Chapter: 65. Ashes and VengeanceDon Antonio’s POVDespite Dr. Ramirez’s protests, I decided to discharge myself, because the burning need to understand the attack outweighed the lingering pain in my shoulder. Xavier, ever vigilant, had arranged for discreet transportation.We arrived at the warehouse district under the cloak of pre-dawn gloom. The air hung heavy with the acrid smell of smoke and damp ash. As Xavier’s car pulled to a stop before my largest storage facility, the sight that greeted me stole my breath.Half of the sprawling structure was a blackened husk, the skeletal remains of steel beams reaching towards the bruised morning sky. Charred debris lay scattered like fallen giants, and the air still shimmered with residual heat. The stench of destruction was overwhelming, a physical manifestation of the violation I had endured.A grim silence settled in the car. Xavier’s face was a mask of controlled fury. I stared at the devastation, a cold dread gripping my heart. This wasn’t just a random act of violen
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-27
Chapter: 64. Whispers of BetrayalAlexa’s POVThe moment I stepped off the elevator onto the executive floor, the atmosphere felt thick and strange. The usual polite nods and greetings from the staff were replaced by sneaky glances and hushed whispers. Eyes darted away as I made my way towards my father's office, a palpable tension hanging in the air. It was as if I had become an outcast overnight.My former secretary looked particularly uncomfortable. She avoided eye contact, shuffling papers on her desk with unusual intensity."Hi," I said, my voice low but firm. "I need to see my father."She finally looked up, her expression a mixture of sympathy and fear. "Alexa…he's still in a meeting. And he…he really doesn't want to be disturbed.""It's important," I insisted. "Something has happened."She hesitated, glancing nervously towards the closed doors of my father's office. Then, she leaned in, her voice barely a whisper. "It's…it's all over the office, Alexa.""What is?" I asked, a knot of unease tightening in my sto
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-25
Chapter: 63. Cut OffAlexa’s POVThe news about Don Antonio had sent a jolt of icy terror through me, eclipsing my own immediate problems. My father's anger, Claire's cruelty, losing my job – all of it paled in comparison to the horrifying image of Don Antonio lying injured, fighting for his life.A fierce urgency gripped me. I had to get to him. Miami felt a world away, but the thought of him being alone, hurt, fueled a desperate resolve. My mother, though worried, understood my need to be there. She helped me pack a small bag, her movements efficient and filled with a quiet determination to support me.My first practical step was booking a flight. I pulled out my credit card, the familiar platinum rectangle that had always been a symbol of my independence and security. I navigated the airline's website, selected the earliest flight to Miami, and entered my card details with a shaky hand.Then, the screen flashed red.Transaction Declined.A wave of confusion washed over me. There must be some mistake. I
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-25
Chapter: 62. The Betrayal Don Antonio’s POVI was aware of the sterile scent of antiseptic, the rhythmic beeping of machines, the hushed voices that seemed to drift in and out of my consciousness. They were fighting for me. I could feel it, a tug-of-war between life and the cold embrace of oblivion.My shoulder throbbed with a relentless fire, a constant reminder of the brutal violation I had endured. My vision swam in and out of focus, glimpses of worried faces hovering above me before fading back into the blurry expanse.Then, a memory, sharp and vivid, cut through the haze.The dimly lit study, the air thick with unspoken accusations. Donald stood across from me, his face a mask of anguish and fury. The years of friendship, the shared laughter, the unwavering trust – all seemed to have evaporated, leaving behind a raw, festering wound."How could you, Antonio?" he had choked out, his voice trembling with a pain that mirrored the betrayal I now felt radiating from him.I had tried to explain, to reason, to c
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-24
Chapter: 61. Seeds of a New Beginning?Alexa’s POVThe days that followed were a blur of quiet support from my mother and a persistent ache in my heart. She stayed with me in my apartment, her presence a comforting balm against the raw edges of my despair. She didn't push me to talk, but she was always there, a silent reassurance that I wasn't entirely alone.One afternoon, as I sat listlessly on the sofa, staring out at the city skyline that no longer held the promise of my future, my mother sat beside me, a thoughtful expression on her face."Alexa," she began softly, her voice gentle but firm. "You can't stay like this, I'm not okay with it."I turned to her, my eyes still heavy with unshed tears. "What else is there, Mom? My career is gone." I trailed off, the pain of their rejection still too raw to articulate fully.She took my hand, her touch grounding. "You're talented, Alexa. You have a sharp mind, and you worked hard to build your position at Bavarish Industries. That knowledge, that experience…it hasn't disappea
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-24
Chapter: 60. The Morning AfterAlexa’s POVThe first sensation was a dull, throbbing ache behind my eyes and a thick, cottony feeling in my mouth. Sunlight, unwelcome and harsh, pierced through the gap in my curtains, making me groan and bury my face deeper into the pillow.Slowly, reluctantly, I dragged myself back to consciousness. Fragmented memories of the previous night flickered through my mind – the devastating call with Claire, the numbing burn of the scotch, the heavy descent into oblivion. A wave of nausea washed over me, a physical reminder of my self-destructive spiral.With a sigh, I reached for my phone on the nightstand. The screen lit up, displaying a string of missed calls. Several from Don Antonio. My heart gave a painful lurch. He had tried to reach me. Multiple times. There were also a few missed calls from Jeremy, and surprisingly, even one from Elsie.Confusion warred with a lingering sense of dread. Why were they all trying to contact me? Especially Elsie.As I sat up, the room swam slightly,
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-22
