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THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 67 ~
Doctor Kieran’s eyes widened slightly at Zach’s sudden question. For a moment, silence hung in the room like thick mist, broken only by the faint ticking of the antique clock on the wall. Then, the doctor slowly nodded.“Yes,” he said, voice low but certain. “Yes, it’s possible. Depending on the cause, there are ways we can restore vision. Some cases take time and care, but… yes, Zach. I can.”Zach exhaled, his shoulders relaxing just a little. That answer triggered something inside him—something warm, soft, and nostalgic. A memory stirred—Daniella’s mother. The woman had reminded him so much of his late adoptive mother, whose gentle smiles and soothing voice had anchored his soul for years.He had only spoken to Daniella’s mother for a few minutes that night he came to their aid, but her kind spirit, despite her blindness, tugged at something in him. She deserves to see the world. She deserves to see her daughter’s smile.Zach looked up at the doctor, his tone thoughtful but direct. “
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 68 ~
The next night, Maya stepped into another room in the bar Darius frequented with calculated grace, her heels clicking softly against the polished marble. It was dimly lit, draped in a blend of red and amber lights. Private. Discreet. Dangerous. It smelled of expensive cigars and something stronger beneath—the kind of space where secrets were shared, and sins were sealed with a drink.Darius was already seated, his long fingers drumming lazily on the surface of his glass. He looked up as she entered, his smirk carved like a blade.“You're right on time,” he said.“I always am when it's about my enemy,” Maya replied coolly, sliding into the leather seat across from him.He leaned forward, eyes glinting. “So, what plan do you have cooked up, darling?”Without a word, Maya reached into her purse and drew out a folded photograph. She slid it across the table, her manicured fingers trailing the edge. Darius picked it up, raising a brow.It was a candid photo of Zach and Barbara—Barbara’s h
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 69 ~
At Daniella's small dinner the sun filtered gently through the blinds. It was a quiet noon, the lull between breakfast and lunch rush, and Daniella was wiping down the counter with a cloth when the bell above the door jingled.She turned, expecting a regular customer.Instead, she froze.Zach stood there, tall and composed, but beside him was a man Daniella instantly recognized from old news interviews and health columns.“Zach?” she said, surprised and clearly not expecting him. Her gaze flicked to the stranger. “Is that—?”Zach gave a warm smile. “Doctor Kieran Voss,” he said, gesturing toward the man. “I thought your mother might need him.”Her mouth dropped slightly as she gasped. “You brought the city’s best doctor to see my mother?” she asked in disbelief. “No way…”Doctor Kieran smiled gently, nodding. “I got to know a while back about you and your mother.”Daniella’s chest tightened with emotion. She looked back at Zach, eyes misting. “You got the best doctor… how possible?”“
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 70 ~
Daniella stood motionless for a beat, then without warning, rushed into Zach’s arms and hugged him tightly. Her emotions overwhelmed her — relief, joy, gratitude — all colliding in that singular moment.“You are Godsent into our lives, Zach,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for this moment.”Zach blinked, stunned, but slowly wrapped his arms around her. A soft smile tugged at his lips as he embraced her back, holding her like someone who just found home in a stranger’s gratitude. He didn’t say anything right away, but the warmth in his eyes said enough.Lou, still seated, nodded with tears in her eyes. “She’s right, young man. You’re a blessing — a living one. May your days be long and filled with goodness.”Zach was about to respond when a strange chill prickled his skin. Something shifted in the air.He pulled back gently from Daniella and turned towards the door, his eyes narrowing. Through the glass, he caught a brief shadow
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 71 ~
Laura raised an eyebrow. “Is your memory coming back?”Zach closed his eyes briefly. “No. I just… followed a pull.”“You’ll remember soon,” she said softly. “Please, sit.”Zach took the seat and looked up. “What’s going on?”Bull stepped out, giving them privacy.Laura brought up her iPad. “We’re facing a security breach in our satellite division. Someone’s intercepting classified logistics. We don’t know who — not even how. We’ve locked down comms, but if we don’t figure this out soon…”She hesitated. “You always used to fix things in minutes. I don’t know if you can now — but I’ll try to come up with something soon. I just thought you should know.”Zach sat still for a beat, his eyes scanning the glowing data screens like they were speaking a forgotten language. The lines of code, the flickers of red alerts, the satellite activity — it was all vaguely familiar, yet unfamiliar. He tilted his head slightly, frowning.Laura watched him, her brows pulled together with a blend of concern
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 1 ~
The morgue was oppressively silent, the air heavy with the sterile sting of disinfectant. Zach’s body lay still on the cold steel table, shrouded in a white sheet that clung to the lifeless contours beneath it. “Skip the autopsy and send the body for cremation immediately,” a sharp, impatient voice echoed. Maya stood near the doorway, arms crossed, her expression devoid of grief. Instead, there was a flicker of irritation, as if Zach’s death was merely an inconvenient chore to finalize. The nurse hesitated, her brow furrowed. “Ma’am, are you certain? Protocol requires confirmation—” Before the sentence was complete, Zach’s chest heaved. A ragged gasp shattered the stillness, and his eyes flew open, darting frantically as he inhaled like a man drowning in air. The nurse screamed, staggering backward. “He’s alive!”Maya stumbled back a step, her face pale with shock before her lips curled into a sneer. “Why couldn’t he just stay dead?” she muttered under her breath, her tone laced
