All Chapters of Belonging to Lockhart: Chapter 181 - Chapter 189

THERON POV I stood before the oversized wall screen, its digital map illuminated in stark white and crimson. Each red dot burned like a wound every one marking a sighting of Chun Kit’s men. Outposts. Safehouses. Or worse, gathering points for whatever endgame he had in motion. Today’s war council was held at Lazaro’s base in his office, no less. A place that typically saw fewer than two dozen occupants now brimmed with over two hundred. The shift in energy was palpable. We could all feel it. Chun Kit was preparing for his final blow, and if we wanted to survive it, we’d have to hit first. Hard. The door opened behind me. Jorren Verrill entered with a clipped nod, giving Lazaro, Renzo, and me a curt smile before joining me by the screen. His eyes swept the map before he murmured, “Good to see you alive, Lockhart.” “Good to be breathing,” I replied with a dry twist of my lips. Lazaro pushed himself up from the desk and approached us, his expression unreadable. “I hope you le

AMARIS POV My body trembled as I stared at Zhenhai. His expression was unreadable, as always. Was he bluffing? Improvising under pressure? Or had he just chosen to disregard the deal we made? “You bastard,” I breathed, every word coated in disbelief and betrayal. Zhenhai’s lips curled into a cold, deliberate smirk. “We both know Theron would do anything to get you and the baby back alive. Let’s make him believe he still has a chance.” Chun Kit turned to me then, his expression twisting with sick amusement before he burst into a revolting laugh. “Shall we let history repeat itself?” he said, eyes gleaming. “Should I have him pay a generous sum before I slit your throat? That would be poetic, wouldn’t it? Like father, like son. Jareth Lockhart thought he was saving his brother. I imagine his son will pay just as willingly.” A shiver ran the length of my spine, and tears stung my eyes. I didn’t even know if Theron was still conscious none of us did. But this... this mig

Three Hours Earlier After meticulously comparing the coordinates with the architectural plans Manny had uncovered, we pressed deeper into the forest, following Zhenhai’s instructions step by step. We scaled a narrow hill and then we saw it. A ten-foot-high fence, coiled with barbed wire, loomed ahead. Watchtowers framed its corners like sentinels from a nightmare. “Son of a bitch,” Renzo muttered, stunned by the sight. His eyes swept across the fortified compound. “I’ve seen maximum-security prisons with less protection.” My mouth tightened into a hard line. “Well, at least now we know the tunnels are our only way in.” I reached out to Lazaro and the teams combing the other areas, updating them on our find. Then I glanced at my watch and nausea coiled in my gut. We had less than twenty minutes left. And that was only if Chun Kit played by his own rules. A sick part of me knew better. He could kill Ami any second before that. Panic clawed through my chest. I had to g

AMARIS POV Theron hadn’t taken my decision well. He’d spent hours trying to talk me out of it, but I’d already made peace with what needed to be done. There was no other way to end this. Since my primary physician had outright refused to discharge me, my team relocated into my hospital room, setting up computers and equipment around the bed. Theron brought me a laptop tray so I could work while lying down. Technically, I wasn’t violating doctor's orders at least not completely. In just two days, we’d expanded Panora’s reach by over fifty new sites, focusing on private airstrips, marinas, and train terminals. One by one, we tapped into any traffic camera within range. With each feed added, Panora’s network stretched farther, tightening the net. Still, it wasn’t enough to find Chun Kit. "Zhenhai should be helping us hunt his old boss," Romilly muttered, her eyes fixed on her monitor. I exhaled slowly. “Zhenhai’s done enough. He took his mother and left. They deserve a chance t

"Daddy!" Tamsin sprinted across the airport terminal, arms outstretched like wings. "Tammy!" Theron's laugh echoed as he caught her mid-run, sweeping her into his arms and twirling her around. Naturally, my daughter paid me no attention. The moment her father appeared, it was as if I had vanished into thin air her loyalty clearly switched. She clung to him like a baby kangaroos, little arms fastened tightly around his neck as he walked toward me. "I missed you," he murmured, dipping his head to kiss me softly. "I missed you too," I whispered back. For the rest of the evening and long into the hour after dinner Tamsin remained attached to her father, recounting every moment of his absence with animated gestures and endless excitement. Not surprisingly, she left out the incident involving a bottle of pink glitter and Sunniva’s hair. The heartwarming Daddy-you’re-my-whole-world phase ended the instant Renzo and Seren arrived. "Uncle Renzo!" she squealed, launching hers