“I’ll make it up to you,” Alexander murmured, his lashes trembling as he pushed open the car door beside him. “Go home. Get some proper rest tonight. If there’s ever something you can’t handle, come talk to me.”Serena was caught off guard. She had braced herself for him to explode, to tear into her with a rage that would leave her in pieces. Instead, she saw a fragile softness in his eyes, something almost foreign to her.She stepped out of the car with hesitant movements, but before she could fully straighten up, Alexander’s arms circled her waist, pulling her back against him. His head dropped to her shoulder, heavy and warm, the scent of his cologne mixing with the cool night air.His voice, thick and edged with a pleading note, brushed against her ear. “Stay away from those people. I’ll make it worth your while.”“Mr. Vanderbilt,” Serena managed, trying to keep her voice steady, “I have nothing to do with them.”His forehead pressed more firmly into her shoulder, as if he needed
Alexander slipped into his impeccably tailored suit like a soldier donning armor before war. Each button he fastened seemed to echo with purpose, deliberate and cold, his movements sharp as a blade. His eyes, dark and unyielding, glinted with a dangerous calm as he called out,“Serena?”His voice rolled through the room like a spell, commanding and impossible to ignore.Serena froze, her breath catching, spine stiff. She didn’t even dare glance at him, too rattled by the chill in his tone.Alexander’s gaze shifted, first to Alexei—who looked perfectly calm, as though the drama unfolding was nothing but a dull spectacle—then to Lucca, who seemed just as unbothered. A surge of betrayal crawled up Alexander’s spine. So everyone had known the truth. Everyone except him.Wonderful.A slow, poisonous anger coiled in his chest, ready to burst. But he reined it in, standing there statuesque, an unreadable mask on his face, as memories flooded back in sharp, humiliating flashes.He’d returned t
Inside the room, chaos reigned. Hugo and Alexei were struggling to break up the fight when Alexander landed a brutal kick squarely into Lucca’s chest. Lucca staggered backward, crashing down onto shattered glass. A sharp sliver sliced into his palm, leaving a long, bloody gash.Alexander was no better off. A fresh wound streaked across his neck, vivid red against his pale skin, proof of how viciously they’d come at each other. Both had fought as if they truly meant to kill. But the instant Ava stepped through the doorway, everything in Alexander froze.Her face was stricken with panic. Without sparing Alexander a glance, she hurried straight to Lucca, kneeling beside him. “Mr. Reinaldi, are you alright?”Lucca lifted his injured hand, wincing at the sight of the deep cut.Ava’s face drained of color. “That needs stitches.”Without hesitation, she reached out to help him up, then turned on Alexander with an edge of fury in her voice. “Mr. Vanderbilt, Mr. Reinaldi is a guest from afar. I
Triggee Warning marked with ### and ##### again similar to previous chapter... proceed with caution---When they arrived at the hospital, the corridor was already crowded with members of the Vanderbilt family. Their faces were drawn, tense, each carrying a silent dread. The news of what had happened to Rita had traveled fast within their circle, but no one dared speak it aloud. An oppressive hush filled the waiting area, heavy enough to crush even the faintest whisper.If word of this incident leaked beyond these walls, Rita’s reputation would be shattered.Diana let out a weary sigh, her shoulders drooping. “Why would Rita go there all of a sudden?”Alexander shook his head, jaw tense. “The kidnappers are finished. They won’t be around to talk. I’ll arrange for her to see a psychologist.”It was all they could do for now.Moments later, Rita’s parents, Justin and his wife, arrived. Their expressions were unsettlingly calm, as if this was just another business inconvenience. Justin, i
Trigger Warning : This author would like to disclose that there are mentions of sexual abuse and rape (albeit briefly and not detailed) in this chapter therefore if this is something that might trigger you or cause you any discomfort, please do skip this, step away, and take the time for yourself. This author wishes you well and will see you in the next one... P.S. the author will put a ### to mark where the abuse will be mentioned and another ##### once it is finished. P.P.S. this author hopes you will enjoy reading Ava being a bad arse here... ---The shoppers inside had no clue what was about to unfold. A gunman abruptly fired several shots into the ceiling, sending a deafening crack echoing through the mall. Chaos exploded like a powder keg. People screamed, their voices tangled with panic, some collapsing to the floor in sobbing fits of terror.Ava forced herself to stay calm as she scanned the scene. Dozens of armed men emerged from the shadows, shedding their street clothes
The next morning, Ava had barely gotten out of bed when Ray messaged, asking her to come by the office to check the final cut of their new web series.Shoving aside everything else on her mind, she quickly got ready and headed over.Only the first five episodes were finished, but the production quality blew her away. Even though she’d given Ray a generous budget, she hadn’t expected him to execute it so flawlessly.“Ms. Morales,” Ray said, his voice brimming with excitement, “we’ve already submitted it for review. Once we get the green light, we can go live.”They hadn’t even started hyping it yet, since Anita was still busy flooding the headlines with stories about The Eye of the Storm.Ava’s lips curved into a subtle smile. “The quality is solid. Let’s wait for their approval.”Ray nearly vibrated with adrenaline. His first web series since his comeback was finally about to see the light of day, and he could barely contain his enthusiasm.“Oh—and one more thing, Ms. Morales.” His to