LOGINAndre’s POVThe morning sun hit the mountain villa as I put on my black wedding tuxedo in front of the mirror, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy that Marcus Vance was sitting behind bars and Chloe was legally restrained from coming anywhere near us. My best man, David, walked into the dressing room holding two small velvet boxes and handed one to me while checking his own bow tie."Are you ready for this big step, Andre, because seventy close family friends and business partners are already filling the pews inside the private chapel right now," David asked, adjusting his cuffs while smiling at me through the mirror."I have been ready for this moment since the day I put that engagement ring on Avery's finger on the boat, David, and now that Marcus and Chloe are out of our lives, nothing can stop us," I answered, sliding the small velvet box into my jacket pocket while taking a deep breath."Grandmother Eleanor is already sea
Avery’s POVThe clock inside the hall chimed twelve times to signal midnight, and I stood on the second-floor balcony holding the railing while Eleanor stood right beside me, watching the dark mountain road below where four large black vehicles were creeping up toward our main driveway without their headlights on."Are you sure Andre has everything under control down there, Avery, because I see those four trucks stopping right outside our gate," Eleanor whispered, leaning her hands on her cane while staring down at the dark fence line."Andre quietly alerted the state police two hours ago, Eleanor, so he is just waiting for those men to step through the gate before closing the trap," I answered, keeping my eyes fixed on the metal entrance where the lead truck was slowly pushing the gate panel open.The lead vehicle rolled onto the paved driveway expecting the electric system to be completely broken like the mole promised, but the se
Andre’s POVAvery walked down the main staircase beside me with a tense expression on her face, and as soon as we reached the bottom floor, she pulled me into the side study room and showed me the text message from Alexa along with the photo of the guard near the fence, so I immediately called my chief of security, Marcus, to bring every single guard into the main hall without giving anyone a chance to leave the grounds."Marcus, assemble all twenty security guards inside the villa's main hall right now, and order everyone to hand over their personal mobile devices immediately," I commanded into my phone while walking out into the corridor."We are lining them up in the hall right now, Andre, and nobody is leaving the room until you complete your inspection," Marcus reported through the phone speaker before hanging up.I walked into the main hall where all twenty guards stood in two straight lines against the wall, with Grandmo
Avery’s POVThe long line of black armored SUVs drove past the high metal gates of the isolated mountain villa and pulled into the wide driveway, leaving the noise of the city far behind us as the gates swung heavy and shut behind our convoy. Eleanor stepped out of the lead vehicle with her bodyguards while Andre opened my door, helping me step out onto the smooth driveway while twenty security guards walked back and forth along the perimeter fence to secure the grounds."This villa is completely locked down tight, Avery, so you can finally relax your mind and stop worrying about shooters across the street," Andre said, taking my small bag from my hand while we walked up the entrance steps together."I am glad we came up here, Andre, because seeing all these guards patrolling the fence makes me feel like we can actually breathe for the first time since that window shattered," I answered, looking back at the long driveway as two guards c
Andre’s POV The red laser dot stayed locked on the white silk dress right over Avery's heart, and the second I saw the beam reflecting in the mirror glass, I leaped across the living room and tackled Avery straight onto the floor seconds before a high-powered bullet shattered the thick window glass above us, sending fragments showering down over the sofa and the carpet. I covered Avery's body with my arms while she gasped for air on the floor, and three armed security guards came rushing into the penthouse living room with their handguns drawn, while one of them hit the wall control panel to lower the heavy steel shutters over the broken window. "Are you hit anywhere, Avery, speak to me right now and tell me if you are bleeding," I shouted, my hands frantically checking her arms and shoulders while the steel shutters slammed shut against the outer frame with a loud bang. "I am fine, Andre, I am not hit
Avery’s POVWith Chloe officially out of the picture and locked up in the police station, Grandmother Eleanor insisted on hiring the city's most elite wedding designer, Madame Genevieve, to organize a massive wedding ceremony within two weeks. Andre and I sat together on the living room sofa reviewing luxury venue choices from a large book on the table, trying our best to keep the event small and simple, but Eleanor sat in the armchair right across from us and continuously overrode every decision we made with extravagant demands."We only want fifty guests at the seaside chapel, Eleanor, because we just want a quiet ceremony with our closest friends and family members," I explained, turning the page of the book to show her the simple outdoor venue."That simple chapel is completely unacceptable for a Sterling wedding, Avery, because our family has a social status to maintain, so you will have five hundred guests at the grand estate on the hi
Avery’s POVI didn't sleep as much as Marcus told me to. Every time I closed my eyes I could still feel the phantom pressure of the needle in my arm. So I spent most of the night sitting by the window and watching the city lights flicker while I drank tea that had gone cold hours ago.I was just st
Avery’s POVStill, as the elevator doors glided shut on Julian’s stunned face, I felt the slight pressure in my stomach as the lift rose toward the top floor. I just stood there watching the gold numbers climb while I tried to keep my hands from shaking.I reached the penthouse level and stepped ou
Avery’s POVI walked through the hospital's lobby with my head held high. I could feel the eyes of the receptionist on me as she whispered something into her headset while looking at my wrinkled clothes and the bandage on my arm.I knew she had probably seen the news leak Julian mentioned, and to h
Avery’s POVThe fluorescent lights in the recovery room were humming in a way that made my head feel like it was splitting open. I could still feel the cold sting in my vein where the nurse had just finished drawing a pint of my blood.I had been doing this every month for three years because Julia







