LOGINThe sun dipped toward the horizon, bathing the small courtyard in a warm, amber glow.
With our flight scheduled for eight that evening, Alexander and I were getting ready to head to the airport.Sir Arthur stood at the gate, his rough, calloused palm landing on Alexander's shoulder with a firm clap."Alright, I know you young people have plenty on your plate—I won't keep you."He waved a hand, his voice still booming with authority."Alexander, drive carefully.Alexander didn't bother with an answer.To prove his theory, he suddenly swept me off my feet, carrying me bridal-style toward the master suite."Alexander! It's the middle of the day!"I kicked my legs in protest, but I was pinned firmly against his broad, solid chest."Daylight is better," he murmured, his voice a low vibration against my ribs.He kicked the bedroom door open and tossed me onto the plush, oversized mattress before pinning me down with the full, delicious weight of his body."I can see you more clearly this way.""Wait... Alexander..."I tried to protest, but he caught my lips in a bruising, hungry kiss that stole the very air from my lungs."Tell me first... what exactly...""After we're done."The afternoon sun blazed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, turning the air in the room thick and sweltering.He was more intense than usual—more desperate, more obsessed.His hands were everywhere, s
Alexander's fingers tightened."What's your name?"The girl winced as he gripped her wrist, tears welling in her eyes as she looked up."Lila Bennett."The name was a key, suddenly turning in a lock deep in his mind.A sharp ringing echoed in his skull.His vision blurred for a moment.Her?The so-called destined heroine Ethan had rambled about?His gaze went cold, sweeping over her face.Delicate features. Timid expression. A teardrop mole at the corner of her eye, making her look innocent and fragile."Sir, I'm so sorry. I'll pay for the dry cleaning..."Lila looked up at him with wide, panicked eyes. No threat. Just pitiful vulnerability.But Alexander's stomach churned with a visceral disgust.He pulled his hand away. Roughly.Lila stumbled, her elbow hitting the floor with a soft thud. She winced.She stared up at him, her expression shattered and confused.She couldn't understand why he wasn't
The kiss descended with a searing heat.It claimed every inch of me, from my lips down to my collarbone.I pushed against his chest, my breath hitching in my throat."Wait, we aren't finished. What happened with Ethan?"Alexander's movements faltered.The raw lust in his eyes ebbed slightly, replaced by a layer of cold, sharp disdain."Sent him away.""He's on a flight this Monday. I'm putting him at the bottom of the ladder in one of the overseas branches to see if he can actually cut it."He lowered his head, his nose brushing the side of my neck.He spoke with chilling indifference."It's up to him now. Whether he claws his way back up or rots over there, it's no longer my concern."I stayed silent for a moment, then gave a soft hum of agreement.That was the path Ethan Knight had carved for himself.I had no interest in wasting my sympathy on him.Alexander seemed to recall something.He pressed his foreh
Alexander frowned. Before he could even open his mouth, I peered out from behind him, my eyes tracing the man in the doorway."Luke," I said, my voice laced with amusement. "How much did you actually have to drink?"Luke's gaze flickered to me, his eyes looking even more bloodshot under the hallway lights."Not enough," he growled. "But enough to come here and settle the score with you two."He suddenly straightened his posture, jabbing a finger toward Alexander."You. For the sake of your precious little wife, you had me seduce your own fiancée."Then his finger swung toward me."And now Elena wants nothing to do with me. So, what are you two going to do about it?"Alexander's brow tightened, his voice dropping into a cold, dangerous register."Is that why you're trying to kick my door down?""What else was I supposed to do?"Luke let out a sharp, frustrated laugh."Weren't you the one who told me to break up the en
The light in the living room hit Elena like a slap the moment she pushed open the heavy front door of the Voss mansion.Shards of argument shattered the air.Edward Voss stood with veins bulging at his temples, jabbing a finger at Linda's face."Have you lost your mind? Undermining the Knights in front of the entire elite circles like that!""Now the engagement is dead, our reputation is in the gutter, and the Voss family is the laughingstock of everyone!"Linda's spine was ramrod straight. Her face was pale, a cold smile frozen on her lips."I am the crazy one? If you weren't so desperate to climb into bed with the Knights, so eager to sell your daughter for profit, would I have had to go this far?""Now you blame me? Brother, you didn't hesitate for a second when you agreed to trade Elena for leverage!"Elena's mother stood between them, tear tracks streaking her face, her voice shaking."Stop it... What good is fighting now?""We
Luke's fingers tightened around her wrist. A barely perceptible flinch.The dim overhead light inside the car carved sharp lines along his suddenly tense jaw.He stared at her. The usual cocky grin was gone. What remained was something darker, deeper."You know?"His voice dropped low, rough with the weight of an approaching storm."Since when?"Elena didn't look away. The faint smile on her lips wavered, but she held it in place."Luke, I'm not actually stupid.""All those wild nights the past two weeks. There was always something off underneath. Something I couldn't quite name.""You showed up too perfectly. The timing of your whole'rebel phase'was too convenient. I had my suspicions back then.""You got close to me because Alexander asked you to. To blow up the engagement. Right?"She wasn't naive. Growing up in the Voss family, she'd just learned to curl into herself. To survive.But that didn't mean she was blind.
A lingering gloom hung over the White Mansion.Since the scandal at Nebula Hotel and the ten million ransom, the White family had been severely weakened. Chloe White stayed home all day, her former arrogance gone.Winnie Carter’s visit felt like an unwelcome intrusion."Chloe
Ethan's head spun. A vein bulged at his temple.She dared to call him that?He instinctively took it as a vicious insult, payback for the things he'd hurled at her back at the cove."Lisa!"His voice came out as a low growl. His fists clenched tight at his sides.He wante
Marcus White slammed his fist on the table."Who do you think you are?!""Lisa White, stay in line."His voice dropped to a menacing growl."Without the Whites, you're nothing but dust."Elaine White's fingers trembled with rage.She pointed a shaking finger at me.
Friday morning, ten o'clock.Knight Group execs packed the top-floor conference room.Ethan Knight stepped in. His gaze locked on the figure by the projector screen.I wore a milky satin shirt tucked tight into a slim skirt that hugged my narrow waist, the fabric clinging to my back and tracing the







