Chapter 41 —Just for SashaNarrator:Days later...Roman sat in his office, the glass of whiskey untouched in his hand, his jaw clenched with dangerous tension.“Tell me you have good news,” his voice was a steel edge.On the other end of the phone, the contact he had secured inside the detention center exhaled uncomfortably.“We did everything we could, Mr. Adler. We used every contact, every resource... but it's too late.”Roman felt a void open up in his chest, a void he hated to feel.“What does that mean?” he asked, even though deep down he already knew.The silence on the other end was more eloquent than any words.Finally, the answer came like a sentence.“It means she's no longer here. They took her away two days ago.”The whiskey spilled over his fingers as Roman gripped the glass tightly.“Two days, two damn days.” He had been moving heaven and earth to get her out of that hell, and she wasn't even there anymore. “Why didn't anyone tell me?”"Because the process is quick, Mr.

Chapter 43 —The Black CarsNarrator:The sticky heat hit her as soon as she stepped off the plane.The dense air, full of dust and humidity, seeped into her lungs with her first breath of reality. She was back. But not as she had imagined. Not with her head held high, successful, with a bright future ahead of her. She was returning empty-handed. Like a failure.She walked through the airport without looking at anyone. She just wanted to get out of there, to disappear.The bag with her few belongings weighed heavily on her shoulder, but the real weight was in her chest.Her family's car wasn't waiting for her. There was no one there to pick her up.Her grandmother was too sick to move, her brother... Did he even know she was arriving today?She clenched her teeth, pushing her way through the crowd. People were talking, laughing, reuniting with their loved ones.Aylin was alone. She clenched her fists, feeling the rage in her throat.She wasn't going to cry, not here, not in this damn ai

Chapter 45 —It's not life, it's survivalNarrator:Aylin felt a chill run down her spine. The distant noise from the street, the faint whirring of the fan moving the thick air in the room, even the sound of her own breathing... everything faded away with those two words. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. She couldn't have heard right. It couldn't be. She swallowed, feeling her own voice tremble when she spoke.“What did you say?”Roman settled into his chair with that deadly calm that exasperated her, that disarmed her. He looked her straight in the eye and, without a hint of doubt, repeated himself.“We're getting married.”Aylin stood up abruptly, almost knocking the chair over in her haste.Roman didn't move. He just followed her with his gaze as she began to pace around the room, crossing her arms, pressing her lips together, shaking her head over and over again.“Have you gone crazy?” she blurted out, with a nervous, incredulous laugh. “Get married? That's crazy!”Roman t

Chapter 47 —I Don't Want to Love HimNarrator:Roman stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel to dry his hair. He dressed calmly, opting for dark pants and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He wasn't a man of ceremony, but neither was he one to show up looking unkempt, even in a place as remote as this.When he went down to the dining room, his men were already there, waiting. The table was laden with homemade food, plentiful and well served, prepared by Santiago's wife. She, a stout woman with a sharp gaze, smiled at him respectfully and served him a plate without him having to ask.“Welcome to my home, boss,” she said warmly. “I hope you enjoy the food.”Roman nodded briefly.“I'm sure I will.”Santiago sat down across from him, while the other men took their places at the table. The conversation began with trivial topics, but little by little, the attention turned to him.“It's an honor to have you here,” said one of the men, with obvious admiration in his

Chapter 49 —His KingdomNarrator:The days passed and Roman didn't approach her. He didn't look at her, he didn't provoke her, he didn't seek her out.It was as if, after buying the factory, he had simply decided to ignore her. And that was driving her crazy.“That man is a damn time bomb,” Aylin muttered, stirring her coffee impatiently at Natalia's kitchen table.Her cousin watched her with a half-smile, resting her head on one hand."And why do you care so much when it explodes?Aylin pressed her lips together, looking down at the dark liquid in her cup.“Because I know him. And I know he won't stay quiet for long.”And that wasn't all. The town had changed. You could feel it in the atmosphere, in the evasive glances, in the cautious murmurs that ran through the streets. Since Roman Adler had arrived, people spoke more quietly, walked faster, avoided asking questions.And worst of all... It had filled with new faces, unknown men in dark suits, armed and with looks that seemed to see