
Before Silver could respond, Ruby's small voice came from the hallway.
"Sister?" Ruby stood there, looking at them curiously.
"Ruby, did you pack your things? Do you need help?" Silver asked.
"Yes, I need help, but… who is that man, Sister?" Ruby asked, glancing between Silver and Charlie.
"Ruby, this is my boyfriend, Charlie Howell," Silver said as she and Charlie got up and walked over to her. "And Charlie, this is my little sister, Ruby."
"Hello," Ruby said shyly, her voice soft.
"Hi, little one," Charlie said warmly, kneeling down to Ruby's level. "You look really adorable in your yellow dress."
"I'm not that little," Ruby pouted, though her cheeks flushed slightly. "But thank you."
Silver knelt beside her sister, her voice gentle but serious. "Ruby, listen carefully. You're going to stay at Charlie's house for a while. Mom, Dad, and Big Sis will be there too, okay?"
Ruby's face scrunched up with worry. "And you, Sister?"
"I have something important to do, so I can't come with you just yet. But I'll see you soon, okay?" Silver reassured her.
Ruby slowly nodded, though there was hesitation in her eyes.
"Let's finish your packing first and then pack for the others too," Silver said as she and Charlie stood up. "Charlie, can you give us a minute?" Charlie nodded, letting the sisters get to work.
Once everything was packed, Charlie loaded the bags into the car. Ruby, feeling anxious, hugged Silver tightly.
"See you later, Ruby! Be nice to Mom and Dad, and try to make Parel smile a lot, okay?"
Ruby nodded and whispered, "Bye, Sister," giving Silver a soft kiss on the cheek before climbing into the car. Charlie helped buckle her seatbelt and gently closed the door.
"I'll be back soon," Charlie assured Silver. "Don't worry, half of my team is outside keeping watch."
Silver nodded, her eyes filled with mixed emotions. "Okay. See you soon."
Charlie acknowledged her with a nod, then got into the car and drove off. Silver watched until the car was out of sight before she closed the gate.