LOGINLena followed Caspian down a quiet hallway lined with portraits. Oil paintings of stern-faced ancestors watched them pass.He stopped in front of a large window overlooking the garden. The afternoon light streamed through the glass, casting long shadows across the polished wood.Caspian was quiet for a moment, then he turned to face her."I know you weren't really Theon's girlfriend," he said.Lena's stomach dropped. "I—"He waved Lena off. "I'm not angry. I've known since the beginning."Lena stared at him. "You did?"Caspian nodded. "Jessica and I know our son. He doesn't bring women home. Especially not women married to his cousin." He chuckled. "We knew something was off. But we also saw how he looked at you."Lena's throat constricted."And we saw how you looked at him." Caspian's gaze held hers. "Even if you were pretending, there was something real there. That's why we never said anything."Lena didn't know what to say. Her fingers curled against her palms."How do you feel abo
The morning sun spilled through the villa's wide windows, casting golden rectangles across the cool terracotta floors. Evelyn stood on the terrace, Noah cradled against her shoulder, watching the waves roll in below.Lena appeared beside her, a cup of coffee in hand. "You're up early.""Couldn't sleep." Evelyn shifted Noah to her other arm. "He was hungry, and then I couldn't stop watching the sunrise."Lena took a sip of her coffee, looking toward the horizon. "It's beautiful here."Evelyn smiled. "Come on. Let's take him to the beach."—The beach was a short walk from the villa, a crescent of golden sand tucked between rocky cliffs. The water was clear and calm, lapping gently at the shore.Evelyn spread a large blanket on the sand and settled Noah on it, his tiny legs kicking in the air. He stared up at the sky with wide, curious eyes, his small fists opening and closing.Lena sat beside her, watching the baby explore the world with innocent wonder. "He's so calm today.""He's bee
The Aurelion jet descended through a layer of thin clouds, revealing the coastline of Olyndria below. The sea glittered under the afternoon sun, its surface rippling with shades of deep blue and turquoise. White buildings stretched along the shoreline, climbing gently into emerald hills where rows of villas overlooked the ocean. From above, the entire country looked like a painting.Evelyn leaned closer to the window, unable to hide the smile that spread across her face. "It's beautiful," she murmured. "I didn't get to see it properly last time."Lena stretched in her seat, rolling her shoulders. "You were a bit preoccupied. What happened? Something about Alexander collapsing?"Evelyn let out a helpless groan. "Don't remind me. That trip was supposed to be relaxing, and it turned into something else." She paused, her gaze distant. "We had to leave so quickly. I barely got to see anything that night.""Well, this time there's no drama." Lena paused. "At least, not yet."Evelyn shot he
Roman sat behind his desk, the glow of several monitors washing the office in a pale blue light. His sleeves were rolled to his forearms, and a cup of coffee sat forgotten beside the keyboard, long gone cold.His phone rested against a stack of documents, the screen occupied by Theon’s face“I still don’t understand why you’re making this so complicated,” Theon said, rubbing between his brows. Several reports and laboratory samples littered the desk behind him. “You created the virus. You created the antidote. Just tell me the formula.”Roman leaned back in his chair, his fingers pressing against his temple."It's not that simple. The original formula was destroyed when I burned the lab. What I remember is fragmented. I can give you the framework, but you'll have to fill in the gaps.""Fragmented?" Theon's brows shot up. "You designed the damn thing from scratch. How is it fragmented?""Because I didn't write it down." Roman's voice was flat. "I kept it in my head. And my head hasn't
Three months had passed since the first snow blanketed the city, and winter had finally begun loosening its grip. The frozen ground slowly gave way to the first signs of spring, making the season feel lighter and warmer.For Lena and Evelyn, the timing of their getaway couldn’t have been more perfect.“Welcome aboard, ladies.”Captain Laurent greeted them with a warm, professional smile as they stepped into the spacious cabin of the Aurelion private jet.“It’s a beautiful day to fly. I trust you’ll have a relaxing trip.”“Thank you, Captain,” Lena replied, settling comfortably into one of the plush leather seats.With a courteous nod, the captain excused himself and disappeared into the cockpit to complete the final pre-flight checks.Moments later, Mrs. Chen stepped aboard, carefully pushing Noah’s sleek travel crib ahead of her. The little boy slept soundly inside, completely oblivious to the gentle hum of the aircraft preparing for departure. Without disturbing him, she quietly whe
Rhys’s jaw tightened until the muscles in his face began to ache.Despite the bruises scattered across his body, he forced himself upright and looked Theon straight in the eye. The swelling around one side of his face had already darkened into an ugly bruise, making him appear far more miserable than he had a few hours ago.“You know…” His voice was hoarse. “I can have you arrested for assault.”Theon didn’t even blink. The corner of his lips lifted into a faint smile. “Can you?”He walked closer without the slightest hint of hesitation, stopping only an arm’s length away. “Where’s your proof?”Rhys remained silent.Theon reached out and dusted an imaginary speck of dirt from Rhys’s already wrinkled shirt before patting his shoulder.“You of all people should know how important evidence is.” His smile widened. “You’re a lawyer, Rhys. You can’t accuse someone based on suspicion or because we happened to have an unpleasant conversation.”The room fell silent.Rhys stared at him for seve
Evelyn couldn't believe what she was seeing. Parked beyond the soft glow of the runway lights was an enormous, gleaming private jet. Its silver body reflected the night sky like polished glass, faint golden lines tracing along its sleek length. The stairs were lowered, each step lit with a gentle
“Stay put,” Roman said.Evelyn didn’t move. She sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, trying not to look at the spots where her skin still burned. Every time she shifted, her palm throbbed, and the sting along her side and thighs flared like a warning.Roman walked out.For a few seconds, the room fe
Evelyn woke to bright light spilling through the curtains.For a while, her brain refused to work. Everything felt thick and slow, like she was underwater. Her body was heavy. Even lifting her fingers felt like effort.She blinked again.‘Where am I…?’Her head ached dully. She tried to sit up, but
“Avery!!” Roman called again, his voice thick with emotions he didn’t even try to hide.Evelyn froze. Forgetting about her phobia for hospitals.This time, she heard it clearly. It wasn’t ‘Evelyn’ slurred. Not ‘Lyn’. It was ‘Avery,’ clear as day. A cold knot formed in her stomach. Her throat tighte







