“You’re not his wife. You’re a ghost in a borrowed face.” Lena Moore thought she had outrun the darkness. Engaged to billionaire Aaron King and carrying a child she’s not sure belongs to him or the stalker, Kian, Lena’s past comes crashing through the doors—dressed in white. Jennifer, Aaron’s long-dead wife, is alive. Or so it seems. One betrayal spirals into another. On the run from heartbreak and chasing what’s left of her sanity, Lena goes into labor on a stormy highway—only for her ex-lover, Kian, to take their newborn and vanish. When Jennifer is found murdered and Lena is arrested, the world turns its back on her. But behind bars, the truth unravels. Jennifer was a puppet. Alara—Lena’s estranged mother—has been the mastermind all along, manipulating lives, identities, and deaths from the shadows. Lena is done running. With her child missing, a legacy built on lies, and the world doubting her every breath, she’s ready to burn the past down—face by face.
View MoreLena
Sometimes, I feel like my life isn’t mine anymore. Like someone’s gaze clings to my back, watching me even when I’m completely alone. It’s a strange sensation—chilling, intimate, and suffocating all at once. Right now, in this very moment, the hairs on my arms rise as if invisible eyes are drilling into me.
I turn around abruptly.
And there he is.
Aaron King.
Tall, impeccably dressed in his signature black suit, every inch of him screams control and power. His presence is like a blade—sharp, polished, and cold. He’s standing only a few feet away, hands clasped behind his back, his piercing gray eyes fixed on me.
For a split second, my chest seizes, as if the shadows in my mind have taken form in him. But then reality slams into me—of course it isn’t him. He isn’t the reason I feel watched. Aaron King doesn’t waste his time watching employees. He’s far too busy ruling his empire.
Still, my pulse stumbles.
“Miss Moore.” His voice is clipped, low, precise. It slices through the silence of the corridor. “Yes, sir.” I straighten instinctively, like every other new hire has been warned to do in his presence.
It’s only been two days since I started working at King Enterprises. Two days of constant pressure, deadlines that leave no room for mistakes, and whispers among employees that Aaron King is a man with no soul. He built this company from the ground up, and he guards it like a dragon guards its hoard—ruthless, unrelenting, untouchable.
He studies me, the way he studies everything—like he’s calculating, dissecting. My unease grows heavier.
“You’re late.”
I glance at my watch. I’m not late. I’m early. But correcting him feels dangerous, like stepping into fire willingly. “I—”
He cuts me off. “Being on time is the same as being late in my building. Early is expected. Do you understand?” My lips press together. “Yes, sir.”
The corner of his mouth twitches—not quite a smile, more like amusement at how easily he unsettles me. Then, without another word, he walks past me, his cologne lingering like smoke.
I exhale slowly once he’s gone, pressing my hand to my chest. Aaron King unsettles me, yes, but not in the same way as the phantom eyes that follow me everywhere. His power is obvious, out in the open, worn like armor. The other feeling—the one that crawls beneath my skin, the one that stalks me in quiet moments—that’s different.
That’s hidden.
That’s worse.
As I move into the office floor, I hear murmurs around me. The sea of desks hums with quiet activity—phones ringing, keyboards clicking. It’s organized chaos, but everyone’s posture is the same: straight-backed, focused, wary. Aaron King’s presence looms over this entire place like an unspoken law.
“Lena!” A whisper calls from the next cubicle. Hannah, a fellow assistant, leans toward me. “You’re brave.” I blink. “What?”
“You didn’t faint under his stare. Most of us avoid even breathing too loudly when he’s nearby.” She grins nervously. “Good luck surviving here. King’s a perfectionist. He doesn’t tolerate weakness.”
Her words should scare me, but strangely, they only add fuel to the fire inside me. Maybe it’s the stubborn streak in me, or maybe it’s just foolishness. Either way, something about Aaron King makes me want to stand taller, not shrink.
