ANMELDENRachel’s heels echoed sharply on the marble floor as she stormed down the corridor leading to Dominic’s office. Each step was punctuated with a mixture of pain and fury, the throbbing in her ankle barely registering in comparison to the storm raging inside her. Her fists clenched at her sides as she reached the door, flinging it open without hesitation.Dominic looked up from his desk, his expression calm, almost indifferent, as though he had expected this intrusion. “Rachel, what are you doing here?” he said smoothly, his voice controlled. She didn’t answer. She didn’t hesitate. The moment she stepped into the office, she launched into a tirade. “How could you? How could you do this to me, Dominic? After everything, after last night, after the trust I placed in you—you orchestrate a heist and don’t even bother to tell me? Do you have any idea how it feels to watch you steal the one thing we’ve sworn to protect, the one thing I trusted you with?”Dominic leaned back slightly, his
The persistent ring on the nightstand jerked Rachel awake, and she squinted at the screen, recognizing the number immediately. It was Williams. He never called at this moment unless there was a problem. “Mrs. Morello,” he said, his voice tense. “I need to inform you immediately. The vault… it’s been accessed.”Rachel’s fingers tightened around the phone. “What do you mean, accessed?”“We’re certain someone got in last night. Security footage shows nothing unusual—no breaches, no alarms triggered. Whoever it was, tampered with the cameras.” Williams explained, his words stumbling slightly over the impossibility of the situation.Rachel sat up abruptly, the sudden movement sending a sharp pain through her twisted ankle. She winced but ignored it, clutching the edge of the bed for support. “What about the diamond?” she demanded.There was a pause on the other end. “It's missing,” Williams admitted quietly. “We have no leads or footage. Nothing.”Rachel’s chest tightened, a surge of p
Dominic’s words settled over the quiet corner of the ballroom like a blade drawn slowly from its sheath. The tension that followed was immediate and suffocating, stretching between the three of them while the distant murmur of the gala continued as though nothing significant had just occurred.Rachel had barely recovered from the shock of hearing his voice when Dominic stepped forward.His eyes moved briefly over Bryce before settling on her.“Rachel.”The single word carried a weight she couldn’t immediately interpret.Before she could respond, Dominic reached for her hand and pulled her toward his side in one swift motion, his fingers closing firmly around her wrist as if reclaiming something that had momentarily slipped out of his reach.Rachel gasped.The sudden movement forced her injured foot to shift against the floor and Pain exploded through her ankle so sharply that she cried out.“Ah—!”The sound escaped her before she could stop it.Dominic froze instantly. His grip tight
Bryce studied her face carefully as the lights settled back into their steady glow. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.Rachel blinked, still adjusting to the sudden brightness after the long stretch of darkness. Her heart was racing, and the pain in her ankle pulsed sharply with every shift of weight. She forced herself to nod. “I’m fine,” she murmured.His hand was still wrapped firmly around her arm, steadying her. Rachel gently removed his grip from her sleeve, trying to regain some control over the situation that suddenly felt far too exposed.“I can stand,” she said, attempting a small step forward.The moment her injured foot touched the floor, pain shot through her ankle like a blade and Rachel gasped softly as her balance faltered and her body tipped sideways.Before she could fall, Bryce caught her again. His arm wrapped around her waist with quick reflexes, holding her upright as her weight collapsed against him.“You’re not fine,” he said firmly.“I am,” Rachel insisted, th
Darkness swallowed the ballroom. The music had stopped mid-note, leaving only scattered gasps and the sound of glasses clinking against the floor.For a moment, no one moved. Rachel tightened her grip on Dominic’s hand instinctively, but the warmth disappeared,Dominic pulled away abruptly.“Dominic?” Rachel whispered. She reached forward through the darkness, but her fingers closed around nothing but air.The crowd shifted uneasily as confused voices echoed around the hall.“What happened?”“Is it a blackout?”“Someone call security!”Rachel tried to step forward as her heel clipped against someone’s shoe making her stumble.“Sorry,” she murmured quickly, reaching out for balance.“Dominic?” she called again, louder this time but there was no answer.Across the room, Dominic was already moving. His steps were precise and quick as he slipped between startled guests and confused staff members.The blackout had created chaos, exactly what he needed.A security guard’s flashlight flicker
The car slowed as it approached the wide entrance of Imperial Hall.Rachel noticed the glow of lights before the vehicle even stopped. Tall pillars framed the grand entrance, their marble surfaces reflecting the golden chandeliers hanging above the driveway.Luxury cars lined the curved path leading to the entrance, one after another, their polished bodies gleaming under the lights.The moment the car stopped, the driver stepped out quickly and opened Rachel’s door.A wave of noise hit them instantly. Cameras flashed and voices overlapped.“Mr. Morello!”“Over here!”“Mrs. Morello, look this way!”Paparazzi crowded behind the velvet barriers, cameras raised high as they captured every movement.Dominic stepped out first. He straightened his jacket automatically, his expression calm and unreadable despite the sudden chaos around them.Then he turned and offered Rachel his hand and she stepped out gracefully. The moment she appeared, the flashes intensified.“Mrs. Morello!”“Rachel, how







