Chapter 2.
A fleeting desire was Imprinted in his thoughts, like shadows on the wall. He tore his gaze away from her already-drenched body as he tried to decipher the dangerous desire to order for her and pounce on her like he does to every other lady, but there was something about her that had his eyes zooming off to her direction, again and again. For a start, she was typically the opposite of the women he dealt with in bed. He loved red-haired ladies, ones that carried heavy natural elements, clearly, she was not the kind of woman that piqued his interest. She was a Blondy with pale white skin, slim on the upper part and thicker on the lower part. She had a thin waist that accentuated the curve of her hips and that suddenly left him desiring the sight that lay underneath her clothes. What would it feel to have her hips thrusting against his? Drystan swallowed hard. He felt a slithering heat streaming down his chest. With the air condition in perfect shape, his skin was sweaty and his muscles were jumping in need of this stranger. For some minutes and more, he thought that this feeling was only sexual, till he saw her being deprived of a space to shield her already drenched body in. His brows frowned, subconsciously and a muscle in his jaws tightened as rage rasped through him. Weird. He had never cared a tiny bit about whatever hurdles a person was going through. But this time, he wanted to walk down there and rip the heart of whoever had the right to deprive her of the space he could buy at just the snap of his finger. With her, he felt a need to protect, to shield. The typical opposite of the things he derived pleasure in. Weird. He derived pleasure in killing, ruining, and inflicting pain on people regardless of their gender, but seeing this innocent human, quivering under the rain, while her doe eyes scanned helplessly around, in search of security, he suddenly desired to protect, to shelter, and to salivate. Again it was really weird — that he could not take his eyes away from her direction no matter how hard he tried. The desire to protect was the forbidden hitch that only ever arose when it necessitated his sister. The last subsist of peace his deteriorating father left him, alongside inherited enemies, that he had subsequently killed, in return for peace, justice, and redemption. “Get me an umbrella.” His voice was low, yet hard enough to command. He never yelled. He didn't need to yell to be heard, or feared. One of the men In the back seat of the Limousin pulled an umbrella from the side and handed it over to Drystan who was in the middle seat, then bowed. He took the umbrella, and without further communication, he dropped down from the car, gesturing towards the lady. A feeling of bewilderment clogged the air, and the men exchanged glares. He never opened the car by himself. He gave orders, and if ever there was an intervention of seconds before carrying out the order, then the person in question would consider kissing their life goodbye or watching their legs being chopped off and fed to them. Hurriedly, the men dropped down from the car, attempting to follow him. “Stay back.” His deep voice sliced through the air, his clear and stern order, pinning them in point. Even with the heavily pouring rain, they heard his voice loud. They made a gentle bow and watched as he walked through the rain with the umbrella to his head. As Drystan approached her from behind, her perfume clogged the walls of his nostril, basking in the scent of her perfume, which seemed to reek stronger than the scent of the rain. ************ Rosealba sat on a stool in the wet kitchen at her best friend's house. Her elbow rested on the counter while she buried the sides of her cheeks into her palm, staring at the umbrella that she had gotten from the stranger, some days back. Like a knight in shining armor, he appeared from nowhere shielding her body from the rain, and her soul from worry. Subconsciously, her cheeks stretched out as she recalled how hot he looked. His hands were the first thing she saw, the moment she noticed an umbrella to her head. Rosealba could not deny the heat that trickled down her body when her eyes met with the perfect shade of emerald, jade eyes, with volume lashes that outlined the lines of his eyes. His Greek nose, and the movement his hard-angled brows made when she got lost in the world of his eyes. For a moment, Rosealba felt protected, by the calloused hand of this