Lahat ng Kabanata ng wounded Heart : Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

The Rodriguez private jet cut through clouds over the Mediterranean, its sleek form a silver needle against the darkening sky. Inside the luxurious cabin, Alex studied the message on Sonia's phone for the third time, each word a calculated weapon aimed at the fragile trust between them."She's playing mind games," James said, holstering his weapon as the pilot announced their approach to Monaco. "Claire excels at psychological warfare."Alex looked at Sonia, who sat across from him, her gaze fixed on the distant coastline glittering below. Her composure remained intact, but he recognized the subtle tension in her shoulders—the same tension she'd displayed during high-stakes negotiations."What do you think?" he asked her quietly.Sonia turned to face him, her eyes clear and direct. "I think Claire wouldn't have sent that message unless she was worried. We must be on the right track with Genesis."James raised an eyebrow, impressed despite himself. "Most people would be questioning the

The first rays of dawn filtered through the reinforced windows of the Rodriguez villa's east wing. Alex stood alone in the makeshift command center they'd established after securing the property, his reflection ghostly in the darkened monitor screens. Six hours had passed since Genesis deployed. Six hours since Sonia had revealed who she truly was.The daughter of Franco Martinez. The man who had threatened to expose his family's corruption. The whistleblower who'd been silenced.He rubbed his eyes, exhaustion setting in after the adrenaline crash. Behind him, the door opened with a soft click."Security perimeter is holding," James reported, his voice carefully neutral. "Geneva's been moved to the guesthouse under guard. Her phone and all communication devices have been confiscated."Alex nodded without turning. "And her security team?""The loyal ones are confined to the west wing. The mercenaries scattered once their payment transfers were blocked by Genesis."A moment of silence s

For ten excruciating seconds, Alex and Sonia remained locked in a silent standoff as the security console flashed urgent warnings. The Swiss account access attempt continued, each passing moment potentially hemorrhaging decades of Rodriguez secrets to unknown entities."Your choice, Alex," Sonia said, her voice steady despite the tension radiating from her body. "Trust me now or lose everything your father tried to protect."James moved closer. "She could be working with whoever's in Zürich.""If I wanted to betray you," Sonia countered without breaking eye contact with Alex, "I wouldn't need this dramatic setup."Alex's photographic memory flashed through every interaction with Sonia, searching for inconsistencies, for tells, for anything that might reveal deception. What he found instead were moments of vulnerability that no trained operative would willingly expose. The night she'd fallen asleep against his shoulder after working thirty-six hours straight. The genuine shock on her f

The Gulfstream's engines hummed at cruising altitude, the cabin lights dimmed to accommodate the night flight to Singapore. James had retreated to the cockpit to confer with the pilots, leaving Alex and Sonia alone in the main cabin, the revelation of her connection to his parents hanging in the air between them."How long have you known?" Alex finally asked, his voice barely audible over the engine noise.Sonia's fingers trembled slightly as she smoothed an invisible wrinkle from her skirt. "I didn't. Not consciously." She met his gaze with unflinching directness. "The memories were embedded in the neural implant—encrypted until triggered by specific circumstances.""My mother placed you in my life." It wasn't a question but a statement laden with all the complex emotions he felt—betrayal, confusion, and beneath it all, a stubborn, irrational hope that what had grown between them was real despite its manufactured beginnings."She orchestrated our meeting," Sonia acknowledged. "But ev

Carlos Rodriguez stood framed in the aircraft doorway, sunlight casting his silhouette in dramatic relief. His once jet-black hair was now threaded with silver, his face more lined than Alex remembered, but his eyes retained their penetrating intensity—the same eyes that had evaluated business rivals and wayward children with equal analytical precision."Father," Alex acknowledged, instinctively stepping slightly in front of Sonia in a protective gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Carlos.A thin smile crossed the elder Rodriguez's face. "Interesting," he murmured, his gaze shifting to their interlaced fingers before returning to Alex's face. "Some variables can never be fully predicted, it seems.""Even by you?" Alex challenged, years of complicated emotions—admiration, resentment, grief, and now confusion—surging within him."Especially by me." Carlos gestured toward the waiting vehicles on the tarmac. "We don't have much time. Geneva's people will be tracking this conversation."Ja