LOGINOne by one, the remaining guests make their way out. Stella leaves among them, silent and withdrawn. By the time she steps into the cool evening air, the confidence she usually wears so effortlessly is nowhere to be seen.Inside the now-empty foyer of the estate, Mrs. Ford waits until the catering staff is completely out of earshot before gently pulling her daughter aside."Jade, I have never once interfered with your social circle," Mrs. Ford begins, her tone carrying a rare, serious weight. "But when it comes to Stella, I strongly suggest you start keeping your distance."The sudden warning catches Jade completely off guard. "Mom, Stella and I have been close friends for years, and she hasn't actively done anything wrong to me today. Why should I push her away? You used to adore her, but this afternoon you treated her like an absolute stranger."While her mother had technically maintained a polite facade during the party, Jade easily saw straight through the icy detachment hiding ju
The afternoon sun casts a warm, golden hue over the sprawling Ford estate.Stepping out of her car, Luna hands over a beautifully wrapped gift bag, pulling Jade into a genuine, warm embrace. "Happy birthday.""Can I open it right now?" Jade asks eagerly, her eyes already gleaming with curiosity as she hooks her arm comfortably through Luna's."Go ahead. If you don't love it, I can always take it back and find you something else," Luna replies with an effortless, indulgent smile.Jade carefully flips open the heavy velvet box, and her breath instantly catches in her throat. Nestled against the dark, luxurious fabric is a breathtaking pink diamond necklace, catching the afternoon sunlight and scattering a soft, rosy halo across her skin.Instant recognition flashes in Jade's eyes. "Luna...is this the Pink Heart?""It is.""This is way too expensive," Jade breathes, genuine hesitation crossing her sharp features as she looks up. "Besides, didn't Ethan give this to you?""If I keep it, it
The chilling realization of her dangerous game lingers in Luna's mind like a heavy fog long after the morning sun rises. She successfully orchestrated a trap, binding Ethan's dark devotion to her once again.Yet, across the city, the shockwaves of her actions are already tearing someone else's world entirely apart.Inside a luxury van, the phone line is dead silent, but the voice of Stella's manager, Amy, still rings in her ears."The creative directors for that global Haute Couture campaign you signed yesterday called this morning to terminate the contract," Amy gasps. "And that massive luxury endorsement we spent three months negotiating? The brand completely denied ever speaking to us, claiming they already signed a different ambassador. Stella, someone is aggressively pulling your resources. Did you offend someone untouchable?"Leaning heavily against the leather seat, Stella closes her eyes, a nauseating dread pooling in her stomach. "I know who is doing this. I will handle it."
Before walking out the door, Ava pauses, casting a deeply uneasy glance at the small glass vial resting on the table. "Do not use that on him tonight, Luna. If you trigger his trauma...he might completely shatter. Try to trust him a little."Luna remains motionless on the sofa.Trust?Four years ago, she would have blindly trusted Ethan with her life. Today, she refuses to gamble her future on the fickle, unpredictable nature of a man's heart.Ethan is a man of dangerous extremes. Whoever he loves, he protects with a terrifying ruthlessness. She simply cannot allow Stella to occupy even a fraction of his mercy.Staring at the crystalline poison, Luna slowly curls her fingers around the vial.Two hours later, the pulsating bass of the nightclub fades into silence inside the dimly lit VIP suite.Stella hurries through the doors, acting on an urgent text claiming Ethan is blackout drunk.It is a repetitive prank his inner circle has pulled countless times over the last four years, yet sh
It is Julian. Even though his tailored suit remains perfectly pressed, the sheer exhaustion radiating from his posture betrays a man who fails to sleep a single wink all night."You didn't come home yesterday," he murmurs, crossing the quiet room to catch her hand in his. "Could you please, just for my own peace of mind, tell me beforehand the next time you decide to disappear?"Having barely survived the harrowing kidnapping the night before, Luna washes away the trauma under a scalding shower and collapses into dreamless exhaustion, completely forgetting to check her phone.Looking up at his visibly strained face, Luna sighs softly, a wave of gentle guilt and sudden affection softening her mind."I intended to come straight home, but an unexpected crisis caught me off guard," she explains gently, squeezing his fingers to offer some comfort. "Why did you stay awake the entire night instead of just resting?""You never replied to my messages, and I was terrified of disrupting your tra
The terrifying vow Marcus made instantly sets off a chain of events by the time the sun rises.Stepping out of the hospital doors into the crisp morning air, Avery Pierce is completely exhausted after spending the entire night anxiously watching over her severely beaten brother. Before she can even reach her car, a stern voice abruptly halts her steps."Miss Pierce."Avery looks up, her tired eyes landing on an unfamiliar man wearing a business suit."I am Ben, Mr. Vane's personal assistant," the man introduces himself flawlessly, though his eyes remain guarded. "He wants to see you.""Marcus?" Avery breathes, a tiny spark of hope cutting through her exhaustion.Even though she knows that Marcus despises the idea of marrying her and publicly flaunts his new girlfriend, she has loved him for so many years that simply hearing his name makes her heart flutter. Blinded by that affection, she willingly follows Ben to a black van parked near the hospital.As Ben slides the door open, Avery
The rain hasn't stopped.Inside the master suite, Marcus stands motionless before the fogged bathroom mirror. As the steam slowly clears, he looks at his collarbone and feels confusion, recollection, and then a particular variety of self-directed irritation that has no clean outlet.It is a bite ma
The entire booth goes dead silent for two seconds.Then, as if choreographed, every single fashion executive at the table turns to stare at them, their faces collectively mirroring the immense satisfaction of people who have just been handed irrefutable confirmation of a secret they already suspect
Marcus turns. Fast, and then deliberately slow, catching himself."Because of Ethan?" he asks, the question laced with a faint, almost imperceptible edge of lethal intent.Luna feigns complete ignorance. This is hardly the first time she has been subjected to Marcus Vane's particular brand of intim
"Mr. Vane," Luna says, her voice radiating a pleasant, entirely unruffled warmth that instantly slices through the suffocating tension in the room. "I believe there is a slight misunderstanding regarding my presence tonight. I am officially signed with the Caldwell Group's luxury fashion portfolio,







