LOGINSofia threw her arms around Matthew in a panic as tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. "Matthew!"The speedboat raced to shore at full speed. Matthew was rushed to the nearest hospital and taken straight into surgery.During the long wait, an elderly butler from the Anderson family arrived. Seeing how despondent Sofia looked, he spoke softly."Mr. Anderson was worried about you the whole time. When he found out you hadn't gone home and had gone to Dunmere Harbor instead, he sensed something was wrong and headed there with his men immediately. "Mr. Anderson's feelings for you are genuine. If he makes it through this, could you… give him a chance?"Sofia's emotions were a tangled mess.After what felt like forever, the surgery light finally went out. The doctor stepped out. "The surgery was a success. We removed the bullet, and it didn't hit any vital organs. However, the patient lost too much blood and still needs to be monitored. He's in good physical condition, so he sh
A series of gunshots erupted through the battered cargo ship.Sofia instinctively dove to the side, rolled behind a stack of cargo crates, and returned fire.Her aim was deadly accurate, and every shot drew a scream from one of the attackers. But she was badly outnumbered, and she was burning through her ammunition quickly.She rolled again, taking cover behind an iron winch, and realized that her magazine was empty.When she stopped firing, a smug, twisted grin spread across Antonio's face. "Agent Marino, you're out of bullets, aren't you? Why bother resisting? If you come out obediently, I might give you a quick death," he called out.Scattered footsteps began to close in cautiously on her hiding spot from several directions.Sofia leaned against the cold metal wall and breathed carefully. The gunshot wound on her right arm throbbed with searing pain, and blood had already soaked through her shirt. She knew she had run out of options.Suddenly, a blinding white searchlight cut
On the way to the airport, Sofia rubbed her temples. The thought of seeing her loving grandmother, Beatrice Gallo, eased some of the tension in her.Sofia had lost both parents as a child, and Beatrice had raised her ever since. Beatrice was her only family and the person closest to her in the world.Before boarding, she pulled out her phone and called Beatrice. She spoke playfully, a tone she rarely used. "Grandma, I'm about to get on the plane. I'll be there soon! Save me a piece of cake. I want the one with the most frosting."But instead of Beatrice's familiar laugh, a low, icy male voice came through the phone. "Agent Marino, if you want to save your grandma, come to Dunmere Harbor. Come alone and don't try anything stupid. Her life is in your hands."At the mention of Dunmere Harbor, Sofia's heart missed a beat. This wasn't an ordinary kidnapping. Someone was seeking revenge.…The harbor in the dead of night was dark and still. A salty sea wind swept in from all sides. In
After Matthew left, Sofia's life returned to its usual routine. Aurelio took this as a promising sign. He began traveling frequently between Norvale and Ashborne, repeating the same tactics he had used to pursue her years ago.This time, however, Sofia walked past him without any expression whenever he tried to please her. Occasionally, when she grew annoyed by his persistence, she would say flatly, "Mr. Bianchi, have some self-respect."Before long, it was Sofia's birthday.Aurelio had begun planning for it a week in advance. He reserved an entire revolving restaurant at the top of a skyscraper in Ashborne overlooking Lake Arden, had rare flowers flown in, and ordered expensive custom-made jewelry as a gift.On the day of her birthday, Aurelio waited outside her office building early. He wore a perfectly tailored suit and held a large, striking bouquet of red roses.When Sofia came out and saw him, she immediately frowned. She turned to leave, but he blocked her path.He softe
When Aurelio woke up in the hospital room, thick bandages covered his head, and his face was pale. But with the fever gone, his eyes were sharper than ever.When he saw Sofia keeping watch by his bedside, he said bluntly, "I'm going to sue him."Sofia's heart sank. She knew Aurelio wasn't bluffing. Matthew worked in public service and was only at the start of his career. A criminal charge, regardless of the outcome, would be enough to drag him through the mud and ruin his future.She kept her voice steady and tried to reason with him. "Aurelio, what happened last night was an accident. You had a fever and lost control first. Matthew was only acting in self-defense."Aurelio cut her off, his gaze fixed on her. "Whether it was an accident isn't for you to decide. I can give him a chance, or I can… destroy him."The air in the hospital room went still."What would it take for you to let him go?" she asked directly.Aurelio's Adam's apple moved as he swallowed, and a trace of long
That night, Sofia deliberately worked until 1:00 am, but Matthew was still waiting for her. The two of them walked back to Sofia's apartment in silence beneath the pale moonlight and swaying sycamore trees.Sofia sighed. "Why do you bother?"Matthew didn't answer. His gaze shifted past her toward the apartment building. A familiar figure leaned against the entrance.It was Aurelio. He was wearing a thin jacket, trembling slightly in the late winter wind. His cheeks were flushed an alarming shade of red, yet his eyes burned with an unsettling intensity.The moment he saw Sofia, Aurelio rushed over and grabbed her arm, his palm burning hot. "Sofia! I've been waiting for you for a long time. There's something I need to tell you. I know everything about the baby now. I was a bastard. I—"Sofia frowned, sensing from his temperature that he was running a fever. "Let go. We have nothing left to say to each other, Aurelio. If you're sick, go see a doctor. Stop bothering me."Aurelio was







