Sophia''s mind drifted back to the dream with Alex that had felt so vivid.


    Could it really have been Alex-the same man who used to protect her, even after everything that happened between them?


    Part of her wanted to believe it, but she quickly dismissed the idea


    They were divorced.


    Why would he lift a finger for her? Besides, Alex wasn''t the sort to get involved in such dangerous affairs.


    It was impossible... wasn''t it?


    Suddenly, Jack''s furious voice broke through her thoughts, reverberating in the living room. "Marco Ashford! You slimy piece of dirt! I must''ve been out of my mind to trust you!"


    Marco onlyughed, a cold, mocking sound that sent shivers down Sophia''s spine.


    "You''re all blind," he sneer


    1. ed. "The whole lot of you. And don''t act like you just realized it. I did you a favor by ripping off the blindfold."


    "Favor?" Florence spat, her voice trembling with rage. "I considered you family! You''re worse than Alex ever was!"


    Marco rolled his eyes, a contemptuous grin stretching across his face.


    "So what? Your opinion doesn''t matter to me-not now that I''ve gotten what I need from your bank ounts." Before either Jack or Florence could fling more usations, Jasper''s voice boomed over everyone else''s, raw with anger. "Shut up! All of you! I''m sick of your whining."


    His shout cut like a knife. Immediately, silence draped over the room. Marco, losing his earlier bravado, dropped to his knees with a resounding thud.


    "Please," he pleaded. "I have nothing to do with the Lancasters! I don''t even know Carlos! The Lancasters were behind Sir Drake''s death. It''s not on me!"


    Jasper turned to a tall figure near him-Jarvis, whose mere presence seemed to squeeze the air from the room. "Uncle Jarvis, what do we do with this piece of trash?"


    Jarvis stepped forward, his voice low and steely.


    "I don''t care about your dealings with the Lancasters. I only need the name of Sir Drake''s murderer. Tell the truth, and I''ll show you mercy. Lie, and you''ll get a bullet in the head just like the rest


    Desperation painted itself across Marco''s face. His mind raced-he needed someone else to me.


    "I''ll talk. I swear! I''ve figured it out. It must be Alex! He''s the one who killed Mr. Drake!"


    "Alex..." Jasper murmured, stroking his chin. Recognition flickered in his eyes. "That name sounds familiar."


    Marco, sensing a lifeline, began rambling. "Yes, Jasper. You remember him. He''s the one who beat you and Hank to a pulp a while back. He must''vee to


    rescue Sophia. He still cares about her-probably more than his own life."


    2


    Jasper''s gaze hardened. "It''s him," he growled. "Uncle Jarvis, Alex is the prime suspect. We need to find him."


    Jarvis''s features went cold. "And where is he, exactly?"


    Marco smirked, sensing an opportunity to shift the focus away from himself.


    "Saw him at the Lancaster building this morning, but who knows where he is now?


    Trust me, though-just make Sophia call him. He''ll rush right over to y the hero." He jabbed a finger in Sophia''s direction,


    "Yeah!" Jack chimed in hastily. "We''re innocent. If anyone''s guilty, it''s him!" "That''s right!" Others added, their voices a chorus of fear and desperation.


    Jarvis''s eyes swept across the room, silencing the panicked cries with a single nce. “I''ll decide who''s innocent once I have proof. Until then, everyone is a suspect."


    A collective groan rose from the Lancasters. Someone muttered angrily, "That damn Alex is going to get us all killed..."


    "This isn''t fair! We''ve done nothing!" another wailed.


    "Sir Jarvis!" Florence shouted. "If you want Alex, I can call him. Tell him you''ve got Sophia, and he''lle running. He''s obsessed with her. I''ve seen it in his eyes."


    Jarvis gave a curt nod. "Then call him."


    Without warning, Florence grabbed Sophia''s smartwatch.


    "Mom!" Sophia gasped, trying in vain to snatch it back. "What are you doing?"


