Charles was breathing very hard, his chest rising and falling like waves crashing on a shore. His face had gone pale, torn with grief, rage, and heartbreak tangled into one, damp with sweat and tears. He didn’t look at me when he spoke again.
“Kevin became blinded by greed,” he said, his voice hoarse. “He wanted more money. Even when it was clear we were running out of time, he still wanted more. I begged him, Mia. I pleaded with him. I told him ten million was enough. Enough to start over somewhere far away where no one knew us. We could disappear, begin a new life.”
His hand curled into a fist, his eyes burning. “But he didn’t care. He looked at me and said, ‘Why leave with just ten million if we could have more?’ Like it was nothing. Like it was chips on a damn table.” Charles let out
