Semua Bab The promise he broke : Bab 41 - Bab 49

Damian's POVThe world stopped.The prison walls.The guards.The thick glass separating the visitation room.Everything faded into the background.Damian stared at the man standing on the other side of the glass, unable to breathe.His father had died eight years ago.He had identified the body.He had stood beside the grave.He had mourned him.Yet the man looking back at him had the same piercing gray eyes.The same calm expression.The same scar just above his eyebrow from an old construction accident.Only one thing had changed.He looked older.More tired.Like life had stolen pieces of him one year at a time.The visitor slowly picked up the telephone."Hello, son."Damian remained frozen.His hands trembled as he reached for the receiver."No..."His voice cracked."This isn't possible."The older man gave a sad smile."I know.""They told me you were dead.""They told you what they wanted you to believe."Damian searched the man's face, looking for any sign of deception.Ther

Tayla's POVThe heavy steel vault door groaned as it slid toward its frame.Every second, the gap grew smaller.The blaring alarm echoed through the underground chamber, bouncing off the concrete walls until it became impossible to think.Marcus's voice still crackled through the speakers."I've spent eight years protecting what's inside that vault."A pause followed.Then his calm, chilling laugh."And now... you're trapped with it."The lights continued flashing an angry red.My pulse raced so violently I could hear it in my ears.Michael immediately rushed toward the closing door, planting both hands against the thick steel.It didn't budge."Damn it!"Gabriel Salazar remained surprisingly calm.His eyes scanned the room instead of the door."He isn't trying to kill us."Michael looked at him in disbelief."What?""He wants the evidence."Gabriel pointed toward the files spread across the table."If he wanted us dead, he would have blown up the vault."I tightened my grip on Damian

Tayla's POVThe office fell silent after the detective delivered the news.Noah.Marcus wasn't coming after me anymore.He was coming after my son.For a moment, I couldn't hear anything except the pounding of my own heart. The room, the people around me, even Michael's voice faded into the background.Every instinct inside me screamed the same thing.Get to Noah.I shot to my feet so quickly that my chair crashed onto the floor."I'm going home."Michael immediately stepped in front of me."No."I glared at him."My son is there.""And Marcus knows that's exactly where you'll go.""I don't care.""I do."His voice remained calm, but his expression hardened."If Marcus wants Noah, he'll be watching your house.""I can't just leave him there!""You won't."Michael turned to one of his detectives."Call Emily."The detective immediately reached for his phone.A tense silence settled over the room as everyone waited.The phone rang once.Twice.Three times.Then—"Hello?"Emily answered.

Damian had imagined this moment a thousand different ways.For eight years, he had replayed every possibility in his mind. He had imagined a forgotten witness walking into a courtroom. He had imagined someone finding the real murderer. He had even imagined Marcus Bell making one fatal mistake.But he had never imagined a young woman quietly sitting across from him in the prison visitation room, looking as frightened as he felt.She couldn't have been older than twenty-five.Her blonde hair was tied back neatly, and although she wore no makeup, her face carried the kind of beauty that had long been overshadowed by fear. She held a faded photograph in trembling hands, gripping it so tightly that the edges had begun to bend.When Damian sat down, she looked at him with tear-filled eyes."Mr. Russo?"He nodded cautiously."I'm Damian."She swallowed hard."My name is Sophia."The name immediately caught his attention.Sophia.The girl from the photograph found inside the safety deposit bo

The courthouse emptied slowly, but the tension lingered like a storm that refused to pass.Reporters crowded the front steps, shouting questions at every lawyer, officer, and witness who emerged. Camera flashes lit the gray afternoon, and microphones were thrust toward anyone willing to speak."Mr. Bell! Do you have a comment on the new evidence?""Do you believe Damian Russo deserves a new trial?""Is Bell Logistics involved in corruption?"Marcus Bell ignored every question. His expression remained composed as he buttoned his suit jacket and walked toward his waiting car.Only his driver noticed the fury burning behind his eyes.The moment the car door closed, Marcus loosened his tie and slammed his fist against the leather seat."They're getting too close."The driver remained silent.Marcus pulled out his phone."I want every person connected to Damian watched.""Michael.""Gabriel.""Sophia.""And especially Tayla."There was a brief pause."If one of them makes a mistake..."His