LOGINLia’s POVHis hands moved over me with urgency, sliding down my sides and tugging at the hem of my shirt as he kissed me harder, deeper, like he was afraid I might disappear again. He pulled the fabric over my head in one quick motion and tossed it aside, his mouth immediately moving to my neck, sucking and biting gently while his fingers worked on the button of my jeans.I made a decision right then. If I was going to survive this, if I was going to protect Kade and maybe find a way out later, I had to make Julian believe I was fully his. I had to play along as if I had finally chosen him, like my heart was no longer torn. So I let my body relax under his touch, I slid my hands up his chest and pulled him closer, pretending with everything I had.“Julian,” I whispered, letting my voice sound needy, “I’m here… I’m really yours now.”He paused for a second, surprised by my sudden submission, but then a pleased groan left his throat and he kissed me even harder. I kissed him back as I
Lia’s POVI stared down at Julian on one knee, the diamond ring catching the light and sparkling like it was mocking me. My mouth went dry, and my heart started hammering so hard I felt dizzy. “What… What are you doing, Julian?” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Why are you proposing right now, like this, what are you trying to do?”He looked up at me with those intense eyes, a mix of love and something darker I couldn’t quite name. “I want you to spend the rest of your life with me, Lia. No more running, no more Kade, no more back and forth. Marrying me is the only way I’ll keep that recording buried forever. Say yes and Kade stays free. Say no and I will send everything to the authorities before morning.”My knees felt weak. I was completely torn apart inside, my mind spinning between the man kneeling in front of me and the one I had left behind in that cabin with only a short note. Kade’s face kept flashing in my head, his possessive touch, the way he had kissed me like I was his w
Lia’s POVI tried calling Kade again, my fingers shaking as I pressed his name on the screen, but the line just kept ringing busy, over and over like the universe itself was blocking me from reaching him. I stared at the phone for a long moment, tears already burning in my eyes because I knew time was running out and Julian wasn’t going to wait forever. My chest felt so tight it was hard to breathe. If I stayed here, if I waited for Kade to come back, Julian would release that recording and destroy him. I couldn’t let that happen, not to Kade, not because of me.The only way to protect him now was to go back.I wiped my face quickly and looked around the quiet cabin, my heart breaking into pieces as I grabbed a small piece of paper and a pen from the drawer. My hand trembled while I wrote, keeping it short because I knew if I wrote too much I wouldn’t be able to leave.Kade, I’m sorry. I have to do this to protect you. Please forgive me. LiaI left the note right in the middle of
Kade’s POV“What…” Her face twisted with pure fury and disbelief as she spun towards me. “What the fuck did you just say?”I stood there calm on the outside, arms still crossed over my chest, watching the way her perfectly made-up face cracked right in front of me. The police had barely driven off, and the silence in the safe house felt heavier now, as if the air itself were waiting for what would happen next.For a second she just stared at me, then suddenly threw her head back and laughed, sharp and loud like I had told the funniest joke in the world. She wiped at the corner of her eye, still chuckling as she stepped closer. “Oh please, Kade, you almost had me there. Good one. Now stop playing around and tell me what you really mean because we both know you can’t just call off this wedding.”“I’m not joking, Selene.” I shot back coldly. “The wedding is cancelled because this alliance can go to hell for all I care. I want you out of my life.”Her laughter died instantly. The smile
Lia’s POVThe drive to the east cabin passed in a blur of dark trees and winding back roads, my heart still racing from the sudden chaos at the safe house and the way Kade had kissed me like the world was ending right before Damon pulled me away. When we finally arrived, Damon parked the car deep inside the attached garage. He led me quickly into the cabin, which turned out to be a surprisingly cozy but heavily secured place hidden among thick woods, far from any main roads.“Stay inside, Lia, no matter what you hear or see,” Damon said firmly as soon as we stepped into the living room, his eyes serious and watchful. “Lock the doors, keep the lights low if you need to, and do not go outside for anything. I have to head back now to check on Kade and make sure the police situation is really over. He’ll come for you as soon as it’s safe.”I nodded quickly, still trying to catch my breath from everything that had happened. “I’ll stay right here, I promise, Damon. I won’t move. Just… Plea
Kade’s POV “Open up, this is the police, open the damn door right now or we’re breaking it down,” the voice shouted from outside, loud and aggressive, followed by heavy banging that echoed through the entire safe house. My blood ran hot as I moved fast, heart pounding but my mind staying ice cold because I knew exactly who was behind this sudden visit. Selene. That treacherous woman had finally made her move, dragging the police into our world like she thought she could trap me. I wasn’t about to let that happen. Not today, not ever. “Damon,” I called sharply, my voice low but urgent as I burst into the bedroom where Lia was still sitting on the edge of the bed, looking startled and a little scared after everything that had happened between us. “We’ve got company. Police at the front, and I’m sure Selene is right there with them. Take Lia out through the hidden passage behind the study, get her to the second car and drive her to the east cabin, don’t stop for anything.” Damon a
Kade’s POVGuests left the ballroom one by one, their murmurs fading like dying echoes when they walked out. But I could still feel their glare burning into my skin as I stood there with my jaws clenched tightly.All I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat—and Selene’s cries somewhere in the
Lia’s POVFor a moment everything stopped between us—the noise, the music, and the world itself.All I could feel was his breath on my lips and the wild pounding of our heartbeats against each other.I didn’t even think it through before coming here. One moment, I was standing in front of my house—
Lia’s POVJulian’s touch had vanished. The warmth of his body on me that had been fire a second ago felt like nothing now. I blinked, trying to understand what had changed in him as his body grew tense; his chest rose and fell too fast.“Julian?” My voice came out quieter than it should have. “What
Kade’s POVThe ballroom shines under the lights of the golden chandeliers, the sound of clinking glasses and laughter filled the air as cameras flashed from every corner, journalists whispering different things to themselves, socialites draped in wealth and power.Engagement party of the year, they







