LOGINThe helicopter blades sliced through the night sky. Roman stared out the window, but the clouds and distant lights of the coastline below barely registered. His mind remained on the helipad, replaying Caspian’s words again and again.“Grandchild…”The memory consumed him.—Roman slowly raised his head. “Grandson? What do you mean… whose grandson?”Caspian let out a long, heavy breath and turned away, one hand gripping his walking stick.“Richard was never Evelyn’s father.”The words struck him hard. Roman stared at him, unable to process what he had just heard.“W-what?” His voice cracked. “What do you mean Richard wasn’t her father? Then who—”Caspian met his eyes. “The man who survived the explosion. The one Victoria is working with. He is Evelyn’s biological father. The one who was betrothed to her mother years ago.” Roman’s pupils blew wide. “That man…” Caspian’s voice carried the weight of regret. “He worked under me before he went mad with Thorne Beckett. They claimed they wa
Somewhere in the darkness, Evelyn opened her eyes.Her head throbbed with a dull, persistent ache. Her mouth was dry. The room was cold and damp, the air carrying the faint smell of mold and stale water. She was sitting on a hard floor with her back pressed against a rough concrete wall.She tried to move, only to realize her hands were bound tightly behind her.Her heart hammered against her ribs, but she forced herself to breathe and think.The room was small and empty. A single bulb hung from the ceiling, casting a weak yellow glow across the space. There were no windows. No furniture. Just her, the bare floor, and the walls closing in.Then the door creaked open.Evelyn’s gaze snapped toward it.A tall, blonde woman stepped inside. She wore a dark suit, her heels clicking against the concrete elegantly. Her face was sharp, her smile polished.“Ah.” The woman’s voice was smooth and almost pleasant. “You’re awake.”Evelyn stared at her, squinting against the harsh light. “Who are yo
Lena was just in time to see a tall, broad figure drag Evelyn's limp body into the darkest part of the beach.Her heart stopped."EVELYN!"She screamed, her voice tearing through the wind. She ran toward them, her legs pumping, and her lungs burning. But the figure moved too fast. They reached a speedboat hidden in the shadows of the cliffs.Lena screamed again. "STOP! SOMEONE HELP!"She turned toward the security guards nearby. They stood frozen, staring at her with blank expressions. None of them moved.Lena's blood ran cold. ‘They're not security guards.’She took a step back. The men watched her, their faces unreadable.Lena didn't wait. She turned and ran.The wind howled in her ears as she ran through the sand, her feet slipping in every step, not daring to look back. She crawled over dunes, through patches of wet sand.When she reached the main stretch of beach where tourists and actual security personnel were gathered, she collapsed onto the sand, gasping for air.A security g
The helicopter blades sliced through the night air as Roman scanned the coastline below. Searchlights swept across the dark water, illuminating nothing but empty sand and restless waves.“East sector clear,” the co-pilot reported through the headset. “No movement along the shoreline.”Roman pressed the receiver closer. “Expand the search radius. Check the cliffs and every cove.”“Copy that.”His hand remained braced against the console while his eyes searched every shadow under them. Every passing second stretched unbearably long. Each dark shape on the beach made his pulse spike before dissolving into nothing.His personal phone vibrated in his pocket, but he ignored it.A moment later, it vibrated again. Roman frowned and pulled it out to find Leo’s name glowing across the screen.A crease formed between Roman’s brows. Leo wouldn’t call him randomly. And he hadn’t spoken to him since he left Trevinia. The only calls he’d made were to Theon and Finn, the cybersecurity specialist resp
Evelyn was deep asleep.The name Avery, Lena's warning, Roman's desperate pleas—all of it faded into the dark. The weight of the day pulled her under until she was floating in a dreamless void.Then someone grabbed her shoulders.“Evelyn. Evelyn!”She stirred, her brow creasing.The voice sounded urgent and familiar. “Evelyn, wake up!”Her eyes fluttered open.Lena hovered over her, tears streaming down her face. Her lips were moving, but Evelyn’s mind was still clouded with sleep. She blinked several times, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.“Lena… what’s wrong?”Lena struggled to steady her breathing. “It’s Noah… he’s… he’s gone.”Evelyn stared at her. The words refused to register.She was still wrapped in the warmth of the duvet, her thoughts moving far too slowly.“…What?”Lena shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Mrs. Chen took him for a walk. I only looked away for a few minutes… and when I turned back…” her voice gave way. “They were gone.”Every trace of
WARNING: R–RATED SCENE 18+; STEAMY SCENE AHEAD.Roman didn’t answer. His gaze drifted to her lips before returning to her eyes. His thumb traced the curve of her jaw with reverence, afraid that if he looked away for even a second, she might disappear.“Evelyn.” He muttered under his breath. “I can’t lose you.”She opened her mouth to speak, but he rested a finger against her lips before a single word could escape.“Don’t.” His eyes searched hers in desperation. “Just let me hold you tonight. Let me know you’re still with me.”Evelyn could hear the crack in his voice. “Roman…”He kissed her before she could finish. Every touch of his lips felt like a silent confession, as if he was pouring everything he couldn’t bring himself to say into that single kiss.Evelyn’s fingers slipped into his hair, grounding her self in the kisses.When he finally drew back, he rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “Tell me you’re mine.”“Roman—”“Please.”She cupped his face, her palms war
Roman kept his promise.Later that afternoon, once she could walk without glaring at him every few steps, he took her out.Not just anywhere.Everywhere.He showed her Italy the way only Roman could — unhurried and intentional. Cliffside restaurants overlooking endless blue. Quiet cobblestone stree
Roman leaned closer, just enough for her to feel his presence. “Wear it for me,” he murmured. “Please.”That was unfair.She had just promised herself she’d stop hiding. Stop shrinking. Stop letting shyness win.Evelyn bit her lip, her resolve trembling—but holding.“There’s a private cove just bel
Roman only finally let Evelyn go after she agreed to pack his underwear for the trip.And worse—he stood there and watched her do it.By the time she was done, Evelyn was certain her skin would start bleeding from how hard her cheeks had been burning all day. Roman hadn’t stopped teasing her, his e
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







