CHAPTER ONE-HUNDRED-FOUR:GET OUT

He watched her, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as Sophie's expression hardened, her disbelief slipping through. The ache of doubt twisted deeper, almost unbearable now.

Ben's smile widened, cruel and mocking. "He never stopped, Sophie Adams. Don't let his false kindness fool you. This is the same man who pushed your father to such despair and destroyed the entire Adams family.

Do you really think a man capable of that level of ruthlessness would simply end his quest for revenge after all these years?" He leaned back, his words slicing through the silence. "If you believe that, Sophie, then you're even more foolish than I thought."

Sophie felt her breath catch. Her mind was racing, tangled in knots she couldn't unravel. She wanted to reject every single word that spilled from Ben's mouth, but doubt clawed at her heart, feeding on the memories of Shane's unyielding resolve, his dark secrets, the shadows that seemed to lurk just beneath his polished facade.