Chapter 29 – The AccusationSera’s POVI sat in the dimly lit living room, my fingers tightening around the rim of my untouched coffee mug. The news of Ethan’s death had spread like wildfire. The entire city was talking about it—Ethan Carter, the untouchable businessman, had fallen to his death from his own penthouse balcony.The police hadn’t wasted any time launching an investigation. Of course, they wouldn’t. Ethan was too powerful, too connected for his death to be brushed aside. And now, they were looking for someone to blame.I should have felt relieved that he was gone, but my nerves were on edge. Something wasn’t right.“Relax,” Raven said from across the room, leaning against the counter with a cigarette in her hand. She exhaled a long stream of smoke, her blue eyes locked on me. “They have nothing on you. You just have to act normal.”Normal.I almost laughed.How could I act normal when my hands were still shaking from the memory of pushing Ethan over that railing? When eve
Chapter 30 – Silencing CelesteSera’s POVCeleste Deveraux had just made the biggest mistake of her life.I sat on the edge of my bed, my fingers tapping rhythmically against my knee as I tried to think. The accusation wasn’t just dangerous—it was calculated. Celeste knew exactly what she was doing.Ethan may have been dead, but his influence still clung to this city like a stain that wouldn’t wash out. And if Celeste was making this move, it meant someone else was behind her.“I’ll handle it,” Raven said, pacing the room.I looked up at her. “And what exactly does handling it mean?”Raven’s smirk was sharp. “I have my ways.”I knew what that meant. Raven had contacts—people who could make Celeste disappear if necessary.But something about this felt off. Killing Celeste outright wasn’t the answer. Not yet.“We need to know who’s backing her first,” I said, my voice firm. “If she’s doing this for money, there’s someone bigger pulling the strings.”Raven sighed, rolling her eyes. “Fine
Chapter 31 – Secrets in the DarkSera’s POVCeleste was gone.One day, she was spreading her poisonous lies, threatening to destroy me. The next, she simply vanished. No trace. No calls. No whispers.It should have brought me relief.Instead, it sent a chill down my spine.I sat at the kitchen counter, my fingers curling around a steaming cup of coffee, staring at the newspaper spread before me. The bold headline glared up at me, black ink against white paper.CELESTE DEVERAUX MISSING – LAST SEEN NEAR HER APARTMENTI read the article twice, my mind absorbing every possibility the reporters had speculated on. Suicide. Running from debt. An escape for a new life. But I knew the truth, or at least, I suspected it.Celeste wouldn’t just leave.She was too vain, too obsessed with Ethan to disappear without a trace.Someone had made her disappear.I just didn’t know who.I lifted my gaze, watching Raven from across the room. She stood near the window, her arms crossed over her chest, starin
Chapter 32 – Shackles and ShadowsSera’s POVThe cold metal of the handcuffs bit into my wrists as they snapped shut.“Seraphina Carter, you’re under arrest for the suspected involvement in Celeste Deveraux’s disappearance.”The officer’s voice was a sharp blade cutting through the tense air. I barely had time to react before my arms were yanked behind me. The weight of the accusation settled over me like a suffocating blanket, but I kept my face impassive. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me break.Raven gasped from across the room. “What the hell is this?” she demanded, stepping forward.One of the officers held up a hand to stop her. “Stay out of this, miss. This is official police business.”I locked eyes with Raven, a silent understanding passing between us.Stay calm.I had dealt with worse.But deep inside, a slow-burning fury ignited.Celeste.That bitch had been obsessed with Ethan, dangerous and unpredictable. And now, she was missing—and somehow, I was the pr
Chapter 33– Unraveling LiesSera’s POVI sat in the dimly lit living room, the glow from the television casting flickering shadows across the walls. The news anchor's voice was a dull hum in the background, but every word she spoke sent a pulse of tension through my veins."After weeks of investigation, authorities have officially ruled Ethan Carter’s death a suicide. While suspicions linger, a lack of conclusive evidence has led police to close the case. The late businessman’s empire remains in shambles, with stocks plummeting and investors pulling out."I exhaled slowly, gripping the glass of whiskey in my hand.It was over.At least, that part of it.Ethan was gone, his death written off as a self-inflicted tragedy. There was no trail leading back to me. No proof of the hands that had pushed him.But something about it didn’t sit right.Ethan Carter wasn’t the type of man to end his own life. He was a predator—a beast who thrived on control and dominance. If he had even an ounce of
Chapter 34 – No Way OutSera’s POVThe walls were closing in.Ethan Carter’s death had been ruled a suicide.No evidence. No proof. No witness.And yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the storm hadn’t passed. It was gathering strength. It was coming straight for us.I sat in Raven’s Apartment, a glass of whiskey in my hand, watching the flickering candlelight cast shadows against the walls. The room smelled of expensive leather, aged wood, and the faint trace of Raven’s perfume—an intoxicating mix of vanilla and danger.The police had finally closed Ethan’s case, but now they were digging into Raven’s past.And that terrified me.Not because I feared what they might find—I already knew what they would find.The problem was if they found it, everything we’d built would collapse.“We have a problem,” I said, my voice cutting through the silence.Raven, sprawled lazily across the couch, twirled the stem of her wine glass between her fingers. “Oh, darling, we always have problems.”I g
