Jaxon knelt on one knee in front of him, his large figure filling the room and shadows hanging to his jaw's hard features. He whispered softly, "You don't have to be scared anymore." His voice had a steady, heavy weight. Simeon's lips shook. The room was quiet for a long time. Then, in a voice so faint it almost shattered, he said, "Dad." The air became cold. Mimi's palm rushed to her mouth, and tears fell before she could stop them. The word lingered in her mind: fragile, unproven, and heavier than any promise she had ever heard. Jaxon's chest went up quickly. For a moment, the tough man appeared like he was going to fall apart, as if the ground had moved beneath him. He stretched out, and his fingers shook as it touched the boy's shoulder. "You mean that?" His voice broke, without warning. Simeon nodded, and a small smile broke through. "Yeah... Dad." Mimi couldn't help but cry then, shielding her face as the sound of that word—so normal, so awful—washed over her. Jaxon's mo
He said, "Mimi," his voice rough. "We've made it through Damon. We have fought through every darkness he left behind. I can't— He stopped himself and moved closer. His hand stroked hers, shaking yet firm. "I can't go another day without making this clear." She turned, her eyes wide and her lips parted, but no sound came out. He knelt down, the city gleaming behind him. His dark suit was wrinkled, and his face was bare. He took a tiny package out of his pocket. The diamond inside sparkled like a piece of fire. "Get married to me." Not because it's safe or because the world demands it, but because I'll stand by you, fight with you, and love you until we've burned every ghost between us. Her throat got constricted. Tears filled her eyes, making it hard to see the guy who had helped her through storms. "Jaxon..." Her voice broke, and her body shook. "We've already lost so much." "What if it happens again?" He stood up and held her face in his rough hands. "Then we both lose. But I'll
"Mrs. Cross," the prosecutor's voice rang, "tell the court what you witnessed inside CrossCorp." Her throat was tight, but she made herself speak in a calm voice. "I saw them make up paperwork. I observed accounts emptied out into banks in other countries. Damon planned everything, but James—she hesitated for a moment—James made it happen. He ignored every warning and every request to quit. People in the gallery gasped. Mimi's comments hit like stones, heavy and irrefutable. "Did you talk to him?" "I begged him," she murmured, her voice breaking with the memories. "He said it was for survival." But greed took over survival. And greed turned into ruin. James eventually looked up, his eyes crimson around the edges, begging her without saying a word. Mimi's chest hurt, but she didn't move. The lawyer for the defence jumped up. "Objection, Your Honour!" Emotional guesswork. "She's making herself out to be a moral saint while tearing down her husband to get back at him." The judge's
"James Moreau," the head officer yelled, "you are under arrest for embezzlement and corporate fraud." Get up and put your hands where we can see them. James' throat got tight. He had always been arrogant in meetings, and his fine suits and sharp look were enough to make board members shut up. His power faded like smoke tonight. “This isn’t necessary,” he tried, his tone harsh. "You don't get it. I was trying to save CrossCorp, not ruin it." The officer's look was chilly. "Keep it for the courtroom." Mimi came into view from the door. Her body was exquisite yet tense with rage as they stared at each other. There was nothing soft about her face; it was just tiredness and honesty. He muttered, "Mimi," and the word sounded desperate. "You have to trust me." Damon cornered me. "I had no choice." She didn't move. She opened her mouth, but the stillness she gave him spoke louder than any allegation. She moved her face away slowly and on purpose, refusing him the mercy of her gaze. "Pl
"Do you think it's over?" He broke down, but the sneer persisted. "Do you think killing me will stop this?" "Stop talking," Mimi whispered in a low voice, although she was quite angry. "You've hurt enough people." Damon chuckled, but it sounded fake. A cough that sprayed red all over his chin shattered the silence. His hair, which used to be sleek, now adhered to his temples in a moist way, and the broken lighting of the casino made his skin look ghostly. "You'll never be free," he said in a curiously serene voice, as if he had been rehearsing what he was going to say for a long time. "You'll see me everywhere: in the dark, in their eyes, and in your dreams." You have my curse. "That's enough!" Jaxon's voice burst through, full of rage. He moved forward with his fists clenched, but Mimi raised a hand to stop him. "No, Jaxon," she said softly, staring right at Damon. "Let him speak." Let him die by what he says. Damon's breath stuck in his throat, and his chest rose and sank agai
"On your knees, Mimi," Damon growled, his voice silky as velvet but sharp as iron. "Give up now, or she dies screaming." Mimi's chest rose and fell. Her eyes went back and forth between Damon's nasty smirk and Lyra's big, scared eyes. "You don't have to do this," she said, but her voice shook. "Let her go." I'll give you what you want. James moved behind them. His palms were sweaty on the gun, which felt heavy and strange in his hand. For years, Damon had controlled every move he made, and his failures were like puppet strings. But the strings burned tonight. "Don't," Mimi murmured forcefully, even though she hadn't turned around. "I have to," James said, more to himself than anyone else. Every beat of his heart felt like an accusation. You put them here. Now get them out. Damon laughed and stroked Lyra's cheek as if he cared. "Men who are weak break up families." "Strong men own them." James's mind broke. He raised the rifle higher, and even though his voice was breaking, it co