With a steady hand, Gwen gestured towards the array of photos, her voice calm yet determined. "I need you to identify them, Nathan. We need to find out who Thomas is, who could be behind the attack."Nathan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the images as he searched for a familiar face. Each photograph held its own story, its own secrets waiting to be revealed.And then, amidst the sea of faces, Nathan's eyes alighted upon a figure he knew all too well—Thomas Downs. The memory of his encounter with him flooded back into his mind. He remembered how he beat him up during the taxi accident he was in. But Nathan had no idea that his name was Thomas."I know him." Nathan's voice was tinged with a mix of surprise and shock."We've crossed paths before."Gwen's brow furrowed in concern, her gaze probing as she sought to unravel the tangled web of Nathan's past."Could he be the one behind the attack?" she asked, her voice weighted with uncertainty.Nathan hesitated, his thoughts racing as he gr
***The morning sun cast a golden hue over the sprawling grounds of the Smith family mansion, where Gwen woke up to another day of luxury and responsibility. As she sipped her morning coffee in the grand dining hall, her phone rang, shattering the tranquil atmosphere.Gwen glanced at the caller ID. It was an unfamiliar number, but something about it felt weird. With a sense of foreboding, she answered."Hello?" Gwen's voice was tentative; she had no idea who the caller was or what she was to expect."Gwen, it's Martha from the mansion staff," a somber voice replied on the other end. "I'm afraid I have some terrible news. One of our maids, Maria, she... she was found suffocated on the street this morning."Gwen's heart skipped a beat. Suffocated? On the street? The words echoed in her mind, refusing to make sense. Maria, a kind and diligent member of their household staff, was now gone, leaving behind a void that seemed impossible to fill. Because she has worked in their mansion for mo
"What are you doing here, Alex?" Karina's voice was tinged with suspicion as she watched him approach, her gaze searching his face for any hint of deceit or ulterior motive.Alex offered her a reassuring smile, his eyes shining with warmth and concern."I was just in the neighborhood and happened to see your car," he said, his voice calm and measured. "I thought I'd check in and make sure you were okay. You seem a bit... out of sorts."Karina's brow furrowed in confusion as she processed Alex's words, her mind racing to make sense of the situation. She knew that his explanation was plausible, that he could have stumbled upon her by chance in a city as bustling and chaotic as this. And yet, a part of her couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye—more to Alex's intentions than he was letting on. But she was tipsy and couldn’t think properly.Before she could respond, however, Alex spoke again, his voice soft and reassuring. "Why don't you let me take you ho
***The morning sun cast a bright glow over the bustling streets as Nathan stepped out of his apartment building, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of Karina. He had tried calling her repeatedly since the previous night, but her phone remained unanswered, and at apoint,t his calls weren’t going through, filling him with a sense of unease that gnawed at the edges of his consciousness.As he made his way towards the curb to hail a cab, Nathan's thoughts were consumed by the worry and uncertainty that lingered in the air. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that Karina was in trouble, and that she needed his help. He also wants to see if she can say everything she said on the phone when she sees him.But before he could reach the safety of the sidewalk, fate intervened with a sudden and brutal force. The screech of tires filled the air, followed by the sickening thud of impact as Nathan was sent hurtling through the air, his body crashing to the unforgiving pavement
"I... I don't remember," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "But that doesn't mean it didn't happen. I need to know the truth, Alex. I need to know what really happened."Alex's heart sank as he watched the anguish etched on Karina's face, his own turmoil mirrored in her eyes. He reached out to her, his hand trembling with unspoken regret."Karina, please, believe me," he implored, his voice thick with emotion. "I would never hurt you. I would never do anything to make you feel violated or betrayed." He wanted to make sure that she believed what he was saying.Karina wavered, torn between the conflicting emotions waging war within her soul. She searched Alex's eyes, desperately seeking the truth buried beneath the layers of uncertainty and fear.For a fleeting moment, their gazes locked in a silent exchange of raw vulnerability and unspoken longing. And in that moment, Karina knew that he was probably telling the truth.With a heavy heart and aching resolve, she turned away fro