I settle into my desk, trying to bury the prickling sensation of invisible eyes. But even as I start typing, I can’t shake the feeling that someone, somewhere, is still watching.
Hours pass in tense silence until Aaron King calls for me. His office is sleek, glass walls and cold steel accents, a perfect reflection of him. He’s seated behind his massive desk, eyes scanning through documents with an intensity that borders on obsessive.
“You challenged the projections in yesterday’s meeting.” His voice doesn’t rise; it doesn’t need to. The weight of it is enough. My stomach knots. “I—yes. I thought the numbers on the report didn’t account for market fluctuations, so I mentioned it.”
His eyes lift, gray and merciless, pinning me in place. “And you were right.”
The admission shocks me, though his face reveals nothing. Instead, he leans back, his gaze unwavering. “But don’t mistake being right for being clever. This company doesn’t run on opinions. It runs on discipline.”
My throat tightens, but I refuse to look away. For a moment, his stare feels like a challenge, like he’s daring me to flinch.
And I don’t.
Something flickers in his expression—something unreadable, gone as quickly as it came. “Dismissed.”
I leave his office, heart hammering, not sure if I’ve just won a tiny battle or walked straight into a war I can’t win.
At night, when I finally return to my apartment, the strange feeling comes rushing back. The silence in my place is too thick, the shadows too deep. I flick on the light—and freeze.
Roses.
Dozens of them. Blood-red, fresh, scattered across the coffee table, the counter, even the floor. Their scent is overwhelming, cloying, as if the flowers themselves are suffocating me. My breath stutters. I didn’t buy these. Nobody has a key to my apartment—nobody except me.
A knock at my door jolts me. I whirl around. My neighbor, Mrs. Collins, stands there with her groceries. She peers inside curiously, her eyes widening.
“My, Lena! How romantic. Looks like you have a secret admirer.” She laughs, oblivious to the dread pooling in my stomach.
Admirer. The word makes my skin crawl.
I force a smile and invite her in, more out of fear than politeness. If someone is still here—hiding, watching—I can’t face them alone. As she sits on my couch, chatting about nothing, I move through my apartment in a frenzy, searching every corner, every shadow. Closet—empty.
Bathroom—empty.
Kitchen—empty.
Then I reach my bedroom.
Something white catches my eye on the nightstand. A folded note. Hands trembling, I pick it up and unfold it. Four words, written in dark ink, curl across the page:
“I like watching you.”
My breath leaves me in a rush. My pulse pounds so loud it fills my ears. And just as I clutch the note, a floorboard creaks somewhere behind me.
AaronI sit in the cold, hard chair, staring at the blank wall before me. The dim lights of the police station hum, relentless, and every second drags like hours. My hands clench into fists on the edge of the table. I can feel the pulse in my temples, sharp and angry. My mind keeps circling around Lena. Where is she? How is she coping? She’s probably pacing, maybe crying, and I can’t do a damn thing to stop her right now.Her hair, the scent she leaves behind, the curve of her shoulders when she leans against me—all of it haunts me. She must think I’m a murderer. A man who could kill someone and smile as the world falls apart. And yet I know the truth: Vivienne is dead because someone wanted to frame me, and they did it perfectly. My penthouse, the security—how could anyone get in? How could anyone put her in the bathtub, still lifeless, and leave without a trace? My heart pounds with rage and fear.I lean back in the chair, closing my eyes, trying to control the flood of thoughts.