Chapter 35 – The Ultimate BetrayalSera’s POVI sat in the cold, sterile office of Ethan’s lawyer, my fingers curled tightly around the edge of the chair. The scent of old books and polished wood filled the space, suffocating me. The tension in the room was unbearable, thick enough to choke on.The lawyer, a stiff, gray-haired man named Richard Vaughn, adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat as he shuffled through the documents. He barely spared me a glance before speaking.“Mrs. Carter,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion. “I assume you are aware of your late husband’s final will and testament.”I forced my face into a mask of quiet grief, my hands resting delicately in my lap. “Of course,” I murmured. “Ethan and I discussed everything. I was his wife.”His wife. His partner. His murderer.Vaughn’s lips pressed into a thin line as he set a thick envelope on the table.“Well, it appears there have been… changes.”Something in his tone sent a sharp chill through my spine.“Change
Chapter 36 – Shocking Disappearance Sera’s POVThe silence in the penthouse felt suffocating.Raven was gone.At first, I thought she had just stepped out, maybe to clear her head. We had been under immense stress lately, with Ethan’s will revealing that I was left with nothing. Everything we had fought for, all the power we had tried to take—it was slipping through my fingers.But as the hours dragged on, that empty feeling in my chest turned into something colder.By morning, it was unbearable.I walked through the penthouse, checking every room. Her closet—empty. Her side of the bed—untouched. Not a single trace of her remained. Even her signature vanilla and musk scent that always clung to our sheets was gone.My breath came in shallow bursts. My fingers curled into fists.She wouldn’t just leave me.Would she?No.Raven and I had been through too much together. We had burned for each other, fought for each other. She knew how much I needed her.She wouldn’t abandon me.Unless...
Chapter 10 - A Beautiful WeaponSERA'S POVThe low hum of jazz filtered through the penthouse suite. My heels clicked against the polished floor as I poured wine into two glasses, wearing a silk robe that clung to every curve. Across from me sat Damien Kerrick, one of Ethan’s most trusted financial advisors. A man with weak principles, expensive tastes, and a predictable weakness for beautiful women.I was all of those things tonight.He smiled like he’d already won, like he had any idea what game he was playing. I slid the glass across the table, leaned forward just enough to show a glimpse of the black lace beneath the robe, and watched him swallow hard."To secrets," I said, raising my glass.He chuckled. "And to the women who keep them well."Idiot.Ten minutes later, he was in my bed, drunk on my body and lust. He didn’t notice when I slipped out of his arms, didn’t stir as I padded across the room and opened his briefcase.Passwords were no match for me. I had memorized the sequ
Chapter 9: Dangerous Intrusions and Sweet TemptationsSERA'S POVBreaking into William Harlow’s estate was child’s play. Ethan’s investor was a paranoid man with a taste for young women and Cuban cigars—distractions that left his guards sloppy. I’d slipped through the side gate wearing a cleaner’s uniform, a feather duster in hand and knives hidden in the folds of my coat. I didn’t need Leon’s permission. I didn’t need his damn guidance. I was Sera Carter—no, Arianna Vale now—and I knew how to destroy men like Harlow without anyone’s help.The office was dark, curtains drawn. I moved with calculated ease, searching for the files—documents that would confirm his laundering activities for Ethan. The plan was simple: grab evidence, plant a bug, vanish before anyone noticed.But nothing ever stayed simple for long.I heard them before I saw them. Heavy boots. Muffled shouts. Too many for me to fight alone.I tried the window. Locked.Shit.I darted behind the velvet drapes, heart steady,
Chapter 8 – Whispers in the ShadowsSERA’S POVPower doesn’t come from noise. It grows in silence—in secrets, whispers, glances that say too much and hands that shake for the wrong reasons.I didn’t need an army. I needed leverage. And leverage, in Ethan’s world, was everywhere.My first pawn was a junior executive at his shipping subsidiary—nervous, underpaid, and drowning in gambling debt. He had a pretty wife and a mistress who didn’t know how to keep her mouth shut. It took me exactly two days to find him, one dinner to break him, and one whisper in his ear to make him mine.By the end of the week, I had three more—an accounts manager, a security analyst, and a secretary who heard everything and was tired of being invisible.I didn’t threaten them. I offered them something Ethan never could: protection, power, and the satisfaction of watching the great man unravel.I sat in my penthouse, staring out the window as the city moved like veins under glass. Leon stood near the bar, watc
