A While Earlier:Barbara drove through the dimly lit hotel estate, her fingers drumming lightly against the steering wheel. As she neared the exit, movement caught her eye. A group of rough-looking men stood beside a black van, their hushed voices barely carrying through the air. Instinct made her slow down."Our target will be out soon," one of them muttered."Once we're done with him, he won’t ever mess with Luke Harrington."Barbara’s breath hitched. Was it Zach?Her foot slammed the brake before she even realized it. Her heart pounded against her ribs, her mind racing. They’re waiting for Zach? She had no time to hesitate.Throwing open the door, she stepped out, her heels clicking against the pavement."Hey!" she called, making her presence known.The men turned, eyes narrowing in surprise before dark amusement crept across their faces."Well, well, what do we have here?" one of them sneered, taking a slow step forward."A lost kitten," another chuckled, licking his lips. "Or ma

Luke’s gaze flickered over Maya for a fleeting moment before he turned away, rubbing his temples. "Not today, Maya. I don't have money."A scoff left her lips. She crossed her arms, tilting her head with an arched brow. "Oh, come on, Luke. We both know you’ve got hundreds of millions sitting in your bank account, not to mention the extra cash you laundered from your family’s company."His body stiffened. He slowly turned to face her, his jaw tightening. "You—"She leaned in, lowering her voice. "Don't force me to do something bad, Luke. Just transfer two hundred million dollars, and I'll be on my way."He sneered, trying to mask the unease creeping into his veins. "And if I refuse?"Her eyes darkened with silent warning. "I'll expose you."Luke let out a breathy chuckle, shaking his head. "You’re bluffing."Maya pulled out her phone and tapped on the screen. A few swipes later, she turned it toward him. His smirk faded instantly. His face went pale as he stared at the images and docu

The thugs snickered, eyeing Zach with disdain."Look at this fool. Thinks he's some kind of hero," one of them sneered, cracking his knuckles."You better keep walking, passerby," another jeered. "No food for you here tonight. Just get lost."Daniella, still catching her breath, darted her eyes between them and Zach. Her heart pounded."You... you know him, don't you?" The leader chuckled darkly, his lips curling in mock amusement. "Well, too bad. He ain’t your knight in shining armor. He won’t be saving you."Zach took a measured step forward, his expression unreadable, his voice low but firm. "Let her go. Walk out of here while you still can, or you'll leave with broken limbs."Laughter erupted from the gang, filling the ruined diner."This one’s got jokes!" one of them howled. "What do you think you are? A one-man army?""You gonna fight all of us?" another smirked. "Come on, let’s see you try."One of them, a burly man with a scar across his cheek, lunged first, swinging a heavy p

Zach felt like the air had been punched out of his lungs. He stood frozen, staring at McDonald, the weight of the words sinking in like stones in his chest."Your father died 20 years ago."The words rang in his head, sharp and merciless. His fists clenched at his sides, nails digging into his palms. His father was dead.“He was brutally assassinated," McDonald added in a low voice.“Who killed him?” Zach demanded, his voice was low, edged with tension.McDonald lowered his gaze. “I don’t know.”Zach’s jaw tightened, the muscle ticking. “Was it his family?”A silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken truths. McDonald inhaled deeply. “I can’t say. But that led to you going missing. Your grandfather asked you to run.”Zach's head jerked up. A faint whisper echoed in his mind, distant but familiar."Run, Zach! Run and never look back!"His eyes shut tightly as a fragment of memory surfaced—a wrinkled hand gripping his shoulder, trembling yet firm. A voice, aged and desperate. T

The SUV roared as Zach pressed harder on the accelerator, weaving through the near-empty road. His grip on the steering wheel was tight, his knuckles white with tension. The GPS flickered, showing he was only a few minutes away. He barely blinked as he followed the route, his mind focused on the objective. His heart, however, was a different story—beating steadily, yet filled with anticipation.As he neared the outskirts of the city, the landscape shifted. The towering buildings gave way to a vast, open space with a large body of water stretching into the horizon. It wasn’t the sea, but a massive lake with a stillness that almost seemed unnatural. The GPS beeped, signaling that he had arrived.Zach slowed the SUV to a stop, scanning the area. His phone’s screen confirmed the coordinates. He exhaled sharply and stepped out. The crisp, humid air carried the scent of water and damp earth. The ground beneath his boots was slightly wet, as if it had rained earlier.His gaze followed a narr