Chapter 8
The incident at the mall barely registered as more than a minor ripple.
In the days that followed, Sofia and Matthew basked in the glow of their upcoming wedding.
I managed to get my hands on an invitation and slipped into the event unnoticed.
The venue blazed with light and excess, a display of obscene opulence.
Sofia had spared no expense–every detail screamed luxury.
From the shadows, I watched the happy couple charm their way through Northbridge’s roster of CEOs.
Go on, keep laughing.
Tonight will be the last time you do.
The ceremony reached the ring exchange. A highlight reel began to play across the massive LED screen behind them—an overly sweet montage of their “love story.”
I lifted my champagne glass and started counting in silence.
Three…two…
The screen flickered, and suddenly the wedding slideshow was gone.
There she was–Sofia–naked, sprawled across the bed, her eyes glazed over, body twisting in languid, suggestive movements.
From the bathroom emerged a man, his hand closing possessively over her chest. They tangled together, fevered and shameless.
Then his voice came, low and sickening: “My beautiful daughter…Daddy’s here.”
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
Faces turned pale as the camera caught the man’s face–Julian.
The footage cut abruptly to a DNA test report: Sofia Thorne: 99.99% genetic match to Julian Voss.
Sofia screamed, desperate, “Turn it off! Turn it off!”
Matthew’s rage boiled over. He struck Sofia hard across the face, sending her sprawling to the floor.
“You filthy whore–cheating on me was bad enough, but with your own father?”
Her wedding gown hung in tatters as she crawled toward him, sobbing.
“It’s not true, Matthew! The video is fake, I swear!”
He wasn’t listening.
All he could feel were the mocking stares from the guests, burning through him like acid.
He turned to storm out–only to be met by uniformed officers blocking his path.
“Matthew Ryder, you’re under arrest for kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and embezzlement. You need to come with us.”
Before he could react, cold steel cuffs snapped around his wrists.
Phones went up all around them, flashes popping.
Some guests had been livestreaming ever since the explicit video began.
The wedding was over. The story would outlive the flowers, the champagne, and the cake–Matthew’s future now lay behind bars.
I’d seen enough. But two more names were still on my list.
Chapter 8
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I called John.
“They’re in my hands,” he said. “Get here. Now.”
When I reached the abandoned warehouse, Jax and Julian were hanging from the rafters, half–conscious, their bodies covered in lash marks–John’s work.
I had them doused with ice–cold water.
They came to, and the moment they saw me, the curses started.
“You bitch! Let us down now or you’ll regret it.”
“That’s right–Matthew won’t let you get away with this. Cut off a finger yourself and maybe I won’t tell him.”
I rolled my eyes. Still too loud.
Grabbing a steel rod from the corner, I swung it hard into Jax’s ribs.
“You dragged my daughter out of her hospital bed and tied her up here, didn’t you?”
Each word came with another blow, until his screams cut through the air.
Panic replaced defiance in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Amara! I swear, it was Matthew’s idea! I didn’t want to hurt Shirley–you know we used to be close!”
The mention of my daughter’s name sent fresh heat through my blood.
I tightened my grip, ready to bring the rod down on his skull—until John caught my arm, giving me a look that said, Don’t kill him.
Jax broke completely, piss soaking his trousers.
I dropped the rod and turned to Julian, still pretending to be unconscious.
A man who slept with his own daughter didn’t deserve a quick death.
I wasn’t about to get my hands dirty.
With a simple gesture, my guys stepped forward and delivered slap after slap–until his face was nothing but blood and bruises, unrecognizable.
I handed John a million in cash for his trouble.
Then the two men were stuffed into sacks, tossed into the back of a van, and sold off.
Their fate would be darker, harsher, and far more unforgiving than anything Matthew and Sofia ever faced.
Chapter 8
