INICIAR SESIÓNMichael's POVAnthony's eyes burned with hatred. He kept the gun trained on me as though simply looking at me reminded him of everything he had lost."You murdered him," he said. His voice trembled with rage. "You killed my uncle in cold blood."I stared at him."I didn’t” I said.Anthony's expression hardened."Don't lie to me. You shot him and you expect me to believe you had a reason?"I took a slow breath."I don't expect you to believe anything but I'm going to tell you the truth anyway” I said.Anthony said nothing."Your uncle kidnapped my son. Henry was a child” I continued."That doesn't matter” he said."It matters to me” I replied."You murdered Santiago!""And Santiago threatened to kill Henry!" I yelled back.My voice echoed through the empty section of the parking lot and Anthony flinched.For a second, I saw something uncertain in his expression then the anger returned."My uncle wasn't a monster” he said.I almost laughed."You weren't there” I replied."I know enough.
Michael's POVThe moment Anthony Santiago told me who he was, every instinct in my body screamed that I needed to be careful.I kept my eyes on Anthony as he stood a few feet away from me, studying me with an expression I couldn't quite understand. There was anger in his eyes, certainly, but there was something else underneath it.Hatred.My gaze briefly shifted past him. Henry was there, Kim was sitting beside him. They weren't far enough away. That was the problem.If Anthony was here because of Santiago, then I couldn't afford to let this become a confrontation in front of Henry.My son had already seen too much.He had been dragged from one dangerous situation into another, and the last thing I wanted was for him to watch someone threaten me with a weapon.I couldn't put him through that again.I forced myself to breathe then I forced my expression to remain calm.I looked at Henry."Hey."Henry turned toward me."Yeah?"I gave him what I hoped looked like a reassuring smile."I n
Ashley’s POVA deep, throbbing ache pulsed through the back of my head, spreading down my neck and settling behind my eyes. My body felt heavy, almost as though someone had poured cement into my bones while I slept.I groaned and tried to move but something was wrapped tightly around me.My eyes flew open. For a terrifying second, I couldn't remember where I was. I tried to sit up, but the movement sent another wave of pain through my head."Ashley?"The familiar voice immediately cut through my confusion.I blinked.Nick was sitting beside me, one arm wrapped around my shoulders as he supported me.His face looked exhausted. More importantly, he looked relieved."Oh, thank God," he whispered.I stared at him."Nick? What..."I touched the back of my head and immediately winced."What happened?" I finally managed to ask.Nick carefully helped me sit upright."You were unconscious” he said.I looked around. We were in a room I didn't recognize.There was a small window covered by curta
Michael’s POVThe moment the ambulance doors opened, everything became a blur."Move!""Get the stretcher!""He's losing too much blood!"The paramedics rushed Fernando through the hospital entrance, and I followed them without thinking.My shoes squeaked against the polished floor as I hurried after them."Fernando!"One of the nurses stepped in front of me."Sir, you need to stay here” she instructed."But that's my—"I stopped. My voice failed me."My family," I finally managed.The nurse's expression softened."He's being taken into emergency care. You can't go inside” she said.I stared helplessly as the doors swung shut. Fernando disappeared behind them and suddenly, I had nothing to do except stand there.I looked down at my hands. There was still blood on them, his blood. I rubbed my palms together as if I could somehow erase what had happened but it wouldn't come off."Michael."I looked up. Kim was standing a few feet away with Henry beside her.She looked devastated. Her ey
Michael’s POVThe sirens were the first thing I heard.They grew louder with every passing second until an ambulance came racing onto the airport tarmac, its red lights flashing against the dark shy.For a moment, I couldn't move, I was still kneeling beside Fernando.His blood was all over my hands, ll over my clothes and I couldn't stop staring at it."Please," I whispered. "Please, Fernando."The paramedics rushed toward us with a stretcher."Sir, we need to move him."I immediately shook my head."No, let me hold him” I cried."We need to get him into the ambulance” they said hurriedly."Is he going to survive?" I asked.The paramedic glanced at Fernando's wound."We need to treat him immediately” he said."Is he going to survive?" I asked again.He looked at me."We're going to do everything we can” he replied.That wasn't the answer I wanted but it was the only one I was getting.I reluctantly moved away then the paramedics carefully lifted Fernando onto the stretcher.His head r
Fernando's POVFor several seconds, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Michael was standing in the middle of the tarmac with a gun pointed directly at Theo.I couldn't help but feel an almost absurd flicker of pride."Michael," I called.His eyes immediately found mine and I glanced at the gun in his hand."You're full of surprises today."His lips twitched, but the expression disappeared almost immediately.Theo looked furious."Don't encourage him!" He said.I looked at Theo."You've done enough" I replied. "Stay out of this.""I don't think that's possible anymore" I said.Michael kept the gun trained on Theo and I slowly raised both hands."Michael, bring Henry to me."Michael nodded then Henry looked at him."Go to your father" he said."What about you?" Henry asked."I'll be right behind you" Michael answered. Henry hesitated but Michael gave him a reassuring look."Go."Henry finally moved and he walked carefully toward me. I stepped forward and reached for him. The moment
Archer’s POV I sat behind my desk, staring blankly at the documents that had been piling up like bricks of guilt. Contracts, acquisition reports, and memos that required my signature. Important things, by any definition. But in the grand scheme of things, they meant nothing. Not when the one per
Fernando’s POV The sound of gravel crunching beneath the tires jolted me out of my thoughts. We slowed to a stop at a run-down gas station, barely lit by flickering overhead lights. A crooked neon sign buzzed above the little convenience store, casting a pale red glow across the cracked pavement
Archer’s POV I leaned back in my chair, finally allowing the tension to melt from my shoulders. If anyone had told me being a CEO of numerous companies in one of the most bustling cities in the US would be like this, I might have just decided to be like one of those rich men who stayed at home a
Fernando’s POV I stared out the hospital window, the city skyline a blur beneath the filtered glass. Rain tapped lightly against the pane like a small beat for my spiraling thoughts. The world moved on outside while I remained trapped just like an unwilling ghost inside a hospital room that sm







