Joan felt as if the ground should open up and swallow him this moment.He couldn’t believe that he could be so easily exposed. The police, already convinced of his guilt, handcuffed him and led him out of the house. Joan’s eyes darted around, seeking sympathy, but all he found were scowls, disgust, and disdain.Elaine, standing off to the side, felt the weight of her mistakes crash down on her. Her cheeks were wet from tears as she watched Joan being taken away. She had labeled Antonio wrongly, accused him without basis, and now the truth was glaringly clear. Guilt that had been building for days hit her chest.She wanted to run after Antonio, to beg for forgiveness, and to explain, but fear that he wouldn’t forgive her kept her frozen for a few painful seconds.“Antonio… I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice breaking. The words felt weak, drowned out by the grief and chaos filling the house.Alder, meanwhile, stayed unmoved. His face was hard and his eyes cold. He had never sho

Every fiber of his being screamed at him to fight, but even he could feel the fatigue weighing on him and his muscles burning from previous clashes with waves of Blackthorn’s men.Antonio’s mind raced. Fighting head-on would be suicide. He glanced at his team.Their faces streaked with sweat and dust and their eyes were fixed on him for guidance. The men trusted him to lead, and Antonio refused to let them down. “Listen carefully,” he said. “We are outnumbered, yes, but not outsmarted. Move with me, and follow my lead. Every man for every step. We don’t fight; we evade. Get ready to run when I say!”The forty men lunged, aiming to crush Antonio and his small team. Antonio shifted his weight, pivoting, and grabbing a nearby stalagmite as a barrier between him and the first attacker. Antonio’s men copied his moves, slipping past the first wave of attacks, dodging blades and heavy clubs.His sharp eyes caught weak spots in their attackers. He gave quick signals, guiding his team

She was the same woman he had noticed near the herb shop a few days ago, the one who had caught his attention in a brief, fleeting glance while he had wanted to get the special herb for Matilda’s recovery. Back then, she had seemed disheveled and fragile, as he tried to rescue her. But now, as she sat upright in the grand, softly lit room of the villa, she looked composed and there was an elegance to her appearance.“You… you’re here,” she said softly. “I didn’t expect to see you again.” Her gaze held a vulnerability that made Antonio’s chest tighten, but also a quiet resolve. Antonio gave a slight nod, offering her a reassuring smile. “I came as soon as I could,” he said. “I wanted to make sure you were okay after what happened.”At that moment, the butler, a tall man in a crisp uniform who had been silently attending the room, stepped forward. “Sir Antonio,” he said with a formal bow, “I should explain the situation. The young lady—Miss Liora—was involved in a very severe acc

Antonio’s calm demeanor never wavered. “Young man, I am not here to harm her. I am here to help. Every step I take is for her relief. If you resist, her pain will continue unnecessarily. I need you to understand that.”Before Sean could press the buttons on his phone, the door to the room creaked open once more. Everyone turned to see a middle-aged woman standing there, her eyes wide with surprise. Her presence filled the room immediately.“Mom?” Sean’s tone shifted slightly. “You have to see what this man is doing! He’s a nuisance! He’s telling Liora to lie on the flat table in her pants. And he’s had her undress. I don’t trust him. He has an ulterior motive, and I’m not going to let him touch her!”The woman—Liora’s mother—raised a hand. Her expression was a mixture of shock and indignation. “Young man,” she said, looking from her son to the man standing beside her daughter. “What is all this chaos? Why is my daughter in distress?”Sean hurriedly explained, gesturing toward An

After making attemps to stand, Liora saw herself standing.For the first time in weeks, Liora was able to stand fully on her own. Her legs which were once trembling at even the slightest effort, held her steady, and she could feel the subtle strength returning to her back. Everyone in the room froze for a moment, mouths agape. Even Sean was momentarily silent. Tara could hardly believe her eyes.“Look at that,” the mother whispered in disbelief. “She’s… standing! After all these weeks…”Liora’s smiled, stretching her arms slightly and testing her balance. “I… I can stand,” she said softly, almost as if afraid that her body might betray her again.Antonio nodded approvingly. “That’s excellent, Miss. You’ve made remarkable progress in just a short time. It’s going to take a few more sessions, but if you keep at it, you’ll regain your strength fully.”Just as she was beginning to feel confident, a small twinge of pain hit her lower back. She winced and instinctively sank back onto