**Chapter 7: Reckoning**

The sun had barely risen over the horizon when James made his way to Elias's office, Cassius's wrists bound tightly behind his back. James's anger and disgust still simmered just below the surface, but he had a sense of calm determination that he had not felt in a long time. As he entered the office, Elias looked up from the papers on his desk, a look of curiosity on his face. "James, what's going on?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he took in Cassius's bound wrists. James tossed Cassius to the floor, his eyes blazing with fury. "This man," he spat, his voice low and deadly. "He hurt my daughter. He kept her locked in a room, terrorizing her, and I want you to know what he did." Elias's expression darkened, and he rose from his chair, his eyes fixed on Cassius. "What did he do?" he asked, his voice firm. James took a deep breath, his words spilling out in a rush. "He kept her locked in a room, starving her, beating her. He broke her, Elias. He took my little girl and broke her." Elias's face went white, and he took a step forward, his fists clenched. "I'll kill him," he growled, his eyes flashing with anger. James held up a hand, stopping Elias. "No," he said, his voice firm. "I want him to suffer. I want him to rot in a cell, to spend the rest of his life thinking about what he did to my daughter." Elias nodded, his expression grim. "He'll get what's coming to him," he said, his voice cold. "I'll make sure of it." James turned to leave, but not before casting a glance at Cassius, who cowered on the floor, his eyes wide with fear. "You're going to pay for what you did," James whispered, his voice dripping with malice. As James left the office, he felt a sense of closure, a sense that justice was finally being served. He knew that Amalia would take a long time to heal, but he also knew that he would be there for her, to support her, to love her, and to protect her. Elias watched James go, his eyes fixed on Cassius, who whimpered on the floor. Elias's expression was grim, and he knew that he would make sure Cassius paid for his crimes. He picked up the phone and dialed a number, his voice firm as he spoke to the person on the other end. "Send a team to collect Cassius," he said, his voice cold. "He's going down for his crimes." As he hung up the phone, Elias couldn't help but think of Amalia, of the trauma she had endured, and of the long road to recovery that lay ahead of her. He knew that James would be there for her, to support her and to love her, and he was grateful for that. The wheels of justice were turning, and Cassius would soon face the consequences of his actions. Elias was determined to see that justice was served, and that Cassius paid for what he had done to Amalia.