***Meanwhile, Jasmine made her way towards old man Smith’s office, and with each step, Jasmine's heart pounded with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Even though she was going to clean the office, she still knew that there were risks involved in infiltrating old man Smith's domain and knew that one false move could spell disaster for her and Nathan alike. But the promise of fulfilling her mission and giving Nathan what he asked for was thrilling.As she reached the weathered door of the office, Jasmine paused, her breath catching in her throat. With steady hands, she placed the key in the door as she opened it, revealing the dimly lit interior of the office beyond. Jasmine slipped inside, her senses on high alert as she dropped the mop bucket that was in her hands.The air was heavy with the scent of old books and stale cigar smoke. Jasmine's eyes roamed over the cluttered desks and dusty shelves, searching for any clue that might lead her closer to the truth. Before she start
***Meanwhile, Alex and Karina were at a five-star restaurant; they were sitting behind a round table across from each other. Alex made sure to set the tone as he asked Karina to order anything she wanted to eat, which she did.Alex wanted to make his move any moment from now, and he hoped that Karina would take the bait and give him what he wanted. “Karina, you know I have been thinking of what we would use to win the bet against Nathan and Gwen Smith, and an idea came to mind. It might be an extreme idea, but I would like to know what you think about it."“Go ahead, tell me, what is the idea?”Alex knew that this was the right time to strike as he spoke. “The best is to see who would be able to achieve the most things in one month, so my idea is that you should hand over the ownership of your company to me, and that would enable me to win the bet once and for all. It would be impossible for Nathan and Gwen to catch up to that."Karina spat the drink in her mouth as she yelled. “What
"Karina? Where have you been? Your phone's been unreachable for days," Nathan's voice held a note of concern, tinged with a hint of frustration.Karina took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation ahead. "I lost my phone," she began, her voice steady despite the butterflies in her stomach. "I just got a new one today."There was a moment of silence on the other end, the weight of Nathan's unspoken questions hanging in the air like a heavy fog."Did you... do you remember the conversation we had a few nights ago?" Nathan's voice was hesitant, almost cautious.Karina's breath caught in her throat as she now remembers everything, she spoke with Nathan on the phone that night. "Yes, but I was drunk that night," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I couldn't remember anything until I listened to the phone records today."A heavy silence settled between them, the weight of their unspoken words echoing in the space between them."And... did you mean everything you s
***Nathan sat in his dimly lit motel room, the events of the past few days weighing heavily on his mind. With Josh gone and his quest for revenge fulfilled, he felt a strange sense of emptiness gnawing at him. He knew he needed to leave the city for a while, to clear his head and find some semblance of peace to be able to think of his next move.As he pondered his options, an idea struck him like a bolt of lightning. He reached for his phone and dialed Andrei's number, his heart pounding with anticipation."Hello?" came Andrei's voice on the other end of the line."Andrei, it's Nathan," he said, his tone earnest. "I was wondering if I could come and spend some time with you in Romania."There was a brief pause before Andrei responded, his voice tinged with caution. "Nathan, are you sure that's a good idea? After all, you're the one responsible for Andrew's death. It might not be safe for you here."Nathan's heart sank at Andrei's words, the reality of his situation crashing down on h
***Nathan leaned forward in his chair, his expression serious as he addressed his subordinates through the group call. "Alright, listen up," he began, his voice low and commanding. "We've got a job to do, and we need to do it right."The faces of his subordinates appeared on the screen, their expressions reflecting a mixture of determination and anticipation as they awaited his instructions."We're going after Josh," Nathan continued, his tone unwavering. "But we're going to do it on our own terms. We can't afford any mistakes, so we need to be smart about this."One of the subordinates, a burly man with a stern expression, nodded in agreement. "Understood, boss," he said, his voice gruff. "What's the plan?"Nathan leaned back in his chair, his mind racing as he formulated his strategy. "We'll split into teams and approach from different angles," he explained, his voice steady. "I'll give each of you a specific location to rendezvous with Josh, and from there, we'll move in and take
Frustration surged through Josh like a raging river as he stormed out of the hotel, his jaw clenched with determination. The hunt for Nathan had hit yet another dead end, and the thought of his elusive adversary slipping through his grasp filled him with an overwhelming sense of anger.As he stepped out into the cool afternoon air, Josh's mind raced with plans and strategies. He knew that returning to his mansion would give him the space and resources he needed to regroup and come up with a new approach.Climbing into his waiting car, Josh slammed the door shut with a resounding thud, his thoughts consumed by the singular goal of capturing Nathan and reclaiming what was rightfully his.The streets of Belloberg city passed by in a blur as the car sped towards Josh's mansion, the rhythmic hum of the engine a constant reminder of the urgency of his mission. With each passing moment, his determination only grew stronger, fueled by the burning desire to emerge victorious in his battle agai
