LOGINAva's POVI pulled back slowly, my steps shaky. I was unable to even look right at his face as soon as he asked the question. I was so afraid. Just when I thought he had made it through okay, he might have forgotten me. My heart felt like it was breaking all over again. The room spun a little. Tears burned my eyes. My legs felt weak. I took one small step back, my hands trembling at my sides."She's the nurse who's in charge of you," I turned sharply as soon as I heard James' voice behind me. His words cut through the heavy silence like a lifeline."You're awake," the nurse said, smiling real bright as she stepped closer. Her white uniform rustled softly. "That's wonderful. How are you feeling, Mr. Hong-Knight?"James cleared his throat and pulled her away gently by the arm. "Give them a minute, please," he whispered to her. "They really need this time." The moment they left the room, the door clicked shut softly, I turned to look up at him. My gaze fixed on his face. He looked at me
Ava's POVWe sat outside the hospital now, getting some fresh morning air. The sun had just risen, painting the sky in soft pink and orange colors. A gentle breeze brushed against my face and moved strands of my messy hair. James had filled me in on everything. My mind felt much clearer now, but heavier at the same time, like a stone sat on my chest."You're telling me that Julian might not remember us?" I said. My voice came out small and broken. I sat on the wooden bench beside James. The bench felt cool under my thin pyjamas. I still hoped he would reassure me that the worst would not happen. My fingers twisted together in my lap. They felt cold and shaky.James nodded slowly. He looked exhausted. Dark circles sat heavy under his eyes. His shoulders slumped forward. "He was drugged with an overdose," he said. He admitted it to himself too. His hands rested on his knees, fingers tapping nervously. "They found a large dose of the same drug Victor put on you—""Oh God!" I blurted out.
James' POV (Flashback — The Night of the Gold Gala)"Oh shit!" I cursed under my breath. My heart raced like a drum in my chest as I wondered why I agreed to this crazy plan in the first place. I had always put my life on the line for my boss, but tonight felt different, and a lot more dangerous. I held the pen tight in my hand. The cool metal pressed against my sweaty palm. I had just collected it from Ava. I moved fast now, sticking to the plan. My waiter uniform felt tight around my shoulders as I pushed through the busy crowd.I got backstage. Lights flashed from the main hall. I dropped my tray of drinks on a side table with a soft clink. Glasses shook but did not fall. I fixed my nose mask quickly. The fabric felt rough against my face. I pulled it tight.I spotted the second guy managing the sounds. He sat in a small booth with headphones around his neck. I walked straight to him. My shoes made soft sounds on the floor. I dropped a thick envelope of money right in front of hi
Ava's POVI dashed to the hospital that night. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. I called a cab with shaking fingers. The cold night air hit my face as I waited outside the house. I still wore my blue pyjamas. The soft fabric felt thin against the wind. My bare feet slipped into different shoes without socks. The cab arrived fast. I jumped in. “New Hope Medical Centre. Please hurry,” I said. My voice sounded desperate. The driver nodded and drove off. Street lights blurred past the window. My hands gripped the gold key tight. It felt warm now from my palm.I arrived at the hospital. Bright lights shone from the big building. I barged inside. The automatic doors opened with a whoosh. The smell of medicine and clean floors filled my nose. My pyjamas looked strange under the white lights but I did not care. I followed the little direction signs on the walls. Arrows pointed left and right. I turned corners fast. My shoes slapped the shiny floor. But I got lost. The hal
Ava's POVTwo days had passed. The night felt young but empty inside the big house. I still struggled to accept the fact that Julian was gone. My body moved like it belonged to someone else. Leon and Victor were out of the picture now. And there's no one was willing to help me. All my attempts to find him had ended in closed doors and cold words. I felt so alone.I stood under the hot shower. The water ran down my skin like warm tears that would not stop. Steam filled the bathroom and made the mirror foggy. I scrubbed my body slowly. The soap smelled of flowers but it brought no comfort. My hands shook as I washed my hair. “Julian,” I whispered to the water. “Where are you? Why won’t you come back to me?” The sound disappeared under the running water. I turned the tap off and stepped out. The cold air hit my wet skin and made me shiver hard. I dried myself with a soft towel. It felt rough against my tired body.I put on my full pyjamas. The trousers type with long sleeves. The soft bl
Ava's POVOne week had passed. Every single day felt heavy and slow. I had been struggling to enter the President’s mansion without a visitation pass. My legs ached from standing outside the tall gates for hours. Guards shook their heads every time. My voice grew hoarse from begging. “Please, just let me in for five minutes,” I had said again and again. My mind had not been at rest since that night at the dock. The cold wind from the sea still felt like it blew on my skin. The sound of Victor’s screams still rang in my ears. I was not going to leave no matter what.Just as I stood there again with tears drying on my cheeks, another man in a sharp suit came forward. He spoke quietly to the guards. They stepped aside. “Come with me,” he said. His voice sounded flat. I followed him inside. The cool air from the big halls touched my hot face. They put me on hold in a side room. I sat down on the chair. My body felt so weak and tired I thought I might faint. My head spun real fast. My sto
James’s POVClub Orion hit me like a fist the second I walked in. Bass pounded deep in my ribcage—low, relentless thumps that synced with my pulse whether I liked it or not. Red and purple lights slashed across the dance floor in sharp, dizzy streaks. Smoke hung thick in the air—pilled vodka, exp
Bella’s POVI sat at the dressing table. The mirror was cold under my fingertips. Morning sun sliced through the curtains and burned stripes across my face. I dipped the brush into loose powder. Dust rose like smoke. I dragged it over my cheeks—slow strokes. My hand shook a little. Not from nerves.
Julian’s POVThe sixty-sixth floor was really so high that the city looked like someone had scattered diamonds across black velvet and then walked away bored. Nothing down there moved fast enough to matter. Not the traffic, not the people, not even the clouds dragging their shadows over the rive
Leon’s POVThe door clicked shut behind the maid, and the apartment was finally quiet for some seconds. The air still carried the warm trace of her perfume and the faint scent of wine on her breath.My cock was still damn hard, and still wet from earlier. It was still heavy enough that each step ma







