LOGINROOSEVELT’S POV"She is finally asleep," I whispered, gently closing the door."She fought it for an hour," Zyran chuckled softly, leaning against the hallway wall. "She kept asking for another story.""She gets her stubbornness from you," I smiled, walking over to him."And she gets her beauty from you," Zyran said, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me close.Before he could kiss me, his phone buzzed loudly in his pocket.Zyran sighed, resting his forehead against mine. "I should throw this phone into the ocean.""Answer it," I laughed softly, stepping back. "It might be important."Zyran pulled the phone out and pressed it to his ear. "Marcus speak.""Mr. King," Marcus’s voice crackled through the speaker. "We have a situation in New York.""What kind of situation?" Zyran asked, his tone turning serious."Mateo Thompson."Zyran’s jaw tightened. "What about him?""He had a private meeting today, sir, at a highly secure club in Manhattan.""Why are you calling me about Tho
MINA’S POVThe private elevator doors opened with a soft chime.I stepped into Mateo’s huge penthouse, my body was still a bit stiff, but the hospital treatments had worked, I could walk and I could move, the bandage on my cheek had shrunk, hiding the ugly scar underneath.Mateo walked in behind me, he dropped my small travel bag on the floor and walked straight to the glass bar in the corner of the living room and poured himself a glass of whiskey."Your room is down the hall on the left," Mateo said coldly, taking a long sip of his drink. "The doctors will come here tomorrow morning to start planning your plastic surgery."I didn’t go to my room, I stood in the middle of the empty living room."This is a very big house, Mateo," I said softly."It’s just a place to sleep," Mateo replied, not turning around. He kept his back to me, staring out the window.I watched his shoulders, he was tense, his jaw was clenched tight. He was a very handsome, very rich man, but he was completely mis
MINA’S POVMateo stared at me, he stood by my hospital bed, looking proud of himself, he thought he had me all figured out. He was a rich, foolish man. I looked at his expensive suit and the pity in his eyes, he feels he's the mastermind in this game, but he knew nothing about real love, he knew nothing about obsession. "Where is the flash drive, Mina?" Mateo asked. His voice was eager and impatient. "Tell me where you hid it so I will send my men to get it right now and can hand it to the police by tomorrow morning." I didn't answer."I am not giving it to the police," I whispered. My throat was dry, but my voice remained steady. Mateo frowned and took a step closer to the bed. "What are you talking about? You just said it is the key to his cell and It proves his entire empire is built on fraud." "It is leverage," I corrected him softly. "But Zyran is not going to jail, i will not let you lock him away." Mateo’s face turned red with sudden anger. "Are you crazy? He left you to
MATEO’S POVThe heart monitor beeped in a slow, steady rhythm.I stood by the window of the room, looking out at the New York streets. "Water."The voice was incredibly weak, it sounded like dry leaves scraping against concrete.I turned around.Mina was awake, bandages were still wrapped around her cheek, but color was slowly returning to her pale face, she looked at me with hollow eyes.I walked over to the small table, poured a glass of water, and added a plastic straw, I held it near her cracked lips."Drink slowly," I said.Mina took a small sip and swallowed hard, wincing in pain, she let her head fall back against the pillow and stared at me."Who are you?" Mina whispered. Her voice was raspy and broken.Gosh, the doctor said it, she has temporary memory loss, and now she has forgotten all I said to her and doesn't even remember me."My name is Mateo Thompson," I said, pulling a chair closer to her bed and sitting down. "I am the CEO of Thompson Enterprises, I found you in an
ROOSEVELT POV "These numbers are wrong, Nixie," I said, tapping my pen against the file on my desk.Nixie sighed heavily and dropped into the chair across from me, she was wearing a black blazer, but she had applied a thick layer of foundation over her left cheek, I could still see the faint, dark shadow of a bruise underneath."I know they are wrong, Rose," Nixie groaned, rubbing her temples. "The client is trying to cut the budget by thirty percent. Mr. Conti wants the luxury marble, but he wants to pay for cheap tile.""We do not use cheap tile," I said firmly. "This is Vance Architecture and we don't lower our standards just because a client is cheap.""I told him that," Nixie said, leaning forward. "But he is threatening to pull the contract, he said he will take his hotel project to another firm if we don't agree to his price by noon today."I leaned back in my chair and looked at my best friend. "Are you okay, Nixie?" I asked softly, changing the subject. "Your face still loo
MATEO’S POV"Mr. Thompson?"I stood up quickly from the plastic chair in the waiting room. "How is she, Doctor?"The doctor sighed heavily and removed his glasses. "She is alive but she is in very bad shape, sir, she has severe malnutrition and frostbite, also she is likely to have temporary memory loss, so you may have to repeat anything you say hours later again.""Can I talk to her?" I asked, my voice tight."You can go into her room, but she cannot answer you," the doctor warned gently. "Her body went into extreme shock from the freezing cold and the trauma of living on the streets, her muscles are completely stiff and she cannot move well, and she cannot speak a word right now.""Will she survive?" I asked, glancing down the hallway."Yes because you brought her here just in time," the doctor responded with a nod. "Do you know her name, sir? We need to contact her family.""She has no family," I said coldly. "I will pay all her medical bills, put her in your best private VIP suit
ROOSEVELT’S POVI sat in the back of the SUV, pulling Zyran’s suit jacket tighter around my shoulders as I shivered.I watched him through the tinted glass staring at his phone screen.Suddenly, his whole body went rigid.The phone slipped from his fingers and he didn't even try to catch it. He jus
ROOSEVELT’S POVMy head snapped to the side. A sharp, burning pain shot across my face. I stumbled back, hitting my hip against the table. I tasted warm copper in my mouth.For a moment, the room was silent."What the hell are you doing?!" Zyran roared.His deep voice shook the crystal glasses on t
The ride back to the mansion were moments of tears and exhaustion.When my cab finally pulled up to the iron gates, the house was dark except for the bright light coming from the living room window.I took a deep breath and placed my hand over my flat stomach, drawing strength from the tiny heartbe
ROOSEVELT’S POVThe cold night air hit my face, but I struggled to breathe.The pain in my stomach felt like a hot knife twisting inside me. I grabbed the rough brick wall of the building, my fingers scraping against the stomach as I shut my eyes tight.Please, no, I begged silently. Not my baby. P







