“Leandra….” His voice was hoarse, laced with warning.I didn’t need words. I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud—that even though I couldn’t accept everything so easily, I still chose him. Until the end, I would still choose him.So I kissed him again. Deeper, hungrier, more selfish—was I allowed to be this way?And when his body pressed mine into the couch, I knew there was no running from him. We fell onto the sofa, his weight settling over me, and I didn’t care. I wanted to feel the burden he had been carrying alone all this time.Marco’s hands moved restlessly, his grip on my waist tight. His lips traced along my jaw, down my neck, leaving heated marks that made me squirm beneath him.I tangled my fingers in his hair, my tears still wet on my cheeks as his lips found mine again. His kiss wasn’t just a release, but a silent plea, begging me to stay.Without breaking the kiss, Marco lifted me effortlessly, carrying me to the bed. We crashed onto the mattress in a mess of limbs
“My parents were murdered in front of me when I was five years old.”I froze. My chest tightened with a deep, restless thrum.“Parents?” I asked, confused. Wasn’t Thomas his father?He nodded, his fingers slowly unhooking mine from the suitcase handle. “You’ve always wanted to know who I really am, haven’t you?”I had already lost the moment I let him take my hand. I always lost when it came to him.Marco pulled me out of the closet, guiding me to the sofa. I didn’t resist. I just stared at him. “Explain,” I demanded, though my voice came out weaker than I intended.He leaned back, his gaze unfocused, like he was reaching for something buried deep in his past.Running a hand down his face, he let out a slow breath. “Thomas isn’t my biological father,” he said at last. “He… found me after my parents were murdered.”My eyes widened. I swallowed hard, too afraid to interrupt. His hands were clenched together on his lap, fingers locked so tightly it looked like he was trying to hold himse
I stood in front of Thomas’s office door, taking a deep breath before knocking softly.“Come in.”His deep voice came from inside, and I pushed the door open. I hadn’t realized how spacious his office was. Walls lined with bookshelves, a large window overlooking the mansion’s backyard. Thomas sat behind a massive wooden desk, his gaze full of authority as he watched me enter.I clasped my fingers together, trying to gather my courage. “Thomas … thank you,” I said, my voice softer than I intended. “I know this might not mean anything to you, but I truly appreciate it. And… I also want to apologize.”Thomas raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair. “What are you apologizing for, Leandra?”I bit my lip, lowering my head. “For all of this. If I hadn’t been involved… Marco wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”Instead of getting angry, Thomas let out a small chuckle. “Sweetheart, this isn’t your fault.”I lifted my head, staring at him in doubt.He continued in a calm voice. “In fact, I’m prou
That afternoon, the news I had been waiting for finally arrived. A bodyguard entered my room with a serious expression, delivering the words that made my chest loosen with relief.“Marco has been rescued, Miss. He’s in the hospital now.”It felt like a huge weight had finally been lifted off my chest. My heart felt a little lighter, even though there were still so many uncertainties. Brigitte, who had been keeping me company earlier, had left about half an hour ago, probably on her own errands. I wanted to thank her, but it seemed like she preferred to leave without an emotional farewell.The bodyguard looked at me for a moment before offering, “Would you like me to take you to the hospital?”I nodded quickly. “Please.”My steps felt lighter as I walked out of the house, as if the burden that had been pressing down on me since this morning had suddenly lessened.Inside the car, I sat in silence, gazing out the window as the city buildings blurred past. The evening air felt a little wa
The room felt smaller than usual. I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers laced together, trying to calm the relentless pounding in my chest after my conversation with Thomas. He had assigned guards to watch my every move. I wasn’t allowed to leave the house.A knock on the door. Once. Twice. Quick and impatient.I turned my head, but before I could say anything, the door swung open.Brigitte walked in like an unstoppable storm. Her steps were unhurried, but there was something about her presence that made the room feel darker. Her long blonde hair was slightly messy, with bangs partially covering her face. Thick black eyeliner made her eyes look even sharper. Her pale lips curled into a lazy smirk, and her faded band tee hugged her frame, paired with a short skirt and fishnet stockings.“Bonjour, chérie.” Her voice was low, almost teasing. “Thomas sent me,” she added, slamming the door shut with one smooth motion. She tossed her worn-out leather jacket over the nearest chair and the
I screamed when a black car from the front suddenly changed lanes and blocked our path. Marco’s arm instinctively shot out in front of my chest, holding me back as he slammed on the brakes.My heart stopped. Everything happened too fast—Marco’s quick movements, him grabbing something from the glove compartment, slipping it into his waistband.Then he looked at me, his voice low and apologetic.“I’m sorry, darling.”“W-what?” Panic surged through me as Marco unbuckled his seatbelt. “Where are you going? Marco, what—what are you doing?”Two men in black suits stepped out of the car that had cut our car off. They walked toward us, and Marco prepared to get out. “If you want to save me, don’t do anything reckless. Get out of here as fast as you can and find my father. Tell him not to pull out the lilies in his garden.”Before I could even process his words, Marco was already out of the car. He shouted something in a foreign language, and the two men grabbed him instantly. There was no tim