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22:45 Fri, 21 Feb 0
Marry My Ex–husband Rival
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Through the settling smoke and rain from the sprinklers, I watched in horror as Nathaniel took advantage of the chaos. He grabbed Jessica, who had lost her grip on Sofia during the flash–bang explosion, and they disappeared through a hidden service door I hadn’t known
existed.
“No!” I tried to run after them, but Leo caught me around the waist.
“Let others handle it,” he said, pulling me back as his tactical team pursued through the door. The sound of gunfire echoed from somewhere deep in the building’s bowels.
Sofia appeared beside us, blood still trickling from her head wound but her eyes sharp. “Three teams in pursuit. But boss…” She handed Leo a phone she’d retrieved from where Nathaniel had dropped it. “You need to see this.”
Leo’s expression darkened as he scrolled through its contents, his jaw clenching tighter with. each swipe. “He’s got everything backed up on remote servers. The evidence against Victoria, our operations, even proof of his own crimes. If he reaches any of his safe houses…”
“He’ll release it all,” I finished, my heart sinking. The weight of what that meant crashed over me. Leo would lose everything his legitimate business, his protection network, all of it. And I would face federal charges for the money I’d taken, twisted by Nathaniel’s lies into something far darker than the desperate act it had been.
“Sir!” One of Leo’s men jogged up, his tactical gear dripping from the sprinklers. “We found their exit route. Underground tunnel system connecting to the old subway lines. They’re gone.”
Leo’s hand tightened on my waist. “How many men did we lose?”
“Four wounded, no fatalities. But…” The man hesitated, “Nathaniel’s team hit our
communications center. Our tracking systems are down.”
“Figlio di puttana,” Leo snarled. The Italian curse carried years of violence in its tone. “He planned this. The whole thing was a trap.”
Sofia was already on her phone, barking orders. “I want every exit from those tunnels covered. Alert our people at the airports, train stations, and ports. Nobody sleeps until we find him.”
I sagged against Leo, the adrenaline crash hitting hard. My dress was ruined, torn and soaked from the sprinklers. Blood – mine and others‘ – stained the once–pristine silk. But it was the weight of failure that pressed heaviest.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “If I hadn’t tried to play hero with that flash–bang…” “Stop.” Leo turned me to face him, his hands framing my face. “You were brilliant. Nathaniel’s the one who underestimated you again. And he’ll pay for that mistake.”
“Boss.” Sofia interrupted, her phone pressed to her ear. “We’ve got another problem. Someone just accessed one of the servers. They’re uploading files to major news outlets.”
My blood turned to ice. “No…”
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“Iime frame? Leo demanded.
Leo demanded.
“Minutes. Maybe less. Our tech team is trying to stop it, but-”
“Shut it all down.” Leo’s voice carried the weight of command. “Every server, every connection. Burn it if you have to.”
“That could take days to rebuild,” Sofia warned.
“Better than the alternative.” His eyes met mine, fierce and protective. “I won’t let him destroy you.”
A young woman in tactical gear approached, tablet in hand. “Sir, you need to see this. It’s already hitting social media.”
The screen showed my face – not from today’s fight, but from years ago. The headline made my stomach lurch: “SOCIETY WIFE’S CRIMINAL PAST EXPOSED: Embezzlement, Drugs, and Murder.”
“There’s
more,” the woman said, scrolling through multiple news sites. Each headline was. worse than the last. Stories about Leo’s alleged criminal empire. About my father’s death. About the baby I carried.
Nathaniel had planned this perfectly. Even in defeat, he’d found a way to destroy us. “Get her to the safe house,” Leo ordered Sofia. “Full security detail. No one gets in or out without my direct approval.”
“Leo…” My voice cracked.
“I’ll handle this.” He kissed me hard, desperation bleeding through his usual control. “But I need you safe first. Please.”
I nodded, knowing this wasn’t the time to argue. As Sofia led me toward an armored SUV, I looked back at Leo. He stood in the warehouse’s center, water still raining down from the sprinklers, his phone pressed to his ear as he began the fight of his life.
A fight to save both our worlds from burning.
