Novel-novel oleh Sky_Ink

The drive back to the Retroferd estate was a blur of silence. Maxton’s mind was still replaying Michael’s earlier warning. ‘One day you will have no choice but to kill Evan yourself.’ The words felt like a heavy stone sitting in his stomach. He had thought all of these could be avoided and history wouldn't repeat itself, but the hearts of humans can't be fully understood.He thought raising Evan and providing him with everything he needed would make him live peacefully without embracing the darkness in his blood. But he was his father's son after all and Maxton knew it since he found out about Evan's hatred towards him.When he finally arrived at the estate, hepushed open the heavy doors of his private villa, before the guards could open it. The house was dark, except from the soft, amber glow of a single lamp in the sitting room. Raina was standing by the window, her silhouette framed by the moonlight. She looked smaller than usual, probably everything that was happening lately h

The air in the hospital corridor was so heavy it felt like stone. Evan stood his ground, the gun still gripped in his hand, but he didn't look afraid. He looked bored, as if he were at a boring business meeting instead of being trapped by two of the most dangerous men in the city. He turned his head slightly, seeing Maxton and Xander blocking the only exit. A slow, mocking smile stretched across his face."Uncle," Evan said, his tone light and playful. "Welcome to the party. I was just telling Michael how things are going to change around here."Evan looked back at Michael, who sat in his wheelchair with his fists clenched. Evan didn't care that he was surrounded. He tucked his gun away, acting like he owned the building.Maxton moved forward slowly. His eyes were like dark, frozen lakes. "Don't be a fool, Evan. Put the weapon down. You are making a mistake you won't be able to fix."Evan laughed, a sharp, ugly sound. "You always say that, Uncle. You’ve been saying that since I was a

“Evan, you are still just a little boy that hasn't matured” Michael said with a calm voice.Evan remained quiet and his expression showed that he was definitely caught off guard but he was also unusually calm.“It seems like you really outsmarted me…or die you, Don Valente?” Evan asked with a slow smile.Then suddenly a low click was heard and Michael felt the cold metal of a gun against the side of his head. He looked up and saw a blonde man with a scar on his face."Did you really think it would be that easy, Don Valente?" Evan whispered, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You've always underestimated me. You still see me as that little boy you used to push around whenever you came to the Retroferd estate, don't you?"Michael's expression remained calm as he felt the barrel of the gun press harder against his head. In one swift motion, Evan stepped around him and Gerald couldn't do anything but lower his gun. Michael looked up to see Evan smiling down at him and his smug look on

The hospital hallway was deathly quiet. The only sound was the steady, rhythmic beep-beep coming from inside the Intensive Care Unit. Lorenzo was alive, but he was deep in a coma. The doctors said they had done everything they could, but now it was up to his own body to decide if he would ever wake up.Michael Valente sat in his wheelchair just a few feet from the glass door. His face was like a block of ice. He didn’t blink. He just stared at his son through the window, watching the machines breathe for him. Gerald stood behind him, his head bowed, his hands folded neatly in front of him. Gerald felt sick. He had been the one on guard, and he had failed.Michael finally turned his chair, his eyes dark and empty. "Gerald," he said, his voice quiet but sharp. "How did Evan know we were watching him? How did he know we were close enough to be a threat?"Gerald stepped forward, his shoulders slumped. "I’ve thought about it all night, sir. I’m almost certain that I was the real target. E

Raina waited for an answer, her breath caught in her throat. But instead of an explanation, the phone just gave a sharp, dead tone. Xander had hung up on her."Coward," Raina hissed, dropping the phone onto the console. She looked at Maxton. His jaw was clenched so hard she thought it might break. She felt like she was trapped in a room with a bomb, waiting for it to go off. "Why did he hang up? Is it true, Maxton? Is Evan the one who did this?"Maxton didn’t try to lie or push her away. He looked straight ahead, his eyes hard and cold. "Yes, Raina. It’s true. Evan is back in the country. He has been moving in the shadows, buying off smaller gangs and building his own army."Raina felt like someone had just poured ice water over her. "Evan? The playboy? The guy who spent all his time at parties and clubs? You’re telling me that man, who couldn't even manage his own bank account, is running a war against us?"Maxton turned to look at her. "That’s exactly what he wanted you to think. He

They walked out of the hospital in total silence. The night air felt freezing against Raina’s skin, but she didn’t even shiver, because she felt numb. All she could think about was the sight of the blood on the floor and the look on the doctors’ faces. Lorenzo had always been her protector, the one person who kept her grounded, and the thought of him lying on that table was tearing her apart.Maxton led her to the SUV. He drove for a few minutes, his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white. Suddenly, he pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned off the engine.Raina frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. She looked at him, her eyes tired and slightly red. "Why are we stopping, Maxton? We need to keep moving….We need to find out who did this."Maxton didn't say a word. He just turned in his seat and reached for her. Before she could push him away or ask another question, he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest.Raina