Chapter 7 – Unmasked Eyes and TemptationSERA’S POVThe gala was everything I expected—opulent, filled with power-drunk men and women desperate to prove their worth. The dress I wore hugged my body in all the right places, deep black silk with a slit that climbed too high and a neckline that promised things I would never give. I didn’t come here for pleasure. I came here for war.Under Leon’s guidance, I had slipped into the role of Arianna Vale with unsettling ease. People didn’t look past the surface when you looked like a fantasy. They saw curves, confidence, allure—never the blade underneath.I walked through the marble lobby of the hotel, chin high, eyes sharp. The ballroom glimmered ahead, voices rising in lazy arrogance. I scanned the room for potential targets, men and women associated with Ethan’s empire. They were all here. And soon, they would be mine.But then I felt it.A stare.Cold. Sharp. Too familiar.I turned slowly, keeping my composure. And there he was—Detective H
Chapter 6 - Scarlet Games and Shadowed EyesSera's (Arianna )POVThe mirror reflected a different woman now—no longer the broken prisoner named Sera Carter, but Arianna Vale, a calculated siren draped in red. The silk clung to her body like temptation, cut low in the front, high at the slit, every movement designed to draw the eye and disarm the mind.Tonight, her prey was Matthew Virelli—a rival businessman of Ethan’s and a potential key to dismantling a piece of Ethan’s crumbling empire. He was arrogant, greedy, and weak where it mattered most.Arianna walked into the private lounge like smoke—silent, seductive, and deadly.“Miss Vale,” Matthew said, eyeing her with a wolfish grin. “You make this room look sinfully small.”She smiled coyly, placing a hand on his chest. “Then let’s make it feel bigger, Mr. Virelli.”The wine flowed. The words were weapons. Every laugh was rehearsed, every glance choreographed. And when they ended up in the penthouse suite above the lounge, she had al
Chapter 5: Fire and FleshPOV: Arianna (Sera)The smell of gunpowder and blood has long since stopped making me flinch.I watch from behind tinted glasses as one of Ethan’s former clients signs over their loyalty to a new boss—Leon Valenci. I’m the reason why. A black dress. A little smile. A whisper in the ear. A deal sealed with a touch. I walk away, my heels echoing like a war drum. Every step is a win. Every glance in the mirror reminds me: I’m not Sera Carter anymore. Sera died. I buried her with the name Ethan once moaned in bed.Now, I’m Arianna Vale.And I am becoming something they never saw coming.Flashback: Leon, Eight Years AgoThe warehouse smelled of burnt rubber and desperation. Leon crouched behind crates, a bullet wound tearing into his shoulder. His enemies thought he was cornered. They were wrong.A single grenade, a timed distraction, and a whispered promise to the corpse of his mentor: I’ll burn the world before I beg for mercy.That night, he emerged from the fi
Season 2 Chapter 4: Fire and ChainsSera / Arianna POV"You think you're in control," Leon's voice cut through the silence like a whip. "But you're not. Not in my world. And certainly not in his."I didn’t flinch. Not even as he slammed the thick dossier onto the table, the contents spilling out like secrets desperate to be told. Pictures. Blueprints. Schedules. Everything I had pulled together on Ethan Carter’s current operations. And the little detour I’d taken the night before to tail Raven."You disobeyed me," he continued, pacing, barely restrained anger radiating off him. "I told you to wait. To plan. You ran off like a damned amateur.""I'm not your puppet, Leon. I do things my way," I said, my voice calm but laced with steel. I was still catching my breath from the chase last night—so close to seeing Raven's face up close, only for Leon to pull me out before Ethan’s guards circled back.His gaze burned into mine, dark eyes unreadable. "No, you're not my puppet. But you're unde
Chapter 3: The Rage Beneath Arianna (Sera) – POVThe hot steam coiling from the shower clung to my skin, scalding, yet soothing. I let the water burn into me, as though it could erase the past—the betrayal, the lies, the sound of Raven's laughter as she kissed Ethan before my eyes.I keep telling myself that I was no longer Sera Carter. I was Arianna Vale. And this time, I wasn't the prey.My fingertips brushed over the edges of my jaw—new, sculpted, foreign. I stared at myself in the mirror. Raven and Ethan wouldn't recognize me. But I would recognize them—anywhere.I stepped into the training hall of Leon’s estate, my body encased in black. No frills, no charm. Just deadly precision. Leon watched from the side, arms folded, unreadable.“I need access to the intel on Carter Holdings,” I said without pause, my voice sharp.Leon raised a brow. “You’re not ready.”“I know Ethan’s next move before he makes it. Raven is using the name Cassandra Monroe now. She’s living in one of the esta
Season 2 Chapter 2: The Making of Arianna ValeArianna's POVThe club was thick with smoke, dimly lit by red and violet hues that painted shadows on the gilded walls. I wore a deep crimson dress that clung to me like a second skin, the slit high enough to make kings forget their names. My heels clicked against the marble as I moved through the crowd, every step a silent declaration—Arianna Vale was no one’s prey.Leon had told me that tonight was a test. The inner circle watched everything. The mission was simple on the surface: seduce Lord Nikos Alvarez, an arms kingpin from the south, and secure his signature on a weapons trade deal. But nothing in the Mafia world was ever truly simple.I spotted Nikos lounging in a private booth, two women beside him, both too drunk to know where they were. His dark eyes flicked to me as I approached, predatory curiosity flashing across his face."Mind if I interrupt, gentlemen?" I asked, my voice laced with sultry confidence.He waved the girls aw