Chapter 3 – The Witness Who Refused to Die
Seven hours later.
The surgery finally ended.
Dr. Sarah Mitchell stepped into the waiting area, exhaustion written across her face.
Officer Torres stood immediately.
"Doctor?"
She removed her surgical mask slowly.
"We saved Emily."
Daniel closed his eyes in relief.
"And the baby?"
The doctor's expression remained heavy.
"For a while..."
"...we thought we'd lost him."
Daniel's heart sank.
"But..."
"We delivered him by emergency cesarean section."
She smiled for the first time.
"He's alive."
Daniel exhaled so deeply his knees almost gave out.
"A little boy."
"Premature."
"Very critical."
"But alive."
Across the hallway, another set of doors opened.
Two federal agents entered.
They walked directly toward Daniel.
"Officer Torres?"
"Yes."
One agent handed him a sealed folder.
"This became a federal investigation thirty minutes ago."
Daniel opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Dozens of them.
Politicians.
Judges.
Corporate executives.
Standing beside Marcus Kane.
Each photo dated.
Each connected to suspicious payments.
Then came the final page.
A witness list.
Twenty-three names.
Twenty-two had already died.
Accidents.
Suicides.
Disappearances.
Only one remained alive.
Emily Carter.
Daniel slowly closed the folder.
Marcus hadn't attacked Emily because she was leaving him.
He attacked her because she was the last witness capable of destroying an entire criminal empire.
At that same moment...
Marcus Kane sat alone inside an interrogation room.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His knuckles were bruised.
Yet he smiled.
Confident.
Untouchable.
Until the interrogation room television suddenly switched on.
Breaking News.
EXCLUSIVE MALL FOOTAGE RELEASED
Marcus looked up.
His smile faded.
The video began playing.
Not one angle.
Not two.
Twelve separate security cameras.
Every second.
Every shove.
Every strike.
Every word.
Millions of viewers were already watching live.
May you like
For the first time in years...
Marcus Kane looked afraid.
