Chapter: Chapter 133I stared at the message for a long moment, the terrace suddenly feeling smaller around me, decades of careful, hard-won peace suddenly making room for one more unfinished piece of Charles's story."What is it?" Noah asked, reading the shift in my expression.I handed him the phone silently, watching his eyebrows rise as he read it."Another letter," he said slowly. "After everything. After the journal, after the letter to Margaret, after Vivian's discovery. I thought we'd found everything there was to find.""So did I," I admitted, my voice unsteady. "Twenty-two years, Noah. I thought I'd made peace with never having more of him than what we'd already uncovered.""Do you want to see it?" he asked gently. "You don't have to, if you'd rather leave this settled exactly as it is."I sat with the question, considering it honestly, and found, despite the years of hard-won peace, an old, familiar hunger still alive in me— the same desire that had once driven me to sit up all night reading Ch
Last Updated: 2026-09-18
Chapter: Chapter 132We drove back to the city three days later, the Maine house settling once more into its quiet, patient rhythm until our next visit, and found Charlotte waiting for us at the penthouse with news she'd clearly been holding onto with great difficulty."Galeries Lumière wants to feature my line," she said, the moment we walked through the door, practically vibrating with excitement. "Not just carry it. Feature it. A whole section of the children's department, launching next spring.""Charlotte!" I pulled her into a hug, genuinely thrilled. "That's extraordinary. How did this happen?""Isabelle saw my mentor's presentation at the scholarship showcase," Charlotte explained, still breathless with disbelief. "She asked specifically about my collection afterward. I didn't even know she was in the audience.""The same Isabelle who launched Reed Voss in Paris," Noah said, something proud and amused crossing his face. "It seems like this family has a particular gift for catching her attention.""
Last Updated: 2026-09-18
Chapter: Chapter 131Charlotte's application went in three weeks later, submitted under a randomly assigned applicant number rather than her name, exactly as she'd insisted. I recused myself entirely from the review process, handing the committee's oversight temporarily to Vivian, who'd taken on an increasingly active role in the foundation's daily operations over the past several years."I won't tell you anything," Vivian warned me, half-teasing, half-serious. "Not until the committee's made its final decision. I know how badly you want to know.""I genuinely don't want special treatment for her," I said. "Even accidentally. If she doesn't make the cohort, she doesn't make it. I want her to actually earn whatever happens."The waiting proved harder than I expected, watching Charlotte go about her days with studied nonchalance that fooled no one, her nervous energy leaking out in small, telling ways— extra hours in the studio, sketchbooks filled with increasingly ambitious designs, the particular quiet te
Last Updated: 2026-09-16
Chapter: Chapter 130The investigation stretched into months, Ramirez's team slowly building an airtight case against Ashford, and in the meantime, life continued its careful, watchful rhythm. Ava's memory returned in gradual, unpredictable increments — some weeks bringing entire relationships back into focus, others bringing nothing at all, the process frustrating and exhausting for everyone involved but steadily, undeniably moving in the right direction."I remembered the wedding," she told me one afternoon, nearly eight months after the accident, tears in her eyes. "Theo's face when I walked down the aisle. I remembered it all at once, like a door swinging open.""That's wonderful," I said, genuinely moved. "How much else is coming back?""More every week," she admitted. "The doctors say I'm actually ahead of the typical recovery curve. I think having everyone patiently rebuild the story with me has helped more than they initially expected it would."Lily, through the whole difficult process, had becom
Last Updated: 2026-09-16
Chapter: Chapter 129I sat frozen, the phone pressed to my ear. "Ava, are you certain? Memories after trauma like this can sometimes be unreliable.""I know that's possible," she said, her voice steadier than I expected. "But this feels different from the fragments coming back naturally. This feels sharp. Specific. The truck's grille filled the mirror, and then it turned, hard, directly into our lane. There was no skid before it. No sign of losing control."I told Noah the moment I hung up, and he went very still, the same focused alertness I recognized from every crisis we'd faced together settling over him instantly."We need to report this," he said. "Immediately. Whether it turns out to be accurate or not, it needs to be investigated properly."Detective Ramirez, the same investigator from Ryan's fraud case years earlier, now heading a different division, took the report seriously, pulling traffic camera footage from the highway, interviewing witnesses who'd been near the accident scene. It took two w
Last Updated: 2026-09-15
Chapter: Chapter 128The days that followed brought a strange, disorienting new reality, Ava physically recovering steadily, her body healing well from the internal injuries, but her memory remaining stubbornly fragmented, entire years missing in ways the doctors couldn't fully predict or explain."It's called retrograde amnesia," the neurologist explained, during a careful family meeting a week later. "The trauma affected the hippocampus significantly. She's retained procedural memory… she knows how to walk, talk, and perform basic tasks. But autobiographical memory, particularly from the last several years, appears significantly compromised.""How significant?" Theo asked, his voice tight with barely controlled fear."Based on our assessments so far, her memory seems clearest up through approximately her early twenties," the doctor said carefully. "Everything after that point… including, unfortunately, her relationship with you, the birth of Lily, and virtually all of her more recent life… remains large
Last Updated: 2026-09-15
The Pleasure Archive
️ Warning ️
This book isn’t for the faint of heart because once you enter The Pleasure Archive, there is no turning back.
