Five years ago, Elena Carter made the mistake of a lifetime — participating in the ruthless billionaire’s smokescreen, Damian Sinclair. A night to remember, never to forget, and then she slipped away, taking a secret that could tear apart his world. Now, intent on revealing a scandal, Elena reimmerses herself in Damian’s world. But when he learns the truth — that she kept his son from him — he is furious, possessive, and unwilling to let her slip away again. He gives an ultimatum: split the year with him or lose everything. Stuck in his frigid, gilded universe, Elena fights against his hold, yet the spark between them won't extinguish. With secrets unraveling and enemies closing in, Damian and Elena find themselves in a deadly
Lihat lebih banyakI ran.
My breath scorched in my lungs, my heart crashing against my ribs like a drum as I held my son’s small hand. “Keep going, Leo,” I gasped, willing my legs to move more quickly.
Heavy footsteps echoed behind us. I knew that they were getting closer. I had no reason to glance back for reassurance. All day, I had felt their eyes on me, watching, waiting — until they finally made their move.
And now Damian Sinclair’s men were here to steal it all away.
Leo whined, falling behind. “Mommy, I’m tired.”
I sat stiff as a board in the backseat of Damian’s luxury SUV, my fists balled so tightly my nails cut into my palms. Leo sat next to me, his tiny frame wedged against mine, his large eyes alternating between me and the man dining across the table.
Damian.
He sat with his legs crossed, his piercing blue eyes boring into me. He seemed completely relaxed, as if abducting me and my son was merely a business deal.
I swallowed, breathing through the tension. I needed to be calm for Leo. There wouldn’t be much use in panicking now.
I looked to Damian, my voice low but powerful. “Where are you taking us?”
His lips curled as if my question were funny. “Home.”
A shiver ran down my spine. “I already have a home.”
His jaw tensed a bit, but his face held no expression. “Not anymore.”
Anger burned in my chest. “You can’t just—”
“I can,” he interrupted me, his voice brooking no argument. “And I have.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. Of course. This was the Damian I knew — controlling, ruthless, utterly unaffected by what I wanted.
Leo’s tiny fingers wrapped themselves around mine. “Mommy…who is he?”
Damian’s eyes sharpened on Leo’s question.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “He’s...” I faltered, my pulse pounding. How do I tell him about what happened?
Damian then leaned in slightly, his voice steady. “I’m your father.”
Leo looked up at him, confusion flashing in his little face. “No, you’re not. My daddy is in heaven.”
A heavy silence descended on the car. My breath hitched.
Damian’s face remained the same, but something perilous flashed in his eyes. “Is that what she told you?” He spoke softly, but I could hear the threat behind it.
I felt my stomach drop.
Damian looked down at me then, his eyes swimming with something cold and inscrutable. “We’ll discuss that later.”
I swallowed hard and gripped Leo’s hand tighter.
The vehicle turned onto a private road, and my chest constricted when I saw our destination ahead. Ahead loomed a massive mansion with tall iron gates swinging open as we approached.
No.
I had been running from this place, from this man, for five years.
And now I was back where I had begun.
The car stopped rolling, and Damian opened his door. He turned to me and reached out his hand. “Out.”
I stared at him, my mouth frozen shut.
He smiled darkly, lips curling. “Or would you prefer me to carry you?”
I glared at him and climbed out, hugging Leo close.
The moment I set my feet on the ground, I could sense him right next to me. Damian loomed over me, his body exuding dominance and strength.
“This is your home now,” he whispered, warm breath on my skin.
I raised my chin, willing myself to look him in the eye. “You can make me come, Damian. But you’ll never control me.”
His gaze darkened, humor dancing in those black depths. “We’ll see about that.”
And then, before I had a chance to react, he leaned in, lips against my ear.
“Welcome back, sweetheart.”
I squeezed his hand tighter. “Just a little more, baby. We’re almost safe.”
