Chapter: Chapter 101Chapter 2 – LorenzoThe whiskey bottle was empty, and I didn’t even remember drinking it all. I didn’t remember finishing the one before it either. My head hurt, and everything around me felt like a dream I couldn’t wake up from. The room was dark, and moonlight came in through the tall window, but I didn’t care. I didn’t even know what time it was. I just sat there, alone, feeling lost.My body felt heavy, like my arms and legs were made of stone. When I stood up, the chair made a loud sound on the floor. I left the study, leaving the empty bottles and Isabella’s cruel words behind.“She’s not even one of us. She’s just a stray you picked up and tried to polish. But she’s still just a street rat.”Her words hurt. Not because they weren’t true—but because they were. Aryn wasn’t like the rest of us. She didn’t follow rules. She didn’t play the game. She was wild and strong and fierce, and I was stupid for thinking I could ever make her fit into my world. All I gave her was a beautiful
Last Updated: 2025-08-08
Chapter: Chapter 100Lorenzo I watched her walk away—again—with her fucking dress soaked in blood, and her goddamn hand still wrapped around another man’s arm like he was the goddamn hero in all this.Marcus fucking DeLuca.She didn’t even glance back at me. Didn’t give me the time of day. Not after the way she marched in here like a soldier fresh off the battlefield, tossed her plate together like she owned the kitchen, and threw my own fucking empire in my face in front of half the people I command.And I?I was just standing there—like some powerless, pathetic figurehead.A king with no fucking kingdom.The moment she disappeared upstairs, her bloodied dress swaying around her legs and her laughter echoing off the marble floors—light and unbothered—I sat back down in my chair and took a long, shaky breath.It was the laughter that killed me most.She was laughing. With him.Like I wasn’t sitting here, heart pounding, stomach in knots, trying to pretend I hadn’t just watched the woman I love act like s
Last Updated: 2025-08-07
Chapter: Chapter 99ArynBy the time we pulled into the driveway, all I could think about was a shower, a bed, and maybe sleeping for a week straight. My body ached in places I didn’t even know could ache. My dress was stiff with dried blood, and Marcus had a gash on his arm that looked way worse now under the lights. Claudia was the only one who looked normal, and Amelia… she was finally starting to blink awake in the backseat.But of course, peace wasn’t in the cards for tonight.The moment the doors opened, we were hit with the warm scent of garlic, beef, and fresh bread. The porch lights were on. Windows glowing. Voices laughing. I froze halfway to the door.““Shit,” I muttered, scrubbing dried blood from my knuckles. “They’re still up.”Claudia glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “Dinner night.”“Of course it is,” Marcus groaned beside me. “Your husband’s got the worst timing.”He stepped beside me. “We could sneak in the back.”“Not with this blood on us,” Claudia said, glancing at Amelia wh
Last Updated: 2025-08-05
Chapter: chapter 98Aryn The moment that bastard clicked the gun, everything went to hell.My body reacted before my brain even caught up. I dropped to the ground, rolling behind a stack of crates just as a bullet tore through the air where my head had been. The crack of the shot echoed like thunder in my ears, and the impact against the wall behind me sent shards of plaster flying."Fuck!" I shouted, landing hard on my elbow. Pain exploded up my arm, but I gritted my teeth and ignored it. I adjusted my grip on my gun and peeked out just in time to see Marcus ducking behind a black sedan.The man in the grey suit was shouting orders, barking like he owned the damn alley. His goons—two bulky men dressed in black—spread out, each aiming in our direction.Marcus fired first.One clean shot to the chest, and the first guy dropped like a sack of meat. His body hit the ground with a disgusting thud. The second guard returned fire blindly, hitting the side of the dumpster I was behind, sending sparks and metal
Last Updated: 2025-08-03
Chapter: Chapter 97 ArynMy heart fucking stopped.It took every ounce of strength not to blow Liam’s smug face clean off the moment he opened his damn mouth. That voice. Calm. Casual. Like he wasn’t caught red-handed at a goddamn child auction.He had the audacity to smirk, eyes flicking down to the gun I still had raised.“Hello, Aryn,” he repeated, cocky now. “Fancy seeing you here.”I didn’t lower the gun. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I growled, stepping closer, the barrel of the gun now only inches from his face. “You think this is a fucking joke?”Liam blinked slowly, like I was the one out of line. “Wow,” he said, tone flat, though a sarcastic smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “She remembers my name. I was starting to think you’d forgotten all about me, Aryn.”I clenched my jaw, rage bubbling hot under my skin.“You think this is about names?” I snapped. “You think I’m here playing fucking trivia? You’re sitting in a goddamn SUV at a child trafficking event, and you’re whining abou
Last Updated: 2025-08-02
Chapter: Chapter 96Aryn Brandon. Fucking Brandon. Standing on that stage, bathed in the cruel glow of the chandeliers, a fucking gavel in his hand, his face a mask of detached professionalism as he pointed to the rows of monstrously wealthy bidders. He was auctioning children. My ex-fiancé, the man I’d once thought I loved, was a part of this.Marcus, sensing my sudden rigidity, nudged me. “Aryn? What the hell is it?”I couldn’t speak. I just pointed, a trembling finger aimed at the stage. Marcus followed my gaze, and his eyes narrowed. “Well, I’ll be damned. Brandon Hayes. The little shit cleaned up nice.”“You know him? And for fuck's sake, cleaned up?” I hissed, my voice a raw whisper. “He’s auctioning kids, Marcus! What the fuck is going on?”We had already put on the masks Marcus had procured from the trunk of his car – simple, elegant black half-masks that covered our eyes, common enough in these high-society, illicit gatherings to not draw attention. They were meant to conceal our identities, b
Last Updated: 2025-07-31
