The mall which had always lifted Michelle’s spirits, now felt like a passing moment of joy as her gaze locked onto the couple ahead. Daniel walked towards her with Ivanna at his side, with that familiar smirk already curling his lips.After the last stunt he tried to pull, she had hoped it would end there yet there he was, coming to her with that smug look all over his face.“Shopping without your guard dog today, Michelle? Where’s that billionaire husband of yours? Off building more empires while you play housewife?” his harsh words rang out as he stopped before their shopping cart with a look of scorn on his face. Michelle sighed but she kept her expression calm. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her rattled. “I'm too busy to entertain you today. Move away.”She turned to leave, but Daniel's hand shot out, his fingers wrapping firmly around her wrist. “Not so fast. We need to talk about Marty. I’ll be needing to meet him soon. I want to introduce my son to my fam

Richard stood by the window, his tall frame against the dim glow of streetlights outside. He had just ended a secure call with one of his trusted intel contacts. Jonas’ location had not changed. If anything, it felt as though the man was deliberately waiting, daring Richard to make the first move.Richard sighed, as he slipped the encrypted phone back into his pocket. His thoughts drifted back to Michelle. The sound of her voice during their earlier conversation had wrapped around him ever since then. She had sounded relieved, trying to hide the worry beneath her words, but he had heard it anyway. A rare smile tugged at the corner of his lips. She affected him in ways he had never anticipated, softening places in his heart he once believed were permanently hardened. She reminded him that there was more to live for than revenge and power.His mind then shifted to Marty. The boy’s bright, intelligent eyes and handsome little face refused to leave his thoughts. The way Marty had hugged h

Michelle’s breath came in shallow bursts as she stared at the aged photograph lying face-up on the carpet. The resemblance to Marty was undeniable. It wasn’t just a passing similarity; it was as if someone had taken a snapshot of her son years into the past and placed it in this worn frame.Her fingers trembled as she reached down and picked up the photo. The paper felt fragile beneath her touch, the edges frayed from years of handling or perhaps from being hidden away. She traced the outline of the boy’s face with the tip of her index finger, her chest tightening with a confusing mix of warmth and unease. For a moment, she allowed herself to imagine what it would mean if this wasn’t mere coincidence. But the thought was too heavy, too loaded with questions she wasn’t ready to ask while Richard was hundreds of miles away facing dangers she could only guess at.“No,” she whispered firmly to the empty room, shaking her head as if to dislodge the idea. “It’s just a coincidence. Children

Chapter 88 Richard sat in a corner of the interrogation room with one leg crossed casually over the other. He observed everything with a calm look. The air was filled with the metallic scent of blood and under the fluorescent lights, Godfrey McDonald knelt in the center of the room. His once-crisp suit was now torn and stained with blood and his face swollen from repeated blows.Richard’s men worked and each strike was calculated, not enough to kill, but more than enough to break the commissioner’s will. Godfrey gasped and coughed as another fist connected with his ribs, his body jerking violently.“Enough,” Richard said. The men stepped back immediately and Godfrey slumped forward, breathing heavily with blood dripping from his split lip onto the concrete floor. He lifted his head slowly, his eyes filled with terror as they met Richard’s cold gaze.“You… you bastard,” Godfrey wheezed. “Jonas will destroy you for this.”Richard leaned forward slightly, his expression still calm. “Jo

At the underground complex in New Orleans, the woman’s cold gaze moved over Richard and Rico. She looked them up and down with clear disdain, then scoffed.“Guarda questi due,” she said in Italian, her lips curling in mockery. “Jonas si è preoccupato per niente. Sono così magri e semplici. Questo è il grande Richard Carter che tutti temono?”Which means: “Look at these two. Jonas has been worried for nothing. They are so lanky and simple. This is the great Richard Carter that everyone fears?”One of the masked guards beside her shifted uncomfortably and spoke in a low voice. “Don’t be deceived, senora. Godfrey was taken down by this same ‘lanky’ man. He is dangerous.”The woman frowned and glared harder at Richard. He stood completely still, showing no fear or any form of intimidation from her or her men.Richard had understood every word and a smirk slowly formed on his lips.The woman noticed the smirk and raised an eyebrow. “Something funny, Carter?”Richard’s voice was calm when h