تسجيل الدخولLia’s POVJulian walked straight toward us, his hand reaching for my arm as he pulled me closer to him protectively, his body tense like he was ready to fight whoever had hurt me, and his eyes moved quickly between Noah and Selene with growing suspicion. “What the hell is going on here?” he demanded, his voice sharp and demanding as he held me tightly against his side. “Why is Lia crying? And why do you both look like you’re in the middle of something? Selene, did you say something to her again?”Noah crossed his arms over his chest, his face still cold and hard as he glanced at Selene before answering, almost like he was proud to stand beside her. “She was about to slap Selene for no reason, Julian. My sister is completely out of control, embarrassing herself and our family in public while wearing a wedding dress. Selene was only trying to be nice and congratulate her on the wedding.”Selene stepped forward with that fake soft expression, dabbing at her eyes like she was the poor v
Lia’s POVBefore I could say a word, Noah yanked my wrist down hard and pulled me away from Selene toward a quieter corner near the fitting rooms, his grip tight and unforgiving like he was ashamed even to touch me right now. I stumbled after him in the heavy wedding dress, the fabric dragging across the polished floor as my chest tightened with shock and sharp pain, tears already burning at the corners of my eyes.“Noah, please, it’s not what it looks like,” I whispered quickly, trying to pull my hand free, but he wouldn’t let go, his fingers digging in harder as he dragged me further away from the curious eyes of the boutique staff.He stopped suddenly and turned to face me, his eyes dark with pure contempt as he looked me up and down in the beautiful white gown, as if it were something filthy. “Not what it looks like?” he said bitterly, his voice low but filled with so much anger it made my stomach twist. “You were about to slap her in public, in the middle of your wedding dress
Lia’s POVThe soft lighting in the expensive bridal boutique made everything look dreamy and perfect. Still, I felt absolutely nothing as I stood in front of the tall mirror wearing yet another heavy white gown covered in delicate lace and sparkling crystals that caught the light with every small movement. “Oh my goodness!” The consultant clasped her hands together, beaming at me in the mirror. “This one is absolutely stunning on you! The way it hugs your waist and flows down… It’s like it was made for you, darling. Julian is going to lose his breath the moment he sees you walking down the aisle. You look like a real princess!”I forced a bright smile, turning slightly in front of the mirror as I ran my hands over the sparkling lace. “It’s beautiful… really beautiful,” I said softly, trying to sound excited. “I can already imagine Julian’s face when he sees me in this. I feel like the luckiest girl alive.”This dress, this wedding, this entire life I was stepping into, none of it fe
Lia’s POV“Please, Julian, I need you so much right now,” I whispered against his ear, my voice low and needy as I pressed my body closer to his, letting his shirt slip further off my shoulder so he could see my bare skin glowing in the dim light of the study.Julian’s hands tightened on my waist, his breathing growing heavier as suspicion slowly gave way to hunger in his eyes. He pulled me flush against him, his mouth crashing down on mine in a deep, possessive kiss that tasted like both love and control. I kissed him back just as eagerly, sliding my hands up his chest and into his hair, moaning softly into his mouth to make him believe every second of it.“You’ve been acting so strange tonight,” he murmured against my lips, but his hands were already moving, sliding under the hem of his shirt I was wearing and gripping my bare ass. “But fuck, Lia, when you talk like that I can’t think straight.”I smiled against his mouth and whispered, “Then don’t think, just take me, right here,
Lia’s POVThe house was completely quiet except for the soft sound of Julian’s steady breathing beside me as he slept deeply after the long stressful night at our engagement party, but sleep refused to come for me no matter how hard I tried. My mind kept racing with thoughts of Kade and that dangerous look he gave me across the ballroom, the way he had taken me so roughly in the bathroom, and most of all the recording that Julian still held over my head like a weapon. I had to find it, I had to destroy it if I ever wanted any real chance of freedom from this mess I had created. I had waited until I was sure Julian was fast asleep, then I carefully slipped out of bed, my bare feet making almost no sound on the cool wooden floor as I picked up his discarded shirt and pulled it over my naked body. The hallway felt endless and shadowy in the middle of the night, every small creak of the floorboards making my heart jump into my throat while I moved silently toward his private study. I
Kade’s POVThe city lights blurred past the tinted windows of the SUV as we drove away from the engagement party, the silence inside the car, while Selene sat beside me with that sharp, knowing smile playing on her red lips. I could still taste Lia on my tongue, still feel the heat of her body wrapped so tightly around me in that bathroom, the way she had moaned my name even while her fiancé waited just outside the door, and the memory made my blood run hot even as anger and frustration boiled underneath my skin.Selene shifted closer on the leather seat, crossing her legs slowly, her expensive perfume filling the small space between us and making the air feel even heavier. “You really couldn’t help yourself tonight, could you?” she said softly, her voice sweet but dripping with venom. “Dragging me to your little whore’s engagement party just so you could watch her smile at another man, pathetic, Kade, truly pathetic.”I kept my eyes fixed on the passing buildings outside, my jaw ti
Lia’s POVMorning light spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Julian’s penthouse as I stood in his bedroom. For a moment I just lay there on the bed, staring at the ceiling.I hadn’t slept all through last night. Not really, because every time I closed my eyes all I saw was Kade’s face.
Lia’s POVI paced outside the emergency room, my shoes squeaking softly against the marble floor as every step echoed louder than the other. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking even though my clothes were still streaked with Julian’s blood.And yet my mind was in chaos— flashes of Kade’s voice kept ring
Lia’s POVJulian still stood across the street holding that ridiculous bouquet like it could somehow fix how he had treated me that night. My phone was still pressed to my ear, “Lia ... .look at me.” His voice came out soft but certain.I was already staring at him through my window, and I didn’t k
Kade’s POVI’d walked out on Selene, left her standing there—half-naked, humiliated, and screaming my name like a curse. And for the first time in months, I felt free.I didn’t care about the consequences waiting for me when I would come back, I only cared about one thing. Lia.The one woman I coul