Chapter: Chapter FourteenNerissa I spent the rest of the morning trying to act like I wasn’t spiraling. How could everything change so fast? One day I was a simple assistant with a semi-peaceful routine, and now I was being told to shadow a man like Asher Grayson to every meeting and every event like some executive groupie. And worse—I had no way out of it. The contract I’d signed blindly on my first day, desperate for work, had just become a leash around my neck. At exactly three o’clock, Asher stepped out of his office. I was already on my feet before he even called my name. “Let’s go,” he said, not waiting to see if I followed. I did, of course. Because what else could I do? He didn’t speak much in the car, just typed away on his phone. I sat beside him, stiff as a board, fidgeting with my skirt and wondering if he could sense how badly I wanted to be anywhere else. The boutique was in a quiet corner of the city—discreet, classy, expensive. Everything about it screamed Asher Grayson. I stepped insi
Last Updated: 2025-04-14
Chapter: Chapter 7Nerissa The next morning, I arrived at the office feeling a sense of calm. The previous evening's drama with Jace and his girlfriend was behind me, and I was ready to tackle the day's tasks. Balancing work and caring for Luke had become my routine, and I was growing more comfortable with it.As I stepped into the building, I exchanged greetings with Leah and Dan, who were chatting near the entrance. Their friendly smiles were a welcome start to the day."Morning, Nerissa," Leah called out."Good morning! How's everything?" I replied.Dan chuckled. "Same old, same old. Ready for another thrilling day in the world of IT."We shared a laugh before I made my way to Asher's office. My plan was to organize his workspace before he arrived, a routine I had maintained during his absence. I knocked lightly on the door, and hearing no response, I pushed it open.To my surprise, Asher was seated at his desk, reviewing some documents. He looked up, his piercing blue eyes meeting mine."Nerissa,"
Last Updated: 2025-04-09
Chapter: Chapter twelveNerissaIt had been a few weeks since the first awkward elevator encounter, and I was starting to get used to seeing my neighbor with a new girlfriend every week. Honestly, it wasn’t my business, and I kept reminding myself of that. Still, I made sure Luke didn’t come in contact with him. The last thing I needed was Luke picking up any habits from someone who clearly didn’t care about anyone else’s comfort.The loud music blasting through the thin apartment walls didn’t help either. Sometimes it started early in the morning; other times, it kept going well into the night. I’d started using earplugs just to get some sleep.At work, things were surprisingly better. Asher hadn’t been coming to the office lately, which was a huge relief. I didn’t have to constantly worry about accidentally saying or doing something that might give away my secret. I could actually breathe.I’d also made a few friends. Dan, from the IT department, was a sweetheart with a quick wit, and Leah from accounting
Last Updated: 2025-04-03
Chapter: Chapter Eleven NerissaI walked back toward the office, my heels clicking against the polished floors, but my mind was miles away. Why did Dan bring up Silver? Had he seen her? Had she asked about me?I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. It didn’t matter. She didn’t matter.What mattered right now was getting through the day without losing my sanity. By the time I reached Asher’s office, I had regained my composure. I knocked twice, waiting for permission to enter. “Come in.” His voice was clipped, impatient. I pushed open the door and stepped inside, immediately noticing the tension in the air. Asher sat behind his desk, his fingers tapping against the dark wood, his jaw set tight. “You took your time,” he remarked, not bothering to look up from the papers in front of him. I bit back a retort. Professional. Indifferent. Play the part.“I was in the middle of something,” I replied smoothly, walking over to stand beside his desk. He finally looked up, and for a brief moment, somet
Last Updated: 2025-03-25
Chapter: Chapter TenNerissa I pushed Asher off me cleaning my mouth furiously even though the feeling of his lips still lingered. "How dare you kiss me without my permission?" He gave me a smug smile and sat on his chair, "Because you are mine now, Nerissa. The moment you became my secretary you became my possession." How in the name of everything normal did I end up with this cocky rich man? "Think about the money, think about the money" I chanted to myself. I took a deep breath and flashed my professional smile. "With all due respect, Mr Blackwood..." "Please call me Asher." "With all due respect, Mr Blackwood, please don't touch me without my permission or you would be sued by assault." I didn't wait for him to talk before I walked out of the room. I walked towards the ladies room still seething from what had just happened..The nerve of that infuriating annoying...... I forced a polite smile as I passed a few colleagues in the hallway. The weight of expectations clung to me like an ill-fitt
Last Updated: 2025-03-21
Chapter: Chapter nine NerissaI walked into the office the next morning. The usual chatter filled the air, but today felt different. There was an uneasy feeling hanging over the room, and I couldn’t shake the sense that something was wrong. Just as I sat down, my boss called me into his office. My stomach twisted with nerves; the last time he did this, it was for a performance review, and I’d only just managed to pass.“Nerissa,” he said, his voice serious. “I need to talk to you about a transfer.” My heart sank. I knew what that meant. I’d heard the rumors, but I was hoping they wouldn’t be true. “You’re being moved to the top floor. Black Industries has merged with us, and they want you working directly under Mr. Blackwood.”I nodded, even as I clenched my fists. Damn Blackwood. I had only just started my life here and he was already set out to ruin it. Coupled with the fact that I was hiding his baby.I went to the bathroom to clear my head, hoping to shake off the anxiety. As I leaned over the sink, tw
Last Updated: 2024-11-09
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