*Earlier...*"I can not believe we are actually doing this," Isabella said, staring at the sleek helicopter perched on the private landing pad. She turned to Seth, eyebrows raised. "I know I keep asking, but what other secrets are you keeping? A submarine? A time machine?"Seth laughed as he moved through his pre-flight checklist. "Come on, a gentleman never reveals all his secrets at once. Where's the fun in that?""Oh, now you are a gentleman?" Isabella bumped his shoulder playfully, then leaned in to peer at all the instruments. "But seriously, you actually know how to fly this thing? Like, for real?""Would I offer if I did not?" He reached up and flipped a switch, the rotors slowly whirring to life. "Some kids got cars for their sweet sixteen. I got flying lessons.""Of course you did." Isabella rolled her eyes, but she was grinning. "Just casually learned to fly helicopters as a teenager. Total rich boy move.""Hey," Seth protested, "you are not complaining now that we need it,
They had landed hours ago, and since then, it’s been nothing but endless walking. Their legs felt like they were going to give out—like, actually give out. They’d checked every possible spot in the entire town, and honestly? Isabella was done. So beyond done. Seth didn’t look much better—his usually perfect hair was a mess from all the times he’d run his hands through it, and that expression on his face? It was the one he always got when he was trying way too hard to hide just how annoyed he really was."Twenty bucks says I have blisters on my blisters," Isabella muttered, stopping to lean against a brick wall. Two hours prior, she had already resorted to her go-to trainers, but even those now felt like torture devices."I'll see your blisters and raise you a sunburn." Seth looked along the deserted street and wiped his forehead. They had visited all of the remaining stores and spoken with everyone who would listen. Nothing.“I don’t get it," Isabella muttered, rolling her shoulders t
Isabella glanced at Seth, biting her lip, then turned to Tara's father. Mr..." she paused, realizing they did not even know his last name."Barry," he said with a tired smile. "Just call me Barry.""Barry," Isabella said gently, "I know we have stumbled onto something complicated here, and we have our suspicions about Richard's involvement. But..." she glanced at Seth, hesitating slightly Seth gave her an encouraging nod, stepping in. “But we do not think it is our place to tell you about him. This is Tara’s story to share, and she should be the one to explain everything when she is ready.”Isabella nodded, picking up from where Seth left off. “We are just here to support her,” she said. “And to make sure she is safe.Barry slumped back in his chair, looking older than he had just moments ago. "You are right," he sighed, running a hand over his face. "My baby girl...she has always dealt with things in her own time. Pushing her only makes her shut down more." He gave a weak chuckle. "
No one spoke for what felt like forever. Barry stared at his daughter, his face pale. For a second, it looked like he might actually pass out. "My God," he whispered. "All this time, I thought..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "I was so wrapped up in my own problems, I didn't even notice you were in danger." "That's exactly why I didn't tell you," Tara said softly. "You had enough to worry about." Isabella stepped forward, unable to stay quiet any longer. "Tara, what exactly did you find? While you were investigating?" Tara glanced at her father, then back at Seth. "Remember we found financial records. Massive transfers through shell companies, money disappearing into offshore accounts and we all thought it was just standard corporate fraud, but..." She took a shaky breath. "The deeper I dug, the worse it got. These weren't just cooking the books – there were connections to weapons deals, human trafficking, drug cartels." Seth leaned against the counter, his expression gr
Louis nodded. “How is her dad?”“Pre-op tests all morning. Surgery's scheduled for two." Seth said, leaning against the hallway wall next to Louis. "Man, the chairs here are brutal."The sound of footsteps made them both turn. Tara walked towards them, holding a paper cup of what was probably the world's worst coffee. "Tara.” Louis’s voice cracked slightly, betraying the emotions he was trying to hold backShe froze for half a second, her grip tightening on the flimsy coffee cup. "Louis," she said back, her voice carefully steady, but her eyes told another story. They always did when it came to him.Seth looked between them, then cleared his throat. "I should...check on Isabella. My girl should be starving.” He squeezed Louis’s shoulder. “Text me if you need me.”The silence that followed felt heavy enough to touch. Louis’s eyes stayed on Tara as she lifted the cup to her lips, taking a small sip. Her nose wrinkled at the taste. It was such a small, familiar thing, but it hit him har
Tara could not sit anymore. She leaned back from her laptop, her mind was racing a million miles an hour as she paced back and forth across her kitchen floor. Holy shit. Holy. Actual. Shit. Oh my god, she thought. Human trafficking. And all these powerful people involved. They were way over their heads.Louis watched her from his seat, his fingers drumming lightly on the table as he gave her space to process. “What is the problem, Tara?” he finally asked.She spun around to face him, her eyes wild. “What is the problem?” she echoed. “Louis, this could kill us. You know that, right? Come on, let’s be realistic! I know we are happy we have this, but”She ran her hands through her hair for probably the hundredth time, making it look even more of a mess, but she couldn't care less right now. This is bigger than them and they need to face it. She began pacing again and gestured to the screen like it was a bomb about to explode. “This isn’t just a little dirt we can throw at Richard. This
