Leo, grinning, jumped in, "You two and your lovey-dovey moments. Get a room before I lose my lunch!"

Aylin laughed, her tone light. "What’s the matter? Is Selina taking too long to get back to you?"

Leo’s face went red as he laughed, feeling a bit awkward. "Ouch."

Zayden smirked, the tension from the earlier raid fading into humor. "Yeah, she got you good."

Reyes cut in, his face serious. "Alright, everyone, let’s stay focused."

Laughter spread through the group, providing a much-needed break from the stress.

Twenty minutes went by as they fine-tuned their plans, interrogated William tomorrow after some sleep, tightened protocols to spot the mole, and used Sarah’s info if she turns out to be legit.

Then there was a knock at the door, urgent but gentle.

A guard stepped in, neutral expression but wide-eyed. "Boss, the lady’s with William. Their reunion... It’s pretty intense."

Zayden nodded, serious. "Figured as much. Good."

The guard hesitated, a glimmer of humor in his eyes. "She’s... filling him in about the daughter. The guy’s crying like a kid. But it’s tears of joy."

Leo chuckled softly. "Can only imagine, tough genius having a meltdown."

Aylin felt tears welling up, happy for them. "They really deserve this. After everything they’ve been through."

Zayden gave her a gentle smile. "Yeah, we all do."

Zayden Instructed Leo and Reyes, "You both should go check on them."

Leo and Reyes nodded and left the office.

Earlier, down the hall in William’s room, it was simple but cozy, a neat bed with fresh linens, a side table with water and meds, and monitors beeping steadily.

William was propped against pillows, an IV delivering nutrients, color slowly coming back to his pale cheeks. He stared at the ceiling, his mind racing with the weight of his newfound freedom.

Then the door swung open.

Sarah walked in, with Jax and Jane slipping out and quietly shutting the door behind them.

William’s head shot up, his eyes wide in disbelief, as he’d just been hit by a train. "Sarah?"

She paused at the doorway, tears instantly filling her eyes, her hands shaking at her sides. "William..."

He sat up, wincing at the pain in his ribs but pushing it aside. The chains of his captivity disappeared in that moment. "You’re... here? Am I dreaming?"

She rushed over and knelt next to his bed, grabbing his hands like they were lifelines. "Not a dream. These people saved you. They brought you back."

Tears streamed down William’s face, hot and unfiltered. His voice broke, raw and disbelieving. "Eleven years... I thought about you every single day. Your face kept me going. Our life... gone. But you... You’re real."

Sarah cried, pressing his hand against her cheek, feeling his rough beard and the warmth she had only imagined. "Not gone. I made it. For you. I waited. I hoped. And now... for our daughter too."

William’s breath caught, his eyes widening. "Daughter? We... have a daughter?" Maksim’s words were running through his mind. So he was right.

"Ella," Sarah whispered, pulling out a photo from her pocket with shaky fingers. The ten-year-old girl smiled back at them, her gray eyes just like his, her smile pure joy.

William took the photo, his hands trembling. Tears fell onto the image as he traced her face. "Mine? Ours? How... how is this even possible?"

Sarah shared it all, her voice shaking as she revealed everything. The hidden pregnancy, discovered the day he disappeared, her forced marriage to Michael, the lies about their child’s early birth, and her doctor helping her forge records. "I protected her. Us. Michael thinks she’s his. He raised her, but never knew the truth. I did it to keep her safe."

William pulled Sarah up and hugged her tightly, ignoring the pain. His arms wrapped around her as he’d never let go. "You... you had our daughter all on your own? Faced that monster? For us?"

She clung to him, sobbing into his shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent through the dirt and years. "Every day was a nightmare. But for you, for her, I fought in the shadows. I hacked, I planned. Now we’re together. Free."

He kissed her hair, their tears blending together. "My love... my brave, beautiful Sarah. I never stopped loving you. Not for a second."

She pulled back and cupped his face, wiping away his tears with her thumbs. "Neither did I. We’ll start over. With Ella. A family."

William nodded, his voice shaky with joy. "Ella... our daughter. I have a daughter."

They held each other close, years of pain fading away in whispers of love, promises for the future, and tears flowing freely. Soft laughter mixed in as Sarah talked about Ella’s dimples and how her laugh was just like his.

Outside, Leo and Reyes hung out, their ears tuned in to what was happening inside.

Leo whispered with a cheeky grin, "That guy’s probably ugly-crying right now."

Reyes chuckled roughly, "He totally deserves it. Eleven years? I’d be a mess, too."

Leo smirked, "Softie."

Reyes shot him a light-hearted glare. "Keep it up, and I might just punch you."

Their quiet laughter lightened the mood as they waited.

Inside the office, Zayden wrapped his arms around Aylin from behind, planting a flirty kiss on her neck. "Happy endings are a thing after all."

She leaned back with a soft chuckle, "Are we part of that?"

He playfully growled, giving her a possessive nibble. "Ours is epic, babe."

Out of nowhere, Leo burst in, grinning from ear to ear. "William’s back! He’s crying like a waterfall, happy tears, of course."

Aylin felt tears of joy start to form. "Good. They deserve every bit of it."

Zayden’s expression turned serious again. "Now we can actually use him. His intel’s gonna help us wrap this war up."

Leo added, "What about the mole? Still hanging around?"

Aylin’s eyes sparkled with determination. "We’ll smoke them out."

Zayden pulled her close. "Together. Always."

But one thought nagged at her, sharp and real.

Sarah knew way too much.

Was she on their side or just the ultimate insider playing them all?

The tower felt like it was holding its breath, waiting for the next big reveal.

And Liam’s arrival tomorrow loomed like a storm cloud.

Who was he really?

Would the past blow everything apart?

Or could it create something unbreakable?