Chapter: Chapter 190ARYNMarcus rubbed his eyes with the back of a hand, swearing softly. “She’s real, right? I’m not hallucinating again? Because earlier I thought the sphinx statue was talking to me about ammo reserves.”I snorted, the sound dry and tired. “You hallucinated earlier, Marcus?”“Long story involving a head wound and four cups of coffee.”Before Marcus could elaborate, the front door burst open. Lily, her hair disheveled, her face smudged, but her eyes bright with sudden, fierce hope, gasped when she saw me.“Oh my God—Aryn!”She ran forward and hugged me too, as much as her belly could allow.“You are okay,” she whispered shakily into my shoulder, her tears immediately soaking my shirt.“Lily,” I said, hugging her tightly.“You remember?""As if I could ever forget you for a long time."She laughed through her tears, the sound utterly joyful. "Next time, if you must leave, promise not to disappear during a fucking all-out mafia war, okay?""It was while Lily and I were still locked in our
Last Updated: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter 188ARYNThe drive back was annoyingly long even though Arya was driving fast , herspeed bordering on reckless, determined to reach our destination before dawn. One hand gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white; the other occasionally left the wheel, reaching over to brush my arm or my thigh, a quick, almost imperceptible gesture, like she needed to confirm through touch that I was still solid, still present, still there.My head rested against the cold glass of the side window. “Still with me, Aryn?” Arya asked quietly, her focus absolute on the road, but her voice laced with concern.I nodded slowly, the movement jarring my tired muscles. “Yeah. I’m just… heavy.”As Arya guided the car off the main highway and onto the long, familiar private road leading to the estate. We saw thick smoke curling into the sky..“Oh fuck,” Arya muttered. She eased her foot off the accelerator.The gates were broken. Bullet casing glittered on the asphalt and in the gravel.“What the hell happened here
Last Updated: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter 188LORENZO Gunfire erupted from multiple angles simultaneously. Rounds ripped through the manicured hedges hammered the front façade of my ancestral house like it was made of fucking paper. Above us, shattered glass rained down from the second-floor windows.“Cover the left flank! Stefano, watch the driveway approach!” I roared. My voice was amplified by pure adrenaline.Marcus was beside me providing surprisingly effective cover. He fired back relentlessly, his movements sharp but worryingly reckless, his massive frame vibrating with barely contained fury. “I’ll fucking kill him! I swear to God I will!”The rage was understandable. But rage made you slow, made you stupid.“Stay alive first, you idiot!” I bellowed. I grabbed his shoulder and shoved him roughly behind a thick, cylindrical pillar supporting the portico just as a concentrated burst of automatic fire chewed viciously into the stone where his head had been a fraction of a second earlier. Dust and stone fragments flew, stin
Last Updated: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter 187ARYNThe moment Dimitri laughed, I knew one thing with certainty:He had to die. Today.I recognized the laughter somehow.“Bring it on,” he said again, the challenge ringing out, almost jovial, considering the circumstances. He spread his arms wide, a gesture of almost theatrical invitation. “Let’s see what’s left of you, little rose.”Little rose. The nickname....was familiar.Arya shifted closer to me. Her body angled just enough to shield mine from Dimitri’s direct line of sight, though she didn’t look at me, keeping her focus entirely on him. It was a reflex, an instinctual, protective movement.“You talk too much,” Arya said coldly “All men like you do. You think your words are weapons, but they’re just noise.”Dimitri’s gaze, which had been fixed on me, slid to her. It was a lazy movement, full of insolent boredom, “And you are smarter than I expected, twin number one but you’re still the wrong twin.”He turned back to me, “You,” he said, his voice dropping to a soft, intima
Last Updated: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter 186ARYNI didn’t know how long I stayed hidden.Time stopped meaning anything when fear settled into my bones. I was pressed into the narrow space behind a false wall panel—knees drawn to my chest, breath shallow, hand clamped over my mouth. The room smelled like dust and old concrete, and every sound echoed too loudly in my ears.Footsteps and voices and men.I breathed in through my nose and tasted metal.The cut on my arm had bled more than I expected, soaking into the sleeve I’d torn to use as a bandage. I’d tied it tight—instinct, not memory—and somehow the bleeding had slowed. That alone scared me. I didn’t remember learning how to do that.A sound shifted behind me and hand brushed my shoulder.I almost screamed.The sound clawed up my throat, sharp and panicked, and I spun violently, elbow flying instinctively toward whoever had touched me—And stopped. It was Arya. She clapped a hand over my mouth before any sound could escape and pulled me into a silent, bone-crushing hug.“I’
Last Updated: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter 185The meeting pissed me off. No—that was putting it lightly. The meeting made me want to put a bullet through the mahogany table and ask everyone politely to clean their own fucking brains off the floor. I Every minute we spent talking was a minute the Russians were consolidating their gains, proving the weakness of the Italian families, and carving up the territory my grandfather had bled for. I sat at the head of the long table, jaw clenched so tight my molars ached, fingers tapping slowly against my whiskey glass. The sound was the only rhythm in the room, a counterpoint to the useless, circular bullshit the heads of the Italian families were peddling. “The Russians crossed another border last night,” Don Salvi repeated, leaning forward to tap his ash into a crystal tray. Salvi, a man whose spine had been replaced with lukewarm pasta twenty years ago, looked genuinely shaken. “Hit two warehouses in Naples. Clean work. No survivors. They didn’t even touch the product; they just e
