Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Without waiting for an answer, he drives another punch into my face. The force of it sends me sprawling to the ground, my vision blurring as the world around me tilts and sways. The searing pain radiates across my jaw, climbing up my face, and settling intensely around my eye. I can barely make out his figure as I hold up a trembling hand, desperate to shield myself from any more blows.
But the respite is short-lived. He delivers a brutal kick to my ribs, and then another, the impact of his loafer crushing against my bones with a sickening thud. The pain is excruciating, and I curl up, gasping for breath as my body writhes in agony. The room spins, and I can barely focus through the haze of pain and darkness closing in at the edges of my vision.
And then he keeps hitting, punching, kicking me as I try not to pass out from the pain.
He leans in close, bending over my body as I quiver and shake. “You ever try to take my son away from me, I’ll fucking kill you. I know about your new lawyer. I know what you’re trying to do. You ever go through with any of it and it’ll be the last thing you do.” And with those words he leaves my apartment.
Sobs wrack my body as I struggle to crawl toward my phone. Each movement sends sharp jolts of pain through my bruised and broken form. I close my eyes, overwhelmed by the agony, my head spinning as I attempt to stand. But each effort to rise is met with excruciating pain, and I’m forced to collapse back to the floor, the nausea nearly making me vomit.
“Please… leave me alone,” I murmur through gritted teeth, my voice barely audible over the sound of my own ragged breathing. The pain is so intense it feels like it’s squeezing the very life out of me. Every inch I manage to move feels like a monumental effort, and I nearly pass out again as I try to inch my way across the apartment to the couch where my cell phone lies.
Despair washes over me as I finally collapse in defeat. I can’t do this anymore. The thought of dying here, alone and broken, seems almost merciful compared to the relentless pain and fear I’m experiencing. I feel unworthy of life, my mind a tumult of fear and anguish.
Christopher’s threatening words echo in my mind, sending fresh waves of terror through me. He’s made it clear that he’d kill me if I dare to pursue custody. The stark reality of his threat settles heavily over me, adding to the overwhelming despair that grips me.
Chapter 25
Benedict
“Look at this,” Vin says, sliding a piece of paper toward me with a sense of urgency.
I take the document, trying to keep my gaze fixed on the front of the church to avoid drawing attention. “What is it?” I ask, briefly scanning the paper.
“It’s the financial record for that shell corporation we traced back to Christopher Matthews,” Vin explains. “Check out the date of the last significant transaction.”
I study the paper closely and my eyes widen as I see the date. “It was yesterday.”
“That’s right,” Vin confirms. “The same day he met with Delgado. We’re currently tracing where the funds are headed next, but it’s looking like Christopher might be laundering money for the Delgados.”
“What about the trafficking ring?” I ask, my concern evident in my voice.
“We’re still piecing that together,” Vin replies, handing me another sheet of paper. “But we’ve uncovered something significant about Gregory Saunders.”
I take the new document and scan it, my curiosity piqued. “What’s this?”
“Check out who’s listed as the beneficiary on this insurance policy,” Vin says.
I read the name on the paper, and it’s the shell corporation’s name, not Saunders’ wife. “Not his wife?” I ask, incredulous.
“This policy was taken out a week before Saunders died,” Vin says, his tone grave.
The realization hits me hard. “Christopher Matthews is more deeply involved than we originally thought.”
As the implications of the documents sink in, my mind immediately drifts to Eva. I can’t shake the thought of how devastated she’ll be to learn that her ex-husband is entangled in this mess far deeper than we initially realized. The weight of it all—the danger, the betrayal—will likely crush her.
“I should go and tell Eva,” I whisper urgently to Vin, making sure no one else can overhear. I’m also driven by a personal need to see her. The night we spent together was intense and filled with unresolved emotions. The way I went down on her, the connection we shared…it left a lot unsaid. I want her to understand that my feelings for her extend beyond her involvement in this case. I want her to know that I’m not just using her role to advance our investigation.