“Though I must say,” Icarus drawled as he entered the office like he’d been living there forever, “if this is what I missed in just one day, I might never leave again.”He threw a wink at Noora before casually claiming the chair opposite Luciano’s desk, crossing his legs like a man with all the time and power in the world. “New York’s indeed fresh and fun. Every day a new drama. I’m starting to think reality TV’s got nothing on Richardson Corp.”Luciano barely lifted his gaze. “Looks like you've taken quite a liking to both Richardson Corp and New York,” he said dryly. “I’ve heard the British are usually strict about punctuality, but you’re rather early for tomorrow’s conference, aren't you, Vasilliki? Should I be concerned?”“That one stings, mate,” Icarus patted his heart mockingly, leaning back with a grin.But behind the humor, his eyes glinted with something sharper. That rare flicker of seriousness laced with teasing which was the usual trademark of Icarus mood swing, charming u
Noora’s breath came in sharp, uneven waves as she pressed her back against the cold washroom wall. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest… too fast, too loud, like it was trying to beat its way out.What just happened?She thought she was the one in control.She thought HE would be the one shaken.But that moment... sitting on his lap, feeling him against her, hearing the way his voice dropped… that thing…“Be a good girl and finish making my coffee.”Her ears burned at the memory.And now, she couldn’t get it out of her head.His smirk haunted her.“Good girl??” She spat, “DREAM ON, LUCIANO RICHARDSON!!!” She splashed cold water on her face, tried to steady her breathing, but nothing helped. The moment she stepped back into the hallway, it felt like walking into an entirely new battlefield.The office was in chaos. Workers scrambled with toolboxes and furniture. Electric drills buzzed. Two men rolled in glass panels. A sleek, modern structure was being erected right outside Luciano’s
The elevator chimed.Heels tapped—no, limped down the polished marble hallway of Richardson Corp. Noora’s each step were deliberate, and each breath was sharp as she bit her lips in pain. She should not have been there. Her foot was still bandaged, the pain surreal, the limp very real… but her eyes? Her eyes burned with vengeance.Heads turned as she passed the reception. She wore a tight fit black sleek and even her injury looked like it was part of her dress. Her hair was tied up messily, intentionally exposing the line of her slender neck. She smiled at every pair of eyes that looked at her with surprise. Or pity. She didn’t care which.Because today, Noora came to play with the devil.And the devil wasn’t late but she was early; just for that.She was already in his office when the door swung open. The silence that followed was explosive.Noora turned, her lips curved in a sugary sweet smile. “Welcome, Mr. Richardson,” she greeted softly, eyes sparkling with vengeance and fiercene
Lucas finally left. Slowly. Reluctantly.The door clicked shut behind him, and then… silence.Noora lay still, staring at the sterile ceiling above, and her tears fell quietly. One by one. No gasps, no sobs—just silent streams of pain carving down her face.What if?What if he had realized it a little sooner? What if he’d said those words before the world burned down between them?What if he had reached out to her—truly reached out—and broken that invisible line they both had danced around for years? Would she have stopped him? Would she have crossed that line herself?Would they have become something more than what they were forced to be—two strangers stitched together by fate as stepbrother and stepsister?The questions burned. And what hurt most was that she didn’t know the answers.But then… a different thought crept into her head. Uninvited. Unapologetic.*Why had she never asked herself those questions when it came to Luciano?*Not once. Not even when he crossed every line that
The silence after seeing Noora lying there was deafening.Her blood darkened the white marble. The red slap marks on her skin hadn’t even begun to fade. Her chest barely moved. And for a moment, just a moment, it looked like she wasn’t breathing.Lucas stepped forward, eyes wide, heart pounding. “Noora…”Luciano’s shadow loomed beside him; still, sharp. Then both of them turned to Cindy.She was frozen in place. Her face pale, lips parted, trembling in disbelief as if she, too, couldn’t understand what had just happened.Lucas’s voice was low, but every syllable cracked like a whip. “What did you do?”“I—” Cindy blinked, shaking her head, taking a step back. “I didn’t… I didn’t do this! I swear, I didn’t! She hit me first! I—I just grabbed her hair—yes, but this wasn’t…” Her breath caught as if reality had only now sunk in. “I didn’t do this. I didn’t.”Luciano’s voice followed like a blade dragged through cold steel. “Cindy!!!”She turned to him, panicked. “You believe me, don’t you?
The air inside the office was charged before the door even shut.Lucas was brimming with questions; his jaw tight, body thrumming with unspoken tension. But the confrontation he had prepared with so much fire was swiftly doused.Because sitting on the edge of Luciano’s polished oak table like a king on his throne was Icarus Vasiliki with his legs crossed, blazer draped over his shoulders with casual elegance, a leather-bound book in hand like he had all the time in the world and owned every second of it.As the door clicked shut behind them, Icarus didn't bother looking up immediately. Only when he slipped in a worn bookmark and closed the book with a soft snap did he lift his cool, amused gaze.“Took you long enough,” he said lazily, setting the book beside him.Luciano’s smirk was automatic. Polished. Dangerous.“Well,” he replied smoothly, “every entertaining thing is high maintenance. My assistant needed… a little repairing. My apologies.”Icarus chuckled, his voice rich, smooth a