Chapter 147

• Damien leaned against the cold metal of his desk, the dim office lighting flickering overhead like the thoughts racing through his mind. He felt a swell of confidence, a dangerous belief that he had orchestrated everything perfectly. Esther, ever the puppet master, had convinced him that controlling the chaos would grant him the upper hand he craved. But underneath the surface of his self-assuredness lay the gnawing tension of uncertainty.
• As he rifled through a stack of papers, the sharp ring of his phone sliced through the silence. Nathan's name flashed across the screen, and Damien's brow furrowed at the urgency in his friend's tone. Their conversations usually flowed easily, but today felt different.
• “Damien, you need to listen carefully,” Nathan’s voice came through, laced with an edge of concern that instantly put Damien on alert. “We’ve got reports of a woman and a little boy being kidnapped. Witnesses say they were taken around the block from your place.”