FAZER LOGINElias POV Damien nodded and continued. “Where was I… Oh, right. My father was exiled here because of his affair with my mother. You could say I’m a result of their circumstances.”I stared at him for a moment, letting his words settle.So, Damien hadn’t exactly grown up with a happy childhood.A faint pang of sympathy slipping through before I could stop it. Whatever circumstances had brought him into this world, none of them had been his choice.But that was all it was.Pity. Nothing more.I reminded myself of that as I looked away, refusing to let that brief flicker of sympathy become something else.He munched on another piece of fruit before continuing. “He was nothing more than the Wolfe family’s precious daughter’s bodyguard.”Damien let out a humorless laugh. “Haha. She died during childbirth. I’m sure you can understand the anger they directed at a bodyguard and his son—me.”His eyes flashed with pain.For a fleeting moment, I wanted to reach out and wrap my arms around him,
Elias POVDamien chuckled softly, a faint smile appearing on his face as though he were trying to figure out where to begin. "Well, how do I start it..."I snorted and returned to my seat, settling back as I watched him. "Anywhere is fine. All I need is something from you."He raised an eyebrow. "Something?""The truth." I rested my arm against the side of the chair, keeping my voice calm despite the questions piling up in my head. "I don't expect you to explain everything in one breath, but don't give me another half-truth and call it an explanation."Damien's smile faded slightly.I glanced toward Benny's cot before looking back at him. "I've heard enough names today to fill an entire family tree, and somehow every answer keeps leading to another question. So start wherever you think matters."He leaned back, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. "You really don't make this easy.""Neither does your family."A laugh escaped him, but it disappeared almost immediately."Okay, from my digging
Elias POVDamien waved his hand dismissively. "Not serious, actually. Just looking for a way forward."Benny continued sucking on his bottle as I listened to Damien, my attention shifting between him and the others. "What way forward? Is it about them and my origin?"The three exchanged glances, the brief silence between them saying more than their words could. Theodore finally spoke. "From a little bit of digging, in my opinion, the families should be moving now."I shrugged as though it wasn't much of a concern. We already had other security measures in place, and I wasn't about to let another warning ruin the little peace I'd managed to find."Well, we could involve the police or something. They can't go against the law, can they?"Theodore turned toward Damien and gave him a small nod. "Aren't you going to say something about them?"Damien drew in a deep breath before looking directly at me. There was a hesitation in his eyes that immediately made me suspicious."What I'm about t
Elias POVIt had been two months since I gave birth, and for the first time in what felt like forever, life had settled into a strange kind of tranquility. The house no longer felt like a battlefield every time I opened my eyes, and even the nights had become bearable now that I had grown used to waking whenever one of the children stirred.Still, I knew better than to mistake peace for permanence.Peace had never lasted long in my life.I carefully lowered sleeping Benita into her cot and adjusted the blanket around her tiny body before stepping away. She barely moved, her little fingers curled beside her cheek as her breathing settled into a soft rhythm.A faint smile touched my lips before I turned toward the door.The moment I stepped into the sitting room, the sound of laughter greeted me.Derek was sitting on the carpet with Benny while Emily played with him, making exaggerated faces that had the little boy laughing so hard he could barely catch his breath.Emily had been sent
Fred POV"It's quite simple, Fred."He took another drag from his cigarette and let the smoke linger between us before continuing. "I'm very sure you won't waste this opportunity to get your father's company."I leaned back slightly. "Yeah. That has always been my target.""I know, Fred. But you won't need the Laura Family to get it. Isn't that right?"The question made my eyes narrow.So this bastard had been snooping around after all.Perhaps I should have cared, but there was little point wasting my time worrying about what he had already discovered. The only thing that mattered was how much he actually knew. "And I still don't see where I stand in this whole charade."He chuckled and tapped the ash from his cigarette. "You probably asked for a whole pie. I want half of that pie."Laughter burst out of me. "Hahahahaha! Very funny. You really are funny."I wiped the corner of my eye and shook my head. "You actually think I'll present half of it to you? Oh, please.""It's an offer. Y
Fred POV"Whoa, whoa, relax. Anyway, are you in or out?"He slowly lowered the gun, but the irritation on his face remained. He sneered at me before stepping away from the table."Fred, I'm no longer interested in any deal with you. You can leave."I stared at him for a moment. Seriously?A little exchange of words and this bastard was already throwing a tantrum.I almost laughed, but I swallowed it and instead straightened my jacket. "Whatever. What's your name?"He looked at me without answering."Once we start something, we finish it. You got that?"His head tilted backward as a loud laugh burst from his throat. "Hahahahaha!"He laughed so hard that he had to wipe the corner of his eye before looking at me again. "I already told you. Your existence is the reason I'm alive."His amusement slowly disappeared. "If you keep acting foolishly, I might have to make sure both of us go down."My smile faded. Was this some threat?"Watch it. My father could easily bring this entire place dow
Fred POV I picked up my car keys and headed for the door. “Mom, I’m going out. I’ll be back late today,” I shouted and closed the door behind me. “Don’t forget your jacket, baby,” my mom’s annoying voice called out. “Yes, Momma.” Rolling my eyes and walking to where my baby Range Rover SV wa
Elias POV I walked out of a cafe, with an iced coffee in hand. The streets were bright with morning light, but it did little to pierce the darkness inside me. The memory of last night still fresh like it happened today. Emily fell in step beside me holding a pizza in her hands, she didn’t let me
Damien POV A low groan left my throat, one arm dragging across the empty side of the bed. The sheets were cold. My eyes snapped open. For a moment, my mind was fogged—fragments of the previous night flickering in disjointed flashes. A face blurred by desire and something darker, when clarity hit
Elias POV I lay motionless for long minutes, my body aching all over. I dragged myself to sit upright. Every movement sent sharp pain lancing through my lower back and thighs. Limping into the bathroom, I turned on the shower and stepped under the hot spray. Tears mingled with water as they poured







