My heart filled 182

+25 Bonus

Chapter 182

I determine the facts through our investigation,” he said evenly. “In the meantime, it’s advisable for everyone

Detective Carter remained unfazed. “We’ll di To cooperate,”

Something inside of the b

me broke the moment Faith was taken away in handcuffs. She didn’t look at me, not once. That emptiness in her eyes was all too familiar. She didn’t argue, didn’t plead. She just let them take her. And that scared the more than anything, the terrifying reminder when she was at her lowest point. I couldn’t let her sink into that darkness again

“Wait,” I barked, stepping in front of the officer. “I need a word with my wife, Just a minute

The officer hestrated but then nodded reluctantly. “One minute,” he said sternly.

I turned to Faith, cradling her face in my palms. Her skin felt cold against my palms, and her gaze remained distant, as though she were already a thousand miles away. “Faith,” I whispered, leaning in close. “Listen to me. I’ll fix this. I’ll get you hume. I swear.

She blinked slowly, her lips parting, but the words she finally said felt like a punch to the gut. “You did this.”

Her accusation crushed me. I wanted to argue, tell her she was wrong, that I never meant for any of this to happen. But down deep, I knew she was right. My decisions had led us here.

|“Faith,” I said again, this time cracking my voice. “Please… don’t give up on us. I made a mistake, but I’ll fix it. I’ll fix everything. Just trust me.‘ She didn’t respond to me, and the officer took another step closer. ‘Time’s up.

I hugged her, hold her close like that would make any of it alright. “I love you,” I whispered, but she did not say it back. She didn’t say anything. They pulled her away, and that empty space of her leaving me was unbearable.

As they ushered her out of the room, Eliza’s voice trailed after me “Finally,” she said with a smug smile. “I didn’t think she’d ever leave.” Something inside me snapped. I whirled on her, grasping her by the throat, and slammed her against the wall. Her eyes went wide with shock, and for a moment, she looked truly scared. “You think you’ve won?” I snarled, tightening my fingers. “You’ve taken everything from me. If you think I’m going to Jet this-”

“Dominic!” Alex’s voice cut through the haze of red clouding my brain. His hands were clamped hard around my shoulders, hauling me back. “Don’t do this. Faith is waiting for you. Think about her.”

I released her, and she dropped to the floor, trying to catch a breath had my fists clenched by my sides, fighting the impulse to finish what I had just started. “You are going to pay for this,” I spat before spinning on my heel and storming out of the room.

Alex followed me to my office, where I instantly picked up the phone and dialed my lawyer, I explained everything to him, trying to keep my voice from shaking with anger and desperation. He said he would come here as soon as possible and that we would sort it out, but even his calm assurance did little to assuage my mind.

I was hanging up when the door swung open, and in walled Anthony. His face was stem, but his eyes had that excited sparkle. “It’s your lucky day, Dom,

he said

I stared blankly at him. “Lucky? You’ve got to be kidding. There’s nothing about today that’s lucky”

Anthony smiled wryly. “Trust me, this is good news, I put out word around the bar, offering a reward for any information about that night. Two people have come forward ”

Alex straightened, his interest piqued. “Where are they?”

“I had them taken to a gate house, Anthony explained. “Didn’t v

want a repeat of the bartender situation,”

I let out a slow breath, some of the tension eased out of my shoulders. Finally, a glimmer of hope. “Good work,” I told him, patting Anthony on the back. “Let’s go. I’ll speak to them myself.”

Alex and I met eyes, both of us silently agreeing this could be the break we needed. For the first time today, I felt a flicker of something I hadn’t in a while: hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could turn this around. Faith deserved that mach