Adrian’s POVThe last thing I remembered was the sudden blow to my head. A sharp, ringing pain had sliced through my skull, and I’d barely managed to fumble for my phone—Nikolai’s name glowing on the screen—before everything went black.Now, my eyes fluttered open to darkness.My wrists burned. My mouth was dry. Something sticky and tight was sealing my lips shut. I couldn’t move. Panic rushed through me like a tidal wave as I blinked against the blackness. The air was stifling, stale. My body was bent in a painfully awkward angle, and I realized—I was in a trunk.A damn trunk.The thin space, the stuffy air, the pressure on my chest—it all hit me at once. My mouth was taped shut, and I felt the adhesive stretch too close to my nostrils. Breathing became a struggle, a desperate, gasping task. My legs were bound, my hands behind me—completely immobile. I began to thrash, banging the back of my head against the metal, hoping, praying someone would hear. Each second felt like a lifetime
Nikolai’s POVThe night had settled deep and heavy over the city by the time I stepped out of the car. Adrian stood near the gate, flanked by four burly security men. Five cars sat ready, engines humming low, like beasts waiting to pounce. Without hesitation, I climbed into the front seat of the lead car. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. None of us spoke, but I could feel their eyes on me, waiting, questioning.The convoy moved smoothly through the dark streets, each car a shadow against the city lights. The closer we got to the Moretti estate, the heavier the silence became. I focused on the road ahead, trying to calm the storm churning in my chest. Adrian’s bruised face haunted my mind—the vulnerability in his eyes was something I wasn’t prepared to see, yet couldn’t forget.When we finally crossed the gates of the estate, a sudden movement caught my eye. Leonardo—disheveled and in his pajamas—rushed out toward us, his face twisted in surprise.“I’m here to visit. W
Nikolai’s POVThe night had settled deep and heavy over the city by the time I stepped out of the car. Adrian stood near the gate, flanked by four burly security men. Five cars sat ready, engines humming low, like beasts waiting to pounce. Without hesitation, I climbed into the front seat of the lead car. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. None of us spoke, but I could feel their eyes on me, waiting, questioning.The convoy moved smoothly through the dark streets, each car a shadow against the city lights. The closer we got to the Moretti estate, the heavier the silence became. I focused on the road ahead, trying to calm the storm churning in my chest. Adrian’s bruised face haunted my mind—the vulnerability in his eyes was something I wasn’t prepared to see, yet couldn’t forget.When we finally crossed the gates of the estate, a sudden movement caught my eye. Leonardo—disheveled and in his pajamas—rushed out toward us, his face twisted in surprise.“I’m here to visit. W
Nikolai's POVIt had been over four hours since Adrian left the office, and now with the clock nearing closing time, there was still no sign of him. I tried not to let it get under my skin. People disappear all the time, and Adrian Moretti wasn’t exactly someone I wanted to start worrying about. Still, something about the silence gnawed at me like a splinter under my fingernail.I shut down my computer, the hum of the machine quieting into nothingness. Just as I grabbed my coat, Gregory, who had been on a hushed phone call across the room, turned toward me.“It seems Felix made a visit to Francisco Moretti,” he said, voice low.I paused, letting the words sink in before a slow, cruel smile curved on my lips. “So the Moretti wants to partner with the Guerreros?” I asked, even though we both knew what this could mean.“I don’t have the full details yet,” Gregory admitted, “but the word is, Francisco wants to take over as the head of the Morettis. If that happens… Adrian becomes useless.
Adrian’s POVI pushed my chair back and stood slowly. “Thank you for the food,” I said, not because I meant it, but because manners were a hard habit to break. “I’ll be heading back.”Leonardo barely looked up from his glass. “Your uncle’s staying the night. You should stay too.”My lips curled into a smile, thin and forced. “I think it’s better I leave,” I replied lightly, trying to mask the tightness crawling up my spine. “There’s nothing I’m doing here anyway.”Francisco scoffed. “Let him go. He’s useless here.”My jaw clenched, but I didn’t rise to it. I was used to his needling. But just as I turned, Francisco spoke again.“Now, about the Moretti road construction project. We need to talk. Derek’s better suited for the job.”Leonardo snapped his head toward him. “Why give it to Derek when the construction manager is already there?”Francisco slammed his glass on the table. “It’s time a Moretti starts learning about the family business.”Leonardo didn’t hesitate. “If anyone’s goin
Adrian's POVFrancisco’s laughter rang through the hallway the moment Vivian stepped in, her delicate footsteps halting briefly at the sound. I stiffened, already knowing what was coming."This social-climbing woman," he said, nodding at her with cruel amusement, "hasn’t even been able to give you a child." His voice was laced with mockery as he turned to Leonardo. "You’ve become unreliable. The Moretti family is growing impatient with your mess. One bastard son over at the Mancinis, and now this barren woman to secure your place? Pathetic."Vivian stood still, her chin tilted just slightly upward, the way she always did when she was trying not to break. But I saw her knuckles whiten, saw the flicker of shame that crossed her eyes before she looked away. Francisco brushed past her with a sneer and walked to the dining hall like he owned the entire estate.I trailed after him, noticing something rare—Leonardo looked... troubled. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t bite back. H