That was a lie. We weren’t safe anywhere. Not anymore.
A black SUV squealed to a stop in front of us, blocking our path. My stomach was in knots. No. No, no, no. I spun, looking to run the other way, but two more men emerged from the shadows and stepped into our path.
Trapped.
My heart thudded in my ears as I stood in front of Leo. “Stay away,” I said, shaking my voice.
One of the men took a step forward. “Miss Carter”, he said, his voice even, nearly courteous. “Come with us.”
I glared at him. “Like hell, I will.”
The man sighed like I was being difficult. “Let’s not complicate this unnecessarily.”
Harder? They had no clue how difficult my life had already been. How hard I had battled to keep my son safe from the man who now wanted to take him from me.
I shuffled on my feet, ready to flee. But just as I was about to take a step, a deep, commanding voice rang through the night.
“Elena.”
My body tensed as every muscle contracted.
I knew that voice.
I slowly turned, my breath hitching in my throat as my eyes landed on piercing blue ones.
Damian.
He was standing in the glow of the streetlights, tall, powerful, devastatingly handsome in his expensive suit. Time had done nothing to dull the hard angles of his face, the frigid calculation in his gaze. He was still every inch the ruthless billionaire I'd fled five years before.
And now, he had found me.
My throat tightened. “Stay away from us.”
His lips curled into a smirk. “That’s not happening.”
Leo clutched my dress, his small hands shaking. I could sense his fear, and it sparked a protective fire in me.
I looked back at Damian, my voice low and cutting. “You don’t get to do this. “You don’t just get to come around after all these years and start acting like you have a say so over our lives.”
His expression darkened. “And that’s where you’re wrong, Elena. I’ve always had a say.”
Before I could answer, one of his men reached for Leo.
“No!” I lunged, pushing the man backward with all my strength. But it wasn’t enough.
Arms tightened around me from behind, pulling me away. I kicked, fought, screamed — but Damian stepped closer, his person consuming the space between us.
“Elena, stop.” His voice was steady, but I detected a warning in it. The absolute control.
I shook my head, my eyes stinging with tears. “Please,” I whispered. “Don’t do this.”
His jaw tightened. “Get in the car.”
My whole body shook, and I froze.
If I didn’t, they’d take Leo without me.
I would, if I did, be walking right back into the arms of the man I had been attempting to escape for five years.
Damian stared at me, his expression unknown. “Your choice, Elena.”
I had no choice.
I took a shaky breath and raised my chin and looked him straight in the eyes. “I hate you.”
He only smirked. “Get used to it.”
Then, the door of the car slammed behind me, sealing me again into his world.
Aria. Old books and more powerful secrets were present in Liana Locke's apartment. She abstained from offering us anything to drink. Not even a seat to sit on. She scanned me with her eyes, as if I were a piece of code. She expressed, with arms crossed over her chest, that the first thing she hears when she turns up after four years is, "You're not ready for anything from me," and it's unclear why. There was no hesitation in Locke's tone. "It'll be okay with me.". It's for her.”. She glared again and asked, "Who would you kill?". “Exactly.”. "That's a romantic thought, Liana shared with laughter.". Dangerous. And very you.”. After that, I bowed my throat. "ARIA!". She lowered her head and whispered, "I know who you are.". That surprised me. “You do?”. “I watch things. I read things. Without appearing on every social media platform, gossip site, and Wall Street whisper, it's impossible to date Locke Durand. Due to my lack of understanding, I gave a snapshot of the node. L
Aria. There was no noise as Locke drove in his car. Too quiet. He felt a storm building inside him, the kind that didn't come with thunder but came with destruction. His hands were tightly fastened to the steering wheel, and his jaw was clenched as it kept away the anger that was bubbling beneath his skin. Can you tell me what they have in mind? He didn't answer right away. Ultimately, "We proceed to the starting point.". My penthouse.”. What's the deal with you bending over? I can't believe it. You just said someone in your circle is the traitor.’ If. They could be patiently waiting for you. He remarked, "Yes." “I want them to. Do you have the desire to fall into a trap? “I aim to hit them first with my kick.”. My gaze rose as I stated, "This isn't based on directing?". This could get you killed.”. After a brief moment, He glanced back at me. “Next, we’ll park.”. Without hesitation, I replied with a blank "No": "I'll come in anyway.". I chuckled, but it wasn't a happy
