Furina felt like the ground was crumbling beneath her feet. She had thought she was strong, that she could handle whatever came her way. But now, faced with the truth of her situation, she felt powerless, trapped in a web of lies and deceit. Deep down, she needed to confront Diluc, to get the truth from him directly. But the very idea terrified her. If Yvette was right, then the man she had married, the man who had seemed so cold and distant yet oddly protective, was nothing more than a puppet master, manipulating her life to suit his own ends. It wasn’t until a week later when Diluc asked her to attend another social function that she finally faced the man who’d been haunting her thoughts for the last seven days. She had gone to the loo and as Furina made her way back inside, she felt a heavy sense of dread settle over her. The walls were closing in, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold herself together. Diluc was waiting for her when she returned to the ballroom, hi
“Necessary?” Furina repeated, incredulous. “How could something like that ever be necessary?” She broke off, unable to continue as the weight of her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Diluc reached out, his hand hovering just inches from her arm, but Furina pulled back, not wanting to be comforted by the very person who had caused her so much pain.“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” Diluc said, his voice softening ever so slightly. “I didn’t intend for anyone to get hurt,” he whispered and Furina wasn’t sure if he was trying to tell himself or her.As if she hadn’t heard him, she asked, “What exactly did you do? Was my father’s accident also your doing?” She needed to know how far had he been involved in this. “Furina,” Diluc said quietly, his voice almost ge
Diluc sat behind his massive mahogany desk, the sprawling London skyline visible through the floor to ceiling windows of his office. The view was spectacular, a constant reminder of the power and wealth he wielded, yet today, he found no comfort in it. His mind was a tangled mess, filled with thoughts that had nothing to do with business. Try as he might, he couldn’t shake the memory of last night—of the conversation with Furina, of the hurt and betrayal etched into her features as she learned the harsh truth about their marriage.He had known it would be painful for her, but he hadn’t anticipated just how much it would affect him. Her pained expression had haunted him all night, making sleep impossible. Now, as he sat in his office, surrounded by the tools of his trade, he found himself unable to focus on anything else. His work, usually a refuge from the complications of his personal life, offered no distraction today.He picked up a report from his desk, trying to immerse himself i
The cold air of the warehouse seeped into Diluc’s bones as he stood facing Yvette, his heart pounding with a mixture of rage and dread. Furina, tied to a chair just a few feet away, looked at him with wide eyes, filled with a heartbreaking combination of relief and terror. He couldn’t allow any harm to come to her—no matter what he had to do."Yvette," Diluc called out, his voice icy and commanding.Yvette turned slowly, a smug smile curling on her lips. Her demeanor was as confident as ever, but there was something wild in her eyes, a dangerous glint that made the situation even more volatile. "Diluc," she purred. "So glad you could join us."His eyes remained fixed on Furina, whose chest rose and fell rapidly as she struggled against her restraints. "Let her go," Diluc demanded, his tone sharp and unyielding.Yvette's smile widened as she strolled leisurely around Furina, her fingers brushing lightly over Furina’s shoulder, making her flinch. "Not so fast. We need to have a little c
Furina sat in her room, the flickering light of her laptop casting a soft glow over her face. Her heart sank as she read the headlines plastered across the tabloids: **"Billionaire Heir Diluc Neuvillette and Yvette Moulin: Love Rekindled?"** **"Yvette and Diluc Spotted at High-End Social Events!"** **"The Power Couple: Diluc and Yvette Take the Town by Storm!"** She scrolled through the articles, each one filled with photos of Yvette clinging to Diluc, her smile radiant, while Diluc's expression remained cold and impassive. Furina's heart twisted with a mix of anger and pain. Despite everything, seeing them together, seeing Yvette flaunting Diluc, was almost unbearable. A soft knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. "Furina, are you coming to the charity gala tonight?" Tiffany's voice was gentle, filled with concern. Furina sighed, closing her laptop. "Yes, I'll be there. I can't avoid these events forever." "Good," Tiffany said, stepping inside. "We need to stay strong, no
The morning was bright and serene at Tiffany's family townhouse. Sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting a warm glow on the elegant furnishings. Furina was sitting with Tiffany in the spacious living room, sipping tea and discussing their plans to tackle the ongoing issues with the paparazzi and threats. It was a rare moment of peace in their otherwise chaotic lives.Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Tiffany looked up, a slight frown creasing her brow. "I wonder who that could be," she murmured, setting her cup down and rising to answer the door. Furina watched her go, curiosity piqued.Moments later, Tiffany returned, her expression a mix of surprise and annoyance. Behind her was a tall, handsome man with striking features and an air of confidence. Furina recognized him from the occasional family photos Tiffany had shared: Walker Summers, Tiffany's older brother."Walker," Tiffany said, her tone strained. "What are you doing here?"Walker smiled warmly, though there was a hin
A small frown formed on Furina Dunne’s forehead as sunlight cascaded across her face through the windows. She stirred and blinked her eyes open for a split second before shutting them again. Her head felt incredibly heavy, and her whole body ached. She felt an unusual throbbing between her thighs. Though her brain was still fuzzy, she soon registered her surroundings—it was clearly not her bedroom but something resembling a hotel room. Panic began to build inside her. Despite her body's reluctance, she managed to prop herself up on her elbows and push herself into a sitting position. A small groan from her right immediately stopped her from swinging her legs over the side of the bed. If it had been a female groan, she might have assumed the other occupant was one of her friends. But the deep, male groan terrified her. Her mind, still foggy from the alcohol she had consumed the previous night, struggled to piece together what had happened. Most importantly, she needed to remember how
Instead of heading back right away, she showed her hotel keycard and asked the receptionist to borrow a phone. Thankfully Furina recalled all of her friends’ phone numbers but she knew only Tiffany would answer her phone in a flash so that was whom she was calling. “Hello?” “Tiff?” “Oh my gosh? Furina?” There was a split moment of shock before she heard Tiffany saying, “Sshhh, guys, stop, stop, Furina is calling me.” Clearly, she was informing the other three to shut up. “I’m putting you on speaker phone. Where on Earth are you? Are you alright? We’ve been frantically worried.” “I’m alright.” She bit her bottom lip, knowing that she wasn’t completely being honest. What had happened last night, her vague memories, and furthermore, that French man’s insulting words this morning were way too much for a girl. “I think I’ve lost my purse along with my phone.” “Yeah, I know. We found it at the club. The bartender said you must’ve left it when you went to the loo but you never came back