ON THE BRUTAL BILLIONAIRE'S BED

LANACan my life get any more miserable? I stared at the cake that Granny Hart, my kind neighbor, had given me. I didn’t know how long I’d been sitting on the floor, lost in thought. She had taken pity on me, having witnessed countless birthdays go by without a single song or celebration. Damn it!Is my life really this messed up? Once again, my mom had deceived me, promising she would be home early to wish me a happy birthday. But here I was, all alone on what was supposed to be a special day—the day I turned eighteen. As I wallowed in my disappointment, the front door creaked open, the bell jingling softly. When I saw who it was, a wave of anger surged through me. My stepfather stood in the doorway, and he was no better than my mother. “Honey,” he called out, his smile unsettling. Hearing him say that made my heart race. He had never used that tone with me before. He was always strict and unreasonable, even resorting to violence. Just a few days ago, he had beaten up a boy fro

LANAI knew my mom too well. The moment she landed that first slap, I could tell she was gearing up to follow through on her threat to break the landlord's head. That would surely send us into the streets—and straight to the police station.I stopped in my tracks and sprinted over, my heart pounding with dread.“I don’t hit women, that—” the landlord was saying when my mom turned around, grabbing a heavy object.Without hesitation, he turned on his heel and fled. He must have heard the stories about her and her knack for getting into fights.The neighborhood was terrified of her fiery temper and sharp tongue. People often wondered how my stepfather, Bernardo, had managed to put up with her for all these years. But I knew the answer: he had been completely subdued, his own temper extinguished after realizing that my mom never held back when she went off the rails.I paused just short of the door, exhaling in relief. But when I caught sight of the object my mom had seized, my stomach dro

LANAI felt a sudden tug on my arm, jolting me from my daze. I turned to see it was Bernardo, my stepdad, gripping me tightly. His warning glare sent a shiver down my spine, and memories of his past violence flooded back. Even my mother had turned a blind eye to it.I quickly lowered my gaze, trying to make myself invisible.Maximum, the leader of the group of men, suddenly stopped and looked directly at me. His piercing gaze felt intense, and I couldn’t help but notice how strikingly handsome he was up close. A rush of excitement coursed through me, igniting a desire I hadn’t felt in a long time.But just as quickly, he walked away, leaving my heart racing. I was smitten.As I daydreamed, Bernardo’s grip on my arm tightened, and I hissed in pain. "Um, you’re hurting me," I managed to say.Bernardo shot me a fierce glare. "Do you know who that man is? He’s Maximum, the most feared man in the country. He could kill you without a second thought, and no one would ask a question. Stay awa

LANAWhen I saw the wad of dollar bills on the bedside table, I was taken aback. I had never seen so much cash all at once. I stepped into the room and quietly shut the door behind me, glancing around in confusion.I sat down and waited, but after two minutes, no one came. A bold thought crossed my mind: perhaps the money was meant for me. With a mix of excitement and apprehension, I picked it up and left the room.As I exited the clubhouse, I spotted my stepfather, Bernardo, leaning against the wall, smoking. When he saw me, he quickly stubbed out his cigarette."Where's the money?" he demanded, his cold eyes locking onto mine.I pulled out the wad of bills I hadn't even counted and handed it to him. His eyes widened in disbelief as he snatched it from my hand.He burst into laughter, a wild, unrestrained sound. "Hahaha! We’re rich! Hahaha!"He wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the ground. "Good girl, good girl!" His excitement was infectious, but I felt uneasy.As he set me

LANAI turned to my mom and said, "I have some savings left—two hundred dollars tha..."She cut me off, impatience lacing her voice. "Is that all?"I knew I had over five hundred hidden away, but I didn't fully trust her, so I nodded and replied, "That is all I have."She quickly said, "Okay, if that’s the case, give it to me."I stood up and went to my room, returning with the money. I barely stretched out my hand when she snatched it from me, thanking me profusely. "Lana, I’m so grateful. I promise I’ll use this money wisely for our better future.""It’s fine, Mom," I said, glancing at the clock. It was already 4 PM, and I worried that Bernardo wouldn’t let me have dinner before insisting we head to the club.Determined to get something to eat, I said, "I’m going out to get some groceries." I was tired of eating noodles all day."Don’t stay out too long; the streets are filled with randy dogs looking for pretty girls," she warned."I won’t," I assured her, putting on my jacket and s