Chapter 28. Lost and Found

The large, imposing man couldn't endure the woman's incessant talk any longer. His frustration reached a boiling point, and he strode purposefully toward her. As he drew nearer, the room seemed to tighten with tension, and the woman fell silent the moment she saw him. Her lips clamped shut, and her eyes widened in fear. She watched with a mix of dread and anxiety as the man approached.

He gripped her chin with a vice-like hold, his fingers strong and unyielding. In his other hand, he brandished a menacing pistol, the cold barrel pressed against her trembling cheek.

"Enough, you old woman," he growled, annoyance lacing his voice, as the firearm bore down upon her.

The woman, gripped by fear, ceased her struggles and her voice fell silent. Tears welled up in her eyes, her gaze locked onto the gun's cold metal. She dared not move, frozen by the impending doom.

"Consider yourself lucky that you still draw breath," he continued,