Mag-log inDon Falcon’s office occupied the highest floor of the mansion, overlooking a stretch of city that seemed small beneath the vast glass windows. But that morning, no one in the room dared appreciate the view. The air felt heavy, dense with pressure that came entirely from the man seated behind the gle
“Not if it’s treated immediately.” The doctor looked at Cale calmly. “But she needs complete rest. No stress, no fear, and she must not be left alone.”Lydia raised a brow. “That last part sounds important.”Dr. Weber took out fever medication and wrote an additional prescription. “I’ll give her an
The hotel room door flew open harder than usual. Fast footsteps entered the main suite, followed by a rush of cold air from the hallway before the door could close again.Cale came in first, still wearing the same suit he had left in that morning. His face was unreadable, but the tight line of his j
“Like what?”“Being… warm to strangers.”Lydia chewed slowly before answering. “No. I’m selective.”“Then why me?”“I don’t know,” Lydia said lightly. “Maybe fate?”That answer left Naomi quiet.To shift the mood, Lydia began talking about small, ordinary things. About a woman named Althea who, in h
Morning crept slowly into the hotel suite, still wrapped in silence. The heavy curtains had not been fully opened, leaving only pale lines of light stretched across the floor. In the guest room, Naomi woke with ragged breaths, her body drenched in cold sweat. Her hands clutched the sheets tightly, a
Morning arrived in Berlin beneath a pale sky, the air still carrying the last bite of the night’s cold. On the upper floor of Brandon’s modern office tower, the main conference room had been prepared an hour earlier. A long wooden table was lined with final documents, the presentation screen already
Oscar looked away.“Say it before I lose my patience,” Cale said with a faint smile. “You know this place well, don’t you? There’s no way out.”Oscar growled in frustration; his glare fixed on Cale. His eyes flicked around the room—not just now, but as they had ever since he’d been brought here. Thi
“Exactly,” Riana replied. “Which means there’s another objective.”Nathan gazed out at the garden. “Do you think they want control?”“And recognition,” Riana added. “Recognition that’s being forced.”Nathan fell silent for a moment—not because he didn’t understand where the conversation was going, b
Elsewhere in the city, Cale was moving in the opposite direction—toward a place he used to frequent. He drove himself, hands steady on the wheel, eyes focused through the traffic ahead. His phone vibrated on the center console. Erick’s name lit up the screen.“What is it?” Cale asked bluntly as soon
“Mrs. Riana is in the back garden, sir.”He headed toward the back garden. There, Riana sat on a wooden bench, a cup of tea in her hand. The fading light brushed gently across her face, making the lines of her serenity stand out.“The children have gone to rest?” Riana asked without turning.“They h







