Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 739

History has this way of always putting women on the losing side.

Back in ancient times, they were traded like cattle in arranged marriages. During wars, they were used as sex slaves. And now? They're treated like commodities in some sick, transactional game,

The injustice lit a fire inside me. "Xander's supposed to be a male model, right? Do they only pick 'premium' guys too?"

Hayden nodded. "Yeah. Men and women-they only go for the best of the best."

Suddenly, it all clicked. Hayden couldn't let Cole figure out he was impersonating Xander. DracoLux wasn't just some seedy club; it was the biggest trafficking hub around. If Cole knew the truth, Hayden would lose his shot at taking the whole operation down. "But Wayne knows who you really are. Why hasn't he ratted you out to Cole? Isn't he scared of the fallout?" I asked, still puzzled.

"Wayne's smart. Even though he's involved, there's no direct evidence tying him to DracoLux. He's protected himself from any blowback. And..." His expression darkened. He probably wants DracoLux to collapse."

"So, he's planning to let it crumble so he can take over the black market himself?"

Hayden smirked. "Clever girl."

"Okay, but isn't he worried you'll take down the whole operation?" I asked, pushing back. Hayden's plan wasn't just to cause chaos-it was to gut the whole trafficking network, ripping out its roots. If he succeeded, DracoLux would be nothing but dust. "Wayne's already got backup," Hayden said. "He's working with Bruno and Hernan-two rising stars in the global black market. If I destroy the old network, he'll just build a shiny new one with them."

down first. Let's see him try to build anything when

one of my top priorities," Hayden said, his gaze softening as it

Hayden, steering the conversation away, but he wasn't wrong. Wayne's fixation on me wasn't love. It was twisted, possessive, and all about power. A game he refused

my thoughts spinning from everything Hayden had laid out. The weight of it left me

to

Chapter 739

+25 BONUS

had faked his death, taken Xander's name, and gone undercover at DracoLux. But if he was pretending to be

answer immediately, but his expression said

had locked Xander up

someone like him would

sense, but it also felt even messier than

fighting DracoLux. He was up against the shadowy boss above Xander while planning to take down Wayne at the same time. He was one guy up against an entire network of enemies, and the odds looked impossible. "What's your plan now?" I asked, worry creeping into my voice. "Wayne knows who you really are.

course," Hayden replied without missing

will Wayne

smirked. "He will. Do