MICHAEL'S POVThe fight intensified as more gang members rushed toward me. My fists moved like lightning, each strike calculated and precise. One thug swung a chain at my head, but I ducked under it and slammed my elbow into his jaw with such force that the crack echoed through the lobby."Michael!" Victoria screamed from behind an overturned desk. "Be careful!""Stay down!" I shouted back, then spun around and delivered a devastating kick to another attacker's chest, sending him flying across the room into a glass partition that shattered on impact.I could hear the employees gasping in amazement from their hiding spots."Did you see that?" someone whispered in awe."He's fighting like he's in some kind of action movie!" another voice added.The gang members were beginning to realize they'd underestimated me. Several of them were already sprawled unconscious on the floor, groaning and bleeding."What the hell is this guy?" one of the thugs panted, backing away from me."He's not norm

MICHAEL'S POVI stood in the destroyed lobby, my heart pounding with a mixture of rage and despair. Even though Santiago had promised to help, I couldn't shake the feeling that five hours might as well be five years. Isaac was cruel, twisted—God only knew what he was doing to Victoria right now.My phone buzzed, and Sarah's name appeared on the screen. I almost didn't answer, but something made me pick up."Michael, where are you?" Her voice sounded strained, almost desperate."I'm handling some business," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "I can't come home right now.""Can't come home?" Sarah's voice rose sharply. "Michael, I need you here. We need to talk about everything that happened today, about who you really are!""Sarah, please understand—there are things I have to deal with right now that are more urgent than—""More urgent than your marriage?" she interrupted. "More urgent than your wife? Michael, I'm telling you right now—either you come home and explain everythin

MICHAEL'S POVI gripped the steering wheel tightly as I drove through the city streets, my mind torn between two desperate situations. Victoria was out there somewhere, probably being tortured by Isaac, while Sarah was at home threatening to leave me if I didn't explain everything. The weight of both crises was crushing.My phone rang, and I saw Santiago's name on the display. I answered immediately, hoping for good news."Santiago, please tell me you have something," I said, not bothering with pleasantries."Michael, we're making progress, but there's been a complication," his voice was tense."What kind of complication?" I asked, though I dreaded the answer."We've been tracking a van that matches the description of the one used to take Victoria," Santiago explained. "My people followed it for over an hour.""And?" I pressed, sensing there was more."We lost them in traffic near the warehouse district. By the time we found the van again, it was abandoned in an alley."My heart sank.

MICHAEL'S POVDerek's phone continued ringing insistently, and I watched his face grow paler with each ring."Are you going to answer that, Derek?" I asked calmly. "Or are you planning to let your father wait?"Derek fumbled with the phone, clearly torn between his curiosity and his fear of what he might hear."Put it on speaker," Sarah said suddenly. "Just like you did with Michael's call earlier.""No," Derek replied quickly. "This is different. Michael didn't put his call on speaker—""Hello, Dad?" Derek answered, pressing the phone to his ear instead.From where I stood, I could still hear Marcus Manning's voice coming through the earpiece, though not as clearly as before."Derek, what the hell happened?" his father's voice was frantic. "Someone just bought Sterling Corporation!"Derek's face went white. "No, Dad, that's impossible—""It's not impossible, you idiot! It already happened! They offered three times market value and bought out all our shareholders!"Derek began stammer

MICHAEL'S POVThe gangster was in bad shape now. Blood streamed from his broken nose and his mouth was swollen from the beating I'd given him. He was whimpering and begging through his injuries."Please," he gasped, spitting blood onto the concrete floor. "Please stop... I can't take anymore."I grabbed a nearby chair and dragged it over, sitting down directly in front of him. "Then start talking.""I already told you," he wheezed, "I don't know anything about where they took your woman."I started to rise from my chair, and he immediately panicked."Wait! Wait!" he screamed. "There might be someone who knows!"I settled back into my seat. "I'm listening.""The guy who was leading us today—he's the one who actually spoke with Isaac directly," the gangster said quickly. "But he left with your uncle when they took the girl.""That doesn't help me," I said coldly."But his family is still here in the city!" he added desperately. "If you can get to them, he might come out of hiding to pro