In a world where desire knows no boundaries, she thought surrendering once would be enough but she was wrong.
Lila Bennett’s forbidden affair with her dangerously seductive literature professor, Elias Voss, was supposed to be a secret.
One late-night encounter on his desk was all it took to set off an obsession neither of them could control.
But when hidden cameras capture their raw, passionate sin and a mysterious blackmailer threatens to destroy them both, Lila is dragged into a dark game of blackmail and lust.
Now she must journey through a web of dangerous desires:
From the strict control of her possessive professor, she is pushed into the merciless empire of a cold billionaire CEO who turns her into his personal office whore, making her drip with his load while she works. Her submission then escalates inside the beastly midnight club where she is publicly used, shared, and trained by the city’s most powerful men.
As the story continues, Lila becomes even wilder.
From innocent student to corporate fucktoy, from secret club slave to willing cumslut, Lila’s descent into pure, filthy pleasure knows no limit.
️This is not a love story. It is dark and addictive with 200 chapters of raw, dirty, and unapologetic sins
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Chapter: BRATVA BLOOD PRINCESS’S TOY 7🙈💦Natalia Volkov dragged me by the collar into the vast underground ritual chamber beneath the main compound as the final night of my initiation reached its peak. The massive space was lit by hundreds of torches, their flames casting flickering shadows across the stone walls and the enormous circular platform in the center. Nearly a hundred of the highest-ranking members of the Volkov Bratva, Pakhan, Underbosses, Brigadiers, Enforcers, and soldiers, stood in a wide circle around the altar, their eyes burning with raw, collective hunger.“On the altar, my perfect toy,” Natalia commanded, her voice echoing through the chamber. She shoved me forward onto the silk-covered stone. “Tonight the entire hierarchy claims you together. You will be bred by every rank of the Volkov family under one roof. Show them why you were chosen as the Blood Princess’s shared whore.”I climbed onto the altar and lay on my back, spreading my legs as wide as humanly possible, pulling my knees back to my shoulders
Last Updated: 2026-06-28
Chapter: BRATVA BLOOD PRINCESS’S TOY 6🙈💦Natalia Volkov dragged me by the collar down the dimly lit corridor toward the soldiers’ barracks again, my legs still shaking from the Enforcers’ brutal session earlier. Cum was still leaking down my thighs with every step, making my skin sticky and my pussy throb.The heavy doors opened and the loud, crude voices of over forty off-duty soldiers filled the air. They were drinking, playing cards, and laughing until they saw me. The room went quiet for a second, then erupted in hungry cheers.“On the floor, toy,” Natalia ordered, shoving me into the center of the room. “The soldiers get you for the rest of the night. Show them how well you serve the lowest ranks.”I dropped to my knees immediately, spreading my legs wide and reaching down to open my swollen, dripping pussy for all of them. “Please… all of you,” I moaned, voice already desperate. “Use your shared Bratva toy. Fuck every hole raw. Fill me with soldier cum until I can’t take anymore. I need the whole barracks tonight.”The
Last Updated: 2026-06-27
Chapter: BRATVA BLOOD PRINCESS’S TOY 5🙈💦Natalia Volkov shoved me through the reinforced steel doors of the underground training wing, my bare feet slapping against the cold concrete. My body was still sore and leaking from the Brigadiers’ long session, but the second I entered the dimly lit room, a dozen elite Enforcers turned toward me with dark, predatory hunger.“On your knees, toy,” Natalia ordered, yanking my collar. “These are the Enforcers, the ones who make problems disappear. Today they get to play with their Princess’s favorite new whore.”I dropped instantly in the center of the room, spreading my thighs wide and reaching down to part my swollen, dripping pussy. “Please… use me,” I moaned, voice already shaking with need. “All of you. Stretch every hole. Fuck your shared Bratva toy until I can’t walk. I need the Enforcers to ruin me.”The biggest Enforcer, a bald mountain of muscle named Ivan, stepped forward first. He grabbed my hair roughly and shoved his massive, thick cock straight down my throat.“Suck it li
