All Chapters of The promise he broke : Chapter 31 - Chapter 37

Tayla's POVSleep never came.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the man's hand reaching for me in that alley.I still felt his fingers digging into my arm.I still heard his voice."Get her in the van!"I jerked awake for what felt like the tenth time that night.The bedroom was dark except for the pale light spilling through the curtains.Beside my bed sat Noah's toy dinosaur.My throat tightened.If those men had succeeded...What would've happened to my son?The thought alone made me sick.I climbed out of bed and quietly walked into Noah's room.He was asleep, curled around his favorite blanket.His little chest rose and fell peacefully.I brushed my fingers through his hair."I'll protect you," I whispered."No matter what."For the first time since Damian's arrest...I wasn't just afraid.I was angry.Someone wanted to silence me.Which meant I was getting close to something they desperately wanted hidden.And I intended to find out what it was.The next morning, Michael Bennet

Tayla's POVI didn't open the envelope.Not immediately.It sat on the passenger seat the entire drive home, silent yet impossibly heavy, as though whatever lay inside had the power to change my life forever.The city lights blurred past my windshield, but I barely noticed them. My thoughts kept returning to Isabella.She wasn't what I expected.She didn't sound like a woman seeking revenge.She sounded like someone who had spent years running from ghosts.And somehow...Those ghosts had finally found me.---By the time I reached home, Noah was already asleep on the couch.My sister, Emily, looked up from her phone the moment I walked in."You look exhausted.""I've had a long day."She studied me for a second."You've been saying that every day lately."I forced a smile."I'm okay."It was a lie.Emily knew it.But she didn't push.Instead, she kissed Noah's forehead before grabbing her handbag."I'll call you tomorrow."After she left, the house became painfully quiet.---Tayla ca

Tayla's POVThe house had never felt this quiet before.Not the peaceful kind of quiet.The kind that made every tiny sound seem suspicious.The refrigerator hummed in the kitchen.The old clock above the fireplace ticked steadily.Outside, rain tapped softly against the windows, turning the glass into a blurry mirror that reflected only shadows.I locked the front door twice before leaning against it, pressing my palm against my racing heart.Someone had followed me.Someone had stolen Damian's notebook while leaving everything else untouched.They hadn't wanted money.They hadn't wanted my car.They wanted the truth.Which meant I was getting closer than I realized.I walked into the living room where the black box still sat on the coffee table.The flash drive.The old burner phone.The torn letter.I stared at them for a long moment before picking up the phone.It was old enough to have physical buttons instead of a touchscreen.When I pressed the power button, nothing happened.D

Tayla's POV"Run!"Michael's voice echoed through the warehouse as another gunshot shattered the silence.The bullet slammed into a metal container behind us, sending sparks into the air.My heart pounded violently against my ribs.I had never been this close to death.Not even the attempted kidnapping in the alley compared to this.These men weren't trying to scare me.They were here to make sure I never spoke again.Michael grabbed my wrist and pulled me through a narrow passage between two towering stacks of shipping containers."Don't stop!" he shouted."I can't keep up!""You have to."Behind us, heavy footsteps pounded against the concrete floor."There!"A rough voice roared."They went this way!"Another shot rang out.The sound bounced around the empty warehouse, making it impossible to tell where they were.---Michael suddenly shoved me behind an old forklift."Stay here.""What about you?""I'm buying us time."Before I could stop him, he picked up a rusty iron pipe lying