LOGINThe moment the room fell into silence, Dominic's eyes locked completely on Smithfield, sharp and unmoving, while the men dressed in black spread carefully around the space with their weapons raised.“Release my wife,” Dominic said coldly. “And release Tony.”Smithfield’s expression did not change immediately. Then slowly, he laughed almost amused, which somehow made it worse.“You came all this way,” Smithfield said calmly, “just to make demands?”Dominic’s grip tightened around the gun. “This ends tonight.”Smithfield tilted his head slightly. “Does it?”Before anyone could react properly, Smithfield moved suddenly.His arm wrapped around Rachel’s waist and dragged her hard against his chest, pulling her back into him so quickly that even Rachel lost balance for a second.At the same time, a knife appeared in his other hand. The blade pressed directly against Rachel’s neck.The room froze instantly. Even the men in black stiffened. Nobody had seen the knife before now.Rachel inhaled
The sound of gunfire continued to shake the compound from a distance, sharp bursts echoing through the night while smoke slowly drifted past the broken edges of the estate. Every second that passed made the air heavier, more unstable and Smithfield knew it.Rachel noticed it in the way his jaw stayed tight and in the way his eyes kept moving. He was no longer calm. That alone told her Dominic was getting closer.“Move,” Smithfield ordered quietly.Rachel followed him without resistance, though her mind remained alert. She paid attention to every turn, every narrow path, every hidden entrance they passed. If she survived this, she needed to remember everything.Smithfield led her behind a section of collapsed stone walls near the edge of the estate where thick vines covered most of the structure. At first glance, it looked abandoned. Then he pushed part of the wall inward.A hidden door revealed itself. Rachel’s gaze sharpened slightly, but her expression remained normal.Smithfield m
Dominic stood just beyond the outer wall, his eyes fixed on the structure ahead, his grip steady on the gun in his hand. The men in black spread out around him, moving into position with silent coordination. No one spoke. “Positions set,” one of them said quietly through the comm.Dominic didn’t look away from the building. “We move now.”The first gunshot shattered the air. Then another followed, and another, until the silence of the compound collapsed into chaos. Guards scrambled, voices rose, and the sound of bullets striking metal and stone echoed through every corner of the estate.Inside, a guard rushed into Smithfield’s study without knocking. “Sir—”Smithfield turned sharply, irritation flashing across his face before it shifted into something more focused. “What is it?”“We’re surrounded,” the guard said quickly, his breathing uneven.Before Smithfield could respond, a series of gunshots rang out from outside, louder and closer than before. The windows trembled slightly wit
Rachel eyes opened, her body heavy in a way that didn’t feel like rest. She didn’t move, her mind suspended between sleep and awareness, until something pulled her fully into reality.Her eyes snapped open immediately. Bryce.nHis arm was wrapped tightly around her waist, his face buried slightly near her shoulder as if he had settled there comfortably during the night. The closeness felt suffocating, unwanted, and wrong in every possible way.Rachel reacted instantly. She shoved his arm off her with force, pushing herself away from him as she stood up from the bed in one sharp movement. The distance between them came quickly, but it didn’t feel like enough. Bryce stirred at the sudden movement, his eyes opening slowly as he adjusted to the light.He said nothing.Rachel didn’t look at him. Her eyes moved around the room instead, scanning the walls, the window she couldn’t open, the door that never stayed unlocked long enough. Anywhere but him.Bryce sat up slowly, watching her. “Ra
Rachel let out a soft laugh, one that carried no fear and no hesitation, only a calm certainty.Smithfield watched her closely as she tilted her head slightly, as though the request he had just made was not a test but a formality.“If that is what you need to prove I am loyal,” she said lightly, her voice steady, almost amused, “then so be it.”For a brief moment, even Bryce glanced at Smithfield, as though unsure whether to intervene, but Smithfield only folded his arms and observed her like a man watching a conclusion he had already predicted.The guard standing beside Rachel stiffened slightly, his posture alert now, sensing something dangerous in the ease of her tone.Rachel turned her head slowly toward him, her expression unreadable, then she reached for the gun being offered without shaking, without pause, as though it had always belonged in her hand.The weight of it settled against her palm, cold and familiar in a way that made the room feel even quieter.Smithfield’s voice c
The door opened with a soft mechanical click that broke the silence.Rachel did not turn immediately. She allowed her expression to settle into something neutral, something unreadable, before she finally shifted her gaze toward the entrance. Bryce stepped in slowly, like he had already rehearsed how this moment should look, how he should stand, how he should breathe, how he should exist in the same space as her without immediately exposing the tension underneath it.His eyes moved over her, first searching for cracks in whatever story Smithfield believed she had accepted.Rachel tilted her head slightly, just enough to appear curious rather than guarded.Bryce stopped a few steps away from her. “You’ve been quiet,” he said softly.Rachel let a faint breath escape her lips, controlled and deliberate. “There isn’t much to say,” she replied, her tone light enough to sound almost detached.Bryce studied her longer this time, his gaze sharpening as he stepped closer. “Smithfield said you
“What are you doing here bunny?” A masculine voice said from behind and Rachel turned out of instinct. She was not aware the person was right behind her and she lost balance and almost fell. Luckily, a hand caught her before she reached the ground. A strong male hand. Rachel opened her eyes, to se
Rachel turned instantly, only to see Jodie staring at her with a smirk. She was dressed in a short flay gown that clearly exposed her thighs and her cleavages. Rachel forced a smile, “oh? Hey Jodie, Do you need anything from me?” She asked, keeping her expression composed. Jodie scoffed, walking
Bryce crashed his lips against hers, and slid his arm on her waist dragging her closer to himself. Rachel tried to pull away, hitting his chest multiple times but his grip was stronger than hers. She shut her mouth, resisting the urge to melt into his arms. Smack! She gave Bryce a resounding slap
The next morning came in a blink and Rachel was already preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Just as she was about to serve the food on the dining table, the door opened.Evangeline walks into the kitchen, fury boiling in her chest. An unknown number had sent her a video clip of Rachel kissing Bryce







