Semua Bab Love's Redemption: Bab 651 - Bab 660

Nate left the hospital with Lena, and she just assumed they were headed for a hotel. But as soon as they got in the car, he asked, "Mind if we go to your place instead?"Lena blinked, caught off guard. "You're just trying to see if there's some guy at my place, aren't you?""Nope," he said.She rolled her eyes. 'Sure, Jan. Guys and their fragile egos.'Before she could call him out, he added, "I just don't want to be treated like every other guy."Lena froze. Well, that shut her up.So, yeah—she caved and brought him back to her apartment.Her place wasn't exactly Grand Central Station; aside from her parents and Keira, no one ever stopped by. Not like she had anything to hide anyway.When they got upstairs, she unlocked the door but didn't step inside. Instead, she threw her arms around Nate's neck. Barefoot now, she realized how much shorter she was. Standing on her tiptoes didn't help much either.Frustrated, she commanded, "Pick me up."Nate obliged. He lifted her easily

Nate finally brought it up. Lena had thought about it before, so when he asked her now, she didn't even hesitate with her answer."What about you? Why not come back and work here?" she countered instead.Nate stilled for a moment. "I can't right now."He didn't offer an explanation, and Lena didn't push. Instead, she said, "I don't want to move overseas."That was the end of it. Sensing her mood dip, Nate pulled her close. "I'll apply to come back next year.""Okay," Lena murmured, her eyes fluttering shut."You get some rest. I'll take a quick shower," Nate said, getting up and heading to the bathroom.Lena opened her eyes but didn't move, staring blankly at the ceiling. She'd always thought long-distance relationships were no big deal, but now she knew just how exhausting they could be.Suddenly, Nate's phone buzzed. Lena glanced at the screen, spotting the name. "Nate, it's Retta," she called out."Answer it," Nate replied casually from the bathroom, his tone completely unf

I'd been here once before with Jace for some business thing. Back then, it gave off major upscale corporate vibes.But after hearing Demi's take? Yeah, I realized I'd been way too naive.Blending in here was key. Rolling in like a clueless tourist? Total no-go. So, I stuck with the same routine I'd used at that bar.Where there were women offering "questionable services," there were usually guys doing the same.I'd already scoped out "young hunks" before, so asking again wouldn't raise any red flags. Even if the Drago family heard about it, they'd probably shrug it off like, 'Sounds about right.'Sometimes, the best covers just fall into your lap.I booked a private room and waved over a server. "I'm looking for... services. Preferably someone handsome," I said casually.The server didn't blink. "I'm sorry, Miss. We don't provide those kinds of services here. If you want someone to serve drinks, I can arrange that."Locked down tight. Every shady detail buried so deep it barely

I grabbed Wayne's collar and yanked him down, locking eyes with him as I slurred, "Hayden, you finally showed up... You jerk. What took you so long?"His face hardened, and his grip on my wrist tightened. "Rea, you're drunk. I'm not Hayden.""No, you are Hayden," I said, tracing the curve of his brow with my finger. "You've changed. You don't love me anymore... You left me..."If there's one thing men can't stand, it's being someone else's substitute. And for Wayne, who'd always had feelings for me? My words were like twisting a knife straight into his heart.Pain shot through my shoulder as he pinched it, giving me a small shake. "Look at me. Who am I?"I stared at him for a beat, then let my lips quiver as I broke into full-on sobbing."Hayden, you're such a jerk!" I wailed, tears streaming. "You're the worst! Why are you bullying me?"Tears: the ultimate trump card. Like clockwork, Wayne's grip on my shoulder loosened.I threw a few weak punches at his chest, more for show t

So, who could I actually turn to for help in exposing the Drago family's shady business?Yara came to mind first, but she was a Drago.She had a strong sense of justice and used to work alongside Hayden, but with him gone, I doubted she'd lift a finger to help me now. The Drago family was her bloodline, her safety net. I couldn't see her betraying them, no matter how noble she once seemed.Then there was Sasha. She'd told me before how much she hated Thorsten, but after the way she stabbed me in the back last time, trusting her again would be delulu. If anything, she'd sell me out before I got a word in.After running through every option, I came up empty. But the Drago family's operation needed to be stopped. This wasn't just about avenging my parents anymore—it was about saving the countless women they'd exploited and destroyed.Demi's story hadn't been detailed, but it was enough to reveal a twisted pattern.The Dragos had created an insidious network. They groomed men like De