Chapter Thirty Four

Isabella's shock deepened as the man's words hit her like a freight train. Her heart raced even faster, and her mind raced to process the impossible request he had just made.

"Kill him? Why?" Isabella exclaimed, her voice cracking in disbelief. But then again she wasn’t really surprised. She had seen Ricardo do worse things in the past.

Ricardo’s expression remained cold and calculating, his eyes fixed on Isabella's face as if studying her every reaction. "It's not your concern why I want it done," he replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "All you need to know is that if you want to finally sever ties with your past, this is the price you must pay."

Isabella's mind spun, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and fear. She had distanced herself from a life that had been marred by this man's influence, and she had no desire to return to it.

"Why Ryke Sterling? What connection does he have to you?" Isabella asked, trying to steady her voice despite the turmoil inside her.

Ricardo’