Chapter 188 One Hundred And Eighty Eight

Chapter 188 One Hundred And Eighty Eight
Kennedy had never moved so fast in his life.
The moment Sofia ended the call and gave him Daniel's location, everything became a blur.
Police sirens.
Phone calls.
Orders being barked out.
A convoy of police vehicles tearing through the city.
Every second felt like an eternity.
His son was out there.
Scared.
Alone.
And Kennedy could barely breathe from the terror clawing at his chest.
Beside him in the SUV sat two detectives while several patrol cars followed behind.
"Are you certain this is the location?" one officer asked.
Kennedy gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"Sofia sounded certain."
The detective nodded.
"Then we'll move carefully."
Kennedy wasn't interested in careful.
He wanted his son back.
Now.
The warehouse district came into view twenty minutes later.
Rows of abandoned buildings stretched across the industrial area.
Cold.
Silent.
Forgotten.
The kind of place nobody would think to look.
The convoy stopped several blocks away.
Officers immediately began positioning themselves.
Weapons ready.
Radios crackling.
The lead detective turned toward Kennedy.
"Stay here."
Kennedy looked at him like he'd grown two heads.
"My son is in there."
"We understand that."
"I'm coming."
The detective sighed.
"We can't guarantee your safety."
"I don't care."
The officer stared at him for a moment before finally nodding.
"Stay behind us."
That was the best Kennedy was going to get.
Minutes later they advanced toward the warehouse.
Kennedy's heart hammered violently.
Please let him be okay.
Please.
Inside the warehouse...
Daniel sat on a broken chair while Kennedy's son played with a toy truck nearby.
The little boy looked confused more than frightened.
Daniel had spent the last few hours trying to keep him calm.
Trying to convince himself this wasn't kidnapping.
Trying to convince himself everything would somehow work out.
But deep down he knew the truth.
Everything had spiraled completely out of control.
His obsession with Antonia.
His anger toward Kennedy.
His desperation.
All of it had led here.
A sharp sound outside suddenly caught his attention.
Daniel frowned.
What was that?
Then another sound followed.
Footsteps.
Multiple footsteps.
His eyes widened.
"No..."
He rushed toward a dusty window.
And immediately froze.
Police.
Everywhere.
His blood turned to ice.
"No."
No.
No.
No.
His breathing accelerated instantly.
How?
How did they find him?
Then suddenly realization struck.
Sofia.
His face twisted with rage.
"Sofia."
The traitorous snake.
She had betrayed him.
She had sold him out.
Panic consumed him.
Daniel grabbed his jacket and looked around frantically.
There had to be another exit.
There had to be.
Outside the warehouse, officers moved into position.
"Perimeter secured."
"Rear entrance covered."
"No visual on suspect."
The lead detective nodded.
"Move."
The warehouse doors burst open.
"POLICE!"
"DO NOT MOVE!"
The booming voices echoed through the building.
Daniel cursed loudly.
The little boy immediately started crying.
"Daddy!"
The sound shattered Kennedy's heart.
His son.
His son was here.
Alive.
Kennedy pushed forward.
Ignoring every order being shouted at him.
"Daddy!"
"I'm here!" Kennedy shouted.
"I'm here, buddy!"
Daniel bolted.
Running toward a side exit.
But officers were already moving.
"Suspect fleeing!"
"Stop!"
Daniel ignored them.
He ran faster.
Desperation fueling every step.
He reached the exit door, only for three officers to burst through from the other side.
Daniel stopped dead.
His face drained of color.
There was nowhere left to run.
Nowhere.
"GET ON THE GROUND!"
Daniel hesitated.
One second.
Two seconds.
Then officers tackled him.
The struggle lasted only moments before handcuffs clicked around his wrists.
"It's over."
Daniel closed his eyes.
Everything was gone.
Everything.
Meanwhile...
Kennedy had already dropped to his knees beside his son.
The little boy launched himself into his father's arms.
"Daddy!"
Kennedy hugged him so tightly it almost hurt.
Tears burned his eyes instantly.
"Oh God."
He kissed the child's hair repeatedly.
"You're okay."
His voice cracked.
"You're okay."
The little boy sobbed into his shoulder.
"I want Mommy."
Kennedy nearly broke.
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm so sorry."
He held him tighter.
Like letting go would somehow make him disappear again.
Officers nearby quietly looked away.
Several of them were fathers too.
And they understood exactly what this moment meant.
The detective approached carefully.
"Mr. Walton."
Kennedy looked up.
"We've got him."
Kennedy's expression hardened immediately.
His eyes found Daniel.
Handcuffed.
Being dragged toward a patrol car.
Their gazes met briefly.
Daniel looked defeated.
Broken.
But Kennedy felt no sympathy.
None.
This man had terrorized his wife.
Manipulated her.
Threatened his family.
And kidnapped his son.
If the police weren't holding him, Kennedy wasn't sure what he would've done.
The detective interrupted his thoughts.
"We need to take statements."
Kennedy nodded.
But his focus remained entirely on the little boy clinging to him.
Nothing else mattered.
Nothing.

\---

Hours later, the police station buzzed with activity.
Daniel sat in an interrogation room staring blankly at the metal table before him.
His wrists were sore from the handcuffs.
His future looked bleak.
Kidnapping charges.
Harassment.
Threats.
Everything was catching up to him.
The door opened.
An officer escorted him down the hallway.
As they passed the main reporting area, Daniel's eyes drifted toward one of the desks.
Then he froze.
His entire body went rigid.
Because sitting there...
Writing a statement...
Was Sofia.
She looked calm.
Collected.
Almost relaxed.
Daniel stared at her in disbelief.
Then anger exploded inside him.
"You."
Sofia looked up.
Their eyes met.
And immediately she knew.
He understood.
Daniel lunged forward.
"You sold me out!"
Officers immediately restrained him.
"Sit down!"
"Calm down!"
But Daniel wasn't listening.
His face burned with fury.
"You betrayed me!"
Sofia slowly set down her pen.
For a brief moment guilt flickered across her face.
Then it vanished.
"I saved myself."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"Saved yourself?"
"You were kidnapping a child!"
His jaw clenched.
"You were part of this!"
"No. That's why I reported you."
The firmness in her voice surprised even him.
Sofia stood.
"We wanted revenge."
She shook her head.
"But I never wanted this."
Daniel stared at her.
"You used me."
Sofia laughed humorlessly.
"We used each other."
That hit harder because it was true.
Daniel looked away.
His shoulders slumped.
Everything felt finished now.
Every plan.
Every fantasy.
Every hope.
Gone.
Sofia watched him for a long moment.
Then quietly sat back down.
And continued writing her statement.
While Daniel was escorted away.