MY HUSBAND ABANDONED ME AND OUR NEWBORN AT THE HOSPITAL—THEN A TATTOOED STRANGER SIGNED THE “FATHER” LINE… AND REVEALED THE SECRET THAT BROUGHT MY EX-HUSBAND TO HIS KNEES

The bullet struck the concrete floor exactly one inch from the toe of Derek’s expensive leather shoe, sending a spray of sharp rock shrapnel into his shin.

Derek yelped, stumbling violently backward, dropping the detonator remote in his panic.

Instantly, the warehouse was flooded with blinding, high-intensity tactical floodlights. The shadows vanished, revealing over two dozen heavily armed security operatives emerging from behind concrete pillars and shipping crates, their laser sights painting bright red dots across Derek’s chest.

Luca descended rapidly from the catwalk via a steel ladder, his rifle slung over his shoulder, his face a mask of absolute, lethal fury.

Derek threw his hands up into the air, his arrogant smirk entirely wiped away, replaced by raw, unadulterated terror.

“Don't shoot! Don't shoot!” Derek screamed, falling to his knees on the wet concrete.

Luca walked briskly over to the dropped detonator, picked it up carefully, and tossed it to a bomb disposal technician who had moved in from the perimeter.

“Disable that frequency immediately,” Luca ordered the tech, before turning his deadly gaze toward Derek.

I let out a shaky breath, the overwhelming adrenaline making my legs feel weak. I had played the bait perfectly, and the trap had snapped shut without a single casualty.

Luca stepped directly in front of the kneeling, trembling man.

“You really are an idiot, Derek,” Luca said quietly, his voice echoing with profound disgust. “Did you honestly think I would let you walk into a room with my wife without surrounding you with enough firepower to level a city block?”

“Vivian set me up!” Derek sobbed, instantly turning on his employer to save his own skin. “She told me you wouldn't risk an ambush because of the bombs! She said you were too soft now!”

“Where is she?” Luca demanded, grabbing Derek violently by the lapels of his suit and hauling him to his feet.

“I don't know her exact address!” Derek cried, struggling to breathe. “She’s operating out of a private airfield in New Jersey! She has a chartered jet waiting! If I don't bring the documents by 2:00 AM, she’s flying out of the country to evade the cartel!”

Luca dropped Derek back onto the concrete floor in disgust.

“Tie him up and hand him over to the federal agents waiting outside,” Luca instructed his men. “Tell them we caught the bomber.”

Luca turned to me, his dark eyes blazing with adrenaline and purpose.