The ivory card sat on the wooden counter like an unexploded bomb. Paulina’s hands shook as she dropped it back onto the surface, her eyes wide with a mixture of terror and disbelief.

“You think Salgado is going to pay you?” a voice rumbled from the dark doorway of the bedroom.

Esteban spun around, his gun shaking as he aimed toward the sound.

Leaning against the doorframe, pale and pressing a heavily bandaged hand against his ribs, was Santiago Vitale. He looked exhausted, his dress shirt still stained with blood, but his eyes were sharper than a razor blade.

“Boss? You... you’re supposed to be in the hospital!” Esteban stammered, panic flooding his voice.

“Hospitals are boring,” Santiago said smoothly, taking a slow step forward. “And rats like you are so predictable.”

Suddenly, the front door of the apartment flew open. Elena and three armed loyal guards swarmed in, their weapons trained instantly on Esteban. Before the traitor could pull the trigger, Marco slammed the butt of his pistol into the back of Esteban’s head, sending him crashing unconscious to the floor.

I stood paralyzed amidst the chaos, clutching the recovered ledger to my chest.

Santiago walked across the room, ignoring his wound, until he stood right in front of me. He reached out, gently taking the papers from my trembling hands and setting them aside.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice dropping all its cold authority, replaced by an overwhelming, raw tenderness.

“I’m... I’m okay,” I whispered, tears finally breaking free. “You shouldn't have come here. You’re bleeding through your bandages.”

“I told you,” Santiago whispered, cupping my face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away my tears. “You are not walking through my world alone anymore. Salgado was arrested thirty minutes ago at his safehouse. The federal police have the ledger. Our family is free from his shadow.”