The night outside was calm, but the storm brewing within the Collins' home was anything but. Emma's parents, Laura and David, stood frozen as Viktor, a man who emanated power and danger, casually made himself comfortable on their couch. His men—silent, cold, and statuesque—stood guard by the door, casting an oppressive shadow over the room.

Emma, trembling, clung to the banister at the top of the stairs. The sight of him in her home, the man she had tried so hard to forget, sent shockwaves of terror through her body. His cold, predatory gaze was fixed on her, as if she was the prize he'd been waiting for.