(Armando’s POV)The ocean roared beneath us, the speedboat slicing through the choppy waves as my me prepared for what was likely a suicide mission because we were unsure how many men were with Ferro on the island. The salt spray clung to my skin, but it couldn’t wash away the weight crushing my chest. I couldn’t just get the face of Olivia out of my mind. My chest heaved and I really hated this feeling so much and really wished I would never feel this way.Olivia was out there, trapped in the clutches of a monster. Every second that passed felt like a knife twisting in my gut. I knew Ferro and I knew he was. Ruthless son of a bitch and I swore that if I see just a scratch on Olivia’s body, I would rip him apart and feed his balls to the vultures.Dominic’s voice crackled over the headset. “We’re five minutes out. The island’s heavily fortified—guards on every entry point. You’ll only have one shot at this.”“I don’t care what it takes,” I s
(Olivia’s POV)There were blinding lights.I lifted my hands to shield my face, squinting as the searing brightness pressed against my closed eyelids. It was endless, consuming, like staring into the sun. Slowly, the intensity ebbed, the light softening to a warm glow that bathed the space in golden hues.I lowered my hands cautiously, blinking to adjust. The world around me was unfamiliar—a vast expanse of white, pristine and unbroken. No walls. No sky. Just light.My breaths came unevenly as I turned in place, searching for something, anything to ground me. That’s when I saw it—a door, tall and ornate, standing alone in the void. Its wood was dark, polished, and adorned with intricate carvings that seemed to shift subtly, like whispers frozen in time.I hesitated.The air felt heavier as I approached the door, my steps echoing faintly despite the lack of visible floor. Each step made my heart pound harder, the sound reverb
(Olivia’s POV)The first thing I felt was warmth—an unfamiliar sensation that spread across my hand like sunlight breaking through clouds. My eyelids were heavy, as though they had been weighted down for an eternity, but I forced them open.The light above me was muted, soft against the pale walls of a hospital room. The sterile smell of antiseptic hit my senses as my vision cleared. I groaned in slight pain as I tried to move.And then I saw him.Armando was slumped in a chair beside me, his dark eyes rimmed with exhaustion and worry, his hand gripping mine so tightly it ached. His suit jacket was wrinkled, his tie loosened—a rare sight for a man who prided himself on precision. For a moment I was terrified seeing him and I flinged.When he noticed my movement, his head shot up, his expression transforming from despair to unbridled relief.“Olivia,” he breathed, his voice breaking. “You’re awake.” There was shock and joy in
(Celeste’s POV)The ballroom shimmered like a treasure chest of dreams—gilded walls sparkled under the glow of crystal chandeliers, while polished floors mirrored the lavishness of the night. As I crossed the threshold, I embraced an air of confidence, allowing the soft click of my heels to herald my entrance into this enchanting scene.The air was thick with ambition and pretense. I could see it in the forced smiles, the hollow laughter, the way everyone sized each other up while pretending to be friends.It was perfect.I let my lips curve into a soft smile, just enough to seem approachable, not enough to betray my thoughts. My gown, a deep emerald green, hugged my body like a lover, shimmering subtly with every step. I knew how to turn heads without looking like I was trying to—and tonight, I wanted all the eyes on me.But my gaze was fixed on two people.Armando Moretti and Olivia Pierce.They stood by the bar,
(Olivia’s POV)The drive back from the event was suffocating. Silence filled the car, heavy and unyielding, but I could feel Armando’s frustration simmering just beneath the surface. I stared out the window, pretending I didn’t notice the way his grip tightened on the steering wheel every time he glanced my way. I cared less all I cared about was how I was going to get back at Ferro.When we finally got back to the safe house, I decided to break the silence. “Celeste invited me to a women’s summit she’s hosting next week.” I frowned with my hands folded and placed on my breast as I didn’t even want to have any conversation with him.He didn’t respond immediately, but I could see the muscles in his jaw clench.“And?” he asked finally, his tone clipped.“I’m going,” I said simply and also turned to leave.He turned to me, his dark eyes narrowing. “You’re not serious.”I narrowed my eyes in shock. Who the hell did he t
(Dual POV: Olivia and Armando)Olivia’s POVThe first thing I felt was the warmth of his arms. My head rested against his chest, the steady thrum of his heartbeat filling the silence.“Olivia,” Armando’s voice broke through the haze, low and strained. His hand brushed a strand of hair from my face, his touch gentle but desperate.I blinked slowly, the light in the room too harsh for my pounding head. Every breath felt like a struggle, and the metallic taste of poison still lingered on my tongue.“You’re awake,” he said, relief flooding his voice.I struggled to sit up, but his hands steadied me. “How…?” I literally thought I was going to die after the pain I had felt before I passed out. The second time I was passing out in how many days.“An antidote,” he said curtly. “We were lucky Dominic got his hands on it in time to give it to the doctor.”My mind swirled with fragments of the summit, Celeste’s soothi
(Dual POV: Olivia and Armando)Olivia’s POVThe car ride home was suffocating. Matteo sat behind the wheel, his large frame radiating the same unshakable calm he always carried. I stared out the window, the city blurring into streaks of light as the car hummed softly.I couldn’t stop replaying the last few hours in my head—Celeste’s concerned stare, Armando’s furious words, the chaos that seemed to follow me everywhere. I just couldn’t trust or allow myself to be vulnerable around Armando.Matteo’s silence only made my thoughts louder. He was Armando’s shadow, his ever-loyal right hand, and yet, somehow, he felt impenetrable.“Matteo,” I said cautiously, my voice cutting through the quiet.He glanced at me briefly in the rearview mirror but said nothing.“What’s Armando like?” I asked, my tone casual but laced with curiosity. I didn’t even know how and why I asked that question.“He’s the boss,” Matteo repl
