CHAPTER 521. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. The Hunt“What do you mean you just got him back? Where were you coming from with him at this hour?”The woman hugged her son desperately and shook her head."A man took him yesterday," she sobbed, stroking his head. "He took him after school and called me. He said that if I didn’t take Anja Lieben to the supply room, he would hurt my son!"Milo clenched his jaw in frustration.“So, there wasn’t any emergency,” he murmured, watching the woman shake her head."No… I just broke those bottles to have an excuse to talk to her. She came with me, and then that man showed up and told me to leave. He gave me a paper with the address of a park where he left my son, and I ran… I ran to find him!"Looking at the child, it was clear she was telling the truth. That enraged Milo more than anything. Whoever was behind the attack on Anja was dangerous and willing to do anything. However, Jhon remained focused on the task at hand."Ma’am, is this the man who took your so

CHAPTER 522. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. Don’t let anyone leave.The two SUVs sped down the highway, heading toward the German border. Their engines roared as the wind whipped furiously outside the windows. Billy, sitting in the passenger seat, stared intently at his laptop. Beside him, two other men were focused, waiting for the right moment to act.Milo drove with a steady hand, while in the vehicle behind him, Jhon led another group of friends.“Guys, I’ve got a notification!” Billy shouted, breaking the dawn’s silence.“What’s up, Billy?” Milo asked.It was nearly sunrise, and though none of them had slept, they looked as if they’d just stepped out of a movie set, ready for action.“Hamish’s car stopped at a roadside store a few miles from here. We can catch him if we step on it!”Milo, driving one of the SUVs, pressed down on the accelerator with determination, propelling the vehicle forward.“We’re not letting him get away! Call Jhon, tell him what we’re about to do... Let’s just hope he’

CHAPTER 523. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. You're Not Getting Away“The rest of you, let’s go in. Milo... how do you want him served?” Jhon asked seriously.“I don’t care as long as you find him. If he attacks, defend yourselves. Oh, and one more thing. Be careful. These abandoned factories are dangerous, still full of broken-down machinery.”Everyone made sure to stay cautious as they ventured into the dimly lit building.The team moved carefully through the rusted machinery, relics of an inactive past, with the foul stench of decay lingering in the air. They split into pairs, heading in different directions to search for the lawyer.At one point, Jhon covered his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, gagging from the putrid smell rising from the floor.“God! What’s that smell?” he muttered, gripping his weapon again.“Probably an old fermentation tank left unclean, now rotting,” Milo replied. “It’s nasty but dangerous too. This place had a whole pressurization system for brewing beer. Don’t touch

CHAPTER 524. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. A Bitter EndMilo slowly opened his eyes, dazed by the explosion and the chaos around him. His head ached horribly, and he couldn't feel his body. In all honesty, he was afraid to even check himself. He realized that Jhon had tackled him just in time to avoid the blast from the airlock. He looked to his side and saw Jhon lying beside him.“Jhon... Jhon!” He thought he was shouting, but no sound came from his mouth."Jhon! Milo!" The voices of his teammates reached him, and the group rushed in, ignoring the danger. One of them bent over to check on him, while Martínez checked on Jhon, who opened his eyes a few seconds later, also stunned.Slowly, Milo began to regain control of his body, and his mind started to clear."You need to tell me if anything hurts. Can you move a hand?" one of the men asked, and Milo nodded. They helped him sit up, though he grunted in irritation, and two minutes later, both he and Jhon were able to stand."From the sound of it,

CHAPTER 525. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. Hoping for the bestMilo sighed and forced a smile to reassure his mother. He left the hospital and went home to shower and change before going to see Niko—he didn’t want to scare him. Then he headed to Chiara’s apartment, and when he arrived, he found the little boy sitting in a chair, staring blankly with his arms crossed over his chest.But the moment he saw Milo, that posture disappeared."Daddy!" Niko shouted, running toward him. Milo opened his arms, holding him tight until the boy’s fear faded.Milo knew that, deep down, Niko harbored the fear of being abandoned. Not seeing his dad for hours had made him extra sensitive. He hugged Niko tightly, feeling the boy cling to him. They stayed like that for a long time until Milo finally pulled away to look him in the eyes."Hey, champ," he said. "You don’t have to be scared if Daddy’s not here. Don’t worry, I’ll never leave you, and I promise I’ll never stop loving you. Ever. I just had to be with Mommy

