Isabella put her coffee down and looked seriously at her youngest son. "Do you really understand what you’re getting yourself into?"

"Yep."

"And are you ready for what might happen when she finds out the truth about her dad?"

"Absolutely."

"And will you protect her when that moment comes?"

"With my life," Zayn said without hesitation.

Isabella smiled warmly. "Then I’m really happy for you. At least my sons have finally fallen for someone genuinely good."

Zayn lifted his coffee in a mock toast. "Took me long enough."

"Twenty-five years," Isabella agreed. "I was starting to think you’d end up alone with just your restaurants."

"Really?" Zayn asked.

"A little," Isabella admitted. "You dated a lot, but nothing serious ever came of it. You never looked at anyone the way you do when you talk about this girl, Emma."

Zayn was quiet for a moment. "She’s different, Mom. She’s real. No games. No pretending. She called me an idiot the first time we met."

Isabella laughed. "Yeah, she did."

"In public," Zayn said, grinning at the memory. "Right there in front of everyone at the shopping center. Because I messed up her dress."

"And that’s why you fell for her?"

"A little bit, yeah," Zayn said.

Isabella shook her head with a grin. "You’re definitely your dad’s kid. He fell for me because I never laughed at his lame jokes."

"Best move he ever made," Zayn replied.

"Damn right it was." Isabella took a thoughtful sip of her coffee, her smile fading a bit. "I’m really happy for Zayden, too, you know. He and Aylin. She’s such a good match for him, smart and strong. She doesn’t let him slide on anything."

"She’s perfect for him," Zayn agreed.

"I just wish he’d get around to proposing. I want grandkids before I’m too old to enjoy them."

"You’ll never be old," Zayn said with loyalty.

"Flattery won’t get you off the hook, young man." But Isabella smiled again. Then her tone turned serious. "I’m worried about Azalea."

Zayn looked at her curiously. "Why’s that?"

"She keeps everything so locked away," Isabella replied quietly. "She goes out on dates sometimes, but she never lets anyone really get close. It’s like she’s built these walls ten feet high, not letting anyone in. It’s like she’s allergic to relationships, especially after her boyfriend passed away years ago."

"She’s focused on work," Zayn said.

"Work shouldn’t be everything."

"Says the woman who built a business empire while raising three kids," Zayn joked with a small smile.

"I built an empire, raised three kids, and kept a marriage alive," Isabella shot back firmly. "Your sister can handle both. She just won’t allow herself to try. She pushes everyone away before they can get close enough to matter."

Zayn was quiet. He knew Isabella was right. Azalea had always been like that; even as a kid, she was the one who kept her feelings hidden, never showing her vulnerable side.

"Maybe she just hasn’t met the right person yet," Zayn finally suggested.

"Maybe," Isabella replied, although she didn’t sound too convinced. "Or maybe she’s just too scared to let herself feel something real, too scared of getting hurt again."

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, sipping coffee and watching the city come alive below them.

"Thanks," Zayn finally said.

"For what?"

"For being happy for me. For supporting this, even though it feels quick and probably crazy to most people."

Isabella set her coffee down and walked over, cupping his face in her hands. "My sweet boy, when you know, you know. Your dad and I realized it within days. Sometimes love doesn’t need time; it just needs honesty. And it’s clear you know what you feel. So I’m here for you, always."

Zayn pulled his mom into a tight hug.

Whatever came next, whatever complications popped up from loving Emma Kane, at least he had this: a family who believed in him.

*****

In another penthouse that felt darker and colder, even with the morning sun coming through, Selina stood by the glass, wishing she had a magic wand.

If only she could just disappear like smoke, leave this whole nightmare behind, and never look back.

But magic wasn’t in the cards for her.

What she did have was Maksim Karza.

This was her third day living in his penthouse. Seventy-two hours of pretending to be his loving partner. Seventy-two hours of helping him plan attacks on Hazard King’s empire. Seventy-two hours of playing a role when all she really wanted was to escape.

Behind her, Maksim was on a call. His voice was low and steady as he quickly gave instructions in Russian to someone on the other end. It was about shipments, timelines, and making sure the weapons showed up on time.

Selina watched his reflection in the window.

He had a rugged handsomeness about him. Tall and broad-shouldered, built like he had spent years in military training. The kind of guy who grabbed attention the moment he walked in. The type who could take you out with his bare hands and then sit down for dinner without a second thought.

She couldn’t stand him.

Still, she always smiled when he looked at her.

Maksim wrapped up his call and turned to her. "Come here."

It wasn’t really a request.

Selina moved over to the big dining table where maps and photos were spread neatly across the table, plans, strategies, and targets marked in red.

Maksim’s security chief stood at the table. His name was Viktor, a former Russian special forces guy. He had a scarred face, cold eyes, and an aura that suggested he’d seen things most people couldn’t even imagine. She never understood how a military man could work for a criminal. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"We need to go over the timeline," Maksim said, leaning over the maps with both hands on the table.

Selina leaned in next to him, close enough for her shoulder to lightly touch his, close without being too obvious.

"When do we make our move?" she asked, letting some excitement creep into her voice.

Maksim gave a small smile. "Soon."