Last Updated: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter fifteen NerissaThe event was… dazzling, loud, and way too glamorous for my comfort zone.Everywhere I looked, people sparkled, literally. Sequins, diamonds, champagne bubbles. The air smelled like perfume and expensive stress. I kept my smile in place because that’s what assistants of powerful men do at high-profile events, smile, nod, and pretend they belong.Except my cheeks were starting to hurt. No, seriously. They hurt. I could feel the muscles in my face trembling from all the polite grinning. Every time someone approached Asher, I had to plaster on that same rehearsed expression, pleasant, harmless, professional.But Asher? He fit in effortlessly, of course. He moved through the crowd like he owned the place. Which, knowing him, he probably did. He shook hands, exchanged subtle smirks, whispered things that made people laugh too easily. And me? I was just the shadow in heels trying not to trip on the carpet. I wonder why he had forced me to come in the first place.At some point, he
Last Updated: 2025-11-02
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 Twenty OneCamillaBy the time morning came, I had turned the night's events over in my mind so many timesThe voices in the garden, the person who came into my room. And then there was Isabella.She had arrived the same day as all of this. Perhaps she had something to do with what the men were saying in the garden. Perhaps she was the one who had come to my room while I was gone. I had even search online for clues but to no avail, of course.I finally went downstairs for breakfast. I didn't get to each much last night. The arrival of my family had ruined my appetite, thank God they left before I could see them off.Breakfast room had already been served because the whole dinning was filled with the smell of back, bread and honey.Meanwhile Lucas and Isabella were already seated.They were sitting close together at the head of the table, his chair angled toward hers in a way that suggested intimacy. She was laughing at something he had said, her hand resting lightly on his forearm.They did loo
Last Updated: 2026-06-03
Chapter: Chapter Twenty OneCamillaBy the time morning came, I had turned the night's events over in my mind so many timesThe voices in the garden, the person who came into my room. And then there was Isabella.She had arrived the same day as all of this. Perhaps she had something to do with what the men were saying in the garden. Perhaps she was the one who had come to my room while I was gone. I had even search online for clues but to no avail, of course.I finally went downstairs for breakfast. I didn't get to each much last night. The arrival of my family had ruined my appetite, thank God they left before I could see them off.Breakfast room had already been served because the whole dinning was filled with the smell of back, bread and honey.Meanwhile Lucas and Isabella were already seated.They were sitting close together at the head of the table, his chair angled toward hers in a way that suggested intimacy. She was laughing at something he had said, her hand resting lightly on his forearm.They did loo
Last Updated: 2026-06-03
Chapter: Chapter Twenty CamillaI woke up the morning after the party and knew something had changed.I didn't know how I knew. The room looked the same. The same light came through the same windows. The same birds sang somewhere outside. But the air in the house felt different. Heavier. Like a storm coming.I lay in bed for a long time, staring at the ceiling. My body was tired. My head was tired. But my mind was already running, already trying to figure out what was wrong.Then I remembered Isabella.The way she had smiled at me. The way she had talked to me like I was a child who didn't understand anything. The way Lucas had stepped in and said enough like he had the right to speak for me.And the way everyone had watched.I got out of bed. My legs felt weak. I hadn't eaten much at the party. Too nervous. Too busy smiling at people I didn't like.I walked to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror.Same face. Same red hair. Same green eyes.But something was different behind them. Something harde
Last Updated: 2026-05-19
Chapter: Chapter NineteenLucas Isabella's smile was an obvious mask. She had perfected over the years. Camilla could do with a bit of lesson from her. "What the fuck are you doing here?" "What's wrong? You look like you just encountered something distasteful." "I wonder what." I replied sarcastically. She laughed. It was nice like when we were younger, before we realized the world we were thrust in, but now I was sure the laugh was as fake as her mask. She looped her arm through mine. And I removed it, I didn't care for her theatrics. "Your father invited me." She smiled up at me like my hostility was amusing. "He even told me I could stay with you. So we could make up for lost time." My jaw tightened. Of course he did. "We're not making up for anything." "We'll see." She pulled me toward Camilla who was standing a few feet from us, looking politely bored as she spoke with an elderly couple. Isabella's gaze swept over Camilla with the slow deliberation of a shark who had just caught the faintest t
Last Updated: 2026-05-19
Chapter: Chapter EighteenCamilla The next two days were the strangest I had ever lived. I woke up each morning with Dylan's face in my head. The way his eyes went wide. The blood blooming on his chest like a dark flower. But by the time I finished my coffee, the image had faded to the edges. Planning the party helped. A lot. Lucas had left me the seating chart and a list of vendors. I called the florist first. Then the caterer. Then the woman who handled the table settings. Each call made me feel less like a guest in this house and more like someone who actually lived here. The maids still looked at me sideways. Rosa avoided me completely after that night in the kitchen. But I didn't have time to care about any of it. There was too much to do. "White roses or red?" I asked the florist over the phone. "White says elegance," she said. "Red says passion." I thought about Vittorio, I need to make an impression on him. He was the only variable in my life right now and literally the one who holds
Last Updated: 2026-05-19
Chapter: Chapter SeventeenCamilla I found Lucas in the study.He was standing at the window with a glass of something amber in his hand, looking out at the garden. The lamp on the desk was on. Papers were spread across the surface. He hadn't heard me come in, or if he had, he didn't show it.I knocked on the open door anyway.Lucas turned. His eyes moved over me once, quickly, the way someone checks for weapons."I need to know who will be there," I said.He stared at me. "What?""The gathering. I need to know the families. The names. Who matters and who doesn't. Who to talk to and who to avoid." I crossed my arms. "I need to know everything."Lucas set his glass down on the windowsill. Slowly. Like he was buying time to figure out if I was serious."What changed your mind?" he asked.I looked at him the way I would look at someone who had just suggested something deeply, personally offensive. Like he had asked me something that had no business being asked."Are you going to teach me or not?"A long pause."S
Last Updated: 2026-05-19
LOGIN
