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CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: LETTING THE MASK SLIP.
Last Updated:
2025-02-09 23:00:13
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AXEL’S POV:There was something about Avery that made me want to take her everywhere. Maybe it was the way she carried herself tonight—poised, effortless. She played the role of my wife so seamlessly that I almost forgot it was a performance. She didn’t just stand beside me like a fragile accessory; she engaged in intelligent conversations, entertained every guest who approached us, and, most importantly, understood when to speak and when to let silence be her strength. She didn’t pry. She didn’t overdo it. And for that alone, I planned to reward her. I despised these gatherings. They were breeding grounds for hypocrisy, a room full of people who smiled with one hand extended in friendship while sharpening their knives with the other. But I couldn’t avoid this one. Not when it was personal. The cancer research gala wasn’t just another event on my calendar—it was something I had built from the ground up. A program I had started in honor of my mother before her life was cut sh
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AXEL’S POV:"Yes, I did," I answered Ryan nonchalantly. Baron grinned, stepping closer to Ryan with his arms wide, either for a handshake or a hug—I wasn’t sure which. Whatever it was, Ryan wasn’t having it. He took a step back, arms crossed, expression blank. Baron clicked his tongue. "Still stiff and unwelcoming as always," he joked. Then, without missing a beat, he turned to me, his usual grin in place. "Thank you for having me back, boss." I nodded. "You're welcome." Truth be told, it was good to have Baron back. Maybe he’d shake Ryan up a little. Ryan saw him as a challenge, and that was exactly what he needed. He was growing too... predictable. Baron was my third-in-command, the complete opposite of Ryan. Where Ryan was cold and disciplined, Baron was dangerous in a different way—rational, brutal, but somehow, annoyingly charismatic. He made friends easily, never raised suspicion, and had a charm that worked on both children and women alike. A deadly combination. "Ryan
Last Updated : 2025-02-11THE WIFE YOU LEFT CHAPTER FIFTY: IN MY HEAD.
AXEL’S POV:For some reason, my room was hot. Stifling, almost. I liked my sleeping environment cold and dark—just like my heart and soul. I tossed and turned, shifting onto my side before sighing in frustration. It had to be the settings. Dragging myself up, I checked the thermostat. Default. The air-conditioning was fine. Then why did it feel like I was suffocating? I ran a hand through my hair and exhaled. It wasn’t the temperature. It was her. Avery. Even now, as I stood shirtless in my navy-blue sweatpants, all I could think about was the way she’d looked tonight. The way her dress hugged her curves, the way her lips moved when she spoke. But it was all fake. A character I made her take on. A puppet performing for my amusement. And yet, I couldn’t shake her from my mind. I rubbed at my chest absentmindedly. The pain I had lived with for months—it wasn’t there. I hadn’t taken my pills, hadn’t felt the usual dull ache clawing through my ribcage. Had I just been too busy to
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AXEL’S POV:A small voice cut through the chaos in my mind. “Daddy?” Sea. Her voice was soft and uncertain, as if she wasn’t sure I could hear her. My eyes were open, but my body wouldn’t move. I could see her, standing a few feet away, the dim light from the hallway casting her in a soft glow, but I couldn’t react. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t even lift a finger. Panic clawed at my chest, but my limbs remained locked. My mind screamed at me to do something, anything, to reassure her, but all I could do was lie there, frozen. Her tiny footsteps approached, hesitant at first, then quicker as she realized I wasn’t responding. “Daddy?” Her voice cracked, thick with fear. A lone tear slid down my good eye. My mind was a warzone, still trapped in that nightmarish haze. I could still hear the sickening crunch of metal against bone. Still see my mother’s broken body, her blood mixing with the dirt. I wasn’t here. I was there. Dying all over again. Sea crouched beside me on the fl
