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Maximus Fragments of Gazelle’s memory may have returned, but I would never forget. She was—and will always be—the woman I longed for, even when everything else slipped through my fingers, the one my heart chose in a world full of noise, the one I’d choose every lifetime. She is the mother of my Lulu, the keeper of my soul, the only one who has ever truly seen me, not for my scars, past, or even the shadows I always carry. She is the only woman I have ever loved and the only one I ever will. I brushed my thumb over her lips before claiming them with my own. Almost five years of separation, aching to hold her again. And before this moment, I hadn’t cared whether her memory returned as long as I knew she was safe. I kissed her forehead gently. “I love you, Max...” she whispered, her hands softly caressing my face, memorizing every part of me. As if those words had stirred something, a small voice broke the silence. “Mommy?” Lulu had woken up, looking for Gazelle in the dim roo
My body was still trembling. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. The scene at the mansion gate was pure chaos. I stood frozen, staring as several guards struggled to restrain a woman I didn’t recognize. A gun lay discarded on the ground nearby, and one of the guards picked it up carefully, likely to preserve it as evidence. Kyros sprawled motionless on the ground, his clothes soaked crimson. I couldn’t tell if he was still alive. “Fuck you, Kyros! Fuck you!” The woman screamed, her voice breaking as tears streaked down her dirt-smudged cheeks. Her face twisted in pain—so real and intense, it was hard to even look at. “I should never have let you into my life!” Her expression was unhinged, her fury all-consuming. Then she turned to me, her eyes burning with a hatred so fierce it sent a chill down my spine. “And you, Gazelle! This is all because of you!” she shouted. “Why did I have to get dragged into this nightmare? Why did my family have to pay for this? I’ve lost everyth
Gazelle Another week had passed at the Sinclair mansion, and I was still trying to find my footing in this strange new reality. I’d started therapy because I believed this was more than just memory loss—it was psychological trauma, and my therapist warned me not to force anything or risk damaging my brain cells even more. Maximus had fallen into a routine of coming over for dinner, and tonight was no different. Lulu sat contentedly beside me, occasionally reaching for my water glass. It all felt so strange. I never knew when my past might catch up to me. Was it too painful to remember? Breaking the silence, my father cleared his throat. “Gazelle, forgive me for bringing this up, but I must ask you something.” I shifted my attention from Lulu and looked at him. “What is it?” “I don’t want to pressure you, especially with everything you’re processing, but I’m curious about your plans. Have you thought about what you want to do? Like career…” “I want to work at the Sinclair enter
Gianna met Dante’s gaze, her composure a carefully constructed mask. She had learned to project strength in front of him and their friends, but she felt utterly powerless beneath the surface. Things were weighing her down, things beyond her control. Her life was a mess. Completely screwed up. Dante’s jaw tightened, his voice strained with years of suppressed frustration. “When I met you in medical school, I didn’t know about your family or your background—none of it. But I accepted you completely.” Gianna’s eyes darkened. “That was over ten years ago, Dante. It was all in the past. I don’t have time for this.” “You’re always running away!” His voice rose. “That’s your specialty. That’s what you’re good at—hurting people and walking away like nothing happened.” “Dante, you heard it yourself!” she snapped. “My husband is part of the Cassian Doyle family. That name alone should scream complicated! What did you expect me to do—introduce myself as the daughter of a syndicate soldier?
Gazelle Chairman Sinclair—who claims to be my father—arrived with his assistant, Mr. Harrington. The lines on his face told me he had lived a long life, but the familiarity of his features shook me. I didn’t remember him, not really, but the moment our eyes met, tears streamed down my face. It was instinctual like my body remembered something my mind couldn’t. Whatever those memories were… they must have hurt. We gathered in a room, joined by faces I was told were my friends. “Gazelle,” Chairman Sinclair said gently, studying me like I was a ghost from his past. “What happened to you? Have you been eating well? Sleeping enough while you were gone?” My nod was the only answer I could manage. My throat was tight, choked with a thousand unspoken questions and a suffocating fog of confusion. How do you even begin to rebuild a life that suddenly feels like a stranger’s? Dr. Dante Castillo stood quietly near Maximus. Royal and Gianna sat beside me, their presence oddly comforting. Th
Maximus (The day prior…) “What do you mean you found Kyros?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. Sleep deprivation was making everything feel surreal—was I really hearing this, or had exhaustion finally caught up with me? Ivan and Lucas exchanged a meaningful glance. “I was in Bristol, having a catch-up with chums, when word came through that Kyros had returned to the Ferrero estate,” Ivan said carefully. My jaw tightened. I immediately called one of my trusted contacts at the Ravenwood. They confirmed it. Kyros had been there the entire day, speaking with his mother and Chairman Ferrero. Beyond that, they knew nothing. I turned to Ivan, frowning. He was preparing coffee while Lucas sat at a table in the pantry, typing rapidly on his laptop. “Kyros is alive?” I asked, stunned. “What about Gazelle? Have you found my wife?” “Working on it,” Lucas replied, eyes locked on the screen, his fingers dancing across the keyboard. Ivan set down the coffee pot and faced me. “Someon