While all of this was happening with Lombard, and the Belmont family were still reeling from the disaster that had just struck them, Abigail was somewhere else entirely.She sat in the back seat of a moving car.Surrounded by the most intimidating security team she had ever seen in her life.And yet, they were all treating her with the utmost respect.Two minutes ago, she had sneezed.Every single one of them had turned instantly.As if she hadn’t just sneezed—as if she had suddenly collapsed from some deadly disease.Three handkerchiefs had appeared in front of her at the same time.She had declined them quickly.The whole situation was ridiculous.She still had no idea who LD was.But that was the least of her worries right now.The convoy of cars moved steadily through the road.“We’re going to meet someone,” the man in the front passenger seat said earlier.Now Abigail leaned slightly forward.“I met some men earlier today,” she said carefully. “They told me a lot of things I didn

Lombard had finally left the restaurant.That was supposed to be the end of the chaos Riley brought into his day.He didn’t expect to see her again.But the Belmont family?They weren’t the type to accept being put in their place.He was already prepared for whatever came next.Just not tonight.Tonight… he just wanted a few quiet minutes to himself.To sit.To think.Maybe find a bar.Have something cold.And process everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours.Because those twenty-four hours?They had been… a lot.For two years, he had carefully buried parts of himself.All because he wanted his relationship with Mireya to work. So later he could get married to her. Did everything she asked for, became the kind of man that she can think is the real for her. That phase of life where you think:“This is it. Time to settle down. Build something real. Give everything to one person.”But sometimes—life teaches you that was a mistake.Because Mireya had done nothing but t

“New York’s nice though,” Jake said, a little too quickly. “Different from LA and—”He stopped.It was getting awkward.He could feel it.And the more he talked about all the good things in his life, the worse it seemed to make it.A brief silence stretched between them.Then—“You know, man…” Jake started, more carefully this time. “I don’t know how things have been with you these past two years.” He exhaled. “I tried reaching you. Sent people too. But you were basically… invisible.”A small pause.“The only thing that kept me from thinking the worst was Vivienne. I could still hear from her. And there’s no way something happens to you that she wouldn’t know.”He gave a faint smile.“At least… that family bond is still there, right?”Lombard let out a short chuckle. “Yeah. I mean… I cut ties with everyone around me. I was being an asshole.”Jake didn’t laugh.That was the problem.“This isn’t like before,” Jake said quietly. “Back then, I could look at you and know what was going on

Meanwhile, the car Lombard was in had already started moving.Rowan’s father truly believed he had been the one to intimidate Lombard with his men. If Lombard hadn’t been stopped earlier, he felt he would have continued to think the man was someone worth worrying about.But then again… no one is above mistakes.And he had made one by talking too much and then thinking Lombard was more than this useless piece that he apparently was. That was how he ended up drawing the wrong conclusion.Of course, that wouldn’t happen again.He instructed the men to pull over at one of his warehouses.A place meant for handling people like this.Somewhere far from the eyes of the government… or anyone he needed to appear respectable to.The car slowed, then came to a stop.“Make sure you tie his hands,” he ordered as they pulled over.He wasn’t even in the same car as Lombard. Staying in close space with someone like him? That was beneath him.Meanwhile, Inside the other car, Lombard sat quietly amon

“Stop already!” Rowan cried out from the other end.The nurse had come to check on him, pressing around the injured areas. Whatever she was doing, it felt to Rowan like she was deliberately trying to punish him.“We’ve already given you anesthesia!” the nurse said, clearly frustrated.“Then give him more!” Mireya’s mother snapped. “Can’t you see the pain he’s in?!”“Who’s on the call with you?” Cassian asked, walking in after speaking with the doctor.“My dad,” Rowan said, ending the call. “He says he’s friends with LD.”“Friends with LD?” Cassian repeated, trying—and failing—to hide his shock. “How?”“My father is an influential man,” Rowan said, still managing to sound proud despite his condition. “He has connections everywhere.”Cassian paused, then nodded slightly, already thinking ahead.“Well… I think I’ll have dinner at your father’s tonight,” he said. “I should know the person my sister is getting married into.”“Have either of you heard from Mireya?” Cassian added, turning to