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AVERY’S POV:It burned.Every line of that mysterious tattoo seared into my spine like fire biting my skin. The pain was relentless, curling through my nerves, refusing to let up. I wasn’t sure if it was the nightmare or the damn ink itself, but when I jolted awake, my body was drenched in sweat, my breath coming too fast, too shallow. I curled into the nearest corner, pressing my back against the wall as if that would steady me. My throat was dry, scratchy, like I’d swallowed sandpaper. I needed water—desperately—but nothing was in reach. What was happening to me? My mind was a battlefield, torn between reality and the fragments of my dream—the bloodied man in my arms. The cold, sticky wetness of his lifeless body seemed so real. The images wouldn’t leave me, wouldn’t stop replaying behind my eyes, a nightmare bleeding into wakefulness. God, was I losing it? Hallucinating? Imagining things? Physically, I was already a wreck. The last thing I needed was a spiritual crisis on
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AVERY’S POV:"Are you going to stand there all day or come along?" Axel’s unexpected voice boomed.I blinked, surprised. I hadn’t expected him to call out to me or wait for me. Without another thought, I stepped forward, falling into place behind him. Baron moved swiftly, stepping in front of me with something dark in his hands. Before I could react, the fabric slid over my eyes, shrouding my world in black. "This will be your routine," Baron murmured, his tone almost gentle. "Routine?""Yes. Each time you're leaving your cell, you must wear a blindfold."Oh, I see. Another security measure to tame me from escaping. The word settled uneasily in my chest. A hand—firm but not rough—closed around mine. I couldn’t tell if it was Baron or Axel, but I held onto it instinctively as I was led forward. The floor beneath me changed, and then suddenly, I missed a step. My foot slipped, my balance wavered, and my breath hitched— Strong arms caught me before I could fall. A pause. A s
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AVERY’S POV:I was tempted to tell her the truth. To say, "Your father did this. He’s trying to erase me, piece by piece, until I don’t recognize myself anymore." But I couldn’t. So I smiled, forcing lightness into my tone. "I went to the salon and got it done," I lied. She tilted her head, considering me. "I want to get my hair done too," she said thoughtfully. "So I can be pretty like you." Her words struck a sad chord inside me. If only she knew how much of myself I was losing with every change Axel forced on me. But looking at her now—bright-eyed, full of trust—I couldn’t bring myself to shatter the moment. "Maybe one day, darling," I said softly, running my fingers through her ponytail. Maybe one day, when I was free, I'll go back to my natural hair."You don’t need to change a thing, Sea," I told her, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "You’re already perfect just the way you are." Considering my words, she gave a satisfied nod. "Okay! But if I ever do change
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AXEL’S POV: No name. No number. Just an address scribbled on a card—my only clue to my destination. And yet, I was placing not only my fate but also that of the pilot in its hands as we flew through endless sky. This was our second day in the air, and I couldn’t help but wonder—just where the hell were we heading? It felt like the edge of the world. After the incident, there was no more room for hesitation. I had made up my mind. Sea wanted this, and I had to give it to her. Refusing her any longer wasn’t an option. She had already lost too much. Ryan, the one person she was comfortable with, had been sent away to handle business. That left Avery. The only other person Sea clung to like a lifeline. I had given strict instructions—let Avery settle in naturally, with Baron as the only security presence checking in from time to time. But I didn’t need constant reports to know what was happening. I had eyes everywhere. I saw everything. And what I saw… It was almost unnatural,
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AVERY’S POV:All this time, Baron and the rest of the guards stood still—positioned with militant stillness, their eyes never drifting from Axel and Ryan. They weren’t statues, though. You could feel the readiness in their posture, in the way fingers hovered just near triggers, how Baron’s gaze scanned every shadow like he expected a war to break out.Me? I kept scanning too. Old habits. But I didn’t feel cornered. Not with Axel here—and not with the numbers we brought. He’d made sure we had enough men. If this turned bloody, it wouldn’t end well for Ryan.Still, something in the air told me we were far from done.Defensively, Ryan snapped, “Her father kept her a secret to shield her from attacks.”Axel’s brows narrowed. “If you found yourself a mafia princess, why couldn’t you stick with her? Build your alliances the right way instead of giving away my daughter?” His voice turned lethal. “If her father is truly who you claim, then why not use that leverage?”Ryan’s jaw flexed. “Becau
THE WIFE YOU LEFT CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY-EIGHT: TRUE COL6.
