Chapter: CHAPTER TWENTY-THREEThe screen lit up—a grainy feed, Lauren tied to a chair, face swollen, blood crusting her lip. A masked figure stood behind her, voice distorted. “Alex, you want her back? Pay up. Everything—accounts, deals. Or I promise you'll never see her again. Not even her dead body.”Lauren’s eyes, defiant but scared, met the camera. “Alex, don’t,” she rasped, before a fist struck her jaw, silencing her. The video cut to black.Alex’s hands shook, rage boiling. “They’re torturing her,” he said, voice breaking. “Find them, Carter. I’ll give them anything, but I want their heads. I want my Lauren back.”“We’re tracing the upload,” Carter said, already dialing. “It’s encrypted, but we’ll crack it.”Alex stared at the blank screen, Lauren’s battered face burned into him. He’d failed her, let her doubt him, let her run. But he loved her, more than the contract, more than his pride. “I’m coming, Lauren,” he whispered, voice fierce. “Hold on.”His phone buzzed again—an unknown number. A new video loade
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-05-02
Chapter: CHAPTER TWENTY-TWOAlex maneuvered his wheelchair through the quiet house, the hum of the wheels on hardwood the only sound. The clock on the mantle ticked past 11:30 PM, each second a needle in his gut. Lauren's absence gnawed at him—her fierce exit after their fight, clutching that damn photo and note, replayed in his mind. "I need the truth," she'd said, voice breaking, before storming out. He'd let her go, thinking she'd cool off, and come back. But the house felt wrong, too still, her jacket gone from the hook, one of his cars no longer in the drive.“Lauren?” he called, voice rough, rolling into the kitchen. No one answered. The study door was ajar, his laptop open, the light flashing, the sticky note with Dan’s login glaring—DKane—temp123. She’d been digging. His chest tightened. That text she’d shown him, the one about her mom’s death, had spooked her so much. “Warehouse, midnight…the proof he did it”. He’d told her it was a trap, but her eyes, wild with doubt, hadn’t listened.He grabbed his
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-05-02
Chapter: CHAPTER TWENTY-ONELauren's car rattled through the industrial district, the dashboard clock ticking toward twelve midnight. Her hands continued to shake on the wheel, the USB drive and her childhood camp photo stuffed in her jacket, haunted her thoughts every second.That text “Warehouse, midnight. Proof he did it. Come alone” burned in her brain like acid, her mom’s frail hospital smile haunting her. Alex’s voice, sharp and desperate, rang out: “It’s a trap.” Melissa’s sneer countered: “Him or the truth.” She’d stormed out, choosing answers over both. She had to find out what was going on.She needed to clear Alex's name…secretly.The warehouse squatted under a buzzing floodlight, steel walls scarred with rust. She parked a block away, heart slamming against her ribcage. Her phone had no signal. She crept to the door, half-open, dim light leaking out. “I’m here,” she called, voice tight, but the fear lingered. “Show me the proof.”A rough laugh answered. “Right on time, Lauren.” A man stepped forwar
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-05-02
Chapter: CHAPTER TWENTYLauren stumbled into the empty hallway, the office door slamming shut behind her, the childhood photo and note gripped between her fingers. “If you leave now, you’re breaking more than a contract—you’re breaking me”—cut deeper than she’d expected, his cold edge laced with something raw, but the note’s accusation drowned it out. Her tears spilled, her breath jagged, as she pressed against the wall, whispering, “What am I supposed to do now? Believe him, or run?” The photo, her eight-year-old self in a pink designer camp t-shirt, stared back, and a memory roared to life, fierce and unrelenting.Flashback****Rain lashed the woods, the summer camp a distant murmur beneath the howl of a flash flood. An eight-year-old girl, scrawny and drenched, slogged through mud, her borrowed t-shirt—Melissa’s, bright pink with the cam’s logo—plastered to her skin. She’d taken it after Melissa sneered at her faded clothes, unaware it would mark her as her evil sister“Hey!” she yelled, her voice swallo
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-04-26
Chapter: CHAPTER NINETEEN“You’re staring,” Alex said, his voice low and sharp, cutting through the morning quiet of the dining room. He sat at the head of the shiny table, his wheelchair positioned like a throne, his dark eyes flicking up from his tablet to meet the blue's of Lauren.She froze, her coffee mug halfway to her lips, heat creeping up her cheeks. A small smile threatened to stretch on her lips. “I’m not staring,” she said, too quickly, setting the mug down with a clink. “I’m just… thinking, you know.”“About?” His tone was cold, but a faint smirk tugged at his lips, the kind that made her heart stutter. It was the same smirk he’d worn last night, when he’d admitted he wanted to try love—for her. She wanted to giggle at the mere thought of it.Lauren shifted in her chair, her fingers twisting the hem of her sweater. “Us,” she admitted, her voice softer. “What we said last night. Making this work. It’s… a lot to take in.”His smirk faded, his gaze sharpening, assessing her like a deal he wasn’t sure
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-04-26
Chapter: CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Lauren suddenly sat up on the couch, her body stiff, her heart raw from last night. Alex’s kiss clung to her like a scratch she couldn’t itch—fierce, desperate, and far too real. She’d unraveled in his arms, seeking anything to lessen the pain that followed her since her mother's death, only to pull back with a shaky, ‘This doesn’t change a thing.’Now, guilt continued to gnaw at her. She’d married him for money, a cold deal to pay for her mother’s surgery. Love wasn’t in the contract, it was never in the contract. So why did her chest tighten so much at the thought of him?The house felt empty. Alex and her were the only people staying there. She hadn't seen or heard from Dan, Alex's right hand man, since her mother's death. Alex didn't even seem affected by his absence.Her phone sat on the coffee table, its silence heavy. The threatening text, “ Stop, or you’ll end up like your useless mother,” burned at the back of her mind. She hadn’t told Alex. He was her husband on paper, not h
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-04-26
