Page 188 of My Ruthless Husband

“But… I want to go with you, Papà. I can help. I can hold the tools and learn, like last time.” I’d tugged at his shirt, looking up at him with hope and stubbornness.

Papà laughed softly, ruffling my hair. “Ah, mio figlio… I’d take you every day if I could. You know that. But sometimes, men have to make hard choices. Sometimes, we have to stay where we’re needed most, not where we want to be.”

I’d frowned, trying to make sense of it. “But… can’t I do both? Can’t I take care of Mamma and still come with you?”

He shook his head. “No, Damian. Right now, Mamma and your sister are more important than anything else. You’re theone who has to look after them while I’m away. Can you do that for me?”

Nodding grimly, I say, “Yes, Papà. I can stay with Mamma and the baby.”

He’d pulled me into a tight hug then, his voice quiet in my ear. “That’s my boy.”

The officer’s frantic voice brings me back, snapping me to the awful present.

All I can think about is Papà’s words. He trusted me to take care of Mamma. He told me it was my job, that Mamma and the baby need me.

I straighten my back, setting my shoulders like I’d seen Papà do, and step forward, glaring up at the officers as they bang on the door.

“Please don’t shout. You’ll scare Mamma. And if Mamma’s scared, it’ll scare my sister too.”

One of the officers kneels down. “Why don’t you wait outside, son?”

I shake my head, clenching my fists. “I can’t leave. She needs me.”

The cries from the bedroom have gone quiet, and a sick feeling sinks into my stomach when one officer begins slamming his shoulder against the door.

My chest rises and falls rapidly as I watch everything with chills running down my spine.

I hear the splintering of wood as he shoves again, harder this time. The door’s frame cracks under the pressure, and I can feel the force of it vibrate through me.

Everything goes dead silent. The world feels like it’s paused, the only sound a dull ringing in my ears as they shove their way inside.

One of them lunges at me, his hand reaching for my arm, but I’m already slipping away. My breath is ragged, sharp gasps,but there’s no sound, no noise. I barely feel the air around me as I slip past him, running into the room.

That’s when I see Mamma.

Hanging from the ceiling, her head tilted to one side, her blank eyes locked on mine.

“Sir!” Hal’s voice breaks through the haze as my eyes snap open.

I grunt, my neck stiff from the awkward position, and force myself to sit up straighter.

“What is it?” My voice comes out gruff.

“You were muttering in your sleep...” Hal starts, but when he catches the cold edge in my eyes, he quickly changes the topic. “We’re here.”

I don’t need to look outside to know. I get out of the car, jaw clenched tight as I stride toward my sleek thirty-seven-story office building.

No one is supposed to see me that way. I’ve worked my whole life to ensure no one ever does. But Hal saw it. And that’s something I’ll never let myself forget.

The legal team that followed us catches up as I move across the spacious lobby, their footsteps urgent.

One of the men catches up to me. “Sir, I know we finalized everything, but… if I may, I still think it’s a mistake to recruit the former employees. The decision of bringing them on could damage the company—”

I stop dead in my tracks, and the sound of footsteps halts behind me.

My gaze is sharp as I turn my head, meeting Hal’s eyes.

Hal’s posture straightens, his hand already gripping the man’s shoulder with an iron grip.

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