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CHAPTER 36: Hurt and Flee
Huling Na-update:
2025-05-09 20:21:26
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Desperate Measures CHAPTER 37: PROTECTING HIS SISTER
“I can only imagine how angry Aldo is at both Liam and me,” Liya said, running her hands through her hair. Just when things were starting to work out well between them. Aldo hadn’t returned yet, and she didn’t want him to because she wasn't ready to face him. Not yet. He could hold onto his anger for the meantime. If there was anything she knew, it was that Aldo would definitely be mad at her if any kind of harm was caused to his sister. She was the one thing that mattered most to him in the world. The girl had even tried to fight for the person who ended up hurting her.“You don’t have to worry,” Aria whispered. “He won't do anything. This isn’t the first time that this is happening.”That didn’t do anything to calm Liya down. The only thing she could do was hope for the best. Aria looked up at her again, as she rested her head on Liya’s thigh. “I’m sorry for ruining whatever was happening between you and Aldo,” she said, and Liya looked down at her. She had even forgotten that som
Huling Na-update : 2025-05-10Desperate Measures The bargain
Liya Glensdale stared blankly at her untouched coffee while the rain washed against the windows of the little diner she sat in. She constantly picked at her nails with nerves unsettled as the minutes flew by on the wall clock, drawing the inevitable meeting with the man who could decide her brother's fate, closer. When the bell above the diner rang, Liya’s eyes popped up as she watched a man enter and shake the rain off his trench coat, his presence immediately changing the atmosphere of the entire room. Her heart began racing as she watched Damian Viktor approach her table. He was by far taller than she had thought, with a scrawny face and a smile that made him look more sinister and cruel than kind. Even with his sharp suit that emphasized he was well-off, his appearance screamed that he was a dangerous man, the kind you don't get involved with. He sat down across from her, skin spread like he owned the place. “Liya Glensdale,” he said with a flat yet rough voice. “I’ve been anti
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-21Desperate Measures The first strike
Liya’s scream echoed throughout the room as the window shattered, spraying shards of glass all over the study. Her body shifted backward impulsively, her heart beating noisily in her chest. She rushed for shelter, her hands trembling as she took cover behind the gigantic desk, the wood pressing into her back.A figure showed up in the broken window, his face covered by a mask, then with sharp and precise movement, he dragged his body through the broken glass. His silhouette was frightful, shaped by the night outside and the shining weapon in his hand glaring at her. The air around him was filled with danger and her breathing came in pants.“Miss Glensdale, move.” Melinda’s frantic voice cut through the havoc. She emerged in the doorway, a gleaming black firearm in her grip.Liya didn't wait for her to repeat herself. She ran further into the study, hiding behind a heavy oak desk as the infiltrator advanced toward her. The intruder’s face was masked, his figure covered in black from he
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-21Desperate Measures The next warning
The atmosphere outside the mansion seemed strangely silent compared to the chaos that just happened in the study. The storm had passed leaving the night wet and calm, but Liya’s heart was anything but still. The scene repeatedly played in her mind. Every detail troubled her mind as she followed Aldo and Melinda down the shadowy hallway, her movement quick to keep up with them.Liya’s breath came out in pants, her palms sweaty as she wrapped her arms around herself. She had never felt so uncomfortable, so totally exposed. The beauty of the mansion, with its spotless floors and grand chandelier, felt more like a sugar-coated cage rather than a shelter.Aldo stopped suddenly, turning to her. His fierce gaze on her and for a minute, her breath stopped. “We don't have a lot of time,” he said in a low but firm voice.”Damian won’t stop just after a single attack. This was the first of many, so we need to hurry.”Liya’s stomach knotted. Thoughts of the lifeless human in the study filled her m
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-22Desperate Measures The stranger with the note
The figure that stood at the doorway was tall, shoulders wide, and somewhat hidden by the dim lighting in the room. Her pulse pumped and her head ached. Didn't they say this was a safe place, reinforced and impenetrable? So what was this man doing standing inside the supposedly secured room and glaring at her? How did he break through the mansion’s security? “Who…who are you? What do you want?” Her voice cracked, shaking with fear. He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he fixed his sharp eyes on her, assessing her like a predator examining its prey. He stepped forward and Liya willed herself to move but her legs refused to cooperate. Her eyes flitted to the monitors but they were black and without any image. The room which had once felt like a refuge suddenly felt like a snare. “I–I’ll scream,” she stuttered in a quivering but feisty voice. The man raised his brows, a light smile on his lips. “You could, but I wouldn't advise it,” he said in a smooth and calm voice, sounding bore
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-22Desperate Measures CHAPTER 5: MORE FINDINGS
