LOGIN~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY TWO~ ADRIAN’S POV When we finally touch down in Athens, the convoy is already waiting. Black vehicles line the private section of the runway, engines idling quietly under the floodlights. Security men stand in formation, alert and disciplined. The moment I step down from the aircraft stairs, they straighten. Among them is the police commissioner I spoke to earlier. He stands with two officers behind him, his posture formal. He bows slightly. “Welcome, your Majesty.” I acknowledge him with a nod and a brief, polite smile. “Thank you.” Then my eyes move past him, scanning the line of vehicles waiting for us. And they stop at a Bugatti La Voiture Noire, gleaming under the runway lights like a dark jewel. For a second I just stare at it. Then I sigh. “What did I say about not being flashy?” I ask calmly. The men shift uneasily. “We are not here to draw attention.” I point toward the supercar without even looking at it aga
~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE~ MELISSA’S POV The woman comes in again to clear my plate. She pauses the moment she sees it. Her eyebrows lift slightly, then a warm smile spreads across her face. “You emptied the plate?” she says, sounding pleasantly surprised. “You like pasta, I see.” My voice comes out small. Barely above a whisper. “I… guess I was just really hungry,” I say. “And it’s good.” She nods softly and walks toward the table to collect the tray, but something in her expression shifts as her eyes move over me. Her gaze stops on my hands. They’re shaking. I hadn’t even noticed until now. Her smile fades. Slowly, she places the tray back down and walks toward me. The bed sinks slightly as she sits beside me. Then she gently takes my hand. Her touch is warm, steady. Mine isn’t. “I hate what’s happening to you,” she says quietly. The words confuse me immediately. I blink at her. “What’s happening to me?” I ask. The question seems
~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY~ BLAKE’S POV There is a pause between us. Jacob slowly walks to the side sofa and drops into it, his body heavy like the weight of the past hours is finally crushing him. His fingers rub together anxiously as he stares down at the carpet. “The truth is…” he says after a moment, his voice low, tired. “I don’t actually know where my parents are.” I straighten slightly against the wall but keep my face neutral. “Whenever I call them and try to find out where they are, they never tell me,” he continues. “They always avoid the question.” He exhales, long and shaky. “The only way I could make them speak is if I call them and tell them Melissa is missing.” I nod slowly, folding my arms across my chest as if I’m simply thinking through the situation. “I understand,” I say calmly. “Right now it’s about their safety.” Jacob lifts his head and looks at me. His eyes are red but steady. “In that case,” he says quietly, “I’m glad
~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY NINE~ BLAKE’S POV I call him repeatedly, but he doesn’t answer. The line rings… and rings… and then dies. I stare at the phone for a moment before lowering it slowly. Well, he can’t deny that I tried to reach him. That alone is enough. Some minutes later, the car pulls up in front of the hotel. I step out, adjusting the cuff of my sleeve, but something immediately catches my attention. Police. Several patrol vehicles are parked around the building, their lights off but their presence unmistakable. Officers stand near the entrance and along the pavement, speaking into radios and watching the surroundings carefully. My eyes narrow. “What the hell is going on?” I mutter under my breath. One of the officers notices me approaching. The moment he recognizes me, he straightens and gives a slight respectful bow. “Good afternoon, Prince Blake Drakonis.” I nod briefly. “We heard you have been searching for the hotel owner,” he c
~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT~ BLAKE’S POV The distance from the mountain back to the city feels endless. By the time we arrive, the sun is already high in the sky—noon, maybe a little past it. Our first stop is the hospital. Nina is so close to Melissa; she would know where her child is. Her loyalty borders on devotion. And as far as I know, she still has no idea that Melissa is missing. That works perfectly for me. I remember what she said before, how the masked man who attacked her demanded to know where Melissa’s child was. She claimed she told him she didn’t know. But I don’t believe that. People like Nina always know more than they admit. Fear makes them silent. But emotions… emotions make them careless. And Nina trusts me, I guess, and sees me as a protector. I intend to use that. I push the private ward door open and step inside the room. Nina lifts her head immediately. Her eyes move past me, scanning the doorway behind my shoulder. She’s looki
~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN~ FREDERICK’S POV I hurriedly pull my clothes on, my movements quick and impatient. My head still feels heavy, like the night never truly ended. I reach into my pocket, pull out a stack of cash, and drop it on the small table in front of the two ladies. Their faces light up instantly, satisfaction replacing the lazy boredom they had minutes ago. One of them says something—probably thanking me, but I’m already halfway to the door, still adjusting my shirt as I walk out. I don’t stop. The hallway feels too quiet. By the time I reach the elevator, my mind is already racing. The doors slide open and I step inside, pressing the lobby button. The mirrored walls reflect a version of me that looks far more exhausted than I feel. What could be this urgent? Adrian rarely calls like that. Not unless something serious has happened. The elevator begins its slow descent. I pull my phone out and dial my driver. “Bring the car arou
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN By the time Nina finishes giving me all the details about the dinner, exhaustion weighs on my shoulders like a velvet cloak. It’s only 5 p.m. If I close my eyes for just one hour, I can still make it on time. Royal families may act like the world bends for
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE The moment his eyes lock on mine, the room tilts. Adrian doesn’t speak at first. He doesn’t need to. His stare alone pins me to the far wall, sharp enough to slice through bone, hot enough to melt whatever resistance I pretend to have. Then he moves. Not
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT Sitting beside Frederick, I realize he is all charm and mischief, not the storm I imagined from afar. He leans close when I hesitate at an unfamiliar dish, whispering explanations with a teasing undertone. His chuckle is soft, rich, dangerous enough to make my s
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE The road winds upward, the convoy slicing through the mist like a procession from another world. I press my palm against my thigh to stop the restless tapping, but it doesn’t help. The closer the Grand Castle grows in the distance, the tighter my nerves pull.