AVERY’S POV:“No peace is worth her dignity,” I snapped, my fists clenched so tightly they ached. “You sealed her fate to get yourself out of trouble.”Ryan shook his head violently. “Don’t twist this. You weren’t here. Enemies were striking from all sides. The Russians in Tampa. The East Coast Syndicates in Italy. Everyone thought Axel was dead and Miami was up for grabs. I was just a name. They smelled weakness.”“You were weak,” Axel snapped. “And stupid. You believed that dirty-bag wouldn't touch her? You believed some overweight, power-drunk animal wouldn’t lay hands on my daughter the second she was his?”Ryan’s lip curled. “You think I didn’t struggle with it? That I didn’t weigh every option? I was desperate, Axel. Desperate to hold together what was left of your kingdom while you were dead. I didn’t have the luxury of morals. I had to survive. We all did.”“And for that,” Axel said slowly, stepping toward him until they were nearly nose-to-nose, “you offered her like a gift o
THE WIFE YOU LEFT CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY-SEVEN: GLAD I NEVER LISTENED.
AVERY’S POV:Thank God I didn’t listen.Something told me not to. The moment Axel walked out that door, tension still rolling off his back, I couldn’t sit still. My body wouldn’t let me. So I grabbed my bag, ignored the hesitant grumbles from his guards, and followed.Good thing I did.If I’d been a minute late—hell, a second—who knows what that fat slob would’ve done to our daughter or to Axel.As soon as I reached Axel, I caught him saving him from collapsing. He was trembling. The man who once bathed in the blood of enemies without flinching now couldn’t stomach the sight of one dead body. The irony was bitter.The place was chaos. Screams echoed from the hallway. People tripped over chairs, others bolted for the exits. The guards outside barked orders, trying to herd the crowd into some kind of formation, but it was like trying to sweep water uphill.I stayed inside, watching the mess unfold from behind the glass balcony window above. The moment was frozen in chaos—and then my eye
THE WIFE YOU LEFT CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY-SIX: THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE.
AXEL’S POVAs I leaned back in that leather chair, the scent of sandalwood and fresh polish settled into my nose. The office was polished. Immaculate. A clean display of taste, ambition, and new money. But my gaze wasn’t interested in decor—it anchored to the walls, to the shelves, to the little details most wouldn’t notice but I did.The picture frames.Dozens of them.Sea.Just Sea.Her tiny fingers wrapped around a paintbrush as she sat cross-legged in an art class. Sea grinning beside Ryan at a science museum, both wearing matching safety goggles. Her in a frilly tutu, mid-spin on a recital stage, wings on her back like some kind of seraphim. Ryan, lifting her on his shoulders as they fed a giraffe. Sea asleep on a couch with a book clutched in hand. Sea in a football jersey, cheering from the sidelines. And then Sea again—older—taller, her baby face giving way to teenage edges, beaming next to a golden trophy. Every phase of her life, etched in photographs, trapped behind glass.
THE WIFE YOU LEFT CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY-FIVE: FACING MY REFLECTION.
AXEL’S POV:Clearing my throat, “Cedric,” I said, my tone shifting as I stood up, brushing invisible dust from my slacks, “we have more to talk about. But for now, I have somewhere to be. Some examples to set.”I nodded toward him in thanks. “Thaddeus will take you back. I appreciate your help.”Avery blinked as I moved, her joy giving way to confusion. She stood too. “Wait—we’re leaving already? I thought…”I turned toward her, placing both hands gently on her shoulders. “Avery, there’s no ‘we.’ You’re staying home. Rest. I’ve been careless with you—almost lost you one too many times. I won’t make that mistake again. Take care of my child.”She tilted her head, stubbornness rising behind her eyes. “Axel… we’re a team. It’s you and I against the world. You’re not going anywhere without me.” “Avery, remember what I told you the first time we met?” I leaned in slightly, my voice dropping. “I. Hate. Repeating. Myself. Stay home and relax. We’ve been through heaven and hell.”She exhaled
THE WIFE YOU LEFT CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY-FOUR: THE CHILD LIVES.