The days after the attack went by in a blur for Liya. The broken window had been fixed but flashbacks from that night continued playing in her head like a broken record. She had finally seen the dangerous world he lived in, a world she was no part of. Liya roamed the wide halls of Aldo’s mansion, the fanciness around her a total opposite of the storm inside her. Even with the expensive crystal chandeliers and paintings that decorated the walls, the air was still filled with tension. She felt like a prisoner in a golden cage, her every move watched by Melinda or one of Aldo’s men. Her brain kept returning to Aldo’s words from the night of the attack: you're a party to the game now. She couldn't figure out what he was saying. What role did she play and what game was he talking about?While roaming, she came across a library, the room was filled with books from floor to ceiling, it was every girl's dream. She ran her fingers over them, inhaling the smell of leather and paper which was
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-12Desperate Measures CHAPTER 6: A WEDDING WITHOUT VOWS
The day finally arrived—the day she married Aldo Marino. When she visualized her wedding, she would always think of happiness, a soon-to-be husband that she loved, and an intimate ceremony with her loved ones. This wasn't what she had dreamed of. She stared at herself in the mirror, dressed in a beautiful satin dress that clung perfectly to her curves, the soft lace brushing softly over her skin, the beauty contrasting her heavy heart.“Ready to go?” Melinda’s voice cut through her thoughts.Liya turned to face Melinda who stood at the doorway with a neutral expression. The woman had been her shadow since the attack and while Liya was thankful for the support, her presence only pointed out that she was continuously in danger.“I'm not sure I could say that but I can't back out either,” Liya said in a resolved voice. Melinda looked at her with soft eyes only for a moment. “It’s not about being ready, it’s about doing what you can to survive.”With that, Liya nodded and followed Melind
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-12Desperate Measures CHAPTER 7: SHADOW IN THE GARDEN
The strong grip over her mouth made Liya tremble in fear–she couldn't scream nor could she call for help. “Don’t try to scream,” her attacker said as he removed his hand that was pressed over her mouth. Before Liya could turn around, she felt something sharp and cold like a knife press into her side, and she stiffened, fear gripping her. “Walk,” the man steered her towards the staircase which led down to the garden. Her mind busied itself with thoughts of an escape. She searched around for a way out. She looked at the door, contemplating if she could make a run for it and get help. Like he read her mind, he pressed the knife harder into her sides. “Don’t even dream about it. One wrong move from you and you'll be ending up tonight in a body bag and not on a bed with your husband,” he warned her. Liya gulped, her throat suddenly dry from fear as she nodded, allowing him to guide her.They moved through the garden in silence, the constant rustling of leaves and crickets the only th
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-14
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Desperate Measures CHAPTER 37: PROTECTING HIS SISTER
“I can only imagine how angry Aldo is at both Liam and me,” Liya said, running her hands through her hair. Just when things were starting to work out well between them. Aldo hadn’t returned yet, and she didn’t want him to because she wasn't ready to face him. Not yet. He could hold onto his anger for the meantime. If there was anything she knew, it was that Aldo would definitely be mad at her if any kind of harm was caused to his sister. She was the one thing that mattered most to him in the world. The girl had even tried to fight for the person who ended up hurting her.“You don’t have to worry,” Aria whispered. “He won't do anything. This isn’t the first time that this is happening.”That didn’t do anything to calm Liya down. The only thing she could do was hope for the best. Aria looked up at her again, as she rested her head on Liya’s thigh. “I’m sorry for ruining whatever was happening between you and Aldo,” she said, and Liya looked down at her. She had even forgotten that som
Desperate Measures CHAPTER 36: Hurt and Flee
“Thank you very much,” Liya said, with a proper smile on her face as she bid the other people at the dinner table goodbye. They were not done with dinner, but Aldo wanted to go home for some reason. Liya felt a shiver run through her spine when he said he was ready to go home. Out here, he couldn't do anything, but she couldn't say the same when they were home. She felt scared of him because she had the feeling that he wanted to deal with her. If he wanted to, he would have done that already. Xavier was pretending to be an obsessed lover throughout the night. He was constantly gushing over her in a way that every other person at the table noticed, and Aldo didn't seem to take that well. “Hold on!” Liana called out just as they were about to step outside the building. She handed Liya a little box. “Xavier asked me to give this to you.”Liya looked up at Aldo just in time to see his hands turn into fists. “Thank you so much,” Liya said, and Liana hugged her again. “I love your brac
Desperate Measures CHAPTER 35: Sent to Kill
Liya felt herself being dragged to a corner. She was about to scream when she saw that it was Aldo who had grabbed her to stay behind him. “What do you think you are doing?” he asked the man who had pointed the gun at Liya.“My boss asked me to end her,” the man said, and Aldo couldn’t help but let out a sad laugh. “Is she the new target?” he asked, and the assassin frowned, cocking his head to the side. “Your boss couldn’t face me, and he sent you to kill her? The weaker person?”Liya wanted to argue that she wasn’t weak. But then, she knew not to speak. There was no way she would have gotten rid of the assassin. If Aldo weren’t there, she would have been lying on the floor in her pool of blood. “He just asked me to get rid of her. And that is what I’m going to do.”The assassin cocked the gun again and within the blink of an eye, the gun was in Aldo’s hands. Liya had no idea how he did it. Aldo didn’t even give the man a chance to react before he pulled the trigger. They heard th
Desperate Measures CHAPTER 34: Dangerous Party
