Charles looked up at Francis, desperate. "Francis, I''m begging you please! Take care of Charlie. No matter what, just keep her stable until I get back!"


    Francis nodded, face set and serious. "You have my word. I''ll do everything I can."


    He flicked a nce at Q, who immediately rushed off to get the car ready.


    "Thank you!" Charles called, wasting no more time. He whipped around, his movement cutting through the air, and charged out the door.


    He didn''t even dare nce back at his daughter, still fighting for her life in that hospital room. He was already gone, a blur at the end of the hallway, like an arrow let loose.


    Every heartbeat that passed was another blow to Charlie''s fragile lifeline.


    ...


    The cell was damp and freezing, the stench of mold thick in the air.


    By Charles''s order, Luna was thrown in here, waist-deep in filthy water. Her once- perfect hair hung in messy, wet clumps, and her expensive clothes clung to her, ruined and pathetic.


    But her eyes-her eyes were icy, filled with poison and a wild, almost crazed certainty.


    The heavy iron door mmed open. Charles stood in the doorway.


    Luna''s lips curled into a twisted, triumphant smile. There was no fear in her eyes -only dark satisfaction.


    She didn''t bother to pretend anymore.


    The moment Charles had ripped the little brat away from her, she knew he''d figured everything out. If he hadn''t, he never would have acted so fast.


    She hadn''t expected him to dig up the evidence she''d destroyed so soon. But did it really matter? It was already toote.


    He was trapped. He had no choice now but to y by her rules.


    "Charles,


    ou finally made it!" Her How''s your precious dat $ raw but gloating. "S


    voice


    Is


    hanging by a thread?"


    Right now, she was the one winning.


    Evelyn''s hand was ruined. The brat was dying.


    Everything was under her control.


    Just like she''d read in those files, this man-no matter how hard he tried-would always end up in the palm of her hand.


    Ever since she''d gotten Dahlia''s


    heart, Luna''s mind had started twisting, filled with thoughts that weren''t hers. She''d dug deep into. every record about Dahlia. The more


    she read, the more she felt it the tangled love and hate Dahlia had for Charles, the burning hatred for


    Evelyn and that little brat.


    Little by little, Luna disappeared.


    She became Dahlia.


    That''s how she found Charlie, hidden away with the Cipoletti family, and how she knew Evelyn wasing to Country Y.


    Her moment for revenge had finallye.


    Now, seeing Charles-so proud, now forced toe and beg her-Luna''s joy nearly spilled over.


    Charles walked down the steps, each step echoing coldly on the wet stone. He stopped in front of the iron bars, looking down at her.


    His eyes weren''t angry, or pleading. They were bottomless and cold, enough to freeze your soul.


    "The antidote." Charles''s voice was calm—too calm. Each wordnded heavy. "Hand it over."


    Luna threw her head back andughed, her voice bouncing off the walls, shrill and grating. "The


    antidote? Oh, there''s an an


    right! But-"


    all


    She paused, her gaze daring him. "You know what I want, Charles."


    "Marry me. Right now. Make it official. Tell the whole world I''m your wife. Do that,


    and I''ll save Charlie. If you won''t..."