a.My Stepfamily Sold Me to a Mafia Boss for $50,000—Then His Security Camera Put Them in Prison...

The silence inside the subterranean bunker was deafening, broken only by the rhythmic pulse of the ocean waves crashing against the sea wall outside.

Julian smiled, enjoying the feeling of absolute control. "No clever retorts, Gabriel? No speeches about your untouchable empire?"

Gabriel didn't move an inch. His expression remained unreadable, his dark gray eyes locked onto Julian’s thumb resting over the detonator button.

"You always were impatient, Julian," Gabriel said softly. "You focus so much on the grand dramatic gesture that you forget to check your perimeter."

Julian’s smile faltered slightly. "What are you talking about? My men cover every inch of this cliff."

"They covered every inch," Nora corrected gently, taking a step closer to Gabriel. "Until twenty minutes ago."

Before Julian could react, the heavy steel sea doors behind the computer terminals burst open under high-pressure thermal charges. Blinding white light and flashbang grenades detonated inside the bunker.

The deafening shockwaves threw Julian’s guards off balance. Through the smoke, Leo and a team of elite Costa tactical operatives flooded into the room, armed with silenced submachine guns.

"Clear!" Leo roared, neutralizing two guards before they could raise their weapons.

Julian gasped, stumbling back toward his desk, his thumb twitching over the detonator button. "I'll sink us all!" he shrieked.

"No, you won't," Nora said.

In one swift, perfectly practiced motion, Nora reached into the inner lining of her charcoal coat, pulling out a concealed high-velocity stun dart pistol—a non-metallic weapon she had hidden in her tailored clothes, undetected by the guards' preliminary check.

THWIP.

The electric dart struck Julian cleanly in his right wrist. High-voltage current surged through his arm, instantly paralyzing his hand muscles. The remote detonator dropped from his lifeless fingers, clattering uselessly across the concrete floor.

Gabriel moved like a phantom across the space between them. Before Julian could recover from the shock, Gabriel grabbed him by the throat, lifting the smaller man off his feet and slamming him brutally against the damp stone wall.

The stolen leather ledger slipped from Julian's arms, landing at Nora’s feet.

"You threatened my wife," Gabriel growled, his voice a low, terrifying rumble that shook the small room. His grip tightened around Julian’s neck, cutting off his air completely. Julian’s eyes bulged with panic, his hands clawing helplessly at Gabriel’s iron wrist.

"Gabriel..." Nora walked over softly, placing her hand gently over Gabriel’s knuckles.

Gabriel didn't break his cold, deadly gaze from Julian, but his body turned slightly toward her. "He needs to pay, Nora."

"And he will," Nora said softly, her thumb caressing Gabriel’s hand until his tense muscles began to yield. "He will spend the rest of his life in a maximum-security black site, stripped of his name, his money, and his legacy. Death is too easy a escape for him. Let him rot in the dark knowing he was beaten by the girl he thought was collateral."

Gabriel looked down at Nora. The red mist of rage in his eyes softened, replaced by the profound, unconditional love he held for her.

Slowly, Gabriel opened his fingers. Julian crumpled to the floor, gasping frantically for air, clutching his bruised throat.

Leo stepped forward, slapping heavy steel restraints onto Julian’s wrists. "Got him, Boss. The server upload has been aborted. The ledger is secure."

Nora picked up the black leather ledger from the floor, blowing off a faint trace of dust. She looked down at Julian, who was trembling on the cold floor.

"My stepmother sold me for fifty thousand dollars because she thought I was worthless," Nora said calmly, her voice echoing with supreme confidence. "You thought you could break us because you thought I was a weakness. You were both wrong."