The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Julie had been shacking up with Rowan for a few months now, and she thought she had him figured out. But all her little quirks and antics? They didn't get her anywhere. Out of what seemed like a sense of decency, Rowan had picked up some essentials for Julie's

upcoming labor and stuff for the baby, stashing them in the cellar before he took off. The rest was up to fate, leaving Julie to fend for herself.

That very night, the labor pains hit hard. Julie's belly started twisting, and fear gripped her heart like a vice. With zero experience in childbirth and no one around to help, she lay alone on the cellar's cot, biting down hard, enduring. With every wave of pain, she cursed

Joseph, cursed the Salstroms, and damned Anastasia to high heaven.

After a grueling day and two nights of labor, it felt like death was knocking on her door. Julie's heavy breaths echoed through the cellar, her cries unanswered. Rowan, sitting just outside on the ground, listened in. As long as she was still breathing, he wouldn't step in. Julie cursed as she pushed, cried out of sheer terror.

Finally, after over thirty hours of agony, she gave birth to a boy. Exhausted to her core, Julie looked down at the child with no warmth, only a mix of resentment and pain. Frozen with uncertainty, she didn't dare move or even know what to do next.

The baby's cries finally roused Rowan into action. Just as he was about to enter and fetch the child, a pair of leather shoes came into view. Rowan tensed, looking up to see the man before him, and respectfully called out, "Mr. Asher."

The man, in his thirties, had a vicious scar slashing across his face, splitting his features and obliterating any sense of handsomeness. That scar was a gift from Herman himself. Asher was the same man who had been calling Rowan, the one behind the fire at the Elysian Technologies factory. Hearing the infant's cries from the cellar, Asher said, "Bring the child to me." "Yes, Mr. Asher," Rowan replied, stepping inside.

Julie, weak but desperate, pleaded, "Help me." Rowan cut the umbilical cord, wrapped the baby up, and carried him out without a second glance. Julie, seeing her child taken, pushed herself to get up and reclaim him, "Give me my son back, where are you taking him?" Outside the cellar, Asher's face twisted into a grimace upon seeing the newborn, his scar stretching grotesquely. "Well, he's from the Salstrom bloodline, Herman's nephew."

"Mr. Asher, what do you plan to do with the child?" Rowan asked. "Herman despises Julie to his core. I doubt this child can be used as leverage against him." "Who said anything about using a baby as leverage?" Asher scoffed. "Send this child back to the Salstroms." "Send him back?" Rowan was surprised. "Do as I say," Asher dropped the command and strode into the cellar.noveldrama

Julie screamed at the sight of Asher, "Who are you?" Asher, visibly annoyed, fixed a cold gaze on Julie, "I'm the one who had you pulled out of that hole. Without me, you'd still be in jail, waiting for a bullet." "You?" Julie asked, bewildered, "Why would you save me?" She didn't recognize the man with the scar.

Asher stepped forward, gripping Julie's chin, "I saved you, and now I'm going to remake you. You'll go back to Herman with a brand new face, and that's when the fun begins."

"What do you mean, a new face?" Julie was lost. "Do you want to get back at Herman? I can help you," Asher said. "Everyone says Herman is all about loyalty and love for his wife. I want you to prove it for me."

"That's it?" Julie was skeptical. "You spring me from jail just to get back at Herman and confirm his love for Anastasia? Are you out of your mind?"

Her words fueled Asher's anger, and his grip tightened, "Julie, don't forget, as easy as it was for me to get you out, I can send you right back."

Julie winced in pain, managing to say, "As long as I get to live, to take down Herman and the Salstroms, I'll do whatever it takes."