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~2~
Luke's sheer arrogance made Zach want to puke at his face while he gnashed his teeth. Although he was deeply worried about his sister, he refused to give them the satisfaction by going on his knees. He wouldn't ruin his dignity in such a way.Luke’s smug grin widened as Zach stood motionless, gripping the edge of the steel table. “What’s the matter, pauper? Cat got your tongue?” Luke sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.But Zach didn’t kneel. Instead, he straightened his spine, his gaze sharp and unwavering as it locked onto Luke. His lips pressed into a thin line, trembling slightly with the effort of containing his fury.“I’m not kneeling,” Zach said, his voice low but steady.Luke’s smile faltered for a moment before twisting into a smirk. “Oh? Do you think defiance makes you a hero? Let me remind you—your sister’s life is hanging by a thread, and all it takes is one phone call from me to cut it.”Zach’s fists clenched, the veins in his arms taut as a surge of anger coursed th
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 3 ~
Zach stared at Laura, stunned. The words she had spoken were like pieces of a puzzle that didn’t fit together. Leader of a powerful organization? Dominion Shadows? It all sounded absurd. His heart weighed heavily, burdened by the loss of his adoptive mother and the constant worry for his sister’s safety. He didn’t have the time or energy for elaborate stories.“Look,” he said, his voice low and firm, “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I need to go somewhere urgently. If you think I’ll fall for this nonsense, you’re wasting your time.”Laura’s calm demeanor didn’t waver. Instead, she reached into her tailored blazer and pulled out a sleek black card. The card gleamed under the overhead light, its surface embossed with intricate golden patterns and the unmistakable emblem of First Star Bank—the most prestigious financial institution in the city.“This,” she said, holding it out to him, “is your supreme black card. It originally belonged to you.”Zach hesitated before taking the
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~ 71 ~
Laura raised an eyebrow. “Is your memory coming back?”Zach closed his eyes briefly. “No. I just… followed a pull.”“You’ll remember soon,” she said softly. “Please, sit.”Zach took the seat and looked up. “What’s going on?”Bull stepped out, giving them privacy.Laura brought up her iPad. “We’re facing a security breach in our satellite division. Someone’s intercepting classified logistics. We don’t know who — not even how. We’ve locked down comms, but if we don’t figure this out soon…”She hesitated. “You always used to fix things in minutes. I don’t know if you can now — but I’ll try to come up with something soon. I just thought you should know.”Zach sat still for a beat, his eyes scanning the glowing data screens like they were speaking a forgotten language. The lines of code, the flickers of red alerts, the satellite activity — it was all vaguely familiar, yet unfamiliar. He tilted his head slightly, frowning.Laura watched him, her brows pulled together with a blend of concern
~ 70 ~
Daniella stood motionless for a beat, then without warning, rushed into Zach’s arms and hugged him tightly. Her emotions overwhelmed her — relief, joy, gratitude — all colliding in that singular moment.“You are Godsent into our lives, Zach,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for this moment.”Zach blinked, stunned, but slowly wrapped his arms around her. A soft smile tugged at his lips as he embraced her back, holding her like someone who just found home in a stranger’s gratitude. He didn’t say anything right away, but the warmth in his eyes said enough.Lou, still seated, nodded with tears in her eyes. “She’s right, young man. You’re a blessing — a living one. May your days be long and filled with goodness.”Zach was about to respond when a strange chill prickled his skin. Something shifted in the air.He pulled back gently from Daniella and turned towards the door, his eyes narrowing. Through the glass, he caught a brief shadow
~ 69 ~
At Daniella's small dinner the sun filtered gently through the blinds. It was a quiet noon, the lull between breakfast and lunch rush, and Daniella was wiping down the counter with a cloth when the bell above the door jingled.She turned, expecting a regular customer.Instead, she froze.Zach stood there, tall and composed, but beside him was a man Daniella instantly recognized from old news interviews and health columns.“Zach?” she said, surprised and clearly not expecting him. Her gaze flicked to the stranger. “Is that—?”Zach gave a warm smile. “Doctor Kieran Voss,” he said, gesturing toward the man. “I thought your mother might need him.”Her mouth dropped slightly as she gasped. “You brought the city’s best doctor to see my mother?” she asked in disbelief. “No way…”Doctor Kieran smiled gently, nodding. “I got to know a while back about you and your mother.”Daniella’s chest tightened with emotion. She looked back at Zach, eyes misting. “You got the best doctor… how possible?”“
~ 68 ~
