THE BILLIONAIRE'S TRAP

"Come on, Miles, you're falling behind!" One of his friends called out, glancing over his shoulder with a light grin.

Miles smiled, adjusting the straps of his backpack as he quickened his pace to catch up. "I'm right behind you," He called back. He loved being outdoors, the freedom of hiking with his friends, and the wind on his face that allowed him to think.

"So, who's ready to race to the top?" Another friend suggested

Miles laughed, feeling a surge of energy as he looked up at the peak in the distance. "You're on," he said, breaking into a jog.

But as he took his first few strides, something felt off. His foot slipped slightly on the loose gravel beneath him, but he recovered quickly pushing his body forward. While the other sprinted, he was at the back trying to keep up, but his legs felt heavier with each step.

Suddenly the ground beneath him seemed to shift. His ankle twisted awkwardly, sending a sharp pain shooting Jo his leg, "Whoa-" he gasped, his arms flailing as he tried to regain his balance. But it was too late. His body pitched forward, and the world tilted violently as he lost his footing completely.

"Miles!" One of his friends shouted, but the shout was distant, muffled by the sudden rush of panic he was feeling.

His body hit the rocky ground hard, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. Pain exploded in his sides as he rolled, tumbling down the slope. The world became a blur of trees, dirt, and sky as he spiraled uncontrollably. He tried to grab onto something-anything-to stop his fall, but his fingers only scraped against the earth.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck...."And then, everything went dark.

---

Bambi's hands trembled as she gripped the phone tightly, her knuckles turning white. The voice on the other end was still talking, but she wasn't listening anymore. The moment they had said Miles's name, her heart had stopped cold. Accident. Hospital. Critical. The words swirl in her mind, making her feel like the floor had dropped out from under her.

"No... no, that can't be fright." She whispered weakly. "Miles was just-he was fine. He was just fine."

"Ma'am, I understand this is difficult, but you need to come to the hospital right away."

Bambi blinked, tears streaming down her face as she tried to focus. The hospital. She had to go. She had to see him. But her legs felt frozen as if they no longer obeyed her. It was like a nightmare, like the world had suddenly tilted on its axis and nothing made sense anymore.

Her phone slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor, the sound echoing through the silent room. She stood there for a moment, paralyzed by the weight of the news, her mind trying and failing to make sense of it.

And then, it hit her all at once.

"No... no... God, no!" She screamed, tears streaming down her face, hot and fast, as her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor, the grief tearing her apart from the inside.

Her baby. Her sweet boy. Miles. No.

She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. All she could do was cry, her body shaking with the force of her emotions. The room seemed to close in on her, suffocating her as the world outside no longer existed. At least Zoe wasn't here to see her like this at this moment, Nothing mattered except the fact that her don-her precious son-was lying in a hospital bed, and she wasn't there."

"I should've been there," she choked out between sobs, her hands clutching at her chest "I should've not let him go" More sobs "I should've-"

But the words wouldn't come. There was no way to fix this. No way to make it right. And lying on the floor with grief wouldn't make anything right either. She was only wasting time and she knew it. Eventually, she pushed herself up, wiping her tear-streamed face, Bambi grabbed her keys with trembling hands and rushed out the door.

She couldn't lose him. She couldn't lose her son.

Not now.

Not ever.

** ** **

"Are you sure it's safe?" she asked, her tone cautious.

Miles rolled his eyes "Mom, I'll be fine. We've been planning this for weeks now, and everyone else's parents are cool with it. I could use the break, you know? It's been a rough few months with school and everything innit."

Bambi sighed, knowing that he was right. The past few months had been difficult for all of them, with the pressures of school, the growing distance between her and her husband as he was always traveling and barely around, and the general stress that seemed to hang over their household like a huge storm cloud. Miles had been bearing it all as usual, never complaining, but she could see the weariness in his eyes. He was tired. They were all tired and maybe he could use a break.

"All right," she finally said, trying to ignore the knot of worry tightening in her chest. "But you have to promise me you'll be careful, and you'll check in regularly, okay?"

Miles's face broke into a wide grin. "Thanks, Mom! I promise I'll be careful, and I'll call you as soon as we get there. You won't even notice I'm gone."

Bambi couldn't help but laugh at that, even as she stood him. "I always notice when you're gone, Miles. You and Zoe are my world. Which is why I think Zoe should come with you."

Miles pulled back from the hug, staring at his mother like she said something ridiculous. But she did say something ridiculous. "Zoe can't come with me. She's a lazy ass and she can't climb."

"But, Miles,"

"Mom, there are a lot of boys there. Zoe is just seventeen. I can't let her go anywhere close to those horny teenagers. I'll be fine, alright. Trust me. When have I ever not been?"

"Miles... you forget you're both twins?"

Miles pulled her into another hug, "We'll be back before you know it."

** ** **

The memory faded as quickly as it had come.

