The elevator ascended smoothly toward Steve’s penthouse, its glass walls offering a glittering view of the city below. Barry stood with his hands clasped behind his back. Beside him, Sebastian adjusted his cufflinks out of habit.Barry glanced at Sebastian. "Three weeks," he mused. "Three weeks since we arrived in this city, since we set things into motion. Tell me, Sebastian—what do you truly think of how I’ve handled things?" Sebastian bowed slightly with a faint, knowing smile. "You’ve done remarkably well, master. Now, it’s left for the golden cat of fortune to decide if he’s pleased with your deeds or not." Barry sighed, his gaze drifting back to the skyline. "I hope so. Veronica’s life depends on this." The elevator chimed softly as the doors slid open, revealing the lavish expanse of Steve’s penthouse. Inside the suite, Steve had a phone pressed to his ears as he paced around his room, negotiating a deal. The moment his eyes landed on Barry, however, he immediately en

Barry's car screeched to a halt outside the gleaming hospital entrance. Before Sebastian could even come to a complete stop, Barry was already throwing the door open, his polished shoes hitting the pavement at a run. The automatic doors slid apart just in time as he burst into the lobby.The elevator ride to the seventh floor felt like eternity as he couldn't wait to see Veronica. When the doors finally opened, Barry's breath caught in his throat. Down the hall, through the glass walls of the private ward, he could see them - Veronica sitting upright in bed, her dark hair cascading over the hospital gown, surrounded by the entire Phoenix family. Snow was perched on the edge of the bed, holding Veronica's hand, while various Phoenix relatives filled the room with flowers and murmured conversation.Barry's footsteps slowed as he reached the doorway. Veronica turned her head at the sound, and when their eyes met, the world seemed to stop. Color had returned to her cheeks, her eyes s

Barry stepped through the foyer of his estate, the velvet case tucked securely under his arm. Sebastian stood waiting by the staircase, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. His gloved hands were clasped behind his back. "Master Barry," he greeted with a slight bow. "You've returned." Barry's voice was rough, worn thin by exhaustion. "How's Veronica?" Sebastian's expression softened. "Still locked in her room. She refuses meals. The maids report she hasn't slept properly in days. She... blames herself." Barry's jaw tightened visibly. He strode past Sebastian, his boots striking the marble floor with sharp, echoing steps. "I'll find him," he muttered, more to himself than to his butler. "Whatever it takes, wherever he is—I'll bring him home." He turned abruptly, holding up the velvet case between them. "I got it. Just like you said I should." His piercing gaze locked onto Sebastian's. "Tell me straight—is it the real thing?" Sebastian accepted the case, pening

The mansion was silent and the halls swallowed by darkness as Joanna led Barry through the corridors of the Homeland estate. They reached the master suite at the end of the east wing. Joanna hesitated, her fingers hovering over the door handle. "He'll kill me if he finds out I brought you here," she whispered. Barry didn’t respond. He simply pushed the door open himself and stepped inside. The room was vast, lavishly furnished, and dimly lit by the pale moonlight filtering through the heavy curtains. In the center, an old man lay in a massive four-poster bed—Victor Homeland, the patriarch of the family. Barry walked to the bedside, his presence like a cold draft in the room. He reached down and gripped Victor’s shoulder, shaking him awake. Victor’s eyes snapped open, clouded with sleep—then sharpened with alarm as they focused on the stranger looming over him. "Who—?" "Barry Reeds," Barry said, his voice low and lethal. "The father of the child you stole." Victor’s f

Daniel’s breath left him in a rush. He turned to his father, eyes wide with shock. "Is that true?" Victor’s lips pressed into a thin line. "We needed an heir." "That’s not an answer!" Daniel’s voice cracked. "Did you adopt Flynn? Did you—" He swallowed hard, as if the words themselves were poison. "Did you change him?" Victor’s composure fractured. "What would you have me do? You were dying! The doctors gave you months—months—and the treatments weren’t working! The Homeland name couldn’t end with you!" His voice rose, desperate. "I did what I had to do!" Daniel took a step back, shaking his head. "No. No, you didn’t. There were other ways. Adoption. Legitimate means. But you—" His voice dropped to a whisper. "You bought a child like he was property. You altered him." Victor’s face twisted. "I saved this family!" "You ruined it!" Daniel shot back. "We’re not monsters. We don’t take children. We don’t erase who they are!" Barry watched the exchange in silence, his expressi