stranger that held the umbrella above her head. He was 6’4 feet tall, and she was? She was 5’7 feet tall. The average height of every lady, yet she felt short and tiny standing close to him. His muscle was stifled and calused and his clothes hugged tightly to them, accentuating every sculpture that lay underneath his clothes. He looked down to earth intimidating than any human ever looked in black Zara pants and, a black button-down shirt with a rolled-up sleeve. As her eyes ran around his tattooed arm, a feeling of warmth gathered below her stomach and she felt that tiny bit of rippling sparkles that she only ever experienced when reading a book. Rosealba swallowed, forcing her eyes back to his face, but there was just something about the style of his hair. A medium mullet, that left her gulping subconsciously. Her fingers would do a great job on them. Certainly. “With the amount of times, you have blushed today, I could make a red dress from the redness in your cheek.” Rosealba chuckled at Lina’s joke that pulled her out of her trance. She adjusted her butts on the stool. The sides of her cheeks are still buried In her palm. “So you mean that jerk boyfriend of yours left you at the airport after 3 hours of getting a breakdown with your miserable car?” Rosealba exhaled a breath into the air, letting her shoulder slump in defeat. Countlessly, Lina had warned her against, Lowell. Saying that he didn't love her as much as a normal boyfriend should love his girlfriend. For Rosealba, loving didn't have to be all choking, as long as they knew it in their hearts, then it was fine. “Pass me the towel.” Lina nudged and Rosealba did as asked, watching Lina as she made her endless rant about Lowell, while cleaning the kitchen counter for the hundred and one times since she started making a mocktail. Lina had a knack for cleaning her house, twice in each second of the day. It was a thing Rosealba had come to learn from her friend. Something she didn't do back then in Poland with her family. However, Lina also had a bad habit of always requesting something a mere inch from her. In this friendship, Lina was the outspoken one. She could talk from morning as long as the conversation was worth it, and Rosealba did well to listen. “Your umbrella is beautiful.” Lina commended, giving the umbrella one last glare before handling the glass of mocktail to Rosalba. “Thank you. It was given to me by the stranger I told you about. “I almost forgot. Tell me about him.” Lina took a seat opposite Rosealba, her interest piqued. A grin spread across Rosealba’s lips as she recalled his lips and how tempting they had looked, but the thoughts of her boyfriend were all it took to snap the thoughts out of her head. “He is just a stranger, and besides I have a boyfriend.” Lina paused on her drink, then chuckled. A very sarcastic chuckle. “You still care about him?” “Of course. I mean he has not done anything wrong, right.” it was a habit of Rosealba to justify Lowel’s actions, saying that he was busy. Lina stared back at Rosesbla, dumbfounded to hear that being stood up for 3 hours was not a problem. “Well, he is your boyfriend, and who knows…” Lina shrugged burying the remaining words at the bottom of her throat. For some minutes more, Rosealba enjoyed the conversation with her friend who was gisting her endlessly, about a media sight she was working on, the improvement, and how draining it could be as well. For Rosealba, talking was a problem for her. She enjoyed listening and only ever spoke when there was a tangible reason for it. All of these were factors that contributed to being self-employed. In the neighborhood of Rome, Rosealba had a store in Prati, where she sold flowers. A quiet neighborhood that seems to match her personality. She had a work that complemented her personality. A writer. Lost in this mind-blowing conversation with Lina that has switched up to 4 topics in a sitting. Rosealba suddenly felt the presence of another. When she raised her gaze to meet him. She recalled him. A pair of jade eyes and adroit fingers held an umbrella to her head, not just shielding her from the rain, but from the ruthlessness of life. She recalled him, only that this time, he was in her best friend's house. With a pair of black pants that settled below the band of his brief. His clothed body from the other day was naked to her hungry eyes, revealing to her everything her desiring eyes and hands, yearned to see and feel.Chapter 