Chapter: CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVEThalia's POV EPILOGUE: SEVEN YEARS LATER The estate buzzed with life, Thanksgiving brunch was already underway, the air smelled of pumpkin spice and cinnamon, and the hum of conversation mingled with the occasional squeals of children running through the halls. Sunlight poured into the garden through the tall windows, casting warm and golden streaks over everything, making the moment feel as heavenly as it was. I stood on the patio, holding a steaming mug of tea, my eyes scanning the lively scene before me.Theo and Elise, now four, were chasing each other around the fountain, their giggles echoing. Theo, the notorious mischief-maker, grabbed a handful of fallen leaves and tossed them into the air, pretending it was snow."Elise, look it's snowing!" "That's not snow, Theo!" she scolded, her little hands on her hips, but she was smiling, her dimples making an appearance just like Alexander's when he was amused."They're at it again" Alexander said, stepping up beside me with a plate
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-02-01
Chapter: CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOURThalia's POV We stayed at the manor for two more days before heading back to Alexander's house, where Lorraine greeted us with another warm welcome. It wasn't anything extravagant, just a thoughtful display that felt genuine, I told her about my visit to Mom and Dad, and she listened intently, then suggested we go together next time, I agreed without hesitation. Later that evening, Cassie told me to get dressed, saying we were going somewhere, after some deliberation, I chose a silky whitedress with a Queen Anne neckline, pairing it with a touch of red lipstick, the look was simple but striking, just the way I liked it. As I descended the stairs, the soft fabric of my dress trailing behind me, I caught sight of Alexander standing by the doorway. Alexander was waiting, looking devastatingly handsome in a crisp shirt and tailored pants, his hair was styled as usual, effortlessly tousled yet somehow flawless. But tonight, it wasn't just his looks, it was the way his eyes found mine,
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-02-01
Chapter: CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THREEThalia's POV As much as I wanted to stay curled up in bed with Alexander all day, to enjoy the warmth of his arms and the peace he brought me, today wasn't a day for indulgence.Lilith, Tobias, and I had agreed to visit Mom and Dad at the cemetery this morning, it was something we had never done together and while it was never easy, it felt like the right thing to do. The drive to the cemetery was quiet, the kind of silence filled with unspoken words and shared memories. When we arrived, I pulled the folded picnic mat from the trunk and laid it out on the grass in front of their graves, the air was crisp but gentle, and the morning sun filtered through the trees, casting soft light over the headstones. Lilith knelt first, her movements slow and deliberate as she placed the basket of pastries Gladys had prepared for us on the mat. "Good morning Mom" she said, her voice soft but steady. Tobias and I echoed her, our voices overlapping in a quiet chorus.“Good morning Mom". We all chu
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-02-01
Chapter: CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWOThalia's POV Dinner had been a perfect end to an emotional day, laughter echoed through the house. But now, the night had deepened, and the warmth of family faded into a quieter kind of comfort. After we'd all gathered in the living room to watch an old childhood favorite, I found myself seeking something more than nostalgia. Something…Someone… Alexander. The house was silent by the time we made our way upstairs. I held his hand, guiding him toward my room, the soft creak of the floorboards beneath us the only sound. Despite the hour, exhaustion hadn't settled in yet. I wasn't tired, not in the way sleep could fix, at least. What I needed wasn't rest but him. We stepped into my room, and he paused just inside the doorway, his gaze sweeping across the space. His smile was soft but curious."Your room is lovely” he said, his voice warm and laced with amusement. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me."Thanks. I picked the one closest to the library" He arched a brow at me, his
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-02-01
Chapter: CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONEThalia's POV Justin staggered back, denial painted across his face, his panic concrete."It can't be. You were both dead!" he yelled, his voice cracking under the weight of his terror as his eyes darted between Tobias and Lilith. Tobias stood unyielding, his expression void of anything but icy contempt.“Guess you're not as precise a murderer as you thought you were," he said, his voice chillingly even, his cold gaze drilling into Justin. Justin's wild eyes shifted to Eugene, his desperation taking over."You! You set us up!" Justin roared, lunging forward. Eugene didn't flinch. He pushed Justin back with a force that sent him stumbling."Lay another finger on me” Eugene warned, his voice sharp “and I'll personally make sure you wind up on death row”. Brandon stepped forward, his fury burning hotter than Justin's desperation.“He's not winding up anywhere” Brandon seethed "You're right, Brandon. You both are” Tobias's voice broke the tension, and just as the weight of his words set
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-02-01
Chapter: ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY Thalia's POV Justin and Brandon thought Eugene was hiding out here, in this dingy downtown house-turned-office. Eugene, put on his acting mask and pretended to be frantic, packing like he had every intention of disappearing off the grid. The moment Justin and Brandon stormed in, my breath hitched because there he was. Justin. A man who'd ruined countless lives with his schemes. Just seeing him sent a surge of anger through me. I felt Alexander's hand squeeze mine firmly beside me, grounding me, to my left, Lilith stood tall, her sharp eyes fixed on the screens. Kirill was beside her, silent and unreadable as always. Tobias was leaning casually against the wall behind us, his posture deceptively relaxed, though I could see the alertness in his gaze, Katherine was beside him. Across the room, the tech team sat huddled near their equipment, four of them with headphones on, monitoring the live feed, they were oblivious to the drama unfolding before us, focused entirely on ensuring th
Dernière mise à jour: 2025-02-01
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