All Chapters of The Heart Never Forgets: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

From my spot on the bridge, I watched the flames dance on the surface of the harbor.My heart stopped. I felt like someone had reached into my chest and squeezed the life out of me. My legs felt like they had turned into lead, and I had to grip the railing just to keep from collapsing. The metal was cold and wet, biting into my palms."Daniel," I whispered, the name disappearing into the wind. I stood there for what felt like hours, but it was probably only minutes. I saw the headlights of more cars approaching the docks, the blue and red lights beginning to swirl in the distance.I didn't wait to see if the police arrived. I couldn't. If Pierce’s men saw me there, I’d be next. I turned and ran, my bare feet stinging as they hit the cold pavement. Every step was a jolt of pain, but I welcomed it.It was better than the numbness in my chest. I found a tiny, run-down motel on the edge of the docks, the kind of place that didn't ask for an ID if you had enough crumpled bills. The carpet

The revelation about my father sat in my stomach like a piece of cold lead.I stumbled out of Marcus’s safe house, my bare feet hitting the wet pavement, but I didn't even feel the stones cutting into my skin.My mother, the woman who had tried to save the world from Pierce, had been betrayed by the man who was supposed to be her protector. Every memory of my father tucked me in at night or teaching me to ride a bike felt like a lie. It was a poison spreading through my blood.I made it back to my miserable motel room just as the first streaks of gray morning light bled through the grime on the window. The room was freezing, the air smelling of old dust and the cheap soap I’d used to scrub the city’s filth off my arms. I sat on the edge of the bed, my body vibrating with a bone-deep exhaustion, yet my mind was a screaming whirlwind.Then, the burner phone in my lap gave a sharp, sudden chirp.My heart didn't just beat; it lunged. I snatched it up, my thumb nearly slipping on the plast

For the first time in weeks, I wasn't just scared. I felt a spark of hope. It was a strong, sharp feeling of victory that tasted like cold metal and electricity.I felt the weight of the micro-drive in my pocket, the sharp corner of the plastic pressing into my thigh with every step. I had done it.I had survived the shadows, the motels, and the suffocating silence. Tonight, the world would finally know the truth. Tonight, Pierce would fall, and Daniel would be free to walk back into the sunlight.I stepped into the café. It was nearly empty, smelling of stale coffee and burnt toast. A woman sat in a corner booth, a laptop open in front of her. She was older, with sharp, intelligent eyes and a silver streak in her dark hair that made her look like she had seen everything and feared nothing.This was Sarah Vance, the woman who had brought down governors and dismantled cartels."Jane Riley?" she asked, her voice like sandpaper on silk. She did

The first line of the mob spilled inside.Their faces twisted, and their hands reached me. I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact of a hundred hands, a hundred feet. I thought of my mother. I thought of Daniel. I whispered a silent goodbye to a life that had turned into a nightmare.Suddenly, a hand – strong, calloused, and firm, clutched the collar of my jacket. I was wrenched backward so hard my head snapped. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. I was dragged across the floor, the cold marble biting into my palms, until I was pulled behind the heavy granite of the security desk."Stay down," a voice hissed.It was a low, raspy growl, muffled by a black tactical mask. The man was dressed in dark gear, smelling of salt, oil, and the sharp, metallic scent of rain. He didn't look at me. He kept his eyes on the mob as he reached over the counter and lobbed a small canister into the center of the lobby.Pshhhh.Thick, white smoke erupted, filling the room in seconds. The shouting t

Forty minutes. The number felt like a heavy stone sitting on my chest, making every breath a struggle. Daniel’s knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, his eyes scanning the rainy streets for any sign of a tail."We can't just give him the contract," I whispered, clutching the yellowed parchment in my lap. My fingers were shaking so badly I could hear the paper crinkling. "He’ll kill them anyway. He'll kill us all.""I know," Daniel said, his voice a low, steady rumble. He turned the car sharply, tires splashing through a deep puddle. "That’s why we’re not going to the warehouse yet. We need leverage. Something that scares Pierce more than a piece of paper."He pulled the car into a dark, narrow alley behind a nondescript glass building. It looked like any other office block in the city – boring, gray, and silent. But Daniel pointed to the top floor."That’s one of Pierce’s shell companies," he said, handing me a small, black electronic device. "My ghost network inside t