LOGINIan raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t drunk last night. I was completely sober.“Sweetheart, I knew exactly what I was doing. I have been aware of my feelings for you for a long time. I just kept holding them back. But last night, when you hired those male escorts and leaned into that man’s arms, I could
Mia’s expression hardened. “Ian, what kind of thing is that to say? Who I date is none of your business.”“Fine.” Ian gave a short, cold laugh. “None of my business.”His face remained dark as he walked out. From that day on, he never returned to the Quinton estate.Mia did not see him for more than
Mia’s relationship with Ian had changed completely. Somewhere along the way, she had become the one doing the bullying.If she was upset, she would pinch or swat him without hesitation, and Ian would only grin and call her “Little Princess” or “Miss Trouble,” never once fighting back.Later, Mia was
By the time Ian was eighteen and in his senior year, his life was too busy with schoolwork to waste time picking on his stepsister. It had been a long time since he had teased Mia.The high school and middle school buildings were close to each other. That afternoon, he and a few classmates walked to
Lester was often away from home.In the beginning, whenever Mia was bullied by Ian, she would run to her mother, Sharon, in tears. But as a stepmother, Sharon felt she had no authority to discipline Ian. For the sake of keeping the household peaceful, she chose to turn a blind eye and never told Le
The first time Mia met Ian, she was only nine years old.Her mother, Sharon, held her hand and smiled brightly. “Say hello to your new brother.”The little girl tilted her head up at the tall boy in front of her, pressed her lips together, and obediently said, “Hi, brother.”The boy didn’t look the
Downstairs, Mrs. Sanders picked up the phone and dialed Sean’s number.He had given her his private line specifically so she could update him immediately if anything happened with Charlotte.“Hello, Mr. Jasper? This is Cora Sanders, the housekeeper taking care of Miss Riley,” she said gently. “She h
On the second floor of a private villa, clothes lay scattered across the floor—men’s and women’s alike. A pair of torn black stockings dangled from the edge of the couch.Joseph lounged against the headboard, a cigarette resting between his fingers, his face filled with quiet satisfaction.The woman
A long, heavy silence filled the car. The heat made the air inside feel stifling.Sean tugged at his tie and cracked the window. A burst of cold air rushed in, instantly clearing the stuffiness.Charlotte hesitated before speaking. “About what my dad said earlier, you—”Before she could finish, Sean
Charlotte had been following Sean’s advice for the past few days, staying home and working remotely without stepping outside.It didn’t take long for Sean to track down the man behind Ryan.His name was Chester Simpson—a local kingpin in Jersey City with deep ties to both sides of the law. He ran do







