Chapter 62

Three days after Sarah's capture, Agent Martinez came to our house with news that made my blood run cold."We have a problem. Sarah wasn't working alone.""What do you mean?" Dominic asked, pulling me closer on the couch."The prison escape was funded by someone on the outside. Someone with serious money and international connections.""Who?""We're not sure yet. But Sarah had help from a criminal organization that specializes in breaking people out of prison for the right price.""Why would anyone pay to help Sarah escape?"Agent Martinez looked uncomfortable. "Because someone wanted you dead, Mrs. Rossi. Sarah was just the weapon."My heart stopped. "Who would want me dead?""We think it's connected to your business restructuring. When you cleaned up the Moretti operations, you cost some very dangerous people a lot of money.""The old partners," Dominic realized. "The ones we cut ties with.""Exactly. Viktor Kozlov, specifically. He ran arms through Moretti shipping for twenty years

Last Updated : 2025-09-13

Chapter 63

Six months after Kozlov's arrest, I woke up to something I hadn't heard in years: complete silence.No federal agents outside our door. No security briefings. No emergency phones ringing in the middle of the night.Just peace."Good morning, beautiful," Dominic said, bringing me coffee. "Sleep well?""Like the dead." I paused. "Sorry. Poor choice of words.""Actually, it's the perfect choice of words. All our enemies are dead or locked up forever. We can finally sleep like normal people."The twins thundered into our bedroom, jumping on the bed with their usual morning energy."Daddy! Mama! Can we have pancakes?" Solana asked."Please?" Kai added, giving me his most charming smile."Of course, babies. Let's go make breakfast."As we headed downstairs, I marveled at how normal everything felt. The house was quiet except for family sounds. No bodyguards, no security systems beeping, no one watching our every move."Agent Martinez called yesterday," Dominic said as he mixed pancake batte

Last Updated : 2025-09-14

Chapter 64

One year after the last threat was eliminated, I stood in the boardroom of the newly renamed Rossi International, looking out at the New York skyline. The company that had once laundered money and trafficked weapons now built hospitals and funded schools."The quarterly reports are in," Dominic said, spreading papers across the conference table. "All divisions showing record profits.""Even the clean energy subsidiary?" I asked."Especially the clean energy. Turns out, solar panels are way more profitable than arms dealing."Marcus walked in with coffee and a stack of foundation reports. He'd become our unofficial coordinator between the business and charitable sides."The London office just rescued a family of five from a domestic violence situation," he announced. "The Sydney office prevented three honor killings this month. And Toronto helped twelve women disappear safely from trafficking rings.""That's incredible.""It gets better. We just got approval to open offices in Berlin,

Last Updated : 2025-09-14

Chapter 65

eleven month into our marriage, I woke up on a Saturday morning to the sound of laughter echoing through the house. Real, carefree laughter that would have been impossible just a few years ago."Daddy, you're silly!" Solana's voice drifted up from the kitchen."Mama! Come see what Daddy made!" Kai called out.I padded downstairs in my robe to find my family in the middle of what looked like a pancake war. Dominic had flour in his hair, the twins were covered in syrup, and there were pancakes shaped like animals cooling on every surface."What happened in here?" I asked, trying not to laugh."Daddy tried to make pancake elephants," Solana explained seriously. "But they look more like blobs.""Hey!" Dominic protested. "That's clearly an elephant trunk.""That's a pancake blob, Daddy," Kai said, patting his father's arm sympathetically.I burst out laughing. This was my life now. Pancake blobs and syrup disasters and a husband who tried to make Saturday mornings magical for our kids."We

Last Updated : 2025-09-16

Chapter 66

Marcus arrived at Sunday dinner with flowers and a nervous smile. That was unusual enough, but what really caught my attention was the woman beside him."Everyone," Marcus said as we gathered in the dining room, "I'd like you to meet Dr. Elena Vasquez."She was beautiful in a quiet, intelligent way. Dark hair pulled back simply, kind eyes behind glasses, a gentle smile as she shook hands with everyone."Elena works at the children's hospital," Marcus continued. "She's the head of pediatric cardiology.""Nice to meet you," Elena said softly. "Marcus has told me so much about all of you.""All good things, I hope," Dominic said with a grin."Mostly good things," she replied, which made everyone laugh.I watched Marcus throughout dinner, and I'd never seen him like this. Attentive without being possessive. Proud without being boastful. He listened when Elena spoke, laughed at her stories, looked at her like she was precious."How did you two meet?" my father asked."Through the foundatio

Last Updated : 2025-09-17

Chapter 67

Marcus and Elena's wedding took place in our garden three months later, surrounded by cherry blossoms and family from three countries."I've never seen so many Guatemalans in New York," Bola laughed as Elena's brothers arrived with their wives and children."Or so many reformed criminals in one place," Uncle Antonio added, gesturing toward the Moretti side of the family."Reformed being the key word," I pointed out.Elena looked radiant in her simple white dress, her grandmother's lace veil, and a smile that could light up the city. Marcus couldn't stop staring at her like he couldn't believe she was real."You clean up nice," I told him as he adjusted his tie for the hundredth time."I'm nervous.""Good nervous or bad nervous?""The best nervous. The kind that means you're about to have everything you ever dreamed of.""She loves you, Marcus. Really loves you.""I know. And I love her the same way you love Dominic. All the way, forever, no matter what.""That's the only way to love."