Last Updated: 2026-06-27
Chapter: BRATVA BLOOD PRINCESS’S TOY 4🙈💦Natalia Volkov yanked my collar hard, pulling me into the dimly lit Brigadiers’ private lounge on the upper floor of the compound. The room smelled of cigar smoke, expensive vodka, and raw masculine power. Six Brigadiers, the captains who commanded their own crews, lounged on leather couches, their shirts open to reveal heavy tattoos and scars.“On the table, toy,” Natalia ordered, shoving me forward. “The Brigadiers have been waiting to test their share of the Blood Princess’s new pet.”I climbed onto the heavy oak table in the center of the room and immediately dropped onto my back, spreading my legs as wide as I could and pulling my knees toward my chest. My voice came out needy and broken. “Please, Brigadiers… use your shared Bratva toy. Stretch every hole while you talk business. Fill me with your loads. I need to feel what your rank does to a whore like me.”The senior Brigadier, a broad man named Dimitri with a thick beard and cold eyes, stood first. He dropped his pants and ru
Last Updated: 2026-06-26
Chapter: BRATVA BLOOD PRINCESS’S TOY 3🙈💦Natalia Volkov pulled me by the collar through the long corridor of the Bratva compound toward the soldiers’ barracks as the sun began to set. My body was still sore and leaking from the morning hierarchy meeting on the table, but the moment the heavy steel doors opened, the roar of dozens of voices filled the air.The barracks common room was packed with over thirty off-duty soldiers, the lowest but most numerous rank in the Volkov structure. Hard, tattooed men who did the dirty work: beatings, collections, protection runs. They all turned when Natalia shoved me into the center of the room.“Listen up,” Natalia announced loudly, her voice cutting through the noise. “This is Lila, the Blood Princess’s new shared toy. She belongs to the entire family. Tonight she is yours. Use her until she can’t stand. Show her what real Bratva soldiers do to their property.”I dropped to my knees immediately in the center of the room, spreading my thighs wide and reaching down to spread my swollen pu
Last Updated: 2026-06-26
Chapter: BRATVA BLOOD PRINCESS’S TOY 2🙈💦Natalia Volkov dragged me by the collar through the marble halls of the main Bratva compound at dawn, my naked body still marked and sticky from the snowy courtyard initiation. Two massive enforcers flanked us as we entered a grand strategy room with a long oak table. Seated around it were the core hierarchy of the Volkov family, the men who truly ran the empire.“On the table, toy,” Natalia ordered, shoving me forward. “You will learn exactly who owns you while they use you.”I climbed onto the polished oak and spread my legs wide, pulling my knees back so my swollen pussy and ass were completely exposed to the entire room. “Please… honored members of the Volkov Bratva… use your new shared toy. Stretch every hole while you discuss business. I need to feel the full hierarchy inside me.”Natalia sat at the head of the table like a queen. “This is Lila, our new Blood Princess’s personal fucktoy. She will serve the entire structure — from the Pakhan’s inner circle down to the lowest sold
Last Updated: 2026-06-25
My Brother, My Ruin
Warning ⚠️
Read only at your own risk‼️
*******
At Riverside University, Cassandra Bills and her devastatingly handsome stepbrother Alexander Gray share more than just family bond, they share a burning, insatiable hunger for each other that could destroy both their families if discovered.
What began as stolen glances has exploded into raw, passionate nights of forbidden pleasure behind closed doors.