176.The room was quiet. Dimly lit, heavy with silence. The candles burned low, their flames soft and slow, casting long shadows across the velvet carpet. Stephanie sat still, her back straight against the high-backed chair. One hand rested on the table, the other curled around an empty glass. Her face was calm, expression unreadable, as if she were waiting for something.Then came the knock.One, two—measured and cautious.She didn’t speak. Just tilted her chin.The door opened with a soft creak. A man stepped in. Dressed in black, dirt on his boots, blood crusting one side of his shirt. His face looked pale. Eyes hollow. He walked with a slight limp.He stopped a few steps in and bowed low, his head bent deep—not just in respect, but in pain. He looked like someone who had seen too much.“My lady,” he murmured.Stephanie didn’t move. “Speak.”He swallowed. His jaw tensed. His lips parted, but no words came out. He hesitated.Her eyes narrowed, slow and sharp. No words. Just
Chapter 175.“Oh My Goodness…” Rosealba let out a heavy exhale, falling into the bed the moment she got into the room. Arms spread apart, eyes lodged against the ceiling.She didn’t just drop—she surrendered. Every muscle gave in, soft and boneless, her skin still humming from the aftermath of him. The ceiling above blurred slightly, not because she couldn’t see clearly, but because she was still floating somewhere between ecstasy and disbelief.Drystan’s lips curled into a low smile, hands moving against his button as he undid it.“Is someone wrecked?”The teasing in his tone danced lazily in the air, but his eyes… oh, his eyes watched her like she was the last breath he’d ever take.Rosealba blinked back, her cheeks burning from the image of herself and Drystan at that office.The desk. The glass walls. The way he had owned every inch of her.“Wrecked?” Her lips twitched sideways into a scoff.“If there is a word far heavier than that then I suggest you go for it.”She wasn’t joking
Chapter 174. Rosealba’s body trembled in his arms, still clenching around nothing as his fingers eased their pace. She sagged against him, eyes glazed, lips parted. “Drystan…” she whispered, still breathless. “I can’t—I just came, I—” Drystan’s lips curled into a slow predatory smile. “You think I’m finished with you?” he growled softly, voice soaked in hunger. “Oh sunshine. I am not even an inch close to starting with you. Seconds ago I had touched you….” He pulled back slightly, just enough to look down at the mess between her thighs. He licked his lips—slow and deliberate. “Now I get to taste it.” Roselba's heart thundered, taste her? Here? In this office. What if the man walked in unannounced. “Wait—” she gasped, but she was already being lifted. In one smooth motion, he gripped her by the waist and hoisted her onto the desk before her. Her dress bunched up around her hips as he shoved her legs open, spreading her wide without a hint of hesitation. Her breath hitched.
Chapter 173.“I will leave you two,” Mr. Leo said with a respectful bow, retreating from the room.They both gave a small nod, watching him disappear through the glass doors.Silence settled, thick and warm like the air before a storm.Drystan turned to Rosealba, his gaze sinking into her like the weight of unspoken thoughts. She looked unsettled—was it nerves? Shyness? Doubt?He couldn’t quite tell. But whatever it was, it made his chest stir.He turned fully toward her, voice low and warm.“I didn’t get to buy you a gift when you hit seventy thousand readers. So… I’m celebrating this one. Happy hundred thousand readership, Sunshine.”Rosealba blinked up at him.She scoffed softly—half in disbelief, half in awe.Readership milestones were celebrated with cake, dinner, a bouquet of flowers…But this man, her man, had celebrated hers with an airline.What would he give her when she hit a million? The moon?She looked away. Her chest swelled with a mixture of happiness and something els
Chapter 172. The hum of quiet activity surrounded them as Mr. Leo led them through the sleek, polished halls of the private airline’s headquarters. The place practically gleamed with luxury—every inch of it designed with the finest materials and attention to detail. They passed the VIP lounge, the soft murmur of business deals and quiet laughter filling the air. It was a place where the world’s elite would come to rest before their next flight, sipping champagne in velvet chairs, their every need catered to.“Over here, Miss Rosealba, you’ll see the VIP lounge,” Mr. Leo said, motioning toward the wide, open space. The velvet seats and marble floors reflected the rich, soft lighting. “Only the highest profile clients ever make use of this area. It’s exclusive to those who fly privately with us.”Rosealba’s heart thudded in her chest as she took it all in. The hangars, large enough to house multiple jets, were immaculate, the glass walls offering a clear view of the private aircrafts p