The next night, Maya stepped into another room in the bar Darius frequented with calculated grace, her heels clicking softly against the polished marble. It was dimly lit, draped in a blend of red and amber lights. Private. Discreet. Dangerous. It smelled of expensive cigars and something stronger beneath—the kind of space where secrets were shared, and sins were sealed with a drink.Darius was already seated, his long fingers drumming lazily on the surface of his glass. He looked up as she entered, his smirk carved like a blade.“You're right on time,” he said.“I always am when it's about my enemy,” Maya replied coolly, sliding into the leather seat across from him.He leaned forward, eyes glinting. “So, what plan do you have cooked up, darling?”Without a word, Maya reached into her purse and drew out a folded photograph. She slid it across the table, her manicured fingers trailing the edge. Darius picked it up, raising a brow.It was a candid photo of Zach and Barbara—Barbara’s h
~ 67 ~
Doctor Kieran’s eyes widened slightly at Zach’s sudden question. For a moment, silence hung in the room like thick mist, broken only by the faint ticking of the antique clock on the wall. Then, the doctor slowly nodded.“Yes,” he said, voice low but certain. “Yes, it’s possible. Depending on the cause, there are ways we can restore vision. Some cases take time and care, but… yes, Zach. I can.”Zach exhaled, his shoulders relaxing just a little. That answer triggered something inside him—something warm, soft, and nostalgic. A memory stirred—Daniella’s mother. The woman had reminded him so much of his late adoptive mother, whose gentle smiles and soothing voice had anchored his soul for years.He had only spoken to Daniella’s mother for a few minutes that night he came to their aid, but her kind spirit, despite her blindness, tugged at something in him. She deserves to see the world. She deserves to see her daughter’s smile.Zach looked up at the doctor, his tone thoughtful but direct. “
~ 66 ~
Darius loosened his grip slightly, though his fingers still lingered around her throat. His eyes, sharp and menacing, bore into hers with unspoken suspicion and a flicker of curiosity. His mind spun, calculating, weighing every possibility. She coughed lightly, catching her breath.“You’re Zach’s wife,” he finally said, his voice low and accusing. “How the hell can you help me when you share a bed with the very bastard I want dead?”Maya’s lips curled in bitter amusement. “Ex-wife,” she corrected with cold precision. “I have divorced that good-for-nothing. You think you know everything about him, but you don’t, Darius. Zach isn’t half the man he pretends to be. He didn’t just ruin me—he jinxed me. Sabotaged my chances, twisted everything I worked for. And now,” she took a step closer, voice dropping to a venomous whisper, “I want to see him burn just as much as you do.”Darius stepped back slowly, his face unreadable until a scoff escaped him. He rubbed his jaw, the metal fingers of h
~ 65 ~
Zach cleared his throat, his voice steady but laced with discomfort. “I... I didn’t mean to—” His gaze shifted, unable to land on Barbara for more than a second. The moment was thick, awkward, charged with heat neither of them had prepared for.Barbara’s expression softened as her eyes welled with relief. She didn’t wait for a full explanation—she surged forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly, her body still warm and damp from her bath. The towel that clung precariously to her hips had dropped onto the floor during her quick movement, forgotten.“I thought you left,” she murmured against his chest, her voice quivering. “I thought you were gone... that you’d left without me because of what happened.”Zach stiffened, his arms raised in uncertainty, hovering mid-air like he was deciding whether to touch her or not. Her bare skin was cold against his shirt, and every inch of his body was aware of it. His heart pounded like a drum against his ribs, his throat dry.Barbara pulled ba
~ 64 ~
Later in the evening air was cool against Zach's skin as he stood on the balcony of the guest room. The city of Belmont sprawled beneath him, its twinkling lights reflecting the fading warmth of the sunset. He held the Heart of Solis gently in his hands, the weight of it familiar, like an old companion. The ancient antique glowed faintly in his grip, a soft light that seemed to pulse with its own rhythm. Zach closed his eyes, the rhythmic beat of his pulse syncing with the gentle hum from it. He let the stillness wash over him, his mind clear as he focused on drawing strength which laid in-depth in the antique. The memory of Julian's men, the violence of the day, still lingered in his muscles, but the antique soothed the weariness. It renewed him, restoring the energy he had expended in the brutal fight. As he meditated, he felt the power flow through him, like a current of energy he could command at will.A soft knock on the door interrupted his concentration. Zach's eyes fluttered
~ 63 ~
Zach gently helped Barbara into the backseat of the car, his gaze never straying far from her pale face. Her breathing was steady, but the ordeal she'd just survived left traces of exhaustion on her features. He couldn't ignore the way her lips trembled ever so slightly, nor the way her eyes fluttered in her sleep, haunted by things he couldn’t yet understand.He gave a small nod to Mac, who had been standing nearby, still in shock from the day's events. Zach didn’t speak, but his actions said enough. He would protect Barbara, no matter what. He wouldn’t let her suffer any more.As the car started, Mac looked over at Zach, his voice filled with concern. “I can’t believe all of this… after what happened to Barbara… is she going to be okay?” His brow furrowed as he thought of his daughter.Zach glanced at him, his eyes hard but steady. “You shouldn't worry about that.”Mac seemed to relax, but the worry still lingered in his eyes. “I’m still scared, though,” he confessed softly. “This c