But their dangerous secret grows more complicated when Alexander’s charming best friend, Brady Collins, falls hard for Cassandra and refuses to back down. As stolen kisses turn into desperate, risky encounters across campus, library stacks, late-night showers, backseat thrill rides, and hidden rooftops, their love becomes deeper, hotter, and far more perilous.
In this collection of forbidden love, follow Cassandra and Alexander as they balance intense, addictive loveplay, tender love, overwhelming jealousy, and the constant threat of exposure.
Will their taboo romance survive the fire… or will it consume them both?
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Chapter: WHAT BECAME OF USChapter 143: What We KeepCassandraWe sat with Mom’s message for a long time after the phone went dark.The offer was simple. Money for a bus. Money for a short rental somewhere else. Distance from the relatives who kept testing the door. No lectures. No demands to come home. Just an exit.Alexander leaned forward on the edge of the mattress, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. I stayed beside him with my hands resting over the small curve of my stomach. Thirteen weeks. The baby was the size of a lemon now. Real enough to change every decision we made.“I don’t want to take her money,” I said finally. “Not because I’m proud. Because every time we let them in, even sideways, they start thinking they still have a vote.”“I know.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “But Carol already warned us. The store is starting to feel the rumors. The family isn’t getting bored. If we stay, we stay knowing the pressure continues. If we leave, we leave on our terms with a plan, not because they
Last Updated: 2026-08-25
Chapter: BOUNDARIES 3Chapter 142: The Wider CircleCassandraThe message stayed on the phone overnight like a stone we couldn’t put down.“The family isn’t the only ones who know where you live now. Some people are tired of watching this play out quietly. You should decide how public you want the next part to be.”Alexander and I read it again in the morning light. No name. No demand for money. Just the clear implication that the audience for our life had grown.“We treat it the same as the rest,” he said while I ate crackers on the edge of the mattress. “No reply. Document it. Tell Carol. Keep the door locked. If something actually happens, we call the police. We don’t chase ghosts.”I nodded. The baby was twelve weeks. The nausea had eased a little, but the fatigue and the constant low-level awareness of being watched had not. We were still on track for rent. The clinic fund was intact. The ordinary pieces of survival were holding. The noise around them kept trying to grow.At the store Jess took one lo
Last Updated: 2026-08-25
Chapter: BOUNDARIES 2Chapter 141: The Line They CrossedCassandraCarol’s text sat between us like a warning flare.They had come to the house. They now knew the exact door.Alexander locked the phone, set it face-down, and pulled the chain across the door even though it was already locked. We didn’t talk much after that. There was nothing useful to say. The family had decided that cutting us off was not enough. They wanted the last word in person.Morning came with the same nausea and a sharper edge of dread. Alexander left for the warehouse later than usual so we could walk out together. The street was clear. No unfamiliar cars. No relatives waiting. The ordinary quiet felt temporary.At the store Jess took one look at my face and said, “You’re doing the ‘someone is about to ruin my day’ walk. Who do I need to scare?”“Possibly my aunt and uncle again. They found the house last night.”Jess’s expression flattened. “They show up here, I call the cops and then I key their car. I’m not joking.”“I know you
