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| 20 | Game of Secrets

Author: Laisha Gardner
last update Petsa ng paglalathala: 2025-07-28 01:00:00

I perch on the window seat of our assigned bedroom, eyes fixed on the door as I wait for Efrem's return. He left me here with Alek standing guard outside, his usual command to stay put still ringing in my ears. This time though, I have no intention of testing the waters. I will obey.

Things are different here.

One thing is clear: we're not the only guests invited. I overheard Deonta'e telling a guard that the other Ringleaders will arrive tomorrow. At

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  • I Am Mustafin   | 50 | Tomorrow's Ghosts

    I follow closely behind as Ivan guides me through the corridors of the Diallo mansion. Each step feels heavy, my body moving on autopilot while my mind races with possibilities of what tomorrow might bring.The parlor door stands open when we arrive, warm light spilling through the entryway. Amara sits perched on one of the elegant sofas, her face softening with something like sympathy when she sees me. She rises gracefully, one hand resting briefly on her growing belly.“Alaki, I’m so glad you could join me,” she greets warmly, gesturing for me to join her. “Please, sit.”As if on cue, a maid appears with a silver tea service, setting it down on the coffee table. Steam rises from the spout in delicate curls, carrying the scent of chamomile and honey.“Nana sends her regrets,” Amara says as I sink into the empty space beside her. “She’s turned in for the evening.”I nearly laugh at the obvious lie, knowing full well that Kane’s wife would rather sleep on broken glass than share tea wi

  • I Am Mustafin   | 49 | Hollow Performances

    Five weeks of silence stretch between Efrem and me like an open wound, making the empty space of the leather seat between us feel both too close and not close enough. Nausea churns in my stomach as Alek guides the SUV down familiar roads, Ivan sitting rigid in the passenger seat—the seat that used to be Tavin’s.The news from Matvey last night still rings in my ears: Diallo. After everything, after five weeks of not even looking at me, Efrem’s taking me to the next Ringleader call. Sleep never came, my mind racing with fear and the crushing weight of what this means. I spent hours staring at my ceiling, remembering the call at the Wen sector and what I managed to escape.Things are different there. Like back home, there, Efrem and I are married. There, I am his wife.I think back to the last time we traveled to the Diallo sector together—how different everything was then.I was just property, and he was just my owner. It was simple.My eyes drift to Efrem’s reflection in the window, s

  • I Am Mustafin   | 48 | Silent Halls

    I stare up at the unfamiliar ceiling, morning light streaming through unfamiliar windows, casting shadows I don’t recognize across a bed that feels too small, too cold. I’ve been awake for hours, watching dust motes dance in sunbeams, unable to face what leaving this room means.Coward.The thought rises unbidden, laced with self-loathing. I have no right to hide, not when I’m the one who destroyed everything. Not when my weakness cost so much.Food sits untouched on the small table by the door—breakfast delivered hours ago by a guard I wouldn’t dare look at. The smell of coffee turns my stomach. I haven’t been able to eat since I was dragged out of Efrem’s office yesterday morning, since I watched evidence of myself sabotaging everything he gave me.Maybe one night was enough. Maybe he’s calmed down.The lie tastes bitter, but it gets me moving. I step into the closet, now a relic of a life that feels long past. All this time, I thought this clothes had been thrown away, erased along

  • I Am Mustafin   | 47 | Fragments of Us: Part 2

    Content Advisory: This chapter contains themes and depictions of physical violence, verbal intimidation and physical, and emotional distress. Reader discretion is strongly advised.I watch the screen, watch the kiss deepen. I see myself lean into Tavin, see his hands cradle my face like I’m something precious. Behind me, Efrem’s body trembles with the effort of restraint, and that’s when it hits me—this isn’t just about possession. This is about trust.His hand slides from my chin to my throat, not quite squeezing but threatening. “Were you going to wait?” His voice drops to that deadly softness that makes my blood run cold. “Until I walked in and found him having you like this?” His body presses closer, hip grinding against mine as his grip hand shifts on my chest, cupping my breast in a way that almost makes me feel violated. “Bent over my desk? Or maybe in our bed, where I claimed you as mine?”The accusation hits somewhere low, somewhere that knocks the air from my lungs.“No, Efr

  • I Am Mustafin   | 46 | His Reckoning: Part 1

    Content Advisory: This chapter contains themes and depictions of emotional and psychological distress, verbal intimidation, manipulation, and betrayal. Reader discretion is advised.I sit at the vanity, the morning light casting harsh shadows across it. My reflection stares back at me, caught between the woman I’m supposed to be and the traitor I’ve become.I drag the brush through my hair again, watching dark strands catch the light. The repetitive motion should be soothing, but nothing can calm the storm in my chest—not after last night’s suffocating silence at dinner, not after the endless hours lying awake in our too-large bed, waiting for footsteps that never came.He didn’t come to bed.The thought loops endlessly, each iteration carrying fresh waves of anxiety. In all our time together, even during our worst fights, Efrem has never spent the entire night away. He might come to bed late, might leave before dawn, but he always comes.Until now.My hands shake slightly as I set do

  • I Am Mustafin   | 45 | Perfect Poison: Part 2

    Content Advisory: This chapter contains depictions of emotional manipulation, intense possessive behavior, and sexual intimacy involving elements of coercion and blurred consent that may be triggering to some. Reader discretion is strongly advised.I stand there, looking at Efrem’s reflection in the mirror as his touch lingers on my cheek. The air feels thick, making it hard to breathe, silence suspended in the air.I try to stay perfectly still, waiting for him to say something, but the pounding of my heart makes it hard to keep my chest from rising and falling erratically.“Is that what had you so unsteady in the hallway?” He finally breaks the silence, the question carrying quiet danger. “Dimitri’s threats?”Before I can answer, he spins me around and his hand slides to my throat, fingers finding the spaces between tendons like they were made to fit there. He pulls aside, clearing the dresser from my back before pinning me against the wall, his thumb settling over his name branded

  • I Am Mustafin   | 28 | The Edge of Submission

    I like to think I handle things fairly well. When you've lived a life like mine, you'd imagine few things could truly faze you. And while it's true that I've come to appreciate my ability to respond adequately under hostility, I don't think anything could've prepared me for what I learned tonight.

    last updateHuling Na-update : 2026-03-31

  • I Am Mustafin   | 27 | Shattering Truth

    “How are you feeling?” Isaak asks softly as he walks beside me up the stairs.I glance at him briefly, studying him for a moment before shrugging. “I'm fine,” I respond dryly.I've spent so much time worrying about questions involving him that I never stopped

    last updateHuling Na-update : 2026-03-30

  • I Am Mustafin   | 26 | A Quiet Sunday

    As I sit here, sipping orange juice from my glass, I find myself grateful for small mercies—namely, the absence of a hangover. It's 2 PM, and I've only managed to drag myself out of bed and down to the dining table about 30 minutes ago.It's Sunday, and I know better than to expect Efrem's company.

    last updateHuling Na-update : 2026-03-29

  • I Am Mustafin   | 25 | Sunrise

    “You take care, hon!” Amara exclaims, pressing a can of sparkling water and a sealed straw into my hands. She leans in, whispering conspiratorially, “These are for later,” as she discreetly slips a small plastic bag into my sweater pocket.“Baby, they've gotta get going,” Deonta'e intervenes, his a

    last updateHuling Na-update : 2026-03-28
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