LOGINLucas’s POV
“Give me that again, and speak clearly this time,” Rigoberto said, his voice dropping an octave as he stared at the speakerphone.
The voice on the other end crackled with nerves. “The legal department at the firm just sent over a formal notice. They are halting all transfers. They mentioned a specific clause about the brand’s image being at risk. They want a full review of our partnership.”
“What risk?” Antonia s
Salome’s POV“You don’t have to stay here, Barnabas.”I didn’t look at him when I said it. My voice sounded thin and papery, like something that might tear if I pushed it too hard. I kept my eyes fixed on the IV bag hanging beside my bed. Each plastic drip felt like a ticking clock, marking seconds I didn’t want to spend in this room. Across the hall, Jeremiah was in his own ward, and Clementine was finally asleep on a plastic bench outside. It was just us.Barnabas didn’t move. He was sitting on the very edge of the mattress, his weight tilting the bed just enough that I could feel the heat of him. A few months ago, I would have leaned into that warmth. Now, it just felt like a physical weight I wasn't strong enough to carry.“I want to stay,” he said. His voice was thick and gravelly. He sounded like he hadn't slept in days, even though it had only been hours since the police dragged Portia away. &ld
Salome’s POV“Are you hurt, Alpha Jeremiah?” Clementine asked, her voice cracking as she dropped to the floor beside him.The room smelled like a gas station. My lungs burned with every breath, the scent of fuel clinging to the back of my throat. Jeremiah didn’t look at her right away. He kept his eyes on me, checking for injuries, before he finally shifted his focus to the police officer standing over him.“I am fine,” Jeremiah said. He sat up slowly, wincing as he moved. “It is just a scratch on my shoulder.”A third officer stepped over a puddle of gasoline on the hardwood. He looked at the chaos, then at us. The flashing lights from the cruisers outside cut through the dim room, painting the walls in rhythmic strobes of red and blue.“We need to get statements from both of you,” the officer said, pointing his pen at me and then at Jeremiah. “Sir, did you find the weapons? We need
Salome’s POV“Shut up!” Ricarda screamed.The sound tore through the small room, raw and jagged. Her face twisted into something unrecognizable. The girl I had known was gone, replaced by this shaking, frantic stranger.“You think you’re so smart,” she spat. “You think you know everything about him. You’re just a manipulative little bitch.”I tasted copper in my mouth. My wrists burned where the duct tape bit into my skin. I forced myself to meet her eyes, keeping my voice as steady as I could.“I don’t have to know everything,” I said. “I just have to know him.”The slap came so fast I didn’t see it. My head whipped to the side, the world spinning for a second. A dull, throbbing pain bloomed across my cheek and radiated into my jaw. I didn’t cry out. I wouldn’t give her that. I focused on the floor, watching a stray dust mote dance in the d
Salome’s POV“You think you’re so brave, don’t you?” Portia asked.She crouched down in front of me. Her movements were jagged and tense. She balanced her weight on one heel, resting an elbow on her knee while she flicked a lighter open and shut near my face. The small flame danced inches from my chin. It was the only light in the room that seemed to matter.“I’ll give you credit for one thing,” she said, her voice dropping to a low hiss. “Brave girls are fun to break. But bravery is just another word for being too stupid to be scared. It makes you reckless.”I didn't answer. I didn't even blink. I stared straight through her, focusing on a spot on the wall behind her head. My body felt heavy. Whatever they had pumped into my system was still humming through my veins, making my pulse feel like thick sludge. I was alone in this house with a woman who had clearly lost her grip on reality.Po
Barnabas’s POV"If a single hair on her head is out of place, there will be no mercy," I said, staring directly into the lens of the camera.I stood in the centre of the room, my jaw tight as the recording light glowed red. I didn't care about looking polished or professional anymore. This wasn't a business announcement. This was a war cry."I am speaking to Genevieve Vane, Ricarda Vane, and every member of that family," I continued, my voice echoing against the walls. "Release Salome now. If you don't, Shawn Group will not only sever every tie we have with the Vane Group, but we will also use every legal and financial resource at our disposal to bury you. This is no longer about business rumors. This is kidnapping. This is a crime. And I will see you behind bars for it."I signalled for the tech to stop. Within seconds, the video was live. It hit our official social media accounts, my private profiles, and the local news outlets simultaneously. I m
Jeremiah’s POV“The garage cameras are a total wash,” Mr. Shawne said. The property manager looked like he hadn't slept in days. He stared at the floor while he gave me the news. “There is zero footage of her car in the parking structure. But the main gate is a different story. We have her Lexus on video. It pulled in at exactly 8:47 PM.”I felt a cold weight settle in my chest. I kept my face blank, but my pulse was racing. “So you are telling me a car entered a gated community, drove past a dozen lenses, and then just blinked out of existence?”Mr. Shawne wiped sweat from his forehead. “It looks that way. However, we found something else. A black Chevy left the garage at 9:45 PM last night. The driver used something to block the license plate from the overhead scanners.”I didn't wait for him to finish. I turned toward Benedict, who was already deep into the system. “Someone got into the feed.







