INICIAR SESIÓNThe gunshot echoed in my ears, a deafening roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the shop.I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impact of the bullet. But the pain never came.I opened my eyes, my chest heaving. Julian was standing in the doorway, his arm still raised, a smoking police-issue revolver in his hand. Elena was on the floor, screaming in agony, clutching her bleeding shoulder."Julian?" I whispered, completely stunned."I told you, Sera," Julian stammered, his face pale and his hands shaking violently. "I would never let anyone hurt you. Even if you hate me for the rest of my life."The police burst through the door a second later, their guns drawn. They took one look at the scene and chaos erupted. Julian dropped the gun instantly, sinking to his knees in surrender.As they dragged him past me, he looked up, his eyes full of tears. "I'm sorry, Sera. For everything."I didn't have time to process his sacrifice. I ran to Leo, who was stumbling out of the back
"Get your hands off me!" Lucian roared, his voice echoing off the sterile hospital walls.I stood frozen, my hands flying to my mouth, as the three police officers swarmed the bed."Lucian Black, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Elena Black," the lead officer repeated, grabbing Lucian's arm."He didn't do it!" I screamed, snapping out of my shock. I lunged forward, trying to push the officer away. "She did this to herself! She planted the bomb! He almost died trying to save me!""Ma'am, step back!" a second officer ordered, shoving me roughly away from the bed."Don't you dare touch her!" Lucian snarled.He struggled against them, the veins in his neck bulging. The white bandages on his chest were completely soaked in red now. He looked like a wounded, furious lion fighting against a cage."Let me go!" Lucian growled, throwing one of the officers back."Stop resisting, Mr. Black, or we will use force!" the lead officer yelled, pulling out a pair of heavy metal handcuff
The door clicked shut behind Helena, leaving a suffocating silence in the hospital room.I stood frozen, my heart hammering against my ribs. The man I had just confessed my love to was now being stripped of his entire empire. And it was all because of me.Lucian sat up in the hospital bed, ignoring the blood seeping through his bandages. His face was a mask of pure, murderous rage."Vivienne," he growled, his voice vibrating with a terrifying hatred. "She planned this. She orchestrated this entire takeover.""Lucian, you need to lie down," I urged, rushing to his side. I placed my hands on his chest, trying to push him back against the pillows. "You're going to tear your stitches."He grabbed my wrists, his grip surprisingly strong for a man who had just lost buckets of blood. His gray eyes locked onto mine, blazing with a desperate, possessive fire."You are the only thing that matters," he rasped. "Do you hear me, Seraphina? The company, the money, the board... they can all burn. Bu
The sound of the ambulance sirens was deafening, but all I could hear was the ragged, struggling sound of Lucian’s breathing.I rode in the back of the ambulance, my hands still covered in his blood. I was holding his hand so tightly my knuckles were white, terrified that if I let go, he would slip away from me forever."Stay with me," I begged, tears streaming down my face. "Please, Lucian. Don't leave me."The paramedics were working frantically, cutting his expensive suit away to get to the wound. There was so much blood. It was everywhere."Miss, you need to let go of his hand so we can work," one of the paramedics said gently."No," I sobbed, shaking my head. "I'm not leaving him.""Seraphina," a weak, raspy voice whispered.I gasped, looking down. Lucian's eyes were barely open, his gray irises clouded with pain."I'm here," I cried, leaning closer. "I'm right here.""You're... bleeding," he choked out, his gaze dropping to a small cut on my arm.Are you for real right now? I th
The line went dead.For one terrifying second, the penthouse was completely silent. The only sound was the violent pounding of my heart against my ribs.Is this really happening? Is she actually going to blow up the building?Then Lucian moved.He didn't panic. He didn't shout. The cold, ruthless CEO mask shattered completely, replaced by a primal, terrifying need to protect what was his."Move," he barked, grabbing my hand so hard my bones ached.He dragged me away from the elevator and toward the heavy steel door of the emergency stairwell."What about the elevator?" I gasped, stumbling in my bare feet, my silk robe flapping around my legs."It's a death trap," he growled, throwing the stairwell door open so hard it slammed against the concrete wall. "The stairs are our only way out. Go!"He pushed me in front of him, his hand resting heavily on my lower back, practically shoving me down the first flight of stairs.We started running.Forty floors down. The stairwell was dimly lit a
Oh my God. She's alive.My blood ran completely cold. I stood frozen in the hallway, staring at the woman from the photograph.She looked older than the picture, and crueler. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled, and she wore a black designer dress that hugged her slim figure. But it was her eyes that terrified me. They were the exact same shade of gray as Lucian's, but where his were cold, hers were completely unhinged."The guards," I whispered, my eyes darting to the unconscious men on the floor. "What did you do to them?"Elena waved a dismissive hand. "Just a little sedative. They'll wake up with a headache, but they'll live. I just needed some privacy with my new sister-in-law."She took a step toward me. I instinctively stepped back, my heart hammering against my ribs."Lucian told me you were dead," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "He said you were murdered."Elena let out a high, cold laugh. It echoed through the massive penthouse."Murdered? Oh, that is rich," she sp







