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CHAPTER ONE ā BROKEN DAY
The rain hammered the rusted roof like it was furious with the worldājust like Amaraās life today. Each drop felt like a tiny accusation, reminding her of everything falling apart at once. Her phone buzzed insistently on the wet wooden table. She already knew what awaited her before she even glanced at the screen. Her hands trembled as she opened the message: āYou are hereby terminated from your position. You may clear your desk immediately.ā Amaraās breath hitched. Another job lost. Not because she wasnāt skilled or hardworkingābut because the manager had been harassing her, and she had refused his disgusting, manipulative āoffer.ā The bitter taste of injustice filled her mouth. And yet, as if the universe wanted to punish her further, her landlord appeared at her gate, face twisted with anger. āAmara! You owe me two monthsā rent! If you donāt pay before tomorrow morning, Iām throwing you and your brother out!ā he bellowed. Her chest tightened painfully. āMy brother is sick⦠pleaseāā she began, her voice barely audible over the pouring rain. āNo excuses!ā he snapped, storming off before she could say another word. She tightened her coat around herself and rushed toward the small clinic nearby, her heart hammering. Her younger brother, Chika, who suffered from sickle cell anemia, was weak and struggling. Each step she took felt heavier than the last. The doctor pulled her aside, concern etched deep into his face. āHis blood count is dangerously low. He needs treatment immediately. The deposit is ā¦150,000.ā Amara felt her knees buckle. She glanced at her phone, then at her nearly empty purse. ā¦3,800. Barely enough to feed herself, let alone save her brother. āI⦠Iāll find the money,ā she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. The rain soaked her thin clothes, but she barely noticed. Nothing mattered anymore except Chikaās life. She stepped out into the storm, her mind racing, when a shout pierced the air: āMove out of the way!ā A black SUV skidded dangerously across the slippery road, headed straight for a tall man crossing the street, oblivious to the danger. Without thinking, Amara bolted forward and shoved him out of the vehicleās path. They crashed onto the wet pavement together, water splashing around them. Her heart thudded wildly as she looked up at him. He was breathtakingātall, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, with a sharp jawline and piercing grey eyes that seemed to see right through her. He exuded wealth and danger all at once. He sat up slowly, shock etched on his face. āYouāsaved my life.ā Amara shrugged, trying to mask her panic. āAnyone would have done it.ā His eyes darkened, holding a mix of intensity and something unreadable. āNo. They wouldnāt.ā Before she could walk away, he gently grabbed her wrist. āWhatās your name?ā āAmara,ā she replied, her voice barely steady. āIām Dante,ā he said, each syllable deliberate, commanding. She already knew he was someone importantāor dangerous. But she didnāt have time for wealthy men with mysterious eyes. āMy brother needs me. I have to go,ā she said, pulling her hand away. He frowned, his expression softening ever so slightly. āAre you hurt? I can⦠compensate youāā āI donāt need compensation,ā she said, voice cracking. āI just need a miracle.ā And with that, she turned and ran, leaving Dante standing in the rain, eyes dark and fixed on her retreating figure. Intrigued. Confused. And unwillingly wanting more.CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO ā THE WEDDING NO ONE SAWThere were no flowers.No guests.No music echoing through a grand hall.And yet, it was the most dangerous ceremony Dante Knight had ever walked into.The private courthouse was empty except for four people: the judge, a clerk sworn to silence, Danteās head of security, and Amara.Amara stood beside Dante, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, her heart beating so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it. She wore a simple cream dressānothing extravagant, nothing that screamed billionaireās wife.But the way Dante looked at herā¦That was anything but simple.His gaze followed every movement, every breath she took, like he was committing her existence to memory.āAre you certain you wish to proceed?ā the judge asked quietly, eyes moving between them.Dante answered immediately.āYes.āAll certainty. No hesitation.The judge turned to Amara. āAnd you, Miss Okafor?āAmara inh
š CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE ā THE SECRET BRIDEThe city woke slowly.Morning light spilled across the penthouse, touching the walls in gold and amber. For the first time since Amara had entered Dante Knightās world, the silence didnāt feel dangerous.It felt peaceful.Amara stood in the kitchen, barefoot, holding a mug of tea she had barely touched. Her thoughts were loud, replaying everything from the night beforeāhis confession, the kiss, the way he had looked at her like she was no longer a weakness but a decision.Behind her, Dante watched her quietly.He hadnāt slept.He hadnāt needed to.āYouāre thinking too hard,ā he said softly.She turned, startled. āAm I that obvious?āāTo me?ā He gave a faint smile. āAlways.āShe leaned against the counter. āEverything feels⦠unreal. Like I stepped into someone elseās life and forgot how to leave.āDante moved closer. Not to corner her. Never that.āI donāt want you to feel trapped,ā he s
CHAPTER THIRTY ā THE CONFESSION THAT CHANGES EVERYTHINGThe city felt quieter after the storm.Amara stood by the wide window of the penthouse, watching the lights below flicker like distant stars. The world outside looked normal againācars moving, people laughing somewhere far awayābut inside her chest, everything had shifted.She was alive.But she was no longer the same woman who had pushed a stranger out of the way on a rainy street.Behind her, Danteās presence filled the room before he even spoke.āYou should be resting,ā he said softly.She turned.He was standing near the door, his arm bandaged, his jacket gone, his usually perfect composure cracked in ways she had never seen before. He looked tiredānot physically, but emotionally. Like a man who had finally reached the edge of something he could no longer control.āI donāt feel tired,ā Amara replied. āI feel⦠awake.āDante nodded once. āThatās usually what happens after you almost los
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE ā THE ULTIMATUMSunrise crept over the city like a silent witness.Dante stood at the edge of his penthouse balcony, the skyline glowing gold beneath himābut there was nothing beautiful about this morning.His jaw was tight. His injured shoulder throbbed beneath the bandage. But pain was irrelevant.Amara was gone.Behind him, the room buzzed with controlled chaos. Screens glowed. Voices murmured into comms. Armed men waited, tense and ready.Marcus, Danteās head of security, stepped closer.āWe traced the signal, sir. Itās an old industrial zone near the docks. Warehouse district.āDante didnāt turn.āVerena wants me desperate,ā he said calmly. āShe wants me reckless.āMarcus hesitated. āAnd is she wrong?āDante finally faced him.His eyes were lethal.āNo,ā he said. āSheās dead wrong.āHe picked up his phone.A message blinked on the screen.Verena:One hour, Dante. Come alone. Or she pays the
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT ā THE PRICE OF LOVEDarkness swallowed everything.Amara woke with a sharp gasp, her head pounding, her body cold against concrete. Her wrists burned.She tried to move.Metal cuffs.Her heart slammed violently against her ribs.āDante!ā she cried.No answer.Only silence⦠and the slow drip of water somewhere nearby.Her eyes adjusted to the dim light. She was in a large, unfinished roomācement walls, exposed pipes, a single bulb hanging from the ceiling.A warehouse.Panic surged through her chest.Memories crashed backāthe gunfire, the door bursting open, Dante bleedingāāDanteā¦ā her voice broke.A slow clap echoed through the room.āWell⦠youāre awake.āAmara froze.Verena stepped into the light, dressed elegantly as always, heels clicking against the floor like a countdown. Her red lipstick was flawless. Her
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN ā BETRAYAL IN BLOOD The explosion rocked the underground facility, throwing Amara off balance. Dante caught her instantly, his arm locking around her waist as debris rattled against the reinforced walls. Emergency lights flickered violently, bathing everything in red. āDown!ā someone shouted over the chaos. Dante pulled Amara behind a steel console just as another blast echoed from above. Her ears rang. Her heart pounded. āThis is my fault,ā she whispered, shaking. āIf I wasnāt hereāā Dante grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him. His eyes were fierce, unwavering. āDo not say that again.ā Another tremor hit. āThis ends tonight,ā he said. āVerena crossed a line she canāt come back from.ā ### **THE TRAITORāS MOVE** Security feeds flashed wildly across the screens. āSir!ā a technician yelled. āVerena disabled internal access from he







