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CHAPTER NINETY-ONE: CARING FOR ME.
Last Updated:
2025-03-17 23:15:41
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AXEL’S POV:I’ve done too much. Said enough. More than enough for one night. I swallowed the rest of what I wanted to say, cleaned us up, and carried Avery—half-asleep—back to the room. The bed was a mess of bloodstained sheets and a mattress too damn hard for her. I lowered her to her feet and wrapped my jacket around her. It swallowed her small frame, almost like a mini dress, covering her entirely. She looked fragile, too delicate for this world. I pulled on my pants before scooping her up again and carrying her out of the dungeon. I didn’t bother blindfolding her this time—she had already slipped into sleep, breathing softly, like an innocent child. When I reached our wing, I hesitated. I should take her to her room and let her wake up in her own space. But the thought of her being anywhere but beside me felt wrong. I exhaled sharply. "Think rationally, Axel." Keeping her close meant she’d wake up in my bed—my world—seeing a part of me no woman ever had. But for once, I
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AVERY’S POV:When I rolled over, pain licked up my spine and curled around my finger, a scorching reminder that Axel had branded me. My breath hitched, and I let my eyes flutter open, the brightness of the room forcing me to squint as I adjusted. My back was to the door. I stayed still for a moment, absorbing the silence, waiting for my mind to catch up with my body. I expected to feel regret. Shame. Maybe even fear. But all I felt was... calm. A strange, weightless kind of peace. Axel wasn’t beside me. The sheets beside me were cold, but before I could dwell on it, the door creaked open. Heavy footsteps crossed the room, and then he was there—carrying a first aid kit in one hand and a folder in the other. He barely spared the folder a glance before tossing it onto the vanity, his focus locked onto me. His eye patch was back. But the fire in his gaze? Still there. Still smoldering like embers that refused to die out. "Good morning, beautiful," he greeted, his voice a low, s
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AVERY’S POV:I didn’t wait for him to repeat himself. I scrambled up, kneeling on the bed as the sheets slid down my waist, leaving my skin bare from my chest to my navel. I didn’t care. Not about modesty. Not about anything except pulling the polo over his head, my fingers working fast as I removed it and tossed it aside."You have the most beautiful body I've seen," Axel murmured, his voice reverent.I scoffed, tilting my head. "Flattery. You’ve seen way better female anatomy than mine.""You’re right, I have." He didn’t deny it, didn’t even hesitate. "But yours is perfection."Heat rushed up my neck, and suddenly, I was clutching the sheets again, wrapping them around me like armor.Axel only smirked, sitting upright and flexing, his muscles shifting under a canvas of dark art, with black ink tattoos that told the story of his unyielding power and ruthless ambition.He tilted his back for me to see. Every inch of him was chiseled, controlled. A body made for war."Let’s start from
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AVERY’S POV:As the door closed behind him, I took a moment to catch my breath and clear my mind. When that wasn't doing much of a good job, I got up, taking in the view of Axel’s bedroom. It was minimalist yet infused with nature—a blend of masculinity and unexpected tranquility. The king-sized bed was made with soft, inviting sheets, positioned against a dark accent wall. Beside it, a bedside table held only a small, stylish lamp. A floor-to-ceiling window draped with curtains that have since been pushed to the side bathed the room in natural light, flanked by a few well-placed plants that added a touch of serenity. There was a vanity with a stool, simple yet functional, and the hardwood floor stretched seamlessly beneath my bare feet, cool and smooth. I headed in the direction Axel had pointed out earlier. The moment I opened the door, my mouth fell open. His bathroom was just as impressive—modern but with a softness that made it feel lived-in. A circular tub sat beneath a di
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AXEL’S POV: Avery’s laughter rang out over the roar of the helicopter blades, her eyes wide with childlike wonder as she pressed her face to the window. From up here, Pulau Tanjung Sari looked like something out of a dream—a secluded paradise carved out of nature itself. Emerald-green jungles stretched across the heart of the island, dense and wild, spilling down toward white sand beaches that wrapped around the edges like a protective embrace. The water was an impossible shade of blue, shifting between sapphire and turquoise, so clear that schools of fish could be seen darting beneath the surface. Further out, a coral reef glowed beneath the waves, a natural fortress shielding the island from the open ocean. Seabirds glided effortlessly over the water, their cries blending into the rhythmic hum of the waves crashing against the shore. I stole a glance at Avery, her expression pure awe as she kicked her feet in excitement. It wasn’t the island that made my chest tighten—it was t
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AXEL'S POV: The last four days had been the most normal of my life. No blood, no deals, no threats. Just Avery and me, isolated in paradise. I woke up with her in my arms, spent afternoons watching her run barefoot on the beach, cooked meals with her, did laundry—laundry—for the first time in my life, and learned the sound of her laugh by heart. We made love in every corner of the house, and at night, she read bedtime stories to Sea over FaceTime, her voice soft and full of warmth. But the illusion of peace had to end. Reality was waiting, and it arrived with a phone call. As I zipped the last suitcase into the helicopter, my phone buzzed in my pocket. One of my men in China. My gut twisted even before I answered. "Sir… our operation in Beijing has been shut down."I went still. "What the fuck did you just say?" "It’s on hold for now. The entire production facility was suspended until further notice." My grip tightened around the phone. "Who the hell ordered this?" "The o
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AXEL’S POV:The night was merciless. Sleep remained out of reach, chased away by the storm inside my head. I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling, then turned onto my side, restless. Vaughan’s words played in a loop, scraping at my pride. Rusty. Was that how they saw me now? Was I losing control, letting distractions dull my edge? Frustrated, I slid out of bed, careful not to wake Avery. The soft rise and fall of her breath filled the silence, but even that did nothing to calm me. I needed answers. I moved to my study, flipping through reports, files, anything that could tell me what I had failed to see. Who the hell are you, Vaughan?Hours passed. I kept searching. The deeper I dug, the less sense it made. There were barely any records on him—like he had appeared out of thin air. That alone was a problem. No one in this world was a ghost. No one except the dead. A knock at the door. I looked up, rubbing the exhaustion from my face. "Come in." Devon entered, his expression
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