Last Updated: 2026-08-25
Chapter: BOUNDARIES 1Chapter 140: BoundariesCassandraMom’s visit left the room feeling exposed for the rest of the night. Alexander double-checked the lock and the chain. We kept the phone on the floor between us, volume low but not off. Sleep came in short stretches. Every time a car slowed on the street I woke up. He did too.In the morning he sat on the edge of the mattress tying his shoes while I ate crackers and tried to settle my stomach.“If anyone from the family shows up, we don’t open the door,” he said. “We tell Carol. If they push it, we call the police. This is our place. They don’t get to turn it into another family meeting.”“Agreed.”He kissed me, rested his hand on my stomach for a second the way he always did now, and left for the warehouse. I walked to the store with my shoulders tight and the phone in my back pocket on silent.Jess took one look at me and raised an eyebrow. “You look like you slept inside a washing machine. Family noise again?”“Something like that.”“Want me to star
Last Updated: 2026-08-23
Chapter: SOMETHING DIFFERENT 10Chapter 139: Noise Travels Cassandra The text sat on the phone like a hand on the back of my neck. “Heard the pregnancy rumor reached the grocery store. Shame. Family’s talking more than you think. Some of them are less content to stay quiet than others. Watch your back.” Alexander and I read it twice in the dark. Then he turned the phone completely off and set it on the floor face-down. “We’re not answering,” he said. “We’re not chasing it. Same rule as the old threats. Silence first.” I nodded against his chest, but sleep did not come after that. Every creak of the house made me tense. The baby was only the size of a raspberry according to the last pamphlet, and yet the idea of it was already large enough to draw blood from people who had already decided we were a scandal. Morning arrived too early. The nausea was sharper than usual, probably from the stress. I ate crackers in bed while Alexander dressed for the warehouse. He kissed the top of my head and reminded me to keep
Last Updated: 2026-08-22
Chapter: SOMETHING DIFFERENT 9Chapter 138: The Weight of Ordinary Days Cassandra The crib stayed in pieces against the wall because there was nowhere else to put it. Every time I looked at it I felt the future press a little harder against the present. Ten weeks. The nurse had said the nausea might start easing soon. So far it had only changed shape—less sharp in the mornings, more like a constant low tide that rose whenever I got too hungry or too tired. Alexander left for the warehouse before it was fully light. I walked to the store with the ginger chews Jess had forced on me and the prenatal vitamin already taken. The air was cooler. My jeans bit at the waist in a way that meant I would need to do something about clothes soon. Another expense we hadn’t fully written into the notebook yet. Jess was already at express, restocking gum with unnecessary aggression. She glanced up as I clocked in. “You look like someone who slept. Miracles happen. Earl left you a banana that is only morally compromised, not ful
