Damian’s heart pounded against his chest as he strained against the cuffs, his eyes darting to Melissa and Pearl. The sight of Melissa's helplessness, Pearl’s small body trembling with fear, and her tear-filled eyes locked on his, tore his heart to pieces.
“Daddy, I wanna go home... I’m scared,” Pearl whimpered, her voice breaking.
Melissa forced herself to sound calm, though her own chest rose and fell with uneven breaths. “Baby, it’s okay. Everything will be fine, I promise,” she whispered, her words trembling despite her efforts to stay strong.
Across the room, Luca’s lips curled into a sinister grin. “Your time is ticking, Damian. I don’t have the patience.” His hand rested on the trigger of his gun. He lazily pointed it toward the floor and fired.
The deafening sound made Melis
