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31: The Weight Of Power
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2025-03-31 08:00:41Maria's first day as SpitFire Technologies' Chief Human Resources Officer was anything but slow.
By the time the sun climbed higher in the sky, she had already waded through an ocean of paperwork, emails, and urgent matters that demanded her attention.Her schedule was a battlefield. Before she even had a chance to settle into her new office, she was swarmed by executive reports, backlogged HR concerns, and a flood of messages from employees-some congratulating her, some testing her patience with skepticism disguised as professionalism.But she wasn't one to falter.Instead, Maria welcomed the challenge.Her morning started with back-to-back meetings, where she quickly realized how much work needed to be done.The HR department, despite being well-structured, lacked innovation. Processes were outdated, and several inefficiencies needed addressing.The HR managers and directors approached her with stiff postures, polite
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THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME 86: How To Break A King
Miles away, in a room thick with sour smoke and the metallic stench of old blood, Mikael smiled too — but it wasn’t laughter he tasted. It was war, bitter and electric on his tongue.Mikael sat at the head of the table, one hand loose around a glass he hadn't touched. His fingers tapped once, twice — a sound like a ticking clock — then stilled. Not a man's patience. A predator's.The men gathered around him were a mix of old blood and new money, each one bringing something to the table: favors, weapons, information.But tonight, it was the man seated at the far end who commanded the most attention.Edwards Kale.He looked nothing like the arrogant bastard he once was. The man who had once dared to challenge the Avancii name now sat hunched, gaunt, a shadow of pride smoldering in his ruined eyes. His hands trembled as he shoved the folder forward — like the paper itself was poisoned — then clenched them into fists against the polished wood
THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME 85: Brother's Favorite Toy
Maria whimpered softly beneath him, her hips instinctively rocking back, greedy for every last flicker of sensation, every last pulse of him spilling into her.Slowly, reverently, Luca shifted, slipping an arm under her, gathering her close."Easy, mi amor," he rasped, his voice rough and sweet and filthy all at once.With aching tenderness, he coaxed her onto her side, spooning her against his chest.His cock slid deeper with the shift, drawing a broken gasp from both of them.He groaned low, forehead pressed to the nape of her neck."Fuck," he breathed.His hand splayed over her lower belly, protective, reverent, possessive.Maria trembled, overwhelmed, her hand flying down to cover his, threading their fingers together over the soft swell of her stomach."Mi esposa perfecta... madre de mi hijo..."(My perfect wife… mother of my child…)Maria turned blindly, seeking him, and he caugh
THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME 84: Home Is Under You
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THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME 83: Love, Screaming & Something Dramatic
A few days had passed, yet it felt like mere minutes for the women.The estate, once a fortress of power and control, now stood in disarray. The grand halls, which had witnessed whispered secrets and stolen laughter, now echoed with the wails of its most beloved occupants. The very walls seemed to mourn their impending separation, shadows stretching long under the glow of the chandeliers, as if reluctant to let go of the mischief and warmth that had once filled the space.Maria, Mafalda, Nune, Alexei, and Goodness clung to one another, their arms locked in desperation as though sheer force could prevent what was inevitable. But their husbands—men who commanded entire empires, men who had the world at their feet—were wholly unimpressed by their theatrics.To them, this was inevitable.To the women, it was unbearable.Luca stood at the far end of the room, his arms crossed, cigarette burning lazily between his lips as he watched M
THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME 82: Broken Knees, Broken Kings
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THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME 81: Where Power Wears A Smile
The docks were a blend of rustic charm and rugged elegance, the wooden piers weathered with years of use. Boats of various sizes bobbed gently on the water, their sails filled with the coastal breeze, creating a quiet rhythm as the waves lapped against the stone and wood. The air was thick with the scent of saltwater, a subtle reminder of the vast ocean beyond the island.The horizon stretched out in a wide arc, where the deep blue of the ocean met the sky in an endless line. The island felt like a place suspended in time, a realm apart from the rest of the world.Luca’s arm tightened around Maria’s waist, pulling her closer as he leaned in, his voice a low murmur against her ear. “Behave, unless you want to be punished again.”Maria simply nodded, her heart racing as she tried to hold her composure. This was a new world for her, a world of power and danger that she barely understood. She had to play her part, not just for herself, but
THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME 80: The Beginning Of The End
The day after Maria’s spa treatment, the tabloids exploded. The world couldn’t stop talking about her. Every moment captured by the paparazzi had its own headline. A multitude of pictures flooded the internet—Maria at the spa, her baby bump glowing in the soft, golden light of the afternoon; Maria sitting at the café, croissant halfway to her lips, sunglasses hiding her frustration. The world was obsessed, speculating, questioning every move she made.Headlines screamed:“Maria Avancii’s Baby Bump: The Real Reason She's Staying Out of the Spotlight?”“Maria Avancii’s Health: Why the Pregnant Wife of Luca Avancii Has Become a Rare Sight”“Is Maria’s Condition Keeping Her From Her Empire? A Glimpse into the Struggles of Pregnancy in the Spotlight”“Baggy Clothes: The New Trend Maria Avancii is Bringing into Fashion”Meanwhile, a different scene unfolded in Edwards Kale’s penthouse. Alone and furious, Edwards sta
THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME 79: Unexpected Alliances
The early morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of earthy tones.Luca stood on the balcony, the city stretching far away from him in a haze of artificial lights and the fading darkness of dawn. A cigarette burned between his fingers, the embers glowing each time he took a slow drag.He hadn't slept well.Maria’s disobedience troubled him, the memory of her soft cries and stubborn glare gnawing at his chest like a dull, constant ache. His body remembered the feel of her, hot and trembling beneath him, even as his mind waged a war he couldn’t name.Luca exhaled a curl of smoke into the cold air.Inside, he could hear the faint shuffle of sheets. He turned his head slightly, just enough to catch a glimpse: Maria curled beneath the cotton duvet, her baby bump a tender curve even under layers of fabric. A picture of innocence. Fragile. His.His phone vibrated in his pocket, cutting through the silenc
THE PRICE FOR HIS NAME 78: Tears And Tethers
First round had been punishment — this was pleasure, wicked and indulgent, tangled with the remnants of anger he hadn't quite managed to shake.Luca couldn’t stay mad at her forever. No matter how much Maria defied him, no matter how she pushed and tested — she was his. Always his. His anger melted into something darker now, something possessive and hungry.His gaze pinned her down, unreadable, heavy.Then he leaned in, slow, deliberate, his breath a sinful caress against the shell of her ear. His lips barely grazed her skin when he whispered, low and vicious,“Keep crying for me.”The words dragged along her spine like silk and steel, a cruel promise and a dark demand wrapped into one.Maria whimpered, fresh tears brimming in her eyes. The saltwater clung to her lashes, trembling, before spilling down hot onto her flushed cheeks. Her thighs trembled from the effort to stay open, vulnerable beneath him, but she didn’t dare move. Could
