CHAPTER 4
The lead operative, a former Army medic named Marcus, immediately set to work documenting every bruise, cut, and fingerprint on Sofia’s skin with high-resolution cameras.
Every tear in the wedding gown was cataloged, every blood drop sampled, and every minute of the audio recording backed up onto three separate encrypted drives.
Sofia sat quietly under the bright dining room light, watching her father review floor plans of the Grand Regency Hotel displayed on a tablet.
"The Robles family reserved the entire penthouse floor for the post-wedding celebration," Marcus explained, pointing to the architectural layout of the luxury hotel. "There are sixteen private security guards stationed on the premises, all hired through Robles Development."
"Are the hotel's main security cameras operational?" Alexander asked, his eyes scanning the entry points without blinking.
"No, sir," Marcus replied with a tight, cynical grin. "Carmen Robles had the hotel management disable the corridor cameras on the top floor starting at midnight, claiming private family privacy."
"Good," Alexander said quietly, shutting the tablet with a soft click. "That means there will be no public footage of what happens when we arrive."
I grabbed Alexander’s arm, pulling him toward the kitchen away from the operatives and my daughter.
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"Alexander, please listen to me!" I pleaded in a frantic whisper, holding his rough, calloused hand tightly. "You've been out of the military for ten years. You can't just storm a luxury hotel in downtown Dallas like a war zone!"
"Elena," Alexander said, looking down into my eyes with an intensity that made my heart leap into my throat. "Ten years ago, I left you and Sofia because I couldn't leave the war behind. Tonight, the war came to our daughter's doorstep, and I am going to finish it."
