As soon as I heard Adrian, I lost my patience. I rushed to him and said, "You have no right to call them your children. They are—"

I grasped his neck, holding it firmly.

He seized my wrists and pushed them away, forcing me to stumble back.

"Don't provoke me," he snarled. "They were your children for years, but now they're mine."

His harsh tone convinced me he meant it. Tears welled in my eyes at the thought of my babies being taken from me.

I shook my head, whispering, "No, you can't keep them from me."

He glared at me, furious. "Why? Didn't you do the same to me? How can you keep my own blood away from me? I've never seen such—"

His stone heart remained unmoved by my tears. He mocked me, saying, "Imagine how they'll feel when they find out what their mother showed them to their father. The pride they felt for you will vanish in a second."

My mind went blank. For a moment, I forgot everything that had happened. Only Adrian's ruthless words echoed, threatening to steal my twins.

"I won't let them go. Do whatever you want. I believe my children don't want to live with you either."

I reached for the doorknob, but his next warning shook me.

"I'll bring this matter to the council, and you know what will happen. Knowing that you're keeping—"

I spun back to him, biting my lip to stifle my sobs.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

He moved closer, his eyes fixed on mine. He placed a hand on the door beside my head. His dark gaze seemed to pierce my soul; I couldn't look away.

"In the war, you talked about how much I hurt you. What did I do to you during those two years? Provide you with a safe haven, per—"

He stopped, clenching his jaw. I was lost.

"I—I thought you would kill them."

He scoffed, looking away, then nodded. "You got what you wanted. Now it's my turn."

"What do you mean?"

He moved me aside, opening the door. "Go tell your family to pack their bags and leave."

"Adrian."

He grimaced. "I won't repeat myself. I will make them kneel."

The final two lines are promotional material for a website and are not part of the story. They have been omitted from the cleaned-up version.