Chapter 171. Rosealba stepped out through the glass doors of her office building, her heels clicking with calm, quiet grace. Her face was collected, every step smooth and elegant—until her eyes landed on him.Drystan.Clad in black pants and a black t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he looked like perfection himself. The kind of man who made time slow down. He leaned against his black car like he was part of it—powerful, dark, untouchable. A long coat hung lazily over his arm. Sunglasses shaded his eyes, but not the energy coming off him.He looked like the kind of trouble no one could walk away from.The moment she saw him, her heart flipped in her chest. Her breath caught. Every serious thought from a moment ago vanished, erased like it had never mattered. All that was left was love. Warmth. Him.Her lips stretched into a wide smile—soft, helpless, happy—and she broke into a run.“Drystan…” she called, light and breathless.His smile was instant. He opened his arms wide like he’d
Chapter 170. Drystan stepped into the room with a tray in one hand—warm food, fresh juice, and a folded napkin. His black pant hung low on his hips. His chest was bare, still damp from the shower he’d taken in the next room. Water clung to his skin, trickling past the curve of his collarbone, down to the sharp lines of his abdomen. The scent of his body wash—clean, woodsy, masculine—still lingered in the air.He had scrubbed himself hard. Until every trace of Lowel’s blood was gone. He didn’t want to bring that filth near her.Near his queen. His Rosealba.He set the tray gently on the small table by the window, then turned back to the bed.His queen. His heart beat. She was there, curled up beneath the duvet, soft and small in one of his t-shirts. It swallowed her frame, making her look even more delicate. Her hair—a golden mess of strands—spilled over the pillow. Her lashes rested peacefully against her cheeks. She was fast asleep. Breathing slow. Safe.Drystan walked to her sid
Chapter 169.Drystan took a step closer. His mind went back to the voltage he had asked for on the CCTV cameras.The sight of Lowel gripping Rosealba’s neck to the wall spiked his blood. But the image of Lowel groping her boobs played in his mind over and over again, sending a wave of anger through his body. Not that he was allowed to hurt her or do any but damn! Rage. Anger. Hunger. Everything twisted inside him.It wasn’t just fury—it was a sickness. A poison blooming in his veins, tightening his chest with every breath. His jaw clenched so hard he could feel it creak. The burn behind his eyes deepened. His vision pulsed.He grabbed Lowel’s wrist. Without a word, he lifted a knife and shoved it into Lowel’s hand, pinning it to the desk with a force that vibrated through the wood.A loud, agonizing wail ripped through Lowel’s throat, piercing the room like glass shattering.Drystan stepped back, feeling the blood splatter across his clothes. Warm, fresh, and satisfying. The spray pa
Chapter 168. The dungeon breathed darkness.It wasn’t just a room—it was a graveyard of screams. Stone walls lined with faint traces of dried blood, shadows clawing at corners where the light refused to reach. The air was heavy. Too still. Too thick. It smelled like metal and fear. Chains rattled faintly in the distance. A single bulb swung from the ceiling, casting an eerie, lazy light over the broken man slumped against the far wall.Lowel.His head tilted to the left, blood crusted near his temple. His wrists were tied, skin torn and raw from struggle. His breaths were shallow, uneven—like each one hurt a little more than the last.Then… the sound of bare footsteps.Calm.Measured.Unhurried.Drystan stepped into the dungeon—shirtless, wearing nothing but black pánto slung low on his waist. His skin was sculpted, marked with tiny scars, silent reminders of wars fought in shadows. His presence shifted the air. Dark. Dominant. Dangerous.He walked slowly, eyes fixed on the man befor