LOGINHe adjusted the cuff of his tailored black shirt, the fabric clinging perfectly to his athletic frame. His sharp jawline, clean-cut dark hair, and dark eyes gave him a striking presence. His hair was neatly combed back, and a small earring glinted in one ear."Found him?" he said, his cold eyes resting on Asher."Deliver it," Silvio Kane’s voice crackled softly through the hidden earpiece beneath his collar. The call ended, and he slipped his phone into his trouser pocket. His lips curled into a faint, knowing smirk as he surveyed the ballroom.With lethal calm, he began to move through the crowd, his steps unhurried but sure. The chatter around him thinned as he passed, the weight of his presence drawing brief glances that quickly turned away. His suit was dark, perfectly cut, his face half-shadowed beneath the golden light.Asher’s gaze followed him steadily, the stem of the wineglass turning once between his fingers. The man stopped a few feet from the table, and for a moment, neit
◈THOMPSON'S MANSION◈ “I’ll be there in an hour,” Asher said into his phone, his voice low and controlled. He ended the call and slipped the device into his coat pocket, a sleek black briefcase firm in his grip as he stepped out of the building. His stride was purposeful, every movement precise. Fred approached from the side, head bowed slightly. “Sir, allow me to take the briefcase.” Asher didn’t slow his pace. “No need. I’ll handle it myself.” Asher didn’t slow his pace. “No need. I’ll handle it myself.” Fred hesitated, his voice soft but insistent. “Sir…” Asher turned, his gaze calm yet commanding. “I said it’s fine, Fred.” For a moment, silence hung between them, heavy with unspoken respect. Then Fred lowered his head once more. “Understood, Sire.” Asher gave a brief nod and continued toward his car. The sound of his polished shoes against the concrete echoed with quiet authority as he walked toward the car, the black briefcase firm in his grip, carried with the same confid
✦THAT NIGHT✦◈D'AMATOS' EMPIRE◈ Daisy pushed open the front door and stepped inside quietly. The moment Isolde saw her, she stood up at once, worry flashing across her face.“Why are you just coming back, Daisy? And why didn’t you pick any of my calls?”Before Daisy could answer, she moved slightly aside, and Amanda walked in from behind her.For a moment, Isolde froze. Her eyes darted between Daisy and Amanda, disbelief flooding her features. Slowly, she took a step forward, tears already welling in her eyes. Then she ran the rest of the distance and pulled Amanda into a tight embrace.Amanda’s arms wrapped around her mother, trembling slightly. After a long moment, they withdrew, but before Amanda could speak, Isolde pressed a finger gently to her lips.“It doesn’t matter,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion. “All that matters now is that I have my daughter back.”She turned to one of her men.“Tell the staff to set the tables and open the cellar. We celebrate tonight, and I
◈AT NIGHT◈Henry lay on his bed, eyes fixed on the POP ceiling above him. The lights were off, and the room was dark, but the faint glow from the hallway slipped through the narrow gap beneath the door, catching the edge of the white plaster design.His fingers found his braid again. He ran them down its length, slow and thoughtful. It still felt soft and ordinary, yet after what he had seen, it didn’t.He exhaled and turned onto his side. The sheets were cool against his skin, but his thoughts refused to rest.Amanda’s braid wasn’t just hair, it was a weapon. And all this time, she had made him keep his for the same purpose.He tugged lightly at the end of it, frowning. Outside, a dog barked somewhere on the estate, the sound drifting through the quiet and fading into the night.Henry shut his eyes, but sleep didn’t come. His mind kept turning, chasing questions no one would answer.He remembered Asher’s voice, calm yet firm.“You must be brave, Henry. Act with wisdom. You are the he
✦AT DUSK✦ Asher shifted aside, his breathing uneven as his chest rose and fell against the pillow. Caleb lay beside him, eyes half open, strands of hair clinging to his forehead. For a long moment, neither of them moved. The silence wasn’t empty; it was full of unspoken thoughts.Asher turned his head first. “You’re staring again,” he murmured, voice still hoarse.Caleb smiled faintly, his lips barely curving. “I’m not. You’re just… hard not to look at.”“Flattery this early in the evening?” Asher chuckled quietly, rolling onto his side to face him. “You must want something.”“I already have what I want,” Caleb replied softly.Asher’s brows furrowed slightly. “Okay?”Caleb’s gaze trailed from Asher’s face down to his hand resting near his chest.Asher reached for him then, fingers brushing lightly against Caleb’s jaw. “Hey,” he said. “Right now, it’s just us.”Caleb looked at him. “You say that like you can stop time.”“I can’t,” Asher admitted. “But I can make you forget it.”Caleb
Isolde sat behind her carved mahogany desk, posture perfect, silver rings glinting as her fingers tapped once against a glass of untouched wine. Across from her, Daisy stood with her chin lifted slightly in defiance.“You’ve been avoiding me,” Isolde said, her voice cool and steady.“I’ve been busy,” Daisy replied.“Busy,” Isolde repeated, eyes narrowing. “With what? Secrets?”Daisy’s lips curved faintly. “You have enough of those for both of us.”The smile that followed from Isolde wasn’t warmth. “I am your mother, Daisy. I will not tolerate evasions. Not today.”Daisy met her mother’s gaze without a word.Isolde leaned back in her chair, watching her daughter carefully. “You carried a child, yet you still refuse to tell me who the father was. I find that insulting.”“It’s not something I wish to discuss,” Daisy said evenly.Isolde’s voice hardened. “You are under my roof. You will discuss what I demand to know.”Daisy took a step closer. “Mother, not today. Please.”That word made I







