Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 31 - Chapitre 40

Amelia did not chase Lawson.That was the first decision she made—consciously, deliberately, and with effort that bordered on pain.She stood where she was, shoulder squared, expression calm, even as her heart pounded violently against her ribs. Around her, the gala buzzed back to life in uneasy fragments—whispers, murmurs, people pretending nothing monumental had just happened.Maxwell leaned closer, his voice low. “You saw him.”“Yes,” she replied, just as quietly.“Where did he go?”“Everywhere,” Amelia said. “And nowhere.”Maxwell’s jaw tightened. “We should leave.”“Not yet,” she said.He studied her face. “He messaged you.”She nodded.“What did he say?”Amelia hesitated for the briefest second. “That he wants me alone.”Maxwell stiffened. “No.”She turned slightly, meeting his eyes. “I said not yet. I didn’t say never.”Before he could respond, another reporter approached, emboldened now by the shock she’d delivered earlier.“Mrs. Reynolds,” the man said, microphone raised, “ar

Amelia did not scream.She did not slap him.She did not collapse.For one suspended second, the world narrowed to Lawson’s face—his mouth still curved in that cruel smile, his eyes glittering with satisfaction, like a man who had just struck the exact nerve he’d been searching for.Then she laughed.It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t hysterical. It was soft, incredulous, and sharp enough to slice through the room.Lawson frowned.“That’s your move?” she asked calmly. “A lie?”His smile faltered for less than a heartbeat. “Is it?”She stepped back, creating distance deliberately this time. “You told him something vague enough to poison doubt but weak enough to deny later. Classic you.”Lawson straightened, annoyance creeping into his expression. “You’re assuming too much.”“No,” Amelia said evenly. “I’m remembering.”She picked up her phone, thumbs steady despite the storm pounding in her chest. She didn’t look at Lawson as she typed.AMELIA: Don’t listen to him. I’m on my way.The reply came

Amelia didn’t scream.The sound died in her throat the moment she saw the bed.Empty.No tangled sheets. No warm body. No machines. Just a faint indentation where her father’s weight had been moments ago, and a single severed wire dangling uselessly from the wall.Her knees hit the floor before she realized she was falling.“No,” she whispered. “No… no… no…”Footsteps rushed around her. Voices overlapped. Medical staff. Security. Donald shouting orders somewhere behind her, his voice sharp but controlled. None of it reached her.All she could see was the empty bed.They didn’t take him to move him.They took him to erase him.“Amelia.”Donald was suddenly in front of her, crouching, gripping her shoulders. “Look at me.”She didn’t.“Amelia,” he said again, firmer. “You’re not allowed to shut down right now.”Her chest burned as she dragged in air. “He was here,” she said hoarsely. “I saw him. He spoke.”“I know,” Donald replied. “That means Lawson wanted you to see him alive.”She lau

The chaos of the blackout had barely settled when Amelia’s mind sharpened. She had survived Lawson’s psychological games countless times before, but this—what happened at the press conference—was different. The cameras had captured her every word, every defiance, and yet, the world didn’t yet know what had just unfolded behind the scenes. Lawson thought he had the upper hand, that Maxwell and her father were still in his control. But Amelia had a plan—a plan that required patience, precision, and deception sharper than any blade Lawson had ever wielded.Donald’s voice crackled urgently through her earpiece. “You have less than an hour before he realizes Maxwell escaped.”Amelia’s jaw tightened. “I know.” She adjusted her black coat, the evening chill brushing against her exposed wrists. The press conference venue was a fortress in itself, but the streets outside were crawling with cameras, both news and private. If she wasn’t careful, even Maxwell’s escape could be compromised.“Where

The phone slid from Amelia’s hand and hit the floor with a dull sound.“You killed the wrong Reynolds.”The words echoed in her head long after the call had ended. She stared at the dark screen, heart pounding so hard it felt like it might tear through her chest.Donald noticed immediately. “Amelia? What happened?”She didn’t answer at first. Her fingers trembled as she bent down, picking up the phone slowly, as if it might burn her skin.“He’s dead,” she said finally, her voice hollow. “Lawson is dead… but someone just told me he wasn’t the real problem.”Donald’s expression tightened. “What do you mean?”“He said Lawson was only a shield,” Amelia whispered. “That I killed the wrong Reynolds.”Silence stretched between them.Donald ran a hand over his face. “That doesn’t mean there’s another mastermind. Could be bluff. Panic. Someone trying to scare you.”“No,” Amelia said quietly. “That voice wasn’t afraid.”Donald studied her. “Can you describe it?”She shook her head. “Calm. Contr