There was a buzz about the precinct that Louis hadn't experienced in a long time. Officers hurried back and forth, their footsteps resonating against the worn vinyl floors, as phones rang nonstop. Richard Stone's downfall had caused confusion, but it was the correct kind of upheaval, as if justice had finally found its feet.Louis couldn't help but lean forward on the bench near the holding cells, his hands clasped together as he watched the scene unfold. His suspension might have kept him from being in the thick of it, but wild horses couldn't drag him away now. Not when they were this close.The main doors swung open with a bang. Lieutenant Rodriguez strode in, flanked by two officers who had Richard Stone between them. Even in cuffs, Stone carried himself like he owned the place. His expensive suit was only slightly wrinkled, and that insufferable smug smile still played on his lips."Get him processed," Rodriguez ordered, his voice cutting through the noise. "Full intake. I want p
The patient's dog eats the fattest bone – or so they say. But sometimes, that patient dog might just starve to death waiting for scraps that never come. But that wasn’t the case for Eliza. Oh, no, Eliza was no ordinary dog. She watched, calculated, and planned. The bone had always been her target, fat and juicy, waiting just out of reach. She had endured Richard Stone's controlling behaviour, his condescension, and his family's thinly veiled disdain. And now? The universe had finally served her dinner on a silver platter, and she was ready to devour every last bite. Eliza lay back on her chaise lounge, her silk robe draped loosely around her. The morning sun streamed through the tall windows, hitting the marble floors in a way that could blind you if you looked directly at it—but that was the charm of having floor-to-ceiling windows in a Bali villa, wasn’t it?She couldn't stop scrolling through her phone, biting back the smile that threatened to take over her whole face. Her lip glo
The hotel staff greeted them with practiced elegance, whisking their luggage away as a manager personally escorted them to their suite."Mr. Donovan, everything has been arranged as requested," the manager said discreetly, handing over their key cards.Isabella raised an eyebrow at Seth, “Everything is arranged?...What did you do?”Seth just shrugged and kept smiling mysteriously.Once in their suite, Isabella gasped at the panoramic city views. "Seth, this view is incredible.""I know that's why I picked this room. I also have dinner reservations at La Casa Elegante for eight," he said, watching her explore the luxurious space. "It's one of the best restaurants in Mexico City.""I'm pretty tired," Isabella hesitated, then smiled. "But a Michelin-star restaurant? That might be worth staying up for."Seth checked his phone quickly - another message from his mother confirming the final details with Rosa. Everything was falling into place. He planned to introduce Isabella to Rosa after d
"Seth Donovan, what are you up to?" Isabella asked, watching him pack their suitcases with an air of mystery. They were leaving for Mexico City in the morning, and he didn't want Isabella to get a whiff of where they were going, but she was suspicious about how he had been acting. She knew they were travelling but didn't know where."Just trust me," he replied with a grin, carefully tucking something into a hidden compartment of his suitcase when he thought she wasn't looking.Isabella narrowed her eyes playfully. "I saw that.""No, you didn't," he said smoothly, closing the suitcase. "And even if you did, it's still a surprise."She hopped on top of their bed, watching him walk around the room. "I am tired of surprises, I don't think I can take anymore. Out with it please,”"Relax, you will like this one," he promised, pausing to kiss her forehead before pulling out a black silk blindfold "Put this on," Seth said with a mischievous smile.Isabella stared at it suspiciously. "You're
The drive home from the Riverside Hotel was quiet, Isabella staring out the passenger window, the envelope clutched in her lap. Seth kept glancing at her, wanting to say something but knowing she needed this silence to process everything.When they pulled into their driveway, they spotted Edward sitting on their front steps. He stood as they approached, his usual easy smile fading as he caught sight of Isabella's tear-stained face behind her sunglasses."Hey, boss," he said to Seth, then more gently to Isabella, "Everything okay?"Isabella attempted a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Not really.""Come inside," Seth said, unlocking the door. "We'll explain everything."They settled in the living room, Isabella curling up in her favorite corner of the couch, still holding the envelope like a lifeline. Seth brought her a glass of water before sitting beside her."I've been trying to reach you at the office," Edward said to Seth, his tone concerned. "When you weren't there for th
