Lahat ng Kabanata ng SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK : Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

The change hits Vera the moment she steps inside.This room is nothing like the others.The floor is polished dark wood. Thick. Clean. A large bed sits against the far wall, dressed in black sheets that look untouched. There’s a leather couch near the window, a low table, a lamp already on. The curtains are heavy, dark, pulled halfway shut. The air smells faintly of cologne and polished furniture.The guards step back. The door closes softly.No chains.No shouting.No rush.Vera stays where she is.She doesn’t walk in fully. Doesn’t touch anything. Her eyes move first—slow, careful—taking in corners, shadows, distances. She clocks the exits without turning her head. Counts steps from the door to the bed. Notes what could be lifted, what’s too heavy, what would make noise.Her body stays loose, but her mind is sharp.This room is deliberate.Someone chose it for her.She moves at last, quiet, controlled. Her fingers brush the back of the couch. Real leather. Expensive. The table is so

The room smelled of sweat, blood, and fear. The four men knelt on the cold concrete floor, hands pressed against the rough surface, eyes flicking toward the tall figure at the end of the hall. Silence stretched so thick it felt suffocating. Every muscle tensed, every breath measured.The door slammed behind them. One of the men tried to lift his head. A sharp crack against the back of his skull forced it down again. The big boss didn’t waste time. He walked slowly, deliberately, boots clicking against the floor, and the sound alone made hearts pound.You were supposed to have her, he said, voice low but cutting through every nerve in the room. She slipped through your hands, Not once, Twice.A bead of sweat ran down one man’s temple. His knees dug into the floor. His hands shook.“Sir…” he started, but the sentence died on his lips. One looked up, and his jaw locked.The big boss stopped in front of the tallest one. Without a word, he grabbed the man’s arm, twisted it behind his b

The office felt different after the message. Not louder. Not chaotic. Quieter. Aaron watched Kael stand by the window, phone still in his hand, city lights reflecting faintly against the glass. He hadn’t spoken in almost two minutes. That was never good. “They said take,” Aaron said finally. “Not lose.” Kael didn’t turn. “I know.” Silence settled again. Aaron stepped closer. Which means they know where she is, Or at least who has her Kael’s jaw tightened once. It also means, Aaron added carefully, “she didn’t escape them.” Now Kael turned. Slowly. His face wasn’t angry. It was focused. They didn’t say daughter by mistake, Kael said. And they didn’t threaten. They accused. Aaron felt that. Accused. Like something valuable had been removed from its owner. Kael walked back to his desk and placed the phone down gently. “Shut down external access,” he said. “Internal security only. No one leaves without my word.” Aaron nodded. Then Kael added, “I’m going to speak to h

The estate was quiet in a way that made everyone uneasy. Emergency lights still painted the halls in dim red. The smell of smoke and gunpowder hadn’t left yet. Guards moved through the corridors, checking doors, carrying injured men, dragging bodies away from the marble floors. Word had already spread. Someone inside had helped the attackers. And Lina was now in the holding room below the estate. Her hands were tied to the chair—not tightly enough to hurt, but tight enough to make it clear she wasn’t walking out of the room on her own. A faint cut marked the side of her face from the explosion earlier. She hadn’t asked for medical help. She was staring at the floor when the door opened. Aaron walked in first. Two guards followed behind him. Then Kael entered the room. Vera came in last. The air in the room shifted the moment all four of them were inside. No one spoke immediately. Lina slowly lifted her head. Her eyes landed on Vera first. For a second, something passed across her

The hallway outside Vera’s room was quiet when Kael arrived. Two guards straightened immediately when they saw him. One opened his mouth to speak, but Kael raised a hand slightly. The guard went silent. Aaron followed behind, looking like he had a hundred questions with none answered. “Kael,” he said quietly, “you’re seriously doing this now?” “Yes.” That’s it? Just yes? Kael glanced at him. Prepared the jet. Aaron ran a hand over his face. “You keep saying that like it’s normal to kidnap someone who already hates you.” Kael didn’t respond. He simply pushed the door open and stepped inside. Vera was sitting on the bed. She looked exhausted, eyes sharp and angry the moment she saw him. “You,” she said. Kael closed the door behind him. “We’re leaving.” Vera let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “No.” Aaron leaned against the wall near the door, clearly nervous. “Yeah… this is going to go badly.” Vera stood up slowly, eyes locked on Kael. “You don’t get to walk in here after