Chapter: NINETY-FOURCarlisleThe cold, metallic tang of the jail cell was a fading memory, replaced by the hushed efficiency of my private office.After they bailed me out of that injustice, I was itching to visit Reigna in the hospital, but I was advised not to rouse more issues and avoid meeting her for a while—and I too, believe it is for the best if I let her rest without knowing the extent of our current situation.Marcus stood by the panoramic window, a silent sentinel, while Anya Sharma, my lead counsel, reviewed documents with sharp, meticulous movements."The public's perception is critical, Mr. Amoroso," Anya stated, without looking up from her legal pad. Her voice was cool and analytical—a sign that the case requires more than her usual nonchalance. "Ms. Harrington's story of kidnapping and heroic escape has saturated every news outlet. Her emotional testimony is proving highly effective.""Effective lies," I retorted, running a hand through my hair. The rage still simmered, a low burn beneath
Last Updated: 2025-07-06
Chapter: NINETY-THREEAxleThe news blared from the TV, a chaotic symphony of accusations. Emma’s voice, sharp and self-righteous, cut through it all on the FaceTime screen. "See? I knew she was trouble. Living with a married man... she deserves everything she gets."My jaw tightened. "Emma, you don't know what you're talking about.""Oh, I know! She broke up a family! She was just his mistress, and now she’s paying the price. This whole kidnapping thing? Probably just a stunt for sympathy." Her laugh was brittle, devoid of humor. "That's what happens when you play with fire."Mistress. The word coiled in my gut. A raw, bitter taste.Reigna, my Reigna, a mistress? It wasn't true. But Emma’s words, laced with venom, were a mirror of my own past foolishness.I looked at the stack of law books, their spines mocking me. Contract Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence. Reigna paid for these. All of them.Her hands, rough from sketching designs, gentle when they’d brush my hair as I studied. "You'll be a brilliant la
Last Updated: 2025-05-28
Chapter: NINETY-TWOReignaThe sterile scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils, a stark contrast to the damp, earthy smell of the mill. I lay on a hospital bed, my injured leg propped up and encased in a heavy cast. The pain was still a dull ache, but the terror that gripped me was far sharper.A police officer stood by the door, a silent, imposing guard. I wasn't a patient recovering; I was a suspect under surveillance."How could this have happened?" I whispered, staring at the pristine white ceiling. My throat was raw from crying, from futile shouts in the darkness of the pit, and from screaming at Violet. My hand instinctively reached for my phone, but it wasn't there. It had been taken as evidence, no doubt.Every time the door opened, I expected to see Carlisle, his face etched with worry, but it was always a nurse, or another officer, bringing a meal I couldn’t touch.The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the rhythmic beeping of the IV drip. I missed Carlisle's warmth, his steady pr
Last Updated: 2025-05-26
Chapter: NINETY-ONECarlisleThe drive to Blackwood Mill was a blur of frantic speed, the tires squealing as I took turns too fast, my heart hammering against my ribs. Every second felt like an eternity.The first hints of full dawn were breaking over the horizon, painting the sky in streaky oranges and purples, but to me, it was nothing but the growing light of my worst fears.Finally, the skeletal silhouette of the old mill loomed into view. It looked even more desolate, more sinister, than I remembered. A chill that had nothing to do with the morning air swept over me. "Reigna," I whispered, my voice raw with desperation.I slammed on the brakes, the car skidding to a halt. Flinging the door open, I sprinted towards the mill’s main entrance. The rusted hinges shrieked in protest as I shoved the heavy wooden door inward.The air inside was thick with dampness and decay. "Reigna! Are you here?" I shouted, my voice echoing unnervingly through the cavernous space. Panic clawed at my throat. The dim light
Last Updated: 2025-05-25
Chapter: NINETYReigna“Violet! Violet!”I tried to call for her over and over again, but it’s no use.I lost track of time since the heavy wooden door clanged shut above me, plunging me into absolute darkness. The sound echoed eerily, a final, chilling punctuation mark to Violet’s twisted game. The faint moonlight that had once pierced the mill’s dilapidated roof was now gone, swallowed by the sudden, suffocating blackness.Panic, cold and sharp, constricted my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs.“Please, somebody!” I tried to scream, but only a ragged gasp escaped my lips, lost in the vast, echoing silence that pressed in from all sides. The dust motes, illuminated moments before, now felt like invisible particles choking me.My leg throbbed, a searing, insistent pain that radiated from my ankle up to my hip. I tentatively reached down, my fingers brushing against the rough, splintered wood of the collapsed floor, and then—something wet and sticky. Blood.A raw, guttural whimper escaped me. I w
Last Updated: 2025-05-20
Chapter: EIGHTY-NINEReignaThe afternoon sun spilled through the conservatory windows, painting warm stripes across the vibrant cushions of the wicker sofa.Erwin, nestled between Carlisle and me, was a picture of focused concentration, his tongue peeking out from the corner of his mouth as he meticulously colored a fearsome-looking dragon. Carlisle’s arm was draped loosely around my shoulders, his fingers occasionally brushing against my temple as he interacted with out son.Life has been peaceful—if we don’t go outside, that is.“Look, Mama Reigna! Papa! He has fire breath!” Erwin exclaimed, holding up his masterpiece with a proud grin.My heart swelled. “It’s magnificent, sweetie. The fiercest dragon I’ve ever seen.”My phone, resting on the glass-topped coffee table, buzzed, its sudden vibration jarring the peaceful atmosphere. I glanced at the screen – an unknown number. Frowning slightly, I reached for it. “Oh, that’s odd.” Mumbling to myself, I picked it up.“Hello?”A voice, saccharine sweet and
Last Updated: 2025-05-20
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