Last Updated: 2026-08-22
Chapter: والثلاثون الحادي الفصلكان البريد الإلكتروني قصيراً، رسمياً بطريقة شعرت في تناقض مع كل محادثة أجريتها مع إليانور حتى الآن، صيغ بوضوح من قبل شخص في طاقمها بدلاً من إليانور نفسها، كلها خطوط نظيفة وورقة رسمية مناسبة.الآنسة فوس تطلب سرور صحبتكم، مع السيد سنكلير، في العقار هذا الأسبوع. من الجمعة إلى الأحد. ستُرتب سيارة ما لم تفضلا القيادة بنفسكما.لا ذكر للصور. لا ذكر لتشارلز، أو رسائل، أو أي شيء غير مكتمل من ليلتين مضتا. فقط دعوة، رسمية ودافئة في الوقت نفسه، نوع الشيء الذي يمكن أن يعني كل شيء أو لا شيء.«تريدنا هناك» قلت، أدير الهاتف نحو نوح، الذي قرأه فوق كتفي، فكه يتشدد قليلاً عند الزاوية.«تفعل هذا» قال. «تستدعي الناس إلى العقار حين تقرر أن شيئاً متأخر. كان يجب أن أتوقع ذلك بعد الليلة الأخرى.»«هل تظن أنها ستخبرني؟» صارت معدتي ضيقة ومليئة بالأمل بنفس القدر. «مهما كان. هذا الأسبوع؟»«لا أعرف.» قاله بصدق، دون انحراف هذه المرة، الذي صار راحة صغيرة خاصة به على مدى الأيام القليلة الماضية. «أعرف أن إليانور لا تفعل شيئاً بلا سبب. إن كانت تدعوكِ إلى المنزل بدلاً من الاتصال، يعني أن مهما كان هذا، تريد أن تقوله في مك
Last Updated: 2026-09-12
Chapter: الثلاثون الفصلكانت ديانا تهدد بـ«تفتيش رسمي» لنوح منذ أسبوعين، ووفقاً لكلمتها، ظهرت على الغداء ذلك السبت تبدو كأنها ارتدت خصيصاً لاستجواب في بلوزة بنقش الفهد، أقراط ذهبية بحجم أساور، ودفتر سحبته من حقيبتها في الثانية التي جلست فيها عند جزيرة المطبخ كأن هذا إفادة وليس وجبة.«ديانا.» وضعت طبقاً من البيض أمامها، مرتبكة مسبقاً. «من فضلك لا تفعلي.»«سأفعل بالتأكيد.» فتحت الدفتر، نزعت غطاء قلم بدقة مسرحية، ونظرت إلى نوح، الذي دخل للتو من مكتبه في سترة رمادية ناعمة جعلته يبدو، بشكل غير عادل، أكثر شبهاً بإعلان مجلة من المعتاد. «اجلس. هذا لن يستغرق وقتاً طويلاً. على الأرجح.»نظر نوح إليّ، شيء شبه مرح يومض خلف تماسكه المعتاد، وأخذ المقعد أمامها دون جدال. «حُذّرت من هذا.»«جيد. التحذيرات توفر الوقت.» نقرت ديانا قلمها. «السؤال الأول. صافي الثروة. أعرف الرقم بالفعل، بحثت عنه قبل أن أغادر شقتي، لكنني أريد أن أسمعك تقوله بصوت عالٍ. أجد أنه معبّر جداً كيف يقول الرجل رقماً كبيراً.»«هذا سؤال افتتاحي غير عادي.»«هو السؤال الافتتاحي الصحيح.» نقرت القلم ضد الدفتر. «أجب.»ارتعش فم نوح، أقرب شيء إلى ابتسامة حقيقية رأيته
Last Updated: 2026-09-12
Chapter: والعشرون التاسع الفصلجلست مع الصورة حتى تحولت السماء خارج نافذة الاستوديو من أسود إلى رمادي إلى الذهب الباهت لصباح فعلي، أقلبها مرة بعد مرة، أحدق في ذلك الخط الباهت حتى توقفت الكلمات عن أن تبدو كلمات وبدأت تبدو كشفرة ليس لدي مفتاحها.تشارلز، قبل مارغريت بثلاثة أشهر.لم أعرف ماذا تعني. قلت لنفسي، أكثر من مرة تلك الليلة، إنها على الأرجح لا تعني شيئاً على الإطلاق — صورة قديمة، خط غريب، صدفة أسماء شعرت مهمة فقط لأن وجه إليانور صار حذراً وغريباً جداً حين ناولتها لي. لكن جزءاً هادئاً عنيداً مني ظل يعود إليها على أي حال، بالطريقة التي يجد بها لسانك ضرساً مؤلماً حتى حين تعرف أفضل.وجدني نوح هناك في السابعة، ما زلت في ملابس الأمس، الصورة مستندة إلى ركبتي.«يجب أن تنامي» قال بلطف، يركع أمامي بالطريقة التي يفعل الآن بلا تردد، كأن المسافة بيننا توقفت بهدوء عن الأهمية في مكان ما على مدى الأسابيع القليلة الماضية.«لا أستطيع.» نظرت إليه، عيناي خامتين. «أظل أقلبها وليس لدي قطع كافية لأصنع منها أي شيء. هي فقط صورة وتاريخ وامرأة عجوز غريبة بشأن كليهما.»«إليانور ليست غريبة عادة بلا سبب.» جلس بشكل صحيح بجانبي بدلاً من الركو
