LOGINAxel’s POVShattered glass lay scattered across the polished marble floor, remnants of the vase I’d thrown across the room moments before the grand entrance.The metallic tang of my own rage lingered in the air, a physical manifestation of the storm that had erupted between Jason and me.But none of the destruction or fury could compare to the destruction my mother's arrival left behind.I stood frozen in place, my pulse hammering hard against my ribs. It was an orchestra of the dread building up inside.I wasn’t shaking because I feared her..... considering the fact that she had long ago lost the ability to inspire genuine terror in me.I was paralyzed because of what she had done.She had ripped Brielle out of my hands.My fists, which had been ready to crush Jason’s smug jaw only minutes prior, now hung uselessly at my sides.They were weapons with nothing left to defend, because the one person I had sworn to protect had been delivered straight into the hands of the dynasty’s jaile
Brielle's POV I frowned. “Home?”“We’ll talk properly there.” He whispered, briefly glancing at the persons slowly entering into the bar—reminding me that we were still in fact inside a bar.As we stepped outside, his hands still protectively wrapped around my waist, he whispered into my hearing, “I meant what I said before about protection. The contract, maybe it’s time we make things official.”“Do you mean…”He flashed me a smile but didn't give a response. Biting down on my bottom lip, I watched as he stopped in front of his car.I inhaled the morning air sharply, feeling the sunlight warm up the spots the breeze touched. And as the car opened, I slid into the front seat, taking a deep breath as Axel moved over to the driver's seat.And soon, we were on the road again.Minutes passed with me trying to hide back a smile and him trying to keep his focus on the road—despite the few times I'd caught him glancing at me from the side.I should be happy.Heck, I was excited with how thi
Brielle’s POVA yawn escaped from my lips as bright rays of light moved on my face, forcing me to squirm a bit as my eyes struggled to adjust towards the windows.At first, I didn't remember what happened, or where I was.But when my gaze fell on the empty bottles laying around the couch, the quiet hum in the distance, and…. Axel slumped beside me, finally stirring with a hand to his throbbing temple…..my eyes widened in realization.But I barely had time to process my thoughts as I watched his hand twitch first. Then, with a low groan, he lifted his head from my chest, his dark hair a disheveled mess that somehow still managed to look so damn attractive—I couldn't help but imagine what it'd feel like running my fingers through them all over again as he kissed on my neck.God, he was a beast last night. A beast that was surpsingly caring enough to not hurt the baby as he fucked the lights out of us.My thighs clenched together, my cheeks flushing instantly when the sticky mess tickle
Brielle’s POVAxel was…gone. He didn't even looked back.I couldn't breathe. I could feel the panic attacks coming back again, but this time, he wasn't here to help…My body felt frozen, the air in my lungs slowly got knocked out from the shock of everything that'd just happen. And when I finally turned, Jason was standing there with blood on his lip and a smug smile that made my stomach turn. He looked like he’d just won, and maybe he just had.“I told you,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “You were never good at hiding things, Brielle. A little money in the right place, a few questions at the hospital, and look what I found out.”My heart dropped. “You sent that message,” I said quietly, the words trembling on my lips.“Of course I did.” His smile widened. “Did you really think I’d let you fool him forever? Poor Axel. Always the noble one. Always trying to save someone. You must’ve thought if he found out about your little secret, he’d take pity and play daddy
Axel’s POVFor a few seconds, I just stood there, frozen. The noise in the room faded, and all I could hear were those damned thoughts repeating at the back of my mind. A baby. She’s pregnant. She's carrying a baby.My baby?But…. nothing of it made sense…. They twisted everything I thought I knew. Every look Brielle gave me, every moment she pulled away, every excuse—suddenly it all felt like something else, something hidden.I looked at Jason. His mouth was bleeding, his nose swollen, but the smile on his lips hadn't faded. That look told me everything I needed to know—he was sure of what he’d said. He didn’t even need to say more. His silence said he’d already won.My hands dropped from his shirt. The anger that had been burning in me moments ago turned cold. My heart felt like it was being squeezed tight inside my chest. I didn’t want to believe him. I didn’t want to think Brielle could keep something as huge as this like that.What else was she hiding from me? Was…was
Axel’s POVThe hot, red mark on his cheeks was just a tip of the iceberg.Oh no, I intended to do so much more than ruin his pretty face.All the years of anger I’d buried deep down. The frustration, the betrayal—everything I tried so hard to ignore—boiled over the moment my fist connected with Jason’s face. Because it wasn’t just about Brielle anymore. Well… not totally.It was about every damned lie, the smug grins thrown in my face. Every time he thought he could play god with people’s lives and get away with it.He stumbled back, his chair sliding across the floor from the impact.And for a second, I just stood there, breathing hard, my chest rising and falling like I’d run a marathon across town. Then, I saw his face—still wearing that same cold smirk even with blood on his lip—and I snapped.I lunged again, grabbed him by his shirt, and slammed him into the wall. The impact shook the framed certificates behind him. One of them fell, the glass shattering on the floor, but I







