INICIAR SESIÓNDamien’s POVI saw the commotion before I heard it.Three girls dressed like overpriced dolls pressed against the marble column, trembling.And in front of them… she was standing.Lola.Breathing hard, eyes sharp, anger still rolling off her like heat from a furnace.Her hair slightly mussed, dress hugging her like a second skin, chest rising and falling.I hadn’t expected that.Neither did I expect the tiny pull in my chest.She didn’t notice me until I spoke.“Exciting.”Her head snapped up.Her grip on the other girl’s hair loosened instantly, as if my voice flipped a switch inside her.The girl fell to the floor with a whimper.Lola straightened, shoulders squared, eyes defiant yet when I extended my hand, she walked towards me without hesitation.Her palm sliding into mine. Giving me a cold smile that didn't reach her eyes.“If you keep smiling like that, I fear your face would crack”.Her expression shifted as she tried to hide her disdain.I turned, guiding her away,
The rest of the day was strangely quiet.After the maids left, I finished my food alone. The house felt too big and silent, like it was holding its breath. I wandered around for a while, pacing in the long hallways, touching things I didn’t understand, trying not to think too much about why I was here.When the sky outside started to turn orange, my phone pinged.A message notification from an unknown number. I clicked on it but the user has no profile. Then the message content caught my eyes.“ I’ll be home late. Do not leave the estate.”Oh, it was him.That was it. No greeting, no explanation.Just an order disguised as an update.I dropped the phone on the bed and lay back, frustrated and restless. At some point I just rolled my eyes and sighed in frustration.---I jolted up to the sound of footsteps outside my door.Three knocks, firm and controlled.The door opened before I even answered.Two stylists walked in carrying garment bags, boxes, and a suitcase full of makeup produc
His threat echoed like poison in my head.Run twice, and I will enjoy the hunt.I gritted my teeth in anger and something in me exploded.“I hate you. I hate you so much, Damien.”It was the first time I’d ever said his name like that. Sharp, raw, and trembling.Forced to look directly into those spine-tingling eyes, my heart was hammering so violently it hurt. But backing down was no longer an option.“Hate?” he scoffed. “I’ve heard that so many times. What makes you think yours is special?”“As expected from a monster like you,” I shot back.For one second, one impossible second, something flickered in his eyes. Hurt? Anger? I couldn’t tell.But it vanished too fast to be real.His grip on me loosened, his aura dropping to a cold, bone-deep stillness.“Third floor. Fourth room on the left.”His voice wasn’t sharp. It was controlled and sounded almost scraped.Before I could blink, he was gone.The door slammed hard behind him, making me flinch.Did I… hit a nerve?Seems like it.I c
Rain poured harder, soaking through every layer of me until it felt like the sky was trying to drown me in its tears. My pulse thudded loudly in my ears when I saw him step out of the car. Tall and domineering.Damien Salvatore.Even his name scraped against my bones.He moved toward me with that same calm control that made everything else fade. I stumbled, shaking my head. “Don’t touch me!”His hand caught my wrist before I could take another step. The heat of his palm burning against my skin, steady and unyielding, like the world itself had chosen sides and I was sure it wasn’t mine.For a minute, I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. The rain slid down his face, dripping from his lashes, but his gaze didn't waver. There was something terrifyingly patient in them. Something that made me forget the cold entirely.I twisted in his hold, nails scraping uselessly against his arm, but he didn’t flinch. His grip only tightened, not cruelly, just enough to remind me that escape was a fantasy
Damien Salvatore. Just the name alone drained the color from my face. He was capable of anything. “Yes,” I blurted before I could stop myself. “Who is he, then?” Draven’s voice was calm, but it carried weight. One that pressed against my chest. That was when I snapped out of it. Draven was nothing but an ant in Damien’s world. He could be stepped on and crushed without a sound. If I told him, he would chase after vengeance, and I’d lose him too. I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay steady. “Uh… no, I don’t.” I avoided his eyes. “I thought you said yes.” His brows furrowed. “Lola, feel free to…” “I don’t know,” I cut in quickly, sharper this time. “If I did, I’d tell you.” He paused for a moment, studying me, then sighed. “Fine. Then I’ll get going.” He turned and walked out, leaving the air heavy behind him. I shut the door and slid down against it, my body hitting the cold tiles. The silence pressing into me. Mafia lives are always complicated. I
Lola’s POVBlood.A trail of it. Thin at first, then darker, thicker, leading toward the basement door.For a second, my eyes went blurry and the world around me tilted.“Dad?” My voice trembled again as I called out. It came out small and shaky, but was swallowed by the silence that pressed down from every corner of the house.No answer.I crouched down. The blood was fresh and I could still somehow smell it. That unmistakable metallic smell.I refused to believe this. But still, I could guess what was happening. He couldn’t have gone too far… even if someone had taken him.My stomach twisted. I staggered, following the trail until I reached the basement.That forbidden door.I could still hear his voice in my head — Don’t ever go down there, Lola. Promise me.He never told me why and he never had to. His tone was enough.The keypad blinked in a steady red rhythm. Locked. I tried anyway, my shaking fingers pressing random numbers. 2–0–9–7. 1–7–3–8.The red light blinked faster. The