(Celeste’s POV)Ferro’s hideout was as grim as the man himself—cold, industrial, and reeking of blood and steel. The air was heavy with the metallic tang of iron, and the low hum of machinery in the background was a constant reminder of his empire’s ruthlessness.I stepped into the main chamber, my heels clicking against the concrete floor, the sound echoing ominously. Ferro was seated at a long metal table, a glass of scotch in one hand, his other casually drumming against the surface. His sharp eyes followed me as I approached, their glint as calculating as always.“Celeste,” he greeted, his voice smooth but wary. “To what do I owe the pleasure again?”I smiled sweetly, taking the seat opposite him. “Business, of course. I thought it was time we discussed our mutual interests.”He raised an eyebrow, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “And what might those be?”“Olivia Pierce,” I said, my voice dipping into a dangerous
Olivia’s POV There was a numbness in my chest that I couldn’t shake. Not anger. Not fear. Just… disbelief. Luciana. Alive. Breathing. And standing beside the man who had ruined everything. I stared at the paused frame on my phone — her face frozen mid-smile. The same dimple on her left cheek. The same haunting eyes. But it wasn’t the Luciana I knew. This one looked… colder. Sharper. Almost unrecognizable beneath that smirk. I sat on the edge of the bed, my palms damp, my thoughts spiraling. She was supposed to be dead. And now, she was the enemy. I didn’t know what was real anymore — but I had to find out. No more waiting. No more trusting. No more falling for half-truths and unfinished confessions. I needed answers, and I would get them — even if it broke me. I stood, grabbed my coat, and turned just as the door swung open. Armando. His eyes locked onto mine instantly — like he’d already known what I was about to do. “Where are you going?” he asked, voic
Dual POV — Olivia & Armando Olivia’s POV I don’t know what betrayal feels like anymore. Is it rage? Numbness? The slow erosion of everything you believed in? Or is it the quiet voice in your head that whispers, “Of course. You should’ve known.” I stood in the hallway, arms crossed, the silence of the safehouse stretching around me like a storm about to break. I hadn’t told him yet. I wasn’t even sure how to. Dominic was asleep upstairs, sedated. Matteo was gone — allegedly running “errands.” But I wasn’t stupid. Not anymore. Not after all the lies. Not after Ferro. Not after Celeste. I held the flash drive in my hand — the one Celeste said was left behind by someone “who had been feeding Ferro all along.” And as soon as I plugged it into the laptop and watched the surveillance clips play… I saw him. In the shadows. Slipping a package to an unmarked courier near the shipping docks. Matteo. My stomach turned. I felt sick. Cold. Like everything I’d
Ferro’s POV ⸻ Control is not taken. It’s given—willingly, foolishly, by people who mistake trust for safety. I watched the city blink beneath me from the glass wall of my penthouse, one hand tucked into the pocket of my tailored slacks, the other swirling aged whiskey in a cut crystal glass. The sky was bruised with the last tint of twilight, and the world below moved like ants—clueless, obedient, disposable. They thought they’d won. They thought the heist was a victory. That pulling Dominic from my clutches and uncovering Project Vortex meant they’d stolen the crown. But I hadn’t built my empire on arrogance. I built it on patience. On anticipation. And this? This was the start of their undoing. Behind me, a wall-sized screen flickered to life. A forged news feed I’d curated to perfection played on a loop—slick visuals, carefully designed graphics, a solemn anchorwoman with the right touch of concern in her voice. “Breaking Report: Documents surface linking
Dual POV — Olivia & ArmandoOlivia’s POVThe night reeked of gasoline and gunpowder.I crouched low behind the rusted shell of a burnt-out car, my chest rising and falling with shallow, nervous breaths. From here, the compound looked like a fortress wrapped in shadow — cold walls, steel gates, motion-activated lights that scanned the field like a predator’s eye.Dominic was somewhere inside.Alive.Hopefully.I clutched the detonator tighter in my gloved hand, the edges of it biting into my palm. I could hear Armando’s voice in my earpiece — low, steady, commanding.“Three guards to the south. You’ll have a five-second window after I draw their fire. On my mark.”This was crazy.But what wasn’t, lately?Everything in my life had spiraled. Love. Betrayal. War. And now I was risking my neck to pull Dominic out of Ferro’s jaws, with the one man I couldn’t trust — but somehow couldn’t stop wanting either.“Mark,” Armando’s voice cut in sharply.I moved.I bolted across the open ground, he
Olivia’s POV⸻I couldn’t sleep.The air felt too thick. The silence too loud. And my thoughts — they were a battlefield. One half of me wanted to run as far away from Armando as possible. The other? It wanted to crawl back into his arms and melt there, consequences be damned.I hated him.And I craved him.My body was a traitor. My heart? A mess.And yet… when I walked past his room that night, I paused. The door was slightly open. A sliver of golden light spilled out, warm and tempting.I didn’t mean to look in. I swear I didn’t. But something in me — something curious, desperate, starving — peeked.He was standing shirtless near the window, the light of the moon tracing the lines of his body.God.Every time I saw him like that, I forgot how to breathe. Broad shoulders. Sculpted chest. Those scars — a brutal history painted on perfect skin. His muscles flexed as he rolled his neck, and all I could think was: Why does he have to look like that?Why does he have to ruin me like this?
