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Chapter 005: First Day

Autor: V. Starlet
last update Última atualização: 2026-03-09 04:08:24

Shawn’s first full day at Valemont Publications felt like stepping into someone else’s life.

Lunch break buzzed around him before he registered it. His colleagues were already stacking files and shutting down screens as they drew their drawers closed. Shawn stayed where he was.

He picked up his phone instead. A call with his family was all he needed.

The video connected after two rings. His sister’s face filled the screen first, hair tied back, eyes ringed and dull at the edges from too many la
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  • BOUND BY THE VEIN    Chapter 005: First Day

    Shawn’s first full day at Valemont Publications felt like stepping into someone else’s life.Lunch break buzzed around him before he registered it. His colleagues were already stacking files and shutting down screens as they drew their drawers closed. Shawn stayed where he was.He picked up his phone instead. A call with his family was all he needed.The video connected after two rings. His sister’s face filled the screen first, hair tied back, eyes ringed and dull at the edges from too many late nights beside a hospital bed.“You’re at work?” she asked immediately, angling the camera around to see more. “Did you get it?”“Yeah,” he said, turning the phone slightly so she could see the desk, the monitors, and the window behind him.Her eyes widened. “You’re serious?”“Yeah. I got it.”She let out a sharp breath that sounded half like a laugh. “Oh my God.”Their mother’s voice drifted in from off-screen before she leaned into frame. She looked thinner than last week. Still smiling.“Yo

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    BOUND BY THE VEIN CONTENT WARNING This novel contains material intended for mature audiences only (18+). It includes themes and scenes involving: Graphic violence Blood and feeding Sexual content Obsession and psychological manipulation Power imbalance and coercive dynamics Death and dark supernatural horror elements 🚫Reader discretion is strongly advised. COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. @Starlet Xross. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed without written permission from the author. CHAPTER ONE : Dawn's Ruin He woke to the muted buzz of his phone on the marble nightstand, winter light slipping thin and pale through the heavy drapes of the Carlyle suite. Upper East Side. New York. The room c

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