Karina's smile faltered slightly at Gwen's words, her gaze dropping to her hands folded in her lap. "I know, Gwen. It was terrifying," she admitted quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.Gwen reached out, gently placing a hand on Karina's arm in a gesture of comfort. "Karina, you don't have to pretend with me. If something happened, if there's anything you need to talk about…" she trailed off, her voice filled with genuine concern.Karina's gaze lifted to meet Gwen's, her eyes reflecting a mixture of gratitude and apprehension. "Thank you, Gwen. I appreciate that," she replied softly, offering a grateful smile.Gwen squeezed Karina's arm gently before withdrawing her hand, her gaze lingering on her friend's face. "So, do you know who the men were? How did you manage to escape?" she pressed, her curiosity getting the better of her.Karina hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering with uncertainty. She knew she couldn't reveal the full extent of Nathan's involvement, couldn't risk
As he pressed forward, Nathan heard his name being called out from behind him. Instinctively, he quickened his pace, his heart hammering in his chest. He glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of a figure approaching rapidly."Keep moving," Nathan muttered to himself, his mind racing with thoughts of danger. He didn't recognize the person trailing him, and in that moment, his instincts screamed at him to flee.Before he could react, the figure lunged forward, arms outstretched in an attempt to embrace him. Nathan's reflexes kicked in, and with a swift motion of his hand, he conjured a spell that sent the assailant hurtling backward through the air.The man crashed to the ground with a thud, groaning in pain as Nathan wasted no time in putting distance between them. He sprinted down the street, weaving through the labyrinth of alleyways in a desperate bid to escape his pursuer.Footsteps echoed behind him, growing louder with each passing moment. Nathan's heart pounded in his ears
Karina's heart ached at Nathan's words, her mind flooded with a mixture of emotions. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought that Nathan had been carrying this burden alone for so long, without anyone to confide in."Nathan, you don't have to hide anything from me," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. "I love you, no matter what."There was a brief moment of silence between them, as the weight of Karina's words hung in the air. Then, Nathan spoke, his voice filled with gratitude and relief."Thank you, Karina," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you for understanding."Karina smiled, her heart overflowing with love and gratitude for the man she loved. "You saved my life, Nathan. I owe you everything."As they bid each other farewell, Karina couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over her. With Nathan by her side, she knew she could face whatever challenges lay ahead, together. And as she ended the call, she couldn't help but feel a glimm
***Meanwhile, Nathan's mind raced, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. Despite the relief of having saved Karina and eliminated the immediate threat of Andrew, he knew that they were not out of danger yet. Andrew's men were still out there, and they needed to be dealt with before they could pose any further harm."Stop the car," Nathan commanded, his voice firm and resolute.The subordinate glanced at him, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "But sir, shouldn't we keep moving? We need to get you and Miss Karina to safety."Nathan shook his head, his expression determined. "We can't just leave those men behind. They're dangerous, and they need to be stopped."Without hesitation, the subordinate complied, pulling the car to a halt by the side of the road. Nathan wasted no time in reaching for his phone, his fingers flying over the screen as he dialed the emergency number for the police.As the call connected, Nathan quickly relayed the situation to the operator, providing the
As Josh delved deeper into Andrew's background, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creeping over him. There was something about Andrew that didn't sit right with him, something dark and sinister lurking beneath the surface.But despite his misgivings, Josh knew that he couldn't afford to ignore the connection between Nathan and Andrew. If Nathan had sought refuge in Andrew's house, there had to be a reason. And Josh was determined to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.With a heavy sigh, Josh made arrangements for a private jet that would take him and his men back to Belloberg city. He had a feeling that the answers he sought lay waiting for him there, and he was prepared to do whatever it took to find them.***The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows over the desolate streets of Belloberg city as Nathan approached the address Andrew had sent him. The building loomed ominously before him, its skeletal frame a stark contrast against the fading light of day.
Andrei sighed, the weight of their predicament evident in his voice. "Just promise me you'll be careful, Nathan," he implored. "I don't want to lose you."Nathan's throat tightened with emotion at Andrei's words. "I promise," he vowed, his voice unwavering. "I'll do whatever it takes to come out of this alive."With a final exchange of well-wishes, Nathan ended the call, his mind buzzing with a newfound sense of purpose. He knew the stakes were higher than ever, but he refused to let fear dictate his actions. Andrew may have come to Belloberg City, but Nathan was ready to meet him head-on, to confront his enemy and emerge victorious, no matter the cost.***Nathan's mind raced as he absorbed Andrew's ominous message. The sudden shift in priorities left him reeling, his carefully laid plans thrown into disarray by the arrival of his most formidable adversary. With a heavy heart, he realized that his mission to kidnap Josh would have to be put on hold indefinitely. Andrew's presence in