Liya plastered a smile on her lips as she walked through the crowd of people with Aldo’s hands firmly around her waist the whole time. It was almost as if he was never going to let her go, and she knew exactly what it looked like to the people who were staring. They were the perfect couple. He was the man who would always protect his wife. And of course, she was the trophy wife at least. “If it isn’t Mr. Aldo Marino,” someone called out, and Aldo turned in that direction with a bigger smile on his face. “Xavier Sinclair,” he said so smoothly, that Liya already knew that they had something more than just business. The man with well-gelled hair and sharp features walked over to both of them. He had charming blue eyes, and he never seemed to take his eyes off Liya. He looked at her from head to toe, and she felt small in her dress. Aldo noticed how uncomfortable she was getting, and he pulled her slightly behind him, with his hand never leaving hers. He cleared his throat. A sign for
Desperate Measures CHAPTER 33: Trying
Aldo stood downstairs, with his hands behind his back. After that little talk with Aria, taking Liya to a party just for her to unwind was the only thing he could think of. His mind was clouded as well. They both needed to socialize. So it was a good idea for them. He wanted to plan a dinner date with her, but he knew that she wasn't going to be comfortable sitting alone with him at a table, so the party was his best option at that point. There was going to be a party and then a little dinner afterwards. It would give him a chance to teach her as well. It was going to be a win-win for both of them. He wondered why she was taking so long. Maybe she didn't want to go join him for the party, but he was prepared to head upstairs and dress her up himself if that was what it took. He was ready to carry her over his shoulders and take her to the party. It was going to be awkward between both of them, but he didn't care. It wasn't like he was going to outrightly apologize to her. Another t
Desperate Measures CHAPTER 32: Finding Trust
“Maybe she is worthy of being trusted,” Melinda said, looking up at Aldo as he went through his files. He was tired of keeping things to himself and she seemed like the only person he could talk to at that point. The only thing he could do was hope that Melinda wasn't going to be one of the next people to betray him. That would mean everyone around him was a snake. He knew it would somehow affect his empire so moving forward he had to be careful.“I don't know anymore,” he said, going through all the routes that she had changed. He was going through the new passwords. After Liya had given the passwords away, he felt the need to change them again. “She was just scared, trying to save her brother. You might have done the same thing if Aria was in trouble.”Aldo paused, looking up at her and she apologized immediately. “It's fine,” he said stiffly. He might have done the same thing if it was Aria but the case was different here. Liya was constantly trying to be independent. She didn't
Desperate Measures CHAPTER 31: Opened Eyes
Liya waited for Aldo to tell her to continue walking away, but he didn't. He grabbed her hand instead and pushed her back into the car. He was mad at her, and she knew that much. It was mostly her fault and she couldn't even blame him. He got into his side and drove so fast like he couldn't wait to be out of the same car with her. It hurt her because things were finally starting to make sense between both of them and she had ruined things with one text. Even in her head, she was starting to compare herself with Franco. The one thing she didn't think she’d ever do. But it was the truth. She had betrayed Aldo as well. Giving the same information that Franco had given. Aldo parked the car in the garage and got out without her. She watched him as he walked out of the garage, and into the mansion. Liya couldn't bring herself to come out of the car. She sat there and allowed the tears to flow. She bent her head to her chest and cried even more. She reached into her purse, bringing out her
Desperate Measures CHAPTER 30: No Trust
The door to the warehouse slammed shut, but Aldo didn’t seem to care as he started the car. Liya felt pale. She could feel her throat contract from time to time, but she didn’t even have anything to come up her throat, which she was thankful for. She didn’t want to throw up in the car and annoy Aldo more. He drove off, barely looking at her and she couldn’t bring herself to say anything either. She had chosen Aldo back there, and it should have been enough for him. But obviously, it wasn’t enough for him. He suddenly turned to her. “Why did you choose the note?” It wasn't the question that she expected him to ask, but she was willing to answer him because she knew why. “I just couldn't pull the trigger.” The words were barely out of her mouth when he interrupted her. “I knew you couldn't,” he said, slamming his hand against the wheel, making her flinch. She bit her lower lip so hard she was sure it would bleed if she added any more pressure. Aldo grabbed the steering wheel until
Desperate Measures CHAPTER 29: Test of Loyalty
Liya couldn’t hold back her tears as she ran back to her room. She was thankful that there were none of the maids or guards present in the hallways.As soon as she shut the door, she allowed the tears to flow freely as she sank to the floor. Aldo was betrayed barely twenty-four hours ago, and she had just done the same thing. How could she be so stupid?What if it was just a test from Damian? She wished that she didn't have to face Aldo ever again but she knew that it was going to be impossible. They practically lived in the same house. She was Mrs. Marino. Aldo’s fucking wife. What kind of wife betrayed her husband?She pushed the thought out of her head. She buried her face in her knees as she sobbed. She didn’t even know when she fell asleep on the floor. As she woke up the next morning, Liya hurried to the bathroom. She could barely see clearly as she stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn't recognize the woman that stared back at her. Her eyes were swollen, and her cheeks
