The hand stopped three inches from his shoulder.Big Mike had reached out the same way he had a thousand times before—the yard boss giving his blessing to another con heading back to the world. But something made him freeze.Not fear. Something deeper. Something that made his scarred knuckles tremble before he slowly pulled his hand back.The man Big Mike was trying to reach didn't turn around. He didn't have to."Cole is walking out," one of the guards radioed from the observation deck."Copy that. Thank God. I'll finally get some sleep again."As Cole moved toward the gate, whispers rippled through the cells."Cole is leaving." The words caused a hush to fall over the entire block. Even the cell boss shot a trembling look at whoever had spoken."If that's a joke, I'm killing you tonight." Not a threat—a promise.From another cell Cole passed, more whispers:"Johnson used to be the hardest in here until Cole came.""What'd he do?" a curious newbie asked."Nothing. That's what made hi

Cole walked into the luxurious mall beside Amanda like a man dragged to his own makeover. The workers at the entrance greeted her with warm smiles, a few stealing curious glances at him. Amanda flashed her card and kept walking.“I need some clothes for him,” she told one of the attendants.“I’ll get—” the lady began, but Amanda cut in politely.“I’ll do it myself.”The worker nodded and led them to the men's section.Cole stood stiffly by the racks, watching Amanda sift through clothes like she was solving a complex puzzle. She held a shirt up, eyed him for a second, then shook her head and moved on. Another shirt. Same verdict. Repeat.Then came the screech.“Oh. My. God!”Cole didn’t need to turn. That voice could haunt a man in his dreams.Tiffany.Amanda’s younger cousin. The kind of girl who wouldn’t notice you unless your last name was Ferrari or your fingers jingled with black cards.“The rapist is out of prison!” she announced like it was the evening news.Heads turned immed

Cole and Amanda stepped out of the store a few minutes later.Amanda carried a bag of clothes—the same ones the manager had practically shoved into her arms—and Cole was already wearing one of the sets. Sharp, expensive, nothing like the man who walked in earlier. He looked like he belonged in a private jet, not a jail cell.She kept sneaking glances at him. She still had no idea what the hell had just happened in there. Or why the manager suddenly turned into his butler. Or where that card came from. Or… who Cole really was anymore.Three years was a long time.But for some reason, it was still awkward. Like small talk was a crime and breathing too loud might ruin the moment.“I… actually…” Cole said, breaking the silence. His voice was hesitant.Amanda stopped walking. “What?”“I guess I… I forgot something at the hospital.”“Oh. Well, maybe we could just—like, maybe go together?”She instantly hated how awkward she sounded. What was that stutter? Why did her hands suddenly feel use

Despite the short notice, by the time Amanda arrived at the mansion’s banquet hall that evening, every other member of the family was already there.Her eyes swept the room. Everyone was deep in conversation, most of them pretending it was about the afternoon’s deal or some contract—but really, it was just a bunch of high-dollar bragging.“You think Grandma’s finally announcing the heir tonight?” she overheard one of her cousins say from across the hall.“It’s about time,” another groaned. “What’s with all the suspense? She’s not auditioning for a Netflix thriller.”“I literally bought this gown an hour ago. Two million dollars. I refuse to look like background noise when she announces my brother as the heir!” another cousin shrieked, practically throwing her champagne flute into the air like it was a mic drop.Amanda sighed. Yeah. So it was what everyone was talking about. The same tired topic, the same recycled ambition in new designer fits.She turned on her phone and pretended to

Cole slapped Tyler so hard the sound cracked through the room like a thunderclap, leaving jaws hanging mid-air.“You hired a fucking psychiatrist to write some trashy report about Amanda,” Cole snarled, his voice low, dangerous, “just to keep her out of the running for heir? Seriously?”Tyler's face froze, eyes widening for a brief second.That psychiatrist had left New York months ago. How the hell did Cole—WOSH!Another slap. Harsher. Louder.“That’s for the other night,” Cole growled, breath hot with fury, “when you drugged Amanda and dumped her on granny’s bed like some scandalous prop—just to make it look like disrespect.”Amanda’s eyes blew wide. She remembered that night. The way her body had felt heavy. The way she'd woken up humiliated in Granny’s bed.But Cole still wasn’t done.WOSH.Another slap. This one was brutal. Tyler staggered back like he’d just caught a punch from a heavyweight fighter.“You hypocritical son of a bitch,” Cole seethed. “You have the audacity to spe