The hospital room was quiet, save for the steady beeping of the machines that monitored her son's fragile condition. Miles lay motionless on the bed, his once-vibrant face, pale and still, his chest rising and falling with each mechanically-assisted breath.

Bambi sat by his side, her hand gently resting on his. She had barely left his side since the accident, unable to tear herself away from him for more than a few moments at a time. The doctors had told her that his condition was critical, that the damage to his brain was severe, but she refused to give up hope. She had to believe that he would wake up, that he would come back to her, and that everything would be okay again. But believing, and having 'hope' was quite hard because the fall he had was hard, from a high hill. The ribs he had broken couldn't be counted.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the doctor enter the room until he cleared his throat softly. Bambi's head snapped up, her heart racing as she stood up quickly, her eyes wide with desperate hope. Maybe the doctor was here for good news, maybe Miles would be alright after all.

"Doctor, do you have any news? Is there any change?" she asked, her voice trembling. She had cried for hours, hoping that maybe if Miles heard her, he would notice how sad she was and wake up.

The doctor, a middle-aged man with kind eyes, shook his head gently. "I'm afraid not, Mrs. Harris. Miles' condition remains the same."

"But it's been days now." She slumped back against the couch as she allowed her heart to sink further. The familiar weight of despair settled over her once again. She had clung to the possibility that today would be different, and like every other day, that there would be some sign, any sign, that her son was fighting his way back to her. But there was nothing. His words were nothing.

The doctor hesitated for a moment before continuing, his expression turning serious. "There's something else I need to tell you."

Bambi's stomach tightened with dread. "What is it?"

"There's someone here to see you. He says he's your lawyer-Rick Matron?"

Bambi's brow furrowed in confusion. "Rick? Yes, he's our family lawyer, but... why is he here?"

She couldn't imagine why Rick would show up at the hospital, especially now. Her mind raced through the possibilities, each one more worrisome than the last. Was there some issue with her husband's business? Some legal matter that needed immediate attention? If it was that, she wasn't sure if that was more important than her son's life right now. Business can wait.

She looked back at Miles, reluctant to leave his side, but the doctor's expression told her that this was something she couldn't ignore.

"I'll be right back," she murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to her son's forehead. "Stay strong for me baby, okay?"

With a deep breath, Bambi followed the doctor out of the room and down the sterile, brightly lit corridor. The hospital felt eerily quiet, the usual bustle of activity subdued as if the entire building were holding its breath. A hospital isn't the right place to spend your weekend in.

When she reached the waiting area, she saw Rick Matron standing by the window, his back to her as he looked out at the darkening sky. He was a tall man, with a strong, broad build that always reminded her of a football player. His graying hair was neatly combed, and he was dressed in a sharp, dark suit, as usual. But there was something about the way he stood, his shoulders tense, that set off alarm bells in Bambi's mind. No. Something was wrong. Something other than business issues.

"Rick?" she called out softly, stepping into the room.

Rick turned around, and the look on his face made Bambi's blood run cold. His usually confident, professional demeanor was gone, replaced by an expression of deep sorrow and regret.

"Bambi," he began, his voice gentle but filled with an emotion she couldn't quite place. "I'm so sorry to be here under these circumstances. I know what you're going through. But this is important."

Bambi's heart skipped a beat, her pulse quickening as panic began to rise within her. "What... what do you mean? Why are you here?"

Rick hesitated, his eyes filled with something she could only describe as pity. "I need you to sit down, Bambi." No, no, no. I don't need anyone's pity I just need to know what the fuck is happening.

She shook her head, fear building inside "No, just tell me. What's going on? Why are you here?"

Rick took a deep breath, his gaze steady on hers. He knew this was going to be the worst news of her entire life but he couldn't prolong it anymore. "There's no easy way to say this... Your husband... He's been in an accident."

Bambi felt the floor shift beneath her, her vision blurring as the words sank in. "An accident? What do you mean? Is he okay?"

Rick's expression softened even further, his eyes filled with grief. "I'm sorry, Bambi. He... he didn't make it. He was killed in a car crash."

"Wh...wha...what...no."

"Last night."

The words hit Bambi like a physical blow, knocking the breath out of her. She staggered backward, her mind refusing to process what she was hearing. Her husband was dead? How could that be? She had just spoken to him last night, had just seen him. It was a video call. It couldn't be true. It couldn't.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head in denial. "No, that's not possible. There must be some mistake."

Rick reached out to steady her, his grip firm but gently holding her in place so she wouldn't fall. "I wish I were wrong, Bambi. I'm so, so sorry."

Bambi's legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed into a chair, pushing Rick away from her, her hands covering her face as the reality of it all crashed down on her. Her son was in a coma with broken bones, limbs, and an injured skull, Her husband was also gone. The father of her children, the man she had shared her life with, was dead.

A low, anguished wail escaped her lips, growing louder as the pain pierced through her like a knife. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't do anything but scream as the grief consumed her.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, everything went black.