Lahat ng Kabanata ng wounded Heart : Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

The Rodriguez authentication system murmured with completion as Alex stared at his father, the revelation about his neural implant still reverberating through him like an aftershock. Security protocols bathed the banking hall in pulsing blue light, casting long shadows across faces he thought he knew. "What exactly did you put inside me?" Alex demanded, his voice dangerously calm. Beside him, Sonia's presence was the only thing preventing him from lunging at his father. "How long have I been carrying something I never consented to?" Carlos's refined features betrayed nothing, a lifetime of corporate warfare having perfected his mask. "A safeguard. One that's kept you alive without your knowledge." "That's not an answer," Sonia interrupted, her fingers tightening protectively around Alex's. "Not the kind he deserves." Geneva stepped forward, her Rodríguez elegance momentarily eclipsed by genuine maternal concern. "The enhancement contains a quantum encryption key," she explaine

"Global markets in freefall as Rodriguez Protocol implementation continues its cascade." The news broadcast flickered across the safehouse's secured screens, financial analysts worldwide struggling to explain the unprecedented collapse. Eighteen hours since Protocol activation. Seventeen hours since Alex Rodriguez had become the most vilified name in financial history. Alex watched the chaos unfold from the underground facility's command center, his expression unreadable as trillions in market value evaporated with each passing hour. Beside him, Sonia monitored secondary communications networks, tracking Visentin response patterns with tactical precision. "They're mobilizing resources faster than we anticipated," she observed, her fingers dancing across secure interfaces with enhanced efficiency. "Private security forces are being deployed to financial centers across three continents." "Not looking for us," Alex noted, billionaire perception cutting through tactical noise. "Th

The broadcast booth lights burned against Alex's face as he stared into the camera lens, disconnected from the billions watching worldwide. His reflection in the glass revealed a man he barely recognized—composed, controlled, the quintessential CEO addressing market catastrophe with appropriate gravity. A perfect mask concealing perfect betrayal. "The actions taken by Carlos Rodriguez represent a fundamental violation of the principles upon which Rodriguez Technologies was built," he stated, billionaire authority flowing with practiced precision. "As interim CEO, I am committed to transparent cooperation with regulatory authorities to mitigate market impact and protect stakeholder interests during this unprecedented crisis." The script unfolded exactly as composed—the intentional denouncement of his father crafted for maximum credibility. The reasonable Rodriguez heir distancing himself from Carlos's destructive Protocol implementation while positioning for market confidence res

The blue glow of the neural interface center cast shadows across Sonia's face as Alex studied her—not with his enhanced perception, but with the raw vulnerability that had defined their relationship from the beginning. Despite the impending crisis and Geneva's revelation, he found himself drawn to the curve of her lips, the determination in her eyes. "Are you certain about this?" he whispered, close enough that only she could hear. "We can still walk away." Sonia's fingers found his, intertwining with intimate familiarity that transcended their neural connection. "Since when does the great Alexander Rodriguez consider retreat?" she teased, though her eyes betrayed deeper emotion. "Since what's at stake became more than legacy or wealth," he admitted, billionaire facade momentarily abandoned. "Since you." Geneva cleared her throat, noble impatience cutting through their moment. "If you've finished with sentimentality, perhaps we could address the imminent threat to neural auton

The Banking Commission building loomed before them, but Alex found himself studying Sonia's face instead of the imposing architecture. Her determined expression, the subtle tension in her jaw—she was preparing for battle, yet all he could think about was how desperately he wanted to protect her from his family's machinations. "Once we walk in there," he murmured, catching her hand before she could reach for the door, "everything changes. Us. The company. My family." Sonia's eyes softened as she turned to him. "Are you having second thoughts?" "About us? Never." He brought her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss against her palm. "About dragging you into the Rodriguez civil war? Every minute." She stepped closer, close enough that he could feel her heartbeat unifying with his through their enhanced connection. "I chose this, Alex. I chose you—over position, over security, over everything." The Commission chamber felt like a chessboard as they entered, each figure positioned wit