Silvana squeezed his hand, tears in her eyes. “I love you all too. With you by my side, I feel like I can face anything.”As they all shared refreshments, the room filled with laughter and love. Zain Romanov’s mansion, with its grandiose halls and opulent decor, was a stark contrast to the tension simmering beneath its roof. In the study, Zain Romanov sat behind a massive mahogany desk. His son, Bryden, stood opposite him, his face flushed with frustration.“Father, you need to understand, dealing with Daniel was a mistake from the start,” Bryden said, his voice tight with barely restrained anger. “The man is a weakling, and now that Silvana has been found, it’s only a matter of time before the authorities trace everything back to us.”Zain’s eyes narrowed as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled. “You underestimate the layers of protection we have, Bryden. Daniel was a pawn, a buffer to keep us distanced from direct involvement.”Bryden scoffed, stepping closer to his fa
Daniel sneered. “What made you think I’d listen to that? Silvana was mine, Bryden.”Bryden’s anger boiled over. “Stop spewing your delusions, Daniel.”Before either of them knew it, they were trading blows, the quiet of the warehouse shattered by the sounds of their fight. Bryden landed a punch to Daniel’s stomach, making him double over in pain. Daniel retaliated with a wild swing, catching Bryden on the cheek.The fight was chaotic, each man driven by a mixture of rage and desperation. Bryden’s mind raced with thoughts of the mess Daniel had made and the danger it posed to his family. He could not let this weak link bring everything crashing down.Bryden’s training and discipline gave him the upper hand. He dodged a clumsy punch from Daniel and retaliated with a swift kick to the ribs. Daniel stumbled back, gasping for breath. Bryden pressed his advantage, landing a series of blows that left Daniel reeling.“Is this what you wanted, Daniel?” Bryden spat, his voice dripping with cont
The gunshots echoed through the night, drawing the attention of the cops. Bryden used the distraction to his advantage, slipping out the back of the warehouse and running into the darkness. His heart pounded as he sprinted, every nerve in his body screaming at him to move faster.But the cops were quick. They spotted the movement and began to chase him, their shouts filling the air. Bryden’s breath came in ragged gasps as he pushed himself harder, the adrenaline pumping through his veins.“Stop! Police!” a voice called out behind him.Bryden didn’t stop. He couldn’t. He fired a shot over his shoulder, not aiming at anything in particular, just trying to slow them down. A bullet whizzed past him, narrowly missing his head. The cops were returning fire.A sharp pain seared through his arm, and he stumbled, clutching the wound. Blood oozed between his fingers, but he forced himself to keep moving. He threw the gun away, knowing it was now useless and would only slow him down.Just when B
The tension at Zain Romanov’s mansion was palpable. Zain Romanov’s stern face was a mask of controlled fury as he received word that Bryden had returned to the house. He stormed down the hallway, his footsteps echoing ominously against the marble floors. Bursting into Bryden’s room, he found his son lying on the bed, a fresh bandage on his arm and a sullen expression on his face.“What were you thinking?” Zain bellowed, his voice filled with barely restrained anger. “Do you have any idea the risk you’ve put this family in?”Bryden winced, both from the pain in his arm and the harshness of his father’s tone. “I did what I had to,” he muttered, his eyes avoiding Zain’s piercing gaze.“What you had to do?” Zain repeated incredulously. “You acted recklessly! You’ve drawn attention to us. Aiden and father are not fools; they will trace all of this back to us if you’re not careful.”Bryden’s face hardened. “And what was I supposed to do, just let things spiral out of control? Daniel was a l
Silvana and Aiden exchanged amused looks. “Well, that’s a good reason,” Aiden said. “But we’ll see about that, okay?”Zia nodded, satisfied with the answer. She nestled back into Silvana’s side, content to be close to her family.As the morning light filtered into the hospital room, Zia was still asleep, curled up beside Silvana. Aiden watched them both with a soft smile, feeling a deep sense of gratitude for having his family safe and together.Silvana stirred and opened her eyes, smiling when she saw Aiden watching her. “Good morning,” she whispered.“Good morning,” Aiden replied, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “How are you feeling?”“Better,” Silvana said. “A little sore, but better.”“That’s good,” Aiden said, relief evident in his voice. “The doctor will be in soon to check on you.”Silvana nodded and looked down at Zia, who was still sleeping soundly. “She’s such a sweet child.”Aiden smiled. “She is. And she’s so happy to have you back.”Silvana’s eyes filled with tears. “I
Aiden’s grip on her hand tightened, anger flashing in his eyes. “That bastard. I’ll make sure he pays for this.”Silvana continued, her voice trembling. “But it wasn’t just him. There was another man. He wasn’t one of the ones guarding me, but he came into the bunker on three different nights. He tried to do the same thing Daniel did. He wasn’t Daniel, but he was just as terrible. Every time, I was so scared. My hands were tied behind my back, and I had to fight them off with my legs.”Aiden’s face grew darker with each word, his rage barely contained. “Who was he? Did you see his face?”Silvana shook her head, sobbing. “No, it was always too dark, and he wore a mask. I tried to keep him away, but they both got so angry when they couldn’t… when I wasn’t… responsive.”Aiden’s jaw clenched. “The marks on your thighs…?”Silvana nodded, tears streaming down her face. “Yes. They tried to force their way. One night, they drugged me. I don’t know what it was, but I woke up… naked. I don’t kn
Aiden cursed under his breath. “Do we know who?”“Not yet. There was a scuffle at the scene, and one of the assailants was shot in the arm but managed to escape. We’re working on identifying this individual.”Aiden was silent for a moment, processing the information. “So, Daniel is alive?”“Yes, but he’s unconscious. I’ve ordered our men to keep him alive and under strict surveillance until he’s able to talk.”Aiden sighed. “This complicates things. If Daniel talks, we might get more leads, but we also need to ensure he doesn’t reveal anything to the authorities that could trace back to us.”“Exactly,” Lorenzo agreed. “We need to tread carefully. I’ll have my men tighten security around Daniel. In the meantime, we should prepare for any eventuality.”“I’ll reach out to our contacts and see if anyone knows more about who might have wanted Daniel dead,” Aiden said. “We need to gather as much information as possible.”Lorenzo nodded, even though Aiden couldn’t see him. “Agreed. Let’s sta
As he hung up, Bryden knew he had to find a way to outmaneuver his father. He couldn’t let Daniel wake up and spill everything. He had to protect his family, no matter the cost.It had been a few days since Silvana had been rescued, and she was starting to feel more like herself. Aiden stayed by her side, offering comfort and support whenever she needed it. The trauma of her kidnapping still weighed heavily on her, but having Aiden close by made the burden a bit easier to bear.One morning, as the sun cast a warm glow into the room, the door opened, and Dr. Whitaker stepped in. He was an older man, with a kind face that bore the lines of years of experience. He greeted them with a reassuring smile.“Good morning, Silvana, Aiden,” Dr. Whitaker said, setting his medical bag on a nearby table. “How are we feeling today?”Silvana managed a small smile. “Better, I think. Aiden’s been taking good care of me.”Aiden nodded. “She’s been resting and eating well, Doctor.”“Good to hear,” Dr. Wh