Kian The room is dim, only the faint glow of the bedside lamp cutting through the darkness. Lena lies beside me, curled into herself, her breathing soft and uneven from the tears she spilled hours ago. I stayed awake the whole night, not because I couldn’t sleep, but because I didn’t want to miss a single moment of her like this—helpless, leaning on me, forgetting Aaron King even exists.I watch the way her chest rises and falls. There’s peace on her face, the kind of peace I never see when she’s with him. With Aaron she’s tense, always bracing herself for his temper, for the next storm. With me… she’s calm. It makes me want to freeze time. My world feels complete now. If I can make her trust me this deeply, then soon I’ll strip every memory of Aaron from her heart and mind.When morning comes, pale sunlight spills into the room. She’s still there, still breathing in that quiet rhythm. For once, I don’t feel restless. I could stay here forever, but I know I need to move—make this da
LenaThe night feels endless.At the gala, even with the chandeliers sparkling like fallen stars above me, my heart had been trapped in my throat. Kian’s constant stare burned into my skin, like a shadow that refused to let go. Every time I lifted my glass or shifted in my seat, I felt his gaze—possessive, dangerous. I tried to focus on Aaron, on the way his hand rested reassuringly against my lower back, but even his warmth couldn’t erase the dread curling inside me.And then Daren approached.He carried himself with ease, with arrogance, with the kind of confidence that made the crowd part slightly when he walked. His smile was sharp, dangerous, almost mocking as he extended his hand to me.“Would you dance with me, Miss Lena?” he asked, his voice smooth. It wasn’t really a request—it was a challenge.Aaron stiffened beside me, but before he could speak, I forced a polite smile. Then I excuse myself, walking away with Daren. “Loyal, are you?” he drawled, lowering his voice so only
Aaron The ballroom is a sea of gold and crystal, chandeliers dripping light across velvet drapes, polished marble, and the clink of champagne glasses. I stand near the bar, my tie perfectly in place, my glass untouched, yet I feel nothing but fire crawling beneath my skin. My name pulls attention wherever I stand—Aaron King, the man everyone wants to please or fear—but tonight, none of that power means anything.Because my eyes are fixed on her.Lena.She steps into the center of the ballroom with Daren, her gown shimmering like liquid silver under the spotlights, her dark hair curled soft around her shoulders. She looks ethereal, untouchable, like she doesn’t even belong to the same world the rest of us do. And the man at her side—the man I once called brother—has his hand on her waist.My jaw locks. My grip on the glass tightens until I hear the faintest crack. He twirls her once, his mouth curling into that grin, the one that always hides venom beneath charm. I can see him leanin
Kian The mirror doesn’t lie, and tonight it flatters me. The suit—sharp, tailored by one of the best designers Manhattan worships—fits like it was sewn onto my bones. Midnight black, silk lapels, a shirt white enough to blind, cufflinks worth more than most men’s cars. My reflection smirks back, proud, hungry, dangerous. Tonight is not just about glamour. Tonight is about strategy. The gala is the stage, and Aaron King will be my unwitting star.I adjust the tie once more, savoring the thought of Aaron’s face when he sees Daren walk into the ballroom. Spending more time with Daren these past days has been like opening a locked chest—full of venom. He despises Aaron, hates him in ways I can’t yet measure. And that hatred is golden. Another layer of drama. Another weapon. Another ally—or perhaps, another piece on my board.I step away from the mirror and pace down the grand staircase of my mansion. The chandelier scatters light across marble floors, reflecting the wealth I’ve built w
Aaron The headlines flip like a coin and my life changes with the sound of ink drying. One night they accuse me of horrors I did not commit; by morning favors bought and truths unearthed have pushed the story back into the shadows where it belongs. The machine of reputation is greasy and fast — call a quiet favor, call another, remind an editor who owes you, threaten a byline — and suddenly the world believes in my innocence again. I watch the feed, watch the crawlers change, and feel a small, savage satisfaction that I can still move the tide.It’s hollow without her.She hasn’t come back since the boardroom. She hasn’t answered my calls. The thought of Kian finding her, of that smug bastard leaning over her with his poisonous charm, sets something hot and primitive in my chest. I should be above it. I’m not.“Bring her,” I tell Wyatt when he comes in. My voice is even, but I want him to know I do not mean a request.Wyatt’s face tightens. He always hesitates at the edges of my dem
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