    "I''m not about to die because of that man!" Florence hissed through clenched teeth.


    Sophia''s heart pounded against her ribs: "But-what if he''s the one who saved me? Selling him out could be a mistake!"


    Florence fixed her daughter with a fierce re. “So you''d rather watch your family die instead? You''d choose that murderer over your own blood?"


    Sophia opened her mouth, but no words emerged.


    The silence that followed was suffocating.


    Finally, Florence punched in the number and pressed the watch to her ear. "Alex!" she barked when he answered.


    "You''d bettere here. I''m sending you the GPS position. Don''t act like you


    didn''t kill Han. Now a lieutenant''s got all of us trapped!"


    On the other end, there was only quiet. Alex didn''t bother to speak, as if Florence''s predicament meant nothing to him.


    She shouted, desperation breaking through every syble, "Damn it, Alex-Sophia


    is here, too! She will die if you are noting!"


    There was a single beat of silence. Then his voice came, cold and cutting. "I''m on my way."


    The call went dead.


    Florence exhaled a shaky breath and turned to Jarvis. "He''ll show. I''m sure of it."


    Jarvis hardly seemed impressed. "He''d better. Otherwise, I''ll kill everyst one of you."


    Florence gave a bitter smile, false confidence in her eyes. "He''s gone head over heels formy daughter. He''lle no what."


    er


    Unfazed, Jarvis rubbed his temple. "Take them all to a single room and keep them under guard. They have one hour. And bring Marco to my study."


    "Yes, sir." One of the soldiers snapped a salute before marching Florence and the others away, locking them up like prisoners.


    Marco was dragged elsewhere, protesting every step.


    Jasper suddenly moved closer to his uncle.


    "Uncle," he began, voice hushed but filled with anger. "I need to even the score.


    Let me have one of them."


    Jarvis''s gaze flicked to Sophia.


    Even in this chaos, she stood out-her beauty and poise were hard to ignore.


    He raised an eyebrow at Jasper. "That woman?"


    Jasper''s lips curled into a dark smirk. "Yes."


    Jarvis nced at his nephew''s already broken manhood, damaged state.


    What could he possibly do to a woman with condition like that?


    Still, perhaps he could use Jasper.


    Let him threaten Sophia, break her spirit, and then Jarvis himself could swoop in-


    appear as the good person, earning her trust


    ''A man will go to war, risk his life, and conquer kingdoms, all for the smile of a


    beautiful woman.''


    He nodded.


    "Fine, you can have her."


    Jasper turned happy said, "soldier please bring that woman to my room."


    Two soldiers seized Sophia. She yanked her arms back, struggling, fear zing in


    her eyes.


    Meanwhile, Marco found himself in Jarvis''s study, knees practically knocking together. A guard stood beside him, stone-faced


    Jarvis entered, taking a seat behind a heavy wooden desk.


    He slid a piece of paper across the surface with a number written in bold ink.


    "All your money," he said coolly. "Every cent you stole from the Lancaster family included. Transfer it here within twenty minutes."


    Marco swallowed. "But, Sir Jarvis, can''t we-"


    "Shut your mouth." Jarvis didn''t even nce up. Instead, he addressed the


    soldier. "Take him to another room. If that money isn''t in my ount in twenty minutes, pull the trigger."


    "Yes, sir." The soldier grabbed Marco and hauled him out, the door mming shut behind them.


    Left alone, Jarvis leaned back in the chair, massaging the bridge of his nose.


    This was all one monumental headache-he only needed to root out Drake''s killer


    and be done with it.


    Then he could get back to his post and his life.


    “Lieutenant Jarvis, tell me something... do you always get off on abusing your


    power?"


    Jarvis jerked upright by the voice.


    Standing before him was a young man-calm,posed, and unannounced, as if


    he''d materialized out of thin air. muscles taut, mind racing.


    He''d never heard the door open.


    It was as if the devil himself had just walked in.


    "Are you looking for me?"


    stared,