Aria. I'm in the safehouse for the first time and I can feel the silence trying to choke me. There is no bustling urban center, no communication channels, and no news. I was only hearing the fridge's hum, the fire Locke'. On the couch, a heavy throw blanket is beneath me. He's still wearing the same black shirt from yesterday, with sleeves rolled up, and looking at some files while sitting at the table. Despite his age, Locke never seems to be in any relaxed state.' "Are you asleep?" I ask softly. He remains attentive to his reading. "Enough.". That means no. Even though I'm still struggling physically and feeling uneasy, I say, "Why do you want coffee?". Finally, he turns to me and says, "Are you okay?". I nod. “Yeah. I mean... I'm not falling apart yet. That's progress, right?”. He almost smiles. Almost. “Don't be strong all the time,” he says, speaking in a low tone. “I'm not. I'm barely hanging on. I can't break my body either. I slip into the blanket, dragging it aro
AriaI thought things would be quiet after Valerie was taken away.I was wrong.The morning after felt... strange. Quiet in a way that didn’t feel safe. Locke made us breakfast scrambled eggs, toast, and coffee but neither of us ate much. I just stared at my plate, the fork heavy in my hand.“You okay?” he asked softly, reaching for my hand.I nodded too quickly. “Yeah. Just tired.”He didn’t push. He never did when I said I was fine. But I could tell he didn’t believe me. And honestly? I didn’t believe me either.After breakfast, I stepped outside alone. The sun was bright, too bright. I pulled Locke’s jacket around me tighter, even though the morning wasn’t cold.I walked along the path from the cabin, towards the trees. My boots crunched on twigs. My destination was unknown, all I could do was move around. Then I saw him. A man in his late thirties by a tree.' Watching me. He smiled. Not the nice kind. Not a friendly kind. The kind that made my stomach twitch.' Despite my hear
Aria. The tension persisted throughout the evening.' Locke and I were in his office, with the weight of everything we were about to face.' Valerie's presence was lingering and becoming more undulating with each step. I could feel it. The atmosphere was suffocating, and I couldn't help but feel like we were running out of time. Locke wore glasses, his eyes as intense as the man who had taken control of a situation before. His jaws were unbreakable. He had to endure the effects of sleeplessness, constant monitoring, and incessant preparation for an enemy he couldn't shake off. With a low, controlled voice, Locke expressed his frustration by saying, "I'm not sure how long I can stay away from her.". Exhaustion, and she won't stop until she has her way. I moved towards him, my feet firm but obstructive.'". I was taken aback by the terror in his eyes. He was always in control. Whenever in charge. Despite everything, I witnessed the growth of his armor and it left me feeling terrified.
Aria. I felt a surge of emotion in my chest as Locke read out the contents of the envelope. I couldn't help but notice his features twisting in confusion and then darkening, leaving the room in a state of silence. I inquired again, my voice hardly more than a whisper, worried that speaking too much would cause great tension. Locke didn't answer right away. The man's jaw was clenched tightly as he stared at the paper in his hands, unknowingly. What happened? The muscle in his throat acted as he consumed heavily. As he slowly brought down the paper, his eyes twinkled with mine. Despite starting with, "this...". He appeared to be lost for a moment, as if he couldn't explain what was written there. "It's from my past," pressed his penis with an awkward tone. I stepped forward, yearning for more. "What the hell is going through in my life?". Locke, please.”. He looked back at the paper with interest, as if his attention was on something else. Despite his attempts to hide the truth,
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