CHAPTER 526. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. NewsMilo knelt beside the hospital bed, his trembling hand gently stroking Anja’s pale face. Sadness and worry were reflected in his eyes as he looked at the woman who had stolen his heart, now lying unconscious. His voice, shaky with fear, rose in a soft, sorrowful whisper.“Baby, please, you have to wake up,” he said. “Niko and I need you. Please, wake up.” His words hung in the air, heavy with anguish, desperately hoping for a response. “I know it might seem easier to give up right now, but that’s not who you are, right? You don’t give up, baby. So please, wake up…”Tears brimmed in his eyes, reflecting his fear and confusion. Silently, Niko lay next to his mother, hugging her tenderly.“G'morning!” Niko exclaimed as if trying to wake her with that cheerful greeting. Milo felt his heart hang by a thread, unable to bear the thought of his son losing anyone else.“Niko, champ, Mom is fighting. But we have to believe she’ll get better,” Milo whispered,

CHAPTER 527. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. Here I AmAnja felt her heart race as she realized she could barely move. Her limbs felt heavy, and her weakness was undeniable."Doc, what’s going on?" Milo asked, noticing the doctor’s worried expression."I’m sorry, Anja, but I need to run a new sensitivity test to be sure. May I?" the doctor asked, pulling a pen from his coat pocket."Yes… of course…" she responded.The doctor carefully began passing the tip of the pen over Anja’s hands and feet."I need you to tell me which direction you feel the touch."Anja tried her best to answer, despite her growing anxiety. She could feel every touch, but her responses were weak, as if her senses were dulled."Anja," the doctor said gently, "it seems your nerves are functioning, but you’re experiencing significant weakness. We’ll need to run more tests to determine how serious this is, okay? The doctors will take you, and I’ll be with you in a moment."Unable to hold back her tears, Anja looked at Milo for com

CHAPTER 528. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. Perfectly capableMoments later, the doctor entered with a sheet of results and a calm expression."I’ve got good news, all good news, Anja. So please, try to stay calm," he explained. "You were in a state of hypoxia for a while during the… accident. So, it’s understandable that there are some aftereffects, but believe me, they’re not severe. The muscle weakness you’re experiencing may be reversible. In a few days, if all goes well, we’ll discharge you, and we can immediately begin treatment. The best news of all is that your recovery, entirely, depends on you. And we know you’re a fighter, so with determination, in six months, this will all be behind you."Anja nodded as a sob escaped her chest."I can handle six months," she said tearfully. "I can handle six months.""You can handle anything," Milo assured her, kissing her forehead."So let’s calm down and celebrate that you’re alive and that very soon, you’ll be fully recovered," the doctor encouraged

CHAPTER 529. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. Adult DiapersMilo lifted Anja in his arms to carry her to the car, settling her in the passenger seat before getting behind the wheel, ready to take her home. They drove in silence, but he noticed how one of Anja's fingers hovered over the window button. Milo rolled it down for her from his side, and she sighed softly as the morning breeze swept in."Thanks," she murmured, clenching her fist. "I have control of my hands, but I still don't have much strength.""You'll get it back, don't worry. Meanwhile, let’s get home and wash off this awful hospital smell," Milo smiled, but he couldn't help noticing the sadness and worry on Anja's face, like something was deeply troubling her. As he drove, he decided to muster up the courage and broach the topic."Anja, babe, how are you feeling? What's on your mind?" Milo asked gently.Anja stared out the window for a moment before replying in a shaky voice, "I can't stop thinking about what that nurse said. What if s

CHAPTER 530. TO BELIEVE AGAIN. "Yes, ma’am!"Perhaps at that moment, Anja knew that something in her life had changed forever, and it had nothing to do with her illness.The next morning, Milo woke her up early for her first physical therapy session. Anja didn’t think to complain about starting the day with him in the bathtub."Babe, are you biting me?" Milo suddenly asked, noticing her guilty expression."Umm... no, I was sucking you.""On the neck? What, are you a vampire now?""No, but I thought maybe a little hickey would keep the next distraction away," she sighed. "I still don’t know who’ll be doing my physical therapy...""Well, we’re screwed then. If you get a female therapist, you’ll faint, and if it’s a guy, I’ll faint. Come here, let me bite you, just in case."Anja burst out laughing, and that was the best sound in the world for Milo, though, to be honest, when he saw that Anja’s therapist was a massive, sexy version of Bigfoot, he nearly fainted for real.Luckily, the guy