Isabelle's POV After the conversation with Albert and Diana, August started focusing on his work, even though he was no longer physically at the company. He said he had other projects and began dedicating himself to them, practically locking himself in his office. Meanwhile, the police investigation moved forward. All of us were called in to give statements, the children and their partners alike. It was a strange experience. I had to relive the kidnapping yet again, explain why I had accused my father-in-law, and justify decisions I wasn't even sure I would make again. Even so, I had the impression that August's interrogation lasted much longer. Despite having a solid alibi, the suspicion seemed to weigh more heavily on him. I was certain my husband was innocent. I believed him when he said he hadn't done anything. I would have bet my life on it. I tried my best to avoid the news and the leaks to the press, ignoring the messages that kept arriving on my phone. But it was diffic

August's POV If what she was saying was true, Karina was right. My father would have found a way to keep the truth from coming out. If my mother had died in the past, we might never have known who Diana was. But understanding someone's reasons was one thing. Agreeing with them was something else entirely. Karina had confessed. Even so, I knew she hadn't been the one on the motorcycle. That meant someone else was involved. And now the three of us were standing there, along with his supposed son. "We have to go to the police station," I said firmly. Isabelle looked at me in alarm. Karina, on the other hand, seemed resigned. "We can't do that. We can find a way to help her." Isabelle grabbed my arm. "Isabelle, she committed a crime. And judging by how desperate she is to run, I doubt it was particularly well planned. They probably already know something. No one's going to let this case go cold without a quick resolution, not when my father was involved." "But... look." "

Isabelle's POV I felt a wave of relief wash over me when August was released. While I was still being questioned, I could think of nothing but the so-called evidence Karina claimed to have, especially the photo she'd sent me. I was certain it was fake. Even so, maybe the police didn't see it that way. Sometimes, weak evidence was enough when there was a chance of bringing down someone powerful. August hugged me as soon as he saw me at the station. All I wanted was to go home, rest, and pretend none of this had happened. But that was impossible. Watching Karina's baby leave without his mother, knowing she would remain in custody, broke my heart. It was something I couldn't easily forget. As soon as we got into the car, I spoke, feeling something lodged in my throat. Guilt, really. "I'm sorry about this... I don't think I was thinking clearly." "You think I'm guilty?" he asked without looking at me. "There would've been no reason for me to meet with someone claiming to have evi

August's POV This time, I entered the company through the front doors. I could have waited longer, let the dust settle, and given time for the stares to fade. But my goal had always been to reclaim my position and my routine as quickly as possible. If I waited too long, everything would turn to dust, and I had no intention of watching it collapse from a distance. I needed to reclaim my place one step at a time. I could feel the eyes fixed on me, some curious, others suspicious. Still, lowering my head had never been an option. I was a Salvatore, after all, and after my innocence had been proven on national television, I didn't owe anyone an explanation. The silence in the elevator was uncomfortable. Two executives rode up with me. One cleared his throat, while the other made some irrelevant comment about the weather. I didn't respond. I went straight to the executive floor. This time, my return wasn't a surprise. I'd given Albert plenty of notice, making it clear that my return

Isabelle's POV Karen had vanished once again. But this time, she had left her son behind. I still couldn't believe she had been capable of doing something like that. For a long time, I had thought the only human, decent part of my sister that remained was Hector. Apparently, I had been wrong. Karen hadn't even left a note. If she were found, she would be arrested again. And this time, she would remain in custody until trial. In the meantime, I helped my aunt. Every few days, I brought Hector to my house to give her a break, since Camille was working nonstop. I needed to focus on my nephew and his well-being, and I wasn't going to waste any more time thinking about Karen. So, two days later, we hired a lawyer to sort out his legal situation and determine what would happen with custody. August was working nonstop too, now alongside his sister. It was the first time the two of them had worked on a project together without competing or trying to outdo each other. I knew they argued