Mag-log inLorenzo stared at Elise for a moment. He had expected her to ask him that question sooner or later, but he still didn't know how to explain himself to her.He slowly nodded."I did."Elise lowered her head, her fingers tightening around each other."Why?""I didn't want her disturbing you anymore.""Is she..." Elise paused, finding it difficult to ask the next question. "Is she still alive?"Lorenzo moved closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder."Yes… She's alive. I sent her somewhere far away, and she won't be coming back here to bother you."Elise remained quiet.She didn't know how she was supposed to feel about it. Her mother had never treated her like a daughter. She had always made Elise feel like a burden, and whenever she needed something, she knew exactly where to find her.Money.That was all their relationship had ever been about.Even so, Elise couldn't completely pretend that the woman meant nothing to her. She was still the person who had given birth to her, and
Lorenzo wasted no time. The moment he received the call, he hurried to Elise's apartment.He drove at a reckless speed, ignoring several red lights along the way. His mind was occupied with what the guard had told him.Elise's stepfather was looking for her mother, and judging by the way the man was behaving, he wasn't there out of concern.Lorenzo clenched his jaw.He had already dealt with enough trouble from Elise's family. The last thing he wanted was another greedy relative showing up to make demands.He only slowed down when he arrived outside her apartment building."Boss, you're here."Marco, the man Lorenzo had stationed to watch over Elise's apartment, immediately stepped forward to greet him."How is she?" Lorenzo asked."She's still inside, boss. But the man outside doesn't seem to have any intention of leaving anytime soon. He's been making a scene and demanding money."Lorenzo pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration."What exactly does he want?""He's asking for El
On seeing how upset Maxton was, Raina looked at him with a pleading expression."I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have taken matters into my own hands without considering my safety and that of our babies."She paused before continuing."But I just wanted everything to end once and for all. I didn't want Veer to keep threatening us or hurting anyone close to me."Although Maxton was still visibly angry, he sighed as he listened to her."I know you meant well, but it was too risky. It was extremely dangerous, especially with Bailey involved. Just imagine what could have happened if we hadn't reached you in time.""If...""Exactly! If. But you did reach me in time, didn't you?" Raina interrupted. "So nothing happened. Everything worked out just fine. You need to stop worrying so much. I'm not that fragile.""Raina, I know you're not fragile. I'm not saying you are. I know you can protect yourself. You're a champion, and I know you can defend yourself better than most people. But you need
Veer immediately panicked when he saw Maxton and Lorenzo standing at the entrance.He tightened his grip on Raina and quickly pressed the gun against her head, using her as a shield.Then he glared at Maxton."If you want her alive, you'd better step back! Don't you dare come any closer!"Maxton froze, his eyes fixed on Raina.He knew Veer couldn't be trusted. The man was clearly unstable, and there was no telling what he might do next. Maxton couldn't risk Raina's life, especially with their unborn babies.He exchanged a brief glance with Lorenzo. Without needing to say a word, they understood each other and slowly took a step back."Get out of the van!" Veer suddenly shouted. "Get back into your cars if you want her to live! Get out and leave us alone, or I'll kill her and then kill myself! I don't care anymore!"His grip on Raina tightened as his voice rose with fury."But I'll make sure she never belongs to you! She's mine! She's always been mine!"His bloodshot eyes remained fixe
The moment Raina saw the deranged expression on Veer's face, she instinctively covered her stomach, fear gripping her heart." Shoot her!" Bailey suddenly screamed from the side."Shoot her! Just kill her already! This is all her fault. She's the reason we're in this mess! Kill her and throw her body out of the van. That will distract them and give us enough time to escape. Kill her! Shoot her!"Bailey continued screaming, urging Veer to pull the trigger.However, Veer didn't shoot Raina.Instead, his expression darkened as Bailey's incessant screams grated on his nerves.Without warning, he turned the gun toward her and pulled the trigger.BANG!A bullet struck Bailey in the forehead.Her eyes widened in disbelief. She had never imagined that Veer would turn the gun on her instead.She opened her mouth as though she wanted to say something, but no words came out. A moment later, she took her final breath and slumped to the floor.Blood began pooling beneath her body.Raina stared at
Meanwhile, Veer sat in a high-end van he had arranged, holding the unconscious Raina in his arms. Bailey sat opposite him, her expression twisted with jealousy and resentment.She kept glaring at Raina. Watching Veer gently stroke Raina’s hair with an affectionate, almost obsessive gaze only fueled her anger.What was so special about Raina that men kept becoming obsessed with her?First, it was Xander. Then Maxton. And now Veer.What did Raina have that made men lose their minds over her?Bailey’s gaze grew sharper as hatred filled her heart.“If you keep staring at her like that, I’ll gouge your eyes out.”Veer’s cold voice suddenly broke the silence.Bailey shivered and quickly looked away. She knew exactly what Veer was capable of, and gouging out her eyes was something he could do without a second thought.“So, what’s the plan?” she asked cautiously.Veer frowned at her. “What do you mean? Didn’t I tell you that I’ve already arranged everything?”“Yes, I know. You said that, but
Raina remained standing at the altar and some of the guests stared at her with pity while others had mocking expressions on their faces and were gloating over the fact that she wouldn't be acknowledged as the Don's wife by the Retroferds.Steps suddenly echoed on the stone floor and Lorenzo walked
The cathedral was a monument to old blood and older sins. Its towering stone arches and stained-glass windows usually spoke of peace, but today, they felt like a cage. The pews were filled with the elite of the underworld, men in tailored suits with bulges under their jackets, and women whose diam
The morning of the wedding arrived quickly. For forty-eight hours, Raina had been a prisoner in her own bedroom, the four walls closing in on her until the air felt thin and toxic. She hadn't slept or eaten the bland meals the guards slid through the door. She felt exhausted, her body aching from
On the southern side of the Capital city, the atmosphere was different. The Retroferd estate, twice the size of the Valente's, was a place of absolute power.The fortress of the family that had spent twenty years sabotaging the Valente bloodline. The feud had been vicious, killing sons and brother







