Alex’s words caused Kevin to snap out of his thoughts and stare at him incredulously.In these last two years, he had consulted the best neurosurgeons, traditional healers, and even prosthetic experts, but nothing had yielded any positive results.“You should have brought her to us earlier. I am afraid it is far too late to do anything now.”“The complications make it impossible for us to operate on her. You should just take the patient home and provide her with supportive care to improve her standard of living.”Those were the usual replies that he had grown so used to hearing that his ears had turned deaf to them.Yet now that someone was promising to treat Beatrice and help her regain mobility, Kevin couldn’t take it seriously.“You are going to treat my wife? And make her walk again?” Kevin scoffed, staring daggers at Alex. “Is this one of your pathetic ploys to win my support? Is this how low a man can go to seize power? Truly, you’re far worse than Angelo.”“It is no trick, Mr.

Flashlights swung through the darkness, and electric lanterns dangled below as greasy rubber shoes rattled the metal platforms.Some scampered to grab emergency lights while others headed up the stairs to check the fuse box on the second floor.Alex hid behind a stack of crates covered by an old tarp, keeping his ears sharp for the slightest noise.A couple of men armed with flashlights and screwdrivers marched across the platform and quickly located the fuse box a few feet away.“The circuit breakers are all gone!”“What do you mean, ‘gone’?” “Someone yanked them out! They cut the power on purpose.”“We need to tell Oleg. This is bad!”As the first guy marched off to alert Oleg, Alex swooped in from the shadows.“Hyargh!”The second guy uttered a muffled cry as Alex tightened his arm around his neck, choking him out.As he dropped like a sack of potatoes, his flashlight clattered against the iron rails.“What the hell are you doing?”The first guy turned around, swinging his flashli

News of Oleg’s confession rattled Angelo, shaking the ground beneath his feet. This was a betrayal he had never seen coming.Oleg had not only exposed everything about Angelo’s involvement in the moonshine business but also confessed to the extortions, abductions, and murders he had committed over the years just for Angelo’s benefit.The more Angelo watched the news, the more it boiled his blood. For the first time ever, he could feel the reins of Cobalt Cove slipping out of his hands.“You…little dog. You were nothing more than a drunk cabbie. But I raised you. I put you in a position of power and gave you everything you have today. And this is how you repay me?” he shouted at the top of his lungs, alarming his whole household.The guards and the attendants came running to his aid.But Angelo cocked a furious eye at them and yelled again.“Get the hell out of here and leave me alone!”As the guards and attendants dispersed, Angelo climbed the fiberglass stairs and shut himself up in

Kevin Miller teared up over the video call as he saw his wife standing on her own two legs without any support.The wheelchair, which had become an inseparable part of her being, now lay toppled in a corner like a broken relic.“I can…stand. I can even with some help,” Beatrice revealed, smiling through her tears as her auburn eyes twinkled softly. “Dr. Lucy said that I might even be able to start jogging with you after a few weeks.”Kevin chuckled softly, his smile reaching the corners of his eyes.Seeing his wife without her wheelchair was more precious than any business deal he’d ever struck, and it gradually softened his icy heart.“I am in your debt, Mr. Verlaine. You are far more than just a businessman. You are a savior,” he said, settling his moistening eyes on Alex. “I was wrong about you, completely wrong. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive this stubborn old man.”“All is forgiven,” Alex replied, dismissing the praise with casual ease.“Now allow me to return the fa

The next morning, Angelo Velasquez woke up to 15 missed calls from his deputy and a torrent of messages from the different departmental heads.Even before he could have his morning coffee, his phone buzzed in his hand. It was the Deputy Mayor, Lester Pinkman, on the other end.“We need to talk, Mr. Velasquez.”“I have nothing to talk about this early in the morning. I’m taking the day off,” Angelo barked irritably, meaning to cut the conversation short.However, his deputy’s next words compelled him to stay on call.“All your underhanded dealings have been exposed. Your man, Marcus, just told the cops about your involvement in the moonshine business and the different extortion rackets running across the city. His statements have been backed by Oleg Van Dyke.”Angelo reeled in shock, unable to believe his own ears.“Marcus would never do such a thing! It’s impossible!”“But he did,” Lester continued. “And that’s not even the half of it. Marcus also told the cops about all the people wh