LOGINThe silence inside the President’s office was heavy. Lucien stared down at the open cardboard box resting on his mahogany desk. Inside, tangled haphazardly within crumpled brown wrapping paper, lay the blue diamond necklace, the matching designer banquet dress and heels, the sleek sunglasses, and the insulated steel food flask. Every single thing he had given her over the past week was right there. Hayden sneaked a glance at his boss's expression, which had gone as dark as the bottom of a scorched pot. For a second, the assistant wondered if there really was a literal bomb inside that parcel, or perhaps a death threat sent by one of their enemies. Otherwise, why on earth was his boss looking so murderous? Inching closer, Hayden peeked past Lucien’s broad shoulder. He blinked in surprise. There were no weapons inside; just everyday personal items. Then it suddenly clicked. Hayden recalled the conversation Lucien and Nova had shared inside the luxury vehicle just days prior
"WAHHH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Axel shrieked, spinning around so fast he nearly knocked over the coffee table, both hands clapped over his eyes even though his back was already to her. He'd caught a glimpse before he turned, just a flash of pale skin and the dark bruising spreading along her ribs, and it was already burned into his mind whether he wanted it there or not."Have some decency!" His ears had gone a furious, blotchy red, visible even from behind. "I'm not looking, but—"On the couch, despite the pain, the corner of the woman's mouth twitched. He'd hauled her up four flights of stairs pressed against his side the entire way, her blood soaking through his shirt, and that hadn't fazed him once. And now he couldn't handle a little skin? Cute, she thought distantly, and then hissed through her teeth as the needle went back in.Axel heard the small, sharp sound and nearly turned around on reflex, his hand twitching at his side. "Are you okay? Do you need something? You can jus
Axel drove like a man being chased, even though the highway behind them was empty. His gaze kept flicking sideways, off the road and onto the woman beside him, still bleeding steadily into the leather of his passenger seat. Her head was tipped back against the headrest, her eyes closed, one hand pressed against her side. Streetlights slid across her pale face in long orange strips as they passed, there and gone, there and gone."Don't die," Axel muttered, his knuckles white on the wheel. "Don't you dare die in my car."She didn't open her eyes."Hey." His voice cracked, the silence in the car suddenly alarming. "Hey, are you listening to me?""...I heard you," she said faintly. "The first time."Axel nearly sobbed in relief. But the relief was brief. Frankly, he had no idea where to take her. He ran through his options and crossed each one out as fast as it came. His apartment at the family compound was out. Four staff members there reported directly to his mother, who in turn repo
Grand Meridian Hotel…The underground parking lot of the hotel was dim, smelling heavily of damp concrete and gasoline.Leaning against a thick concrete pillar, the female assassin clutched her left flank. Her gloved fingers were slick with warm, flowing blood; Nova’s parting strike had sliced deep. She had barely managed to stumble down the service stairwell to reach this level. With every breath she took, a sharp pain rippled through her chest, her vision blurred and her strength was rapidly draining.Ding.The crisp chime of the elevator suddenly echoed across the empty garage."I'm telling you, it was a literal nightmare!" Axel Delacroix’s voice boomed out of the opening doors, loud and animated. He strode out into the parking lot, aggressively waving his sports car keys in one hand while holding his smartphone tightly to his ear with the other. His shirt was slightly wrinkled, and his handsome face was full of exasperation.On the other end of the line, his friend sighed. "Wha
The line went dead for three full seconds. The sound of shuffling papers and chair scraping against the floor echoed over the speaker."What did you say?" Merrick's tone instantly lost its playful edge, turning sharp. "Where?""The Grand Meridian, an hour ago," Lucien said smoothly, his long fingers loosely holding the phone. "The police suspect it's suicide.""Suicide?" Merrick immediately clicked his tongue in fierce disagreement. "That's nonsense. Why would he suddenly kill himself when he has enough laundered money to disappear into some country forever?"Lucien didn't respond to the frantic questioning. His gaze remained fixed on the passing city lights. He asked coldly, "Did you do it?"Merrick answered so quickly one could almost picture his head shaking aggressively on the other end of the line. "You know me... that's too sloppy an offense for me." His tone sharpened further. "It seems someone is trying to use my name as a shield for their own crimes! Damn it!" Merrick curs
"Does it hurt?" Lucien asked, his tone suddenly dropping into an uncharacteristic, strange softness that made Hayden’s hand visibly tremble against the steering wheel in shock.Nova slowly turned her head, her brown eyes staring at his smiling face in profound bewilderment. Why was he suddenly looking at her as if she were a misbehaving woman throwing a harmless temper tantrum?"Lucien, have you lost your mind?" Nova asked straightforwardly, her voice dripping with an icy annoyance."Mm," Lucien merely hummed, his fingers thoroughly cleaning the wound before sealing it with a fresh medical bandage, completely ignoring her sharp tone. "Be good. Don't touch water tonight."The rest of the journey passed in a heavy, bizarre silence.By the time the Rolls-Royce pulled up to the gates of her private villa, Nova didn't waste a single second. She immediately popped the handle, stepped out onto the asphalt, and closed the door with a sharp snap. She didn't offer a single word of thanks.Stand







