Sophia's POV ASHERâS HOSPITAL âMy baby!â Mum cried, her arms wrapping tightly around me as though letting go might mean losing me again. We hugged like it had been years, like time had frozen between us and only this moment could heal what had been broken. I leaned into her warmth, inhaling that familiar scent of home, safety, and unconditional love. She kissed my forehead repeatedly, her fingers trembling. âMum, I missed you,â I said, my voice catching in my throat. We held each other again, longer this time, as though trying to soak up every lost second. âAre you okay? Is anywhere hurting?â Dad asked from where he stood, shifting awkwardly near the window. I could see guilt etched into his features, like the lines of worry had aged him overnight. I smiled faintly and opened my arms toward him. âDad, can you stop feeling guilty? Itâs okay.â He hesitated, then walked forward and embraced me, his tears wetting my shoulder. âIâm sorry, Sophia,â he said in a voice breaking with
MORANO'S DUNGEON"Where is he?" Leonard demanded, his footsteps echoing sharply as he strode through the darkened hallway of the Morano estate."Theyâre in the dungeon," Massimo replied, walking quickly beside him. "A CCTV caught them fleeing right after the fire started."Leonardâs eyes narrowed. âWas anything found?âMassimo hesitated, his expression grim. "No, everything burned to ashes..." He stopped, then added, âIncluding Thelma. Iâm sorry.âLeonard halted in place, turning toward Massimo. âNothing? Not even a body?âMassimo shook his head. âNo sir. Everything. Gone.âLeonardâs jaw clenched. The silence between them was thick. Then, with a sharp exhale, he continued walking. They descended into the underground level, where the floor grew colder and the air damp. The smell was a choking mix of mildew, sweat, and dried blood. The narrow staircase led to a reinforced metal door at the bottom, where a guard opened it as soon as he saw them.Inside was a room pulled straight from nig
ASHER'S HOSPITAL â ICU ROOM 304 SOPHIAâS POV Beep⊠beep⊠beep⊠That sound. I knew it from somewhere. It was distant, muffledâlike it was echoing from the end of a long tunnel I couldnât find my way out of. A rhythmic pulse, steady and insistent, keeping me tethered to something I couldnât see or feel. I couldnât open my eyes, couldnât move my limbs. I couldnât even breathe on my own, not really. But I could hear. âWeâve stabilized her and sheâs receiving oxygen therapy. Her vitals are stable, but sheâs still unconscious.â It was a manâs voice. Calm, practiced, full of clinical precision. Dr. Asher. That name floated into my mind like a leaf drifting downstream. Unconscious⊠me? âOh, thank God. Whatâs the prognosis, doctor? When will she wake up?â That voiceâhis voiceâLeonard. I knew it immediately. There was something in it I wasnât used to⊠vulnerability. Fear. I wanted to open my eyes. I wanted to tell him I could hear him. But my body refused me. My eyelids might as well h
REDEVELOPMENT AREA â ABANDONED BUILDING"What are you doing?" Sophia cried out, her voice raw with panic. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched two of the henchmen douse the dusty concrete floor with fuel, the liquid glinting under the dim light of the cracked window.Thelma sat slumped in a wooden chair nearby, her wrists tied like Sophia's. She began to stir, groaning faintly as consciousness returned.Sophia's heartbeat thundered in her ears. âHey! Stop it!â she shouted, struggling against the ropes cutting into her skin. âWhere are my parents?! What do you want from me?!â "Just let my parents go, please!"The henchmen ignored her, their faces blank, eyes trained on the fuel lines they were spreading across the perimeter of the room. The stench of gasoline began to fill the air, stifling and heavy.Thelma's eyes fluttered open. Her gaze darted around wildly, then she smirkedâuntil it turned into a wild, unhinged laugh.âWhat the hell is going on?!â "How can you laugh in this ki
REDEVELOPMENT AREA â 7:03PMThe convoy of black vehicles came to a roaring halt, their tires crunching the gravel beneath them as dust rose into the air. Doors flung open in unison, and armed guards stepped out with silent precision. Leonard, dressed in all black with his coat flapping in the wind, stood in front of the first car, eyes locked on the empty horizon. His expression was unreadable, but his knuckles were pale from the force with which he clenched his fists and blood still gushing.Logan stepped out next, followed closely by Massimo, who was already barking out short orders into his comms. The area was vastârow upon row of abandoned structures, most half-finished or worn down by time and neglect. The sunset bathed everything in a sickly orange hue, turning shadows into lurking monsters.âThere are a lot of houses here,â Massimo said, scanning the lifeless buildings with wary eyes. âWhere do we start from?âLeonardâs jaw tightened. âWe start everywhere. We check every corner
Moranoâs Mansion, 10:47 AMâCheck every single location. Every possible landmark within a hundred-mile radius!â Leonard barked, his voice booming across the vast living room of the Morano mansion.Three tech officials sat on the large glass table surrounded by open laptops, blinking monitors, and humming devices. The digital map on the main screen flickered with shifting coordinates and pulses of blue and red. Sweat formed on their brows from the pressure and speed of their hands dancing across the keyboards.Leonard couldnât keep still. He paced from wall to wall, fists clenched, jaw tight, and fury in his eyes.âBoss, you need to calm down,â Massimo said gently, standing near the door, his arms crossed yet his voice steady.Leonard turned sharply to him. âHow can I calm down when I donât even know where my wife is?â he snapped.Massimo stayed silent, knowing better than to speak when Leonard was this tense.Logan, leaning against the wall beside a pillar, glanced up. âDo you think S