Chapter 148

Chapter 148
Gabriel's POV

At eight in the morning, I met Douglas in the penthouse suite at the Meridian Hotel, one of the city's most exclusive properties, with an endless skyline beyond the windows.

Despite the early hour, the financier was impeccably dressed in a suit, smile cautious, eyes betraying barely concealed fear. He'd cleaned himself up well, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, his gaze constantly drifting toward the door as if calculating escape routes.

"Mr. Sullivan." Douglas extended his hand as I entered.

I didn't take it. Instead, I walked past him to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, then turned and tossed the ledger onto the glass coffee table between us. The heavy thud made Douglas flinch.

"Donovan's financial accounts, offshore holdings, political and business contacts—it's all here," I said. "As agreed, it's yours."

Douglas slowly approached the table. With trembling fingers, he opened the ledger. I watched his eyes widen as he scanned the first pages. The documented assets far exceeded his expectations—billions in funds, companies spanning the globe, connections to countless politicians and businessmen. A gold mine.

"This is..." Douglas's voice became a whisper. "This is extraordinary. Thank you, Mr. Sullivan. I promise I'll use these resources wisely. I won't disappoint you."

"You'd better remember your promise." I stepped closer, my shadow falling over him. "If you betray me, these ledgers also contain detailed records of your money-laundering activities. When that happens, the FBI will come for you first. I'll make sure they have everything needed to put you away for life."

Douglas's face went pale. Despite the air conditioning, sweat beaded on his forehead. "I understand. I swear on my children's lives—I will never oppose you."

"Good." I turned to leave, satisfied the message had been delivered.

"Mr. Sullivan." Douglas called after me. "I just want to say... a woman who can make a man willing to go to war with the entire underworld to protect his family—she must be the most precious treasure in the world."

I paused at the door, turned back to look at him. "You're right."

Then I left the suite, leaving Douglas alone with his new empire and the price he'd pay if he dared step out of line.

The drive back to the manor through morning rush hour took forty minutes, but I barely noticed the city passing by the windows. My thoughts were already home, already with Isabella.

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Isabella's POV

At nine-thirty in the morning, I finally heard the sound I'd been waiting for all night—Gabriel's convoy entering the manor. I immediately stood, one hand supporting my lower back, the other on my belly, walking toward the door as quickly as I could.

Just as I reached the front door, it opened. Gabriel walked in, traces of soot and rain still on his tactical gear. His face was drawn with exhaustion, but the moment his eyes found mine, they softened.

"You're back." I threw myself into his arms, not caring about the gunpowder and smoke smell. He was here, safe and sound. That was everything.

"I'm back." Gabriel's hand gently encircled me, his other hand cradling the back of my head. "Sorry I made you worry."

"Are you hurt?" I stepped back, carefully examining his face and arms.

"Not even a scratch." Gabriel caught my hand, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. "I'm fine. We're all fine."

The relief was so overwhelming it nearly made my knees buckle. Gabriel sensed it and immediately guided me to the living room sofa, holding me close, letting me lean against him. We were silent for a long time, simply embracing, feeling each other's presence.

"How did it go with Douglas?" I finally asked, my voice still shaky with aftermath.

Gabriel removed his jacket, carelessly dropping it on the floor—something he never did, showing how tired he truly was. He leaned back on the sofa, pulling me to his side. "Smoothly. I gave Douglas the Donovan financial accounts, offshore holdings, and political contacts. In exchange, he formally pledged loyalty to the Sullivan family and swore never to oppose me."

"Will he keep his word?"

"He will." A cold smile touched Gabriel's lips. "Because I kept insurance—the ledger also contains records of his own money-laundering activities. If he betrays me, those go straight to the FBI."

I nodded, unsurprised. This was Gabriel's way—never fully trusting anyone, always keeping a card to play. It was also why he survived in this world.

"What else did Douglas say?" I asked, really just wanting to hear Gabriel's voice.

"He said..." Gabriel paused, his voice softening. "He said a woman who can make a man go to war with the entire underworld to protect his family must be the most precious treasure in the world."

Heat rose to my cheeks. I buried my face in his shoulder. "That's too much."

"No." Gabriel tilted my chin up, making me meet his eyes, his expression so serious it made me hold my breath. "It's the truth. Isabella, if it weren't for you and our daughter, I wouldn't fight this hard. You're the reason I'm alive, everything I'm willing to die protecting."

My eyes stung with tears. I leaned against his chest, feeling the strength of his heartbeat. "Gabriel, today... all those people..."

"They deserved it." Gabriel interrupted me, stroking my hair. "Felix continued organizing resistance after escaping the church. The weapons cache managers sold arms to terrorists, causing three bombings that killed hundreds of innocents. The money-laundering front forced underage girls into prostitution, destroyed countless lives. Isabella, every person I killed today was a monster."

He tilted my chin up again, making me look directly into his eyes. "I'm not a saint. My hands are covered in blood too. But I swear, every person I kill is to protect those who can't protect themselves. Including you. Including our daughter."

I looked into his eyes, seeing certainty, conviction, and deep exhaustion. He carried the dual burden of protector and executioner alone. Now, all of it was for me and our child.

"I believe you," I whispered.

Gabriel's expression finally cracked in that moment. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, then leaned down to press his forehead against mine. "Thank you. Thank you for understanding."

He gently placed his hand on my swollen belly. Our daughter immediately kicked, as if responding to his touch.

"Little princess," Gabriel said softly, his voice so tender it made my heart ache. "Daddy did something important today. From now on, no bad people will hurt you or Mommy. You can be born safely and grow up happy. I promise you."

The baby kicked again, harder this time. Gabriel's eyes lit up. "She's answering me."

"She always senses you," I said, covering his hand with mine. "Just like I do."

Gabriel pulled me into his arms, carefully supporting me, letting my belly rest comfortably against him. His chin settled on top of my head as he took a deep breath.

Outside the window, morning light broke through the last clouds, painting the sky gold and pink. The storm had passed. The threats were eliminated.

The Donovan family had been completely destroyed. The city's underworld order had been reshuffled. We could finally wait peacefully for our daughter's birth.

Gabriel's arms tightened. I felt his lips gently touch my hair. Neither of us spoke, but everything important had already been said.