Last Updated: 2026-09-11
Chapter: والعشرون الثامن الفصلكان نوح يتحرك بالفعل قبل أن تنهي لينا الجملة، يسحب جاكته من ظهر كرسي، تعبيره ينزلق إلى الهدوء المسيطر الذي أتعرف عليه الآن كاستعداده لشيء لم يملك لغة له بعد.«كم باقٍ حتى تصل؟» سأل.«عشرون دقيقة. ربما أقل. اتصلت مسبقاً، وهو ما لا تفعله أبداً.» تحركت عينا لينا نحوي، شيء حذر فيهما، كأنها خمّنت بالفعل أن هذا يخصني أكثر مما يخص صاحب عملها. «بدت مختلفة، السيد سنكلير. ليست منزعجة. فقط… مصممة.»«تجلب شيئاً» كررت، ما زلت جالسة على أرض الاستوديو وسط حطام تاريخي المستعاد، يدي ما زالت متشابكة بشكل فضفاض مع يد نوح. «ماذا يعني ذلك؟»«لا أعرف.» نظر نوح إليّ، وللمرة الأولى صدقت أن عدم اليقين على وجهه حقيقي، ليس انحرافاً حذراً آخر. «قلت لكِ. لدي قطع. إليانور لديها منها أكثر مني، وقررت بوضوح أن الليلة هي الليلة للتوقف عن الاحتفاظ بها لنفسها.»وقفت، أنفض عن جينزي، قلبي يفعل شيئاً غير منتظم وغير مألوف. عشرون دقيقة لم تكن وقتاً كافياً للاستعداد لأي شيء كان هذا، وكانت وقتاً أكثر مما ينبغي للجلوس دون فعل شيء سوى تخيل كل شكل ممكن يمكن أن يأخذه.«يجب أن أغير» قلت، في الغالب تلقائياً، غريزة قديمة تصر على أن أ
Last Updated: 2026-09-11
Chapter: والعشرون السابع الفصل«مثيرة للاهتمام كيف؟» سألت، معدتي تفعل شيئاً غير مريح.أعد نوح هاتفه إلى جيبه، وحين نظر إليّ، أي برودة كانت جالسة خلف عينيه قبل لحظة كانت قد لانت بالفعل عائدة إلى شيء أكثر حذراً، أكثر وعياً بمدى قربي ما زلت من الجرح الذي أعادت آفا فتحه للتو.«مثيرة للاهتمام بما يكفي لأنظر فيها بشكل صحيح» قال. «ليس الليلة. ليس وأنتِ تقفين هنا ما زلت تلتقطين أنفاسكِ مما قالته لكِ للتو.»«لا يجب أن تحميني من المعلومات.» عقدت ذراعيّ، دفاعية أكثر مما قصدت. «قضيت عاماً أكتشف الأشياء بالطريقة الصعبة. أفضل أن أعرف على أن أُدار.»تحول شيء في تعبيره — ليس اعتذاراً تماماً، لكنه اعتراف. «ملاحظ. من أجل ما يستحق، لم أكن أديركِ. كنت أعطيكِ دقيقة قبل أن أجعلكِ تفكرين فيها مرة أخرى.»ركبنا المصعد إلى الأعلى في صمت لم يكن غير مريح بقدر ما كان مليئاً، كلاهما يقلب شيئاً على انفراد. بحلول الوقت الذي فتحت فيه الأبواب على البنتهاوس، كنت قد اتخذت قراراً كنت أدور حوله لأسابيع دون أن أدع نفسي أهبط عليه تماماً.«أريد أن أرى الملفات» قلت. «التي سحبها فريقك القانوني. من لانكستر. كل ما يخصني.»توقف نوح، المفاتيح ما زالت في يده، يد
Last Updated: 2026-09-11
Chapter: والعشرون السادس الفصلحدقت في الرسالة لحظة طويلة، الاستوديو يشعر فجأة صغيراً أكثر مما ينبغي، ساطعاً أكثر مما ينبغي، قلبي يفعل شيئاً غير منتظم ضد أضلاعي.«لا يجب أن أراها» قلت، في الغالب لنفسي، أختبر إن كنت أصدق ذلك.«لا» وافق نوح بحذر. «لا يجب.»«لكنني أريد أن أعرف لماذا هي هنا.» وقفت، أنفض بقايا القماش عن جينزي، يداي ليستا ثابتتين تماماً. «ليس نسخة اللوبي. الحقيقية.»نهض نوح معي، يراقب وجهي بالطريقة التي يفعل حين يقرر إن كان يجادل أو يتبع قيادتي ببساطة. «إذن ننزل معاً. لا يجب أن تواجهيها وحدكِ، ولا يجب أن تدعيها تصعد أيضاً. هناك غرفة بجانب اللوبي، خاصة، بجدران زجاجية تواجه الشارع. عامة بما يكفي لتكون آمنة وخاصة بما يكفي للحديث فعلاً.»أومأت، ممتنة بطريقة لم تكن لدي كلمات لها بعد، وأخذنا المصعد إلى الأسفل في صمت شعر أثقل مع كل طابق.كانت آفا واقفة قرب مكتب الاستقبال حين فتحت الأبواب، ورؤيتها أصابتني بالطريقة التي كانت تفعل دائماً مؤخراً، رؤية مزدوجة غريبة، الأخت التي نشأت أدافع عنها موضوعة مباشرة فوق الأخت التي وقفت في باب مع خطيبتي قبل الزفاف بثلاثة أيام. بدت أنحف مما أتذكر، وزن الحمل لم يستقر تماماً في ه
Last Updated: 2026-09-10
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