Slowly, Luna's index finger moved. Once, then a brief pause, followed by a second distinct twitch."She heard him!" Mrs. Montgomery burst into sobs, collapsing into her chair.Harold shook his head, desperately trying to deny what he had just witnessed. "No way! That's just a neural reflex! A person in a vegetative state can't respond like that. This is manipulation!""Neural reflexes don't happen twice in perfect succession right after I ask a question," Dominic countered, his voice as cold as ice. He stood tall, releasing Luna's hand with extreme care, as if she were priceless porcelain. "Luna has given her consent. She wants me to protect her.""Prepare her," Dominic commanded. "As soon as the paperwork is ready, I am marrying her."...Two weeks later, Clarissa brought a black folder containing legalized legal documents. She placed it on the desk in front of Dominic."All the administrative paperwork is settled, sir. Luna's residency data has been synced. I've also secured a marri

In the distance, a black sedan sat idling, its engine a low, predatory hum.Clarissa sat in the rear passenger seat, her sharp eyes tracking every movement in front of the gate through the dark window tint. When she saw the front door slam and Dominic stumble for a moment before regaining his footing, her jaw tightened. She immediately pressed a speed-dial button on her phone."Handle the junk bike at the gate of number 12. Haul it to the warehouse. Make sure no one from that house sees you. Now."She then tapped the driver's shoulder. "Move in. Pick up the boss."The luxury vehicle glided forward, breaking the silence of the night, and pulled up exactly in front of Dominic. Clarissa stepped out instantly, opening the rear door for him.Dominic climbed in. As soon as the door clicked shut, Clarissa handed him a small towel and several premium wet wipes."Honestly, sir, the things you put yourself through," Clarissa remarked, her tone a mix of concern and irritation. her eyes lingered

A month had passed since the storm on the stock exchange floor had settled. In his expansive office on the top floor of Pacific Maritime, Dominic Haughland stared out at the sprawling ocean through the floor-to-ceiling glass."Sir, the sabotage at the North Sector Hub has been completely resolved. All cooling systems have been upgraded with high-level encryption," Clarissa reported while organizing several files."Good," Dominic replied shortly."One more thing, sir. A few of our logistics partners seem hesitant to renew their contracts following the instability from the Julian Ashford incident," Clarissa added cautiously.Dominic swiveled his chair around. "Let them go. Tell the project manager to find new associates who actually have some backbone. I don't need partners who jump ship at the first sign of a small wave.""Understood, sir. Oh, and regarding the investigation into Mrs. Luna's accident..." Clarissa handed over a sealed manila envelope. "Here is the report. The independen

Inside his private office, Dominic Haughland had just taken a sip of his black coffee when his personal phone vibrated on the desk.Dominic stared at the screen for several seconds with a cold, detached gaze, as if observing an insect trying to breach a sterile zone. He slid the green button and pressed the phone to his ear without a word of greeting."Hello? Dominic?" Monica's voice crackled through the line."What do you want?" Dominic asked curtly."Have you heard about Dylan?" Monica began, launching into a performance that Dominic knew all too well.Dominic leaned back in his executive chair, his eyes fixed sharply on the photo of Luna Montgomery on the corner of his desk. "What about him?""He's in a terrible mess, Dominic! Your brother was set up by that wretched girlfriend of his, and now he's being held at the precinct! The police are talking about drugs, but I know Dylan is a good boy—he's clearly just a victim!" Monica babbled, her breath hitching with forced desperation.D

Dylan's world flipped upside down in a matter of seconds. Inside the cramped, pitch-black cargo hold of the logistics truck, he huddled in the corner, clutching his knees. The two mountain-like men who had 'collected' him sat opposite him like silent stone statues. Every time the truck hit a pothole, Dylan's heart leaped into his throat. He felt like livestock being driven to the slaughter."Please, Sir, I can pay you," Dylan whimpered, his voice trembling and his nose turning red from holding back tears. "My mother has a lot of jewelry. Take it all, just please let me go."One of the guards glanced over from behind his dark sunglasses. "Quiet. You have a contract. Running away means going back to a cell at the South Precinct. Which do you prefer?"The heavy, gravelly voice silenced Dylan instantly. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. He pictured the freezing floor of the jail cell and the trauma of the previous night's raid. He could only curse his fate, swearing at Dominic in