Chapter: 6. Whispers of Attraction The silence that descended upon the living room after they left was thick and heavy. Juliet stared at the closed door, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. “Well,” she said, her voice brimming with excitement. “That went wonderfully! Mr. Sterling is clearly a very astute businessman. This could be the start of a fantastic new chapter for our family.”Hector, however, remained pale and silent, his gaze fixed on the door through which Caspian had just exited. His hands were clenched into fists, and a muscle twitched in his jaw.“Hector?” Juliet said, her brow furrowing with concern. “Are you alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”He didn’t answer, his eyes still locked on the door. I saw him turn to continue glaring at me, but my mind wasn't over the shock of Caspian being the investor. It was settling over me like a cold shroud. The intense stranger from the club, the man whose brief kiss had offered a fleeting escape from my despair, was now standing in our living room, holdi
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-22
Chapter: 5. The Weight of Gray EyesThe shrill voice belonged to Juliet Woods, Hector’s mother. She stood in the doorway, her short, rounded figure radiating disapproval. Her intense blue eyes, the same shade as Hector’s but colder, sharper, darted between us, taking in our flushed faces and the charged atmosphere of the room. Her aging gray hair was perfectly coiffed, and her expensive silk robe spoke of a woman who always expected order and obedience.“Mother,” Hector said, his tone immediately shifting, becoming more subdued. “We were just… having a discussion.”“A discussion that sounds more like a battlefield,” she snapped, her gaze still fixed on me. “Avery, what have you done now to upset my son?”My jaw dropped. She hadn’t even asked what was wrong, she had immediately assumed it was my fault. It was always my fault in her eye, even when I'm sure she could still see the red patches on my cheeks from Hector’s slap.“Actually, Mrs. Woods,” I began, my voice trembling slightly but with a newfound resolve, “your son
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-20
Chapter: 4. A Wicked InterruptionThe key turning in the lock was loud in the morning quiet. My heart hammered against my ribs as I pushed the door open, stepping back into the apartment that now felt alien. The air inside was thick with a stale tension, a leftover residue of the previous day’s devastation.Hector was standing in the middle of the living room, his arms crossed over his chest, his face a thundercloud. His brilliant blue eyes, usually so full of life, were hard and accusing. He looked like he hadn’t slept.“Where in God’s name have you been?” His voice was rough, laced with a possessiveness that made my skin crawl. “I came home last night and you weren’t here. Do you have any idea how worried I was?”Worried? The irony of his words hit me like a physical blow. He was worried? Where was his worry when he was tangled in the sheets with my cousin?“Worried?” I echoed, my voice flat and weary. “You were worried? I came home to find you in bed with Jasmine, Hector. Don’t try to play the concerned husband now
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-20
Chapter: 3. Tears and Tire ScreamsDesmond’s hand clamped on my arm like a vise, pulling me away from Caspian. The heat of Caspian’s kiss still burned on my lips, a reckless, desperate warmth that momentarily chased away the icy chill of my despair. But Desmond’s grip was firm, his face a mask of disapproval.“Avery! What in God’s name do you think you’re doing?” His voice was tight, strained above the thumping bass of the music.I stumbled, disoriented, the alcohol and the sudden interruption making my head spin. “I… I don’t know,” I mumbled, trying to pull my arm free. “Just… leave me alone, Des.”Caspian stood behind me, his expression unreadable in the flashing neon lights. His gray eyes, though, held a flicker of something intense, something that made my heart flutter despite the turmoil inside me. He didn’t try to stop Desmond, just watched with a quiet intensity.Desmond’s grip tightened. “No, Avery. We’re leaving. Now.” He started to drag me through the throng of bodies, his movements forceful.“No!” I dug my h
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-20
Chapter: 2. Neon and NumbnessThe night stretched on, an endless, agonizing expanse of darkness. Sleep remained a distant, unattainable dream. Every time I closed my eyes, the images replayed, my husband and Jasmine, the empty ultrasound, the doctor's somber face. My mind was a relentless carousel of pain and betrayal.Desmond had stayed, his presence a quiet, unwavering vigil. He'd made tea, ordered takeout, and simply sat with me, offering a silent strength that was more comforting than any words. But as the hours ticked by, and the shadows deepened, the restlessness in me grew. I couldn't stay still, couldn't bear the suffocating quiet of the apartment.Desmond seemed to sense my turmoil. He watched me pace the living room, my agitation growing with each passing minute. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and thoughtful."Avery," he said, "you can't keep doing this to yourself. You need to… you need to let some of it out. Get out of your head, even if just for a little while."I stopped pacing, turning to face him
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-20
Chapter: 1. ShatteredThe hospital smell wouldn't leave me. It was like it was stuck to my skin, a cold, sharp reminder of the room where everything fell apart. The doctor's words, "I'm so sorry, Ms. Woods," kept playing in my head, over and over. I stumbled through the door of my apartment, my eyes blurry, my hands shaking. I was holding that ultrasound picture like it was the only thing keeping me together, but it just felt like ash now.I wanted to come home to quiet, to Hector. I wanted his arms, his smell, something familiar. But the apartment was too quiet, a weird, heavy quiet. I was thinking maybe he was still in the office finalizing the papers we needed for an important meeting the next day. Then I heard a sound, a low moan, coming from the bedroom.Something made me walk towards it. I don't know why. The door was open a crack, and light was spilling out. What I saw made my stomach drop. Hector, my Hector, was in bed with Jasmine. They were… together.I choked back a sob. Hector's head shot up, h
최신 업데이트: 2025-04-20
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