Swipe for our date! 😁 That chapter is gon be longer. Let’s have some fun. 💃 🕺
Chapter 154⟿❂⟾Sylvia⟿❂⟾It was nearly three in the morning when I finally heard his car outside. My heart leaped, and I ran downstairs, not caring that I was wearing only a silk nightgown.“Nikolai?” I called softly, not wanting to wake the others.He appeared in the doorway, looking tired but unharmed. The moment I saw him, I launched myself into his arms, wrapped my arms around his neck and held him tight.“Are you okay?” I asked, pulling back to study his face. “Are you hurt? Did anything happen?”“I’m fine,” he said. His arms tightened around me, “Everything is settled. It’s over.”“It’s really over?” I asked, hardly daring to believe it.“It’s over,” he confirmed. “Kaine and Giancarlo are taken care of. The files have been distributed to multiple law enforcement agencies. The whole network is going to come crashing down.”Relief flooded through me, so intense it was almost overwhelming. “Thank you,” I whispered against his neck. “Thank you so much for everything.” I wiped the
Chapter 153⟿❂⟾Sylvia⟿❂⟾After settling Mael in his crib, I quietly padded down to Maeve’s room.The door was open, and I could see Oliver sitting on the floor while Maeve showed him her extensive collection of books and drawings.“And this one is a picture of Daddy and me,” Maeve was saying, holding up a crayon drawing. “And this one is Mummy teaching me to read.”Oliver took the drawing carefully and studied it with the intensity he seemed to apply to everything. “You’re very talented,” he said seriously.“Daddy says I’m an artist,” Maeve said proudly. “Do you like to draw?”“I… I don’t know,” Oliver admitted. “I haven’t tried in a long time.”“We could try together sometime,” Maeve suggested. “I could teach you.”I felt tears prick my eyes at the simple kindness in her voice. This innocent child was offering to teach my traumatized brother something as simple and beautiful as drawing, and I could see how much the gesture meant to him.“I’d like that,” Oliver said softly.“Time fo
Chapter 152⟿❂⟾Sylvia⟿❂⟾My life in the past twelve hours felt like a dream I was afraid to wake from.Oliver sat beside me in the car, quiet and withdrawn, his eyes constantly scanning our surroundings like he was expecting danger to materialize at any moment. Seven years of conditioning didn’t disappear overnight, and I could see the way his muscles remained tense, ready to spring into action even in the safety of Luigi’s car.Luigi winced as he shifted gears, his injured shoulder clearly bothering him despite his attempts to hide it. “We’re almost there,” he said softly, glancing at us through the rearview mirror.Agnes and Maria sat in the third row, both lost in their own thoughts. Agnes looked tired and ashamed. Maria seemed fragile, like a porcelain doll that might shatter at the slightest touch.As we pulled into the driveway of Nikolai’s house, I felt a mix of relief and anxiety wash over me. Relief that we were safe, that Oliver was finally here with me. Anxiety about ho
Chapter 151 ⟿❂⟾ Nikolai ⟿❂⟾ When the door closed, I turned to face Kaine and Giancarlo. “Well,” I said, loosening my tie. “Now we can have some real fun.” Manuel stepped forward. “What do you need?” “Help me move them to the basement. I had some preparations made earlier, and I think it’s time we made use of them.” When I’d planned this operation, I’d known it might come to this. The basement of the building had been converted into something special. Nothing fancy, just the basics for keeping someone alive longer than they might prefer. Two metal chairs sat in the center of the room, fitted with restraints. Beside them, a table held various tools, some medical, some… less so. “Strip them,” I told Manuel as we secured Kaine and Giancarlo to the chairs. “Everything off.” “What the hell—” Kaine started. “Shut up,” I said pleasantly. “You’ll have plenty of time to scream later.” When they were naked and secured, I pulled up a third chair and sat down in front of them. “Do you
Chapter 150 ⟿❂⟾ Nikolai ⟿❂⟾ I watched Sylvia hold her brother. After everything—the memory loss, the manipulation, the lies—she had found Oliver. But more importantly, she had taken control. She had faced down Kaine with a gun in her hand and forced him to sign those divorce papers. That’s my girl. Now, with Oliver in her arms and those divorce papers signed, she had what she needed. Now it was my turn. “Manuel,” I said quietly, “take Giancarlo and secure the basement. We need those backup files Oliver mentioned.” “On it, boss.” “Luigi, how’s your shoulder?” “I’ll live,” he grunted, applying pressure to the wound. “Just need to stop the bleeding.” I turned my attention to Kaine, who was still standing there with the signed divorce papers clutched in his hand like they might disappear. The worst part of this night had been having to pretend to be civil with Kaine and Giancarlo, because I didn’t want Sylvia to witness what I had in mind for them. Now that she had Oliver
Chapter 149 ⟿❂⟾ Sylvia ⟿❂⟾ “Hello there,” He said. His voice was deeper than I remembered, rougher. “Long time no see.” “You recognize her?” Giancarlo asked, sounding surprised. “Her?” Oliver laughed, but there was no humor in it. “She’s my sister. The one who abandoned me.” “That’s right!” Giancarlo snarled. “The one who abandoned you! And now she’s here with her criminal boyfriend to kill me—the only man who ever gave you life. Hope. Dreams. A future.” He laughed. “Can you believe that? Well, there’ll be no need for that. Go ahead and shoot them!” Abandoned. The words made my heart shatter completely. Abandoned? I’d been looking for him ever since I learnt of his existence, had never stopped searching, had come here tonight specifically to find him. “Oliver, I didn’t abandon you,” I said, taking a step toward him. “I’ve been looking for you. I never stopped looking.” “Stay back!” he snapped, and I froze. “You left me. You left me with him.” Him. Our father.