Semua Bab Love Under Fire: Bab 121 - Bab 130

NancyThe hospital was freezing, cold like Bruce's indifference. The white, almost clinical walls reflected the intense light of the chandeliers, creating an environment devoid of any welcome. The rhythmic and constant sound of monitoring machines filled the space, accompanying the firm and hurried steps of nurses and doctors who walked through the corridors. I remained lying motionless on that bed, pretending that the sedatives were still taking effect. But, of course, that wasn't the case. I was fully aware. I heard every detail around me—every sigh, every muffled conversation. It was a necessary act. I knew what I needed to do, and part of that required Bruce to believe I was the obedient wife he always wanted. The one who didn't question, who accepted her decisions without thinking twice. I heard the hospital room door open with a subtle creak, and Bruce's heavy footsteps entered the room. He wasted no time greeting the doctors or thanking them for their care. For him, these peo

NancyThe phone only rang twice, and before I could process it, Amber's worried voice broke out on the other end, high-pitched and almost shrill. "Mom, are you okay? Please tell me you're okay!" Amber asked, her voice filled with palpable concern, the tension almost boiling over. "I just saw the news... They said Dad ran away. What's going on? You need to tell me everything!"I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm amidst the whirlwind of emotions. "Amber, honey, I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me. Things have gotten a little... complicated, but I'm handling it all, I promise." My words were sincere, but I knew they were far from conveying the gravity of the situation."Complicated? Mom, this is much more than complicated! He's being hunted by the police! Don't you think it's better to come to New York? You can stay here with me and Peter. I can't rest easy knowing you're there alone. We can take care of you, I promise!” The concern in her voice was genuine, and I could f

HaraldI'm standing in front of the mirror, trying to straighten my tie, but my fingers are shaking. No matter how much I try to stay calm, anxiety grows inside me. Today, I will testify in court. I was summoned not as a simple citizen but as Harald Morton, son of Charles Morton and brother of Bruce Morton, two figures who, to me, represent everything that is wrong with the world.I look at my reflection and try to convince myself that I'm prepared, but the truth is that I've never been so lost. Likewise, I, the renegade son, the one who was expelled and ignored by his own family, am now the only visible face of the Mortons. My father is dead, my brother is gone, and here I am, the last Morton, as if their curse has fallen upon me. I feel as if the weight of all this family's crimes and shame is about to crush my shoulders."You don't have to do this," I murmur, not looking away from the mirror, as if I'm trying to convince myself.I hear footsteps behind me, and before I can prepare

HaraldJake Gardner told his story with an intensity that set the surrounding air on fire. I had already known, in part, what he was going to say, but hearing it from his own mouth was much more brutal than I could have imagined. He started with the name that made me cringe in my seat: Henry Gardner. Jake's father. A man who, twenty years ago, had tried to do what no one else had the courage to do—challenge the Mortons"My father," Jake began, his voice firm but filled with deep pain, "was a partner at Morton Enterprise for a short time. He had believed he was part of something big, a company that brought progress. But everything changed when he realized the dirt behind the transactions. He discovered... things. Corruption, fraud, and extortion.The mention of his father's name brought a suffocating weight to the room. The words weighed heavily on me. I had heard of this story before—fragments scattered over the years, whispers of rumors that my family had always tried to stifle. But

HaraldI had gone into the bathroom, alone, and looked at myself in the mirror. My face looked different, more tired, as if the weight of all the recent events had finally begun to be reflected physically on me. The encounter with Jake Gardner and his mother still remained fresh in my mind. It had been a tense, difficult conversation, filled with hurt, guilt and, somehow, a thread of hope that I still couldn't quite identify. What I had done—that attempt to apologize, was the least I could do, but it didn't erase everything my family had caused over the decades. Still, as strange as it seemed, a small relief was beginning to wash over me. Maybe, finally, my family's victims were starting to receive some form of justice.I sighed as I washed my hands, letting the water run for longer than necessary, as if that could purify something beyond the physical. I wanted to wash away all the guilt and all the dirt that the Morton name carried, but I knew that wasn't possible. Likewise, I spent