ANMELDENAlexander Knight turned and walked toward me.
His pace was steady, his presence filling the small room with a suffocating, aristocratic authority.The wall lamp cast sharp shadows across his face, making his molten eyes look even more predatory."What do you think?"His voice was a low, vibrating rasp.He walked to the cabinet, pulled open a drawer, and took out a medical absorbent pad.He smoothed it over the center of the bed with a slow, deliberate motion.Elena caught a glimpse of his reflection in the chrome of the handlebars as they hit a bump—his ears were a deep, burning crimson. The discovery sent a jolt of electricity straight to her heart. The city’s most notorious troublemaker was actually blushing? Her fingers, which had been white-knuckled against the hem of his shirt, loosened their grip slightly, but she didn't let go. If anything, she pressed closer. The bike finally rumbled to a halt at the mouth of a secluded alleyway near the Voss estate. The engine cut out, and the silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the dripping of rain from the eaves. The wet pavement shimmered under the hazy amber glow of the streetlights. Luke propped the bike up with one leg, keeping his body steady. Elena’s slender fingers were still tangled in the fabric of his soaked shirt, her knuckles brushing against the heat of his lower back. "We are here." His voice was raspy, almost a growl.
The first time the youngest of the Cole family was dragged to the Knight estate, his grandfather claimed it was to pay respects to an old ally. In reality, the old man wanted him to learn a thing or two from Alexander Knight—the golden boy, the perfect heir. Luke found it suffocating. While the adults traded pleasantries and business secrets, he slipped away to the back gardens, seeking refuge near the sprawling koi pond. That was when he saw her. A little girl crouched by the water's edge. She wore an exquisite white lace dress, her hair styled in a perfect, innocent bob. From behind, she looked tiny and fragile. Her shoulders were shaking with silent sobs. "Hey, kid. What are you crying for?" Seven-year-old Luke already had the aura of a troublemaker. His tone was far from friendly. The girl gasped, spinning around in terror. Her eyes were swimming with tears, her nose tipped with pink. She looked like a precious porcelai
Outside the bridal suite, the corridor felt like a scene from a historical epic.Alexander Knight stood tall before the heavy oak doors.He wore a traditional Ming Dynasty robe in deep crimson, the silk shimmering with gold-embroidered dragons that seemed to coil from his shoulders to the hem.The black official’s hat sat low on his brow, accentuating the cold, lethal edge of his features.He looked every bit the powerful, heartless minister from a classic painting.Luke Cole leaned against the wall, checking his watch with a smirk."Alright, Alex. This is the real test."Vance Sterling was already cracking his knuckles, practically vibrating with energy."Boys, prepare for the breach!"Soren Crane adjusted his glasses, his tone as clinical as if he were reading a lab report."Statistical analysis suggests that in these door-blocking rituals, the thickness of the cash bribes is directly proportional to the s
Thirty minutes later. I was in bed, desperately counting sheep, when a rhythmic tapping against the glass balcony door shattered the silence. My heart skipped a beat. I padded across the room barefoot and yanked back the heavy curtains. Under the cold pour of the moonlight, Alexander Knight stood on the balcony. He looked devastatingly sharp even in a simple white dress shirt and black trousers, his silhouette cutting a lethal figure against the night sky. "What are you doing here?" I cracked the door open, my voice a hushed, breathless whisper. The night breeze rushed in, thick with the scent of late-blooming jasmine and the metallic tang of the coming rain. "Weren't we supposed to stay apart tonight? Tradition, remember?" Alexander didn't say a word. He stepped into the room, bringing the chill of the night with him, though his eyes were burning hot enough to melt lead. "Tradition is for the dead." He didn't hesitate
Clara was the first to pounce, snatching the invitation and flipping it open with an excited shriek that echoed through the studio."Let me see! Let me see! Oh my god, the date is set! Lisa! How did you guys keep this a secret for so long?"I smiled, taking the card back."What secret? You are the first ones I am telling. You are family, after all."Song Sheng picked up another one, her eyes tracing the elegant handwriting on the envelope. She raised an eyebrow and smirked."Is this Alexander's personal handiwork?"My ears felt a bit warm as I nodded."He said invitations should be written by hand. He wanted it to be sincere."Elena looked at our names side by side on the card, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She stepped forward and gave me a gentle, lingering hug."Lisa, congratulations. I am so happy for you."I hugged her back, my voice softening."I need you to be my bridesmaid, Elena."Clara immediately raised her han
A sudden heat rushed to my core, my body understanding his intent instantly. I decided to play along, a playful glint in my eyes."And what exactly does Professor Knight have in mind? Watching the rain?""I would rather watch you."Alexander unbuckled his seatbelt with a sharp, metallic click that sounded like a starting pistol in the silence.The next second, he hit the lever to flatten the passenger seat.He moved with the grace of a predator, pulling me over the center console and into his lap.The interior was tight, pressurized, and perfect for starting a fire."Alexander... wait—""Call me Alex,"he growled against the sensitive shell of my ear, his hot breath making me shiver."I want to hear you scream my real name. Right here. In this car."He didn't wait for an answer. His mouth crashed onto mine, tasting of expensive scotch and suppressed longing.One hand tangled into my hair, tilting my head back to expose the
Alexander raised an eyebrow, his gaze catching on my whitened knuckles."Afraid he'll see?"His voice was low, carrying the casual scrutiny of a man who held all the cards."Since when did Assistant Lisa lose her taste for trouble?"I couldn't let Ethan discover us. Not now.
I slipped into the driver's seat but didn't fire the engine right away. I leaned back wearily against the seat, picking unconsciously at the steering wheel. Five million dollars sat quietly in my account, and the ashen, defeated faces of the three White family members still lingered viv
Dawn was breaking when I was jolted awake by my phone buzzing insistently on the nightstand.I pried my eyes open to find the screen flooded with notifications—over ninety-nine missed calls and messages.Icons for Marcus White, Elaine White, and Chloe White flashed relentlessly, t
The night wind turned cold, rippling the moon's reflection on the lake. My heart plummeted. Gerald Knight! How had he gotten here? My plan hadn't included a head-on confrontation with the ultimate authority of the Knight family so early—certainly not during what I considered t







