Chapter 11

"Three million dollars," he said, his voice cold and calculating, like something emerging from a deep, dark abyss. "Not a penny more, not a penny less. You give me the money, and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

My mother gripped the phone tightly.

"How can I trust you? Why are you doing this? Do you have no humanity left?" she shouted, her voice on the edge of breaking.

"Humanity?" Desmond laughed as if he'd just heard the most absurd joke. "When it comes to money, any shred of humanity gets tossed out the window."

Leaning weakly against the wall, my mother whispered, “Fine… I agree. But you have to tell me the truth first.”

The deal was made, and the exchange took place at the entrance of an abandoned factory. The sunlight slanted across the stained, grimy walls, and the air was thick with the scent of rust and damp earth.

Desmond arrived wearing oversized sunglasses and ill-fitting clothes. My mother stood there, flanked by a few hired bodyguards, looking well-prepared