Dominic’s POV They say you get used to pain. That eventually, it numbs you — that if you’re beaten enough, your body learns to stop reacting. They’re wrong. Pain never gets easier. It just changes. It morphs into this twisted, crawling thing that lives under your skin, reminding you with every heartbeat that you’re not dead… yet. My wrists were raw. The ropes bit into my skin like they had teeth. Blood had dried on the side of my face, crusted and flaking. One of my eyes was swollen shut — Ferro’s men had done a fine job reminding me how breakable the human body could be. But my mind? That was mine. That was still standing. Barely. The door creaked open, slow and theatrical, like a scene from a movie I never auditioned for. And there he was — Ferro. Clean. Calm. Wearing that smug expression that made me want to lunge at him and bury my fists into his face, even if it cost me everything. He didn’t speak right away. Just walked in with his usual predator grace, the ki
(Dual POV – Armando & Olivia) Armando’s POV The smoke clung to the air like a phantom, choking and blinding, curling into my lungs with every frantic breath. I shoved past the fallen beam, my clothes already singed, sweat and soot dripping into my eyes. Where is she? “Olivia!” I roared into the chaos, my voice hoarse, panicked. Flames licked the ornate ceiling, collapsing the once-grand manor into a hellish inferno. I didn’t care if the whole place came down on me—I’d find her. I had to. Then I saw her. She was slumped against the wall, her arm draped over her head, coughing violently as smoke overwhelmed her. “Liv!” She looked up sluggishly, eyes wide with recognition. Relief crashed through me like a tidal wave, but I didn’t waste a second. I reached her, dropping to my knees, pulling her against me. “Don’t speak,” I said, lifting her into my arms. “Just breathe. I’ve got you.” Her fingers clenched weakly into my shirt. “Armando…” “I’m here,” I
(Olivia’s POV) The fire still raged behind me, the screams and chaos fading as I slipped into the night like a ghost. Smoke clung to my dress, a haunting reminder of the destruction I had left behind. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. I knew Armando was looking for me. I could feel it. But I didn’t want to be found. Not by him. My car was waiting at the far end of the street, exactly where Celeste had said it would be. I slid into the driver’s seat, my hands trembling as I started the engine. I shouldn’t be doing this. A small voice in the back of my mind whispered its warning, but I silenced it. I wasn’t running. I was choosing. And tonight, I was choosing to end the lies. Celeste’s private suite was dimly lit, the glow from the fireplace casting flickering shadows across the elegant space. She stood by the window, sipping from a crystal glass as she watched me approach. “You came,” she said smoothly, turning to face me. I swallowed hard, still breathless from th
(Dual POV – Olivia & Armando) Armando’s POV: Something was wrong. I could feel it in the way Olivia smiled at me—too perfect, too polished. Like she had rehearsed it in the mirror before stepping into this ballroom. Her eyes, once filled with defiance or reluctant warmth, were unreadable now. She was pretending. And I hated that I couldn’t figure out why. The weight of the text message sat in my chest like a loaded gun. She’ll betray you before dawn. I wasn’t a man prone to paranoia. I built my empire by knowing when to trust and when to doubt. But Olivia? She had always been the exception. The one thing I wanted to believe in, even when my instincts screamed otherwise. Now, I wasn’t sure if she was still in my hands—or if she had already slipped through my fingers. From across the ballroom, I watched as Celeste pulled her aside, leading her toward a quieter corner of the event. My fingers curled into fists. Celeste. The poisonous whisper in Olivia’s ear. Th