AXEL'S POV:Settling in had been strangely easy. Too easy. After everything, Avery and I managed to freshen up and slip into something lighter. She moved around the house like she already belonged here, her bare feet silent against the polished floors as she prepared a simple fruit bowl for us. It wasn’t a feast, but it was enough—a bowl of sliced strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and cold watermelon. We sat side by side on the couch, snacking between tired conversations, trying to pretend we weren't waiting for the next battle to hit our doorstep.But the peace didn’t last long.Thaddeus arrived, the door buzzing once before the security system confirmed him. I rose to meet him at the entrance, Avery trailing just behind me, wiping her hands on a napkin.He wasn’t alone.Standing beside Thaddeus was Cedric—alive, breathing, and looking one wrong move away from bolting. His hands twitched slightly at his sides, and his face was set somewhere between disbelief and anger like he had
THE WIFE YOU LEFT CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY-THREE: THE NEW HOME.
AVERY’S POV:I was getting car sick, which was unusual. I pressed my palm against my mouth, taking slow breaths as the car was maneuvered through winding roads lined with thick trees and endless security cameras. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we pulled up in front of a massive, top-tier secured house. The gate, an intimidating stretch of black steel, buzzed with electricity and slid open only after Axel’s fingerprint and a vocal command. Thaddeus leaned over from the passenger seat, tapping a device on the dashboard, and I watched my name flicker onto a small digital screen. Just like that, I was added to the access list. It was only the three of us who could open the gate now. No one else. As we pulled into the compound, my mouth dropped open slightly. I thought we’d lost guards when Axel’s last estate was blown to pieces, but apparently not. This place was crawling with security — a fortress disguised as a home. Men in all black, bulletproof vests strapped to th
THE WIFE YOU LEFT CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY-TWO: WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?
AVERY’S POV:Something in me felt... wrong. A heavy, unsettled feeling gnawed at my chest the whole ride to MedixGen. Maybe it was just nerves—or maybe it was the dizziness and sick feeling that kept flashing hot and cold under my skin. I pushed it aside. We’d been through worse. I wasn’t going to fall apart now.Whether I liked it or not, we were about to make headlines.When we pulled into the lot, my eyes almost popped out of their sockets. The once-polished empire of Axel Blackwood—the building that had dominated every headline, symbolizing wealth, power, and fear—was barely standing. Structures had been torn down, and the main building that once pulsed with life now sat hollow and ignored, as if forgotten by the world. Axel looked like he had seen a ghost.We stepped out of the car, shoes crunching against concrete, and were immediately greeted by a sign swinging weakly on rusted hinges.“Little Loaf Bakery – Home of Fresh Beginnings!”Axel stared at it. Then he stared some
THE WIFE YOU LEFT CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY-ONE: BACK IN MY TERRITORY.
AXEL’S POV:A light knock sounded at the door, followed by Serena’s voice interrupting the quiet, “Boss, we’re landing in five minutes.”I groaned under my breath, dragging a hand down my face. I leaned over and kissed Avery’s temple, brushing my lips softly against her skin.“Wake up, honey,” I whispered. “Time to rise, my Queen.”She mumbled something incoherent and nuzzled closer into my chest.“Come on, baby, we’re landing. We gotta get dressed,” I coaxed again, kissing the tip of her nose.Avery sighed heavily, fluttering her eyes open just enough to glare at me half-heartedly. “Five more minutes,” she grumbled.“No can do, sweetheart. We’ve got a city waiting.”Reluctantly, she sat up, and I got out of bed, shrugging off the robe. Just as I promised, Serena had left us clothes during the night — neat, pressed, and laid out on the dresser. I grabbed my black slacks and button-down shirt, dressing quickly but methodically. Beside me, Avery slipped out of her robe, pulling on a pai