James pulled out his phone. "I can call them. Set something up for tomorrow, if you want." Isabella nodded slowly. "Tomorrow then." She looked at Seth. “Is that okay with you?" "Of course," he assured her. James stood, wiping his face one final time. "I'll let them know. And Izzy?" He hesitated at the doorway. "Thank you. For listening. For giving me a chance to explain." After he left, Isabella collapsed against Seth, finally allowing her tears to fall. "All these years," she whispered. "I thought I must have done something terrible to make them hate me so much. And it turns out...it turns out I just wasn't theirs." Seth held her tighter, his voice fierce. "You are worth so much more than their prejudices, Isabella. So much more than their narrow definition of family." She nodded against his chest, then straightened, wiping her eyes. The Rivera’s dining room felt too small, too intimate for the weight of the moment. Isabella strode in, her heels clicking against the fl
Seth's overly large living room felt smaller with James in it. Isabella sat rigidly on the couch, watching her brother pace back and forth. The silence between them was heavy with years of hurt."Izzy," James finally began, using her childhood nickname. "I've been trying to reach you for weeks.""I know." Her voice was flat, controlled."I saw everything on the news. The Stone case, Victoria's death..." He ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "It made me think about a lot of things. About what I did. About who I became."Isabella remained silent, her hands clasped tightly in her lap."I was wrong," James continued, his voice cracking. "So wrong. When Richard offered me money..." He shook his head. "I convinced myself that you were the one who was wrong. That you weren't living up to his expectations.""Expectations," Isabella repeated softly. "What kind of expectation requires a man to beat his wife to a pulp, lock her up for days, sleep with her cousin, and talk down on her consta
The common room of the women's correctional facility was quiet except for the droning of the television. Victoria Stone sat alone; her greying hair pulled back severely, her prison uniform neat despite its wear. Her eyes were fixed on the screen where her son's face filled the frame."Breaking news," the anchor announced. "Richard Stone, once considered untouchable, has been sentenced today. The business mogul faces forty years before the possibility of parole..."Victoria's hands began to shake. The paper cup of coffee she held slipped from her fingers, spreading a dark stain across the linoleum floor. No one moved to help her clean it up."My boy," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Oh, my Richard."The news showed footage of him being led away in handcuffs, and Victoria pressed her hands to her mouth, trying to stifle her sobs. She saw what others might miss - how he held his head, just like his father used to. The same proud tilt of the chin, even in defeat."I taught him that,"
Frederick stood at the podium, his earlier confidence now radiating through the courtroom. "Your Honor, I'd like to call Special Agent Tara Winters to the stand."A sharp-featured woman in a crisp jacket strode to the witness box. After being sworn in, she met Richard's gaze unflinchingly."Agent Tara, please tell the court about the Operation.""For three years, we tracked Mr. Stone's network of influence. I was in charge of cracking codes, following the trail and everything techy. We got encrypted USB drives detailing payoffs to judges, politicians, and law enforcement officials across five states; we got videos of Richard's trafficking of human, arms and drugs, which were labelled as medical supplies." Frederick collected all the said evidence and handed them to the bailiff.Richard's face was drained of color. He had always been too careful, but Louis and his team had somehow gotten to the root of his operations.Next came Marcus Reynolds, one of Richard's former enforcers; he jus
Isabella, Seth, Louis, and Frederick gathered in a little corner out of sight during the break. There was enough tension in the room for a knife to pierce it. Isabella paced while her heels clicked on the ground. "I do not like this," she said, running her hands through her hair. "Barrett is too confident. What if Richard actually walks free?"Frederick leaned back in his chair, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "That's exactly what I want them to think."Seth raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?""I'm playing dumb," Frederick explained, his eyes gleaming. "Let them attack our evidence. Let them think they're winning. They have no proof of Richard's innocence - not a single piece. But me?" He tapped his briefcase. "I'm just getting started."He turned to Louis sharply. "Tell me you collected everything by the book. We can't have any of it thrown out on technicalities."Louis shifted uncomfortably. "About that evidence...There's something else you should know," he said, his voice
“Take this and deliver it to my son,” Victoria said, more as a command than a request.“Ma…” his objection was cut short by Victoria's steely gaze and commanding presence that left no room for argument.Barrett carefully folded Victoria's letter and tucked it into his briefcase. Her intensity was unchanged, even behind bars - she was a woman who always found a way to exert control.Two days later, Richard sat in his cell, looking like a shell of his former self. “Your lawyer is here to see you,” the guard announced as he banged on the gate rails of Richard's cell“Richard, it's nice to see you, how are you holding up?” Barret asked although he already knew the answer to that one just by looking at him. He tried talking to Richard about their court hearing happening the next day, but he seemed lost and resigned, so Barrett resorted to his last option. He discreetly handed him the letter his mother had written.“What's this?” Richard asked uninterested“Something from your mother, She