Maximus
My mother’s death anniversary was approaching, and whenever it came around, I never felt like myself.
Her presence lingered like a specter—I saw things, visions of blood, glimpses of what I believed was her soul. It was terrifying, especially now that I had Gazelle in my life.
This complication was something I never considered when I decided to marry Gazelle.
No—I had left Gazelle alone in the past for this very reason. And yet, I couldn’t control my feelings.
“Sir, you’ll be staying there for two weeks,” Emma reminded, “Let me know if you’ll be bringing Dr. Sinclair so we can make the necessary arrangements in advance.” She handed me the legal documents for the construction site on Park Avenue—my destination in two weeks.
Didn’t she understand that Gazelle was why I was leaving Bryston?
I wanted to be angry at my secretary’s assumption, but it was likely that my
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
“Miss Elle! Where are you going? You bad people! Where are you taking Miss Elle?!” The weight in my chest felt like I was drowning from the inside. Security walked on either side of me, not rough, just firm, as they led me down the marble halls of Hillcrest Estate’s main building. My head was spinning with what I’d just seen in Maximus’s room—that photo, those questions no one seemed willing to answer. Lulu saw everything. Nanny Beth held her back, arms wrapped tightly around her as Lulu struggled to get to me. That’s when the tears started. I couldn’t even say sorry. I couldn’t say goodbye to my twinkle… “Miss Elle!” Lulu’s cries pierced through the heavy oak doors, through the walls, straight into my breaking heart. “Don’t leave me! Please don’t leave!” Lulu’s voice faded until there was nothing but silence. I stood there outside the driveway, all by myself. Then the sobs came—deep, gut-wrenching sounds I barely recognized as mine. I didn’t know how I was supposed to start ov