"The Billionaire Mafia Boss Fired His Maid Over One Shattered Glass, but the Twins Beneath Her Heart Exposed the Fiancée Who Had Already Chosen His Grave

Marcus managed to drop the first attacker with two clean shots to the chest before taking a bullet to his shoulder, sending him crashing behind the heavy marble kitchen island.

"DR. VANCE! GET HER TO THE SAFE ROOM NOW!" Marcus roared over the deafening clatter of gunfire, spraying return fire toward the elevator shaft.

Dr. Vance grabbed Layla's arm, pulling her off the sofa. "Come on, Layla! Move!"

Layla stumbled forward, her hands cradling her heavy stomach, panic surging through her like pure adrenaline. The twins were kicking wildly inside her, responding to the terrifying noise.

"Santo!" one of the masked attackers shouted through the smoke. "Clear the rooms! Victoria said leave no survivors!"

Layla and Dr. Vance scrambled down the carpeted hallway toward the library. Behind them, the sounds of shouting, breaking glass, and heavy tactical boots resonated through the grand apartment.

Dr. Vance hit the release switch beside the bookshelf. The hidden door swung open, and she shoved Layla inside.

"Get in! Lock it from the inside!" Dr. Vance yelled.

"Dr. Vance, come with me!" Layla cried out, reaching for the doctor's hand.

"Someone has to lock the main library door or they'll find the hidden switch!" Dr. Vance said fiercely. Before Layla could stop her, the doctor slammed the heavy hidden door shut from the outside.

Layla was plunged into darkness, save for the blue glow of the security monitors mounted on the wall.

She threw the mechanical deadbolt, locking the reinforced steel door. Slumping down onto the floor, she clutched her belly, fighting for breath. "Shh, baby boy, baby girl... it's okay... mommy's here... mommy's got you..."

On the security monitors, the terror unfolded in high definition.

Santo walked through the ruined living room, stepping over the body of one of his own men. Marcus lay bleeding behind the counter, unconscious but breathing.

Santo shoved open the library doors, his gun raised. Dr. Vance stood in the center of the room, holding an empty brass bookend as a makeshift weapon.

"Where is she?" Santo demanded, his voice brutal and cold.

"I'm a medical doctor," Dr. Vance said bravely, standing tall. "I don't answer to assassins."

Santo didn't hesitate. He raised his suppressed pistol and struck Dr. Vance across the temple with the heavy steel grip. The doctor collapsed onto the Persian rug, unconscious.

Santo began kicking at the bookshelves, searching for hidden compartments. He knew wealthy men like Dominic Gallow always built panic rooms into their estates.

He stopped in front of the third bookshelf—the very bookshelf hiding Layla.

Layla watched the screen in absolute horror as Santo pulled a thermal scanning device from his belt and aimed it at the wood. On his screen, two bright heat signatures appeared inside the wall: Layla’s body and the concentrated heat of two tiny beating hearts.

Santo grinned, a sickening, predatory smile.

"Found you, little maid," Santo growled through the speaker.

He reached into his tactical vest, pulled out a block of C4 plastic explosive, and began slapping it against the steel frame of the safe room door.

Inside, Layla backed away until her spine hit the far wall. She had nowhere left to run.

She reached down, pulling her father's silver bird locket from around her neck. She popped open the small clasp, looking at the faded photograph of her mother and father inside.

"Dad," she whispered, tears pouring down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry. I tried."

Suddenly, her cell phone in her pocket buzzed violently.

She pulled it out with trembling hands. The caller ID displayed one name: DOMINIC.

Layla pressed answer, bringing the phone to her ear. "Dominic!" she sobbed quietly into the receiver. "They're inside! Santo is blowing the safe room door!"