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Chapter 1: Prologue
Last Updated:
2025-04-02 22:21:00
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The Lie that Binds Chapter 2: The Phoenix
9 years later.The Grand Hotel.Selangor, Malaysia. 8:30 pm.At a prestigious gala night party, hosted strictly for the créme de la créme of the society, Calista Bloom stood out as the center of attraction. Her stride was as elegant and majestic like a queen, yet it was fierce and unbridled like a lioness in the wild. She looked alluring in her black silk front slit dress that caught all her curves perfectly, and showed a flattering amount of cleavage. She had a faux fur shawl scarf wrapped around her shoulders, a Christian Louboutin heels on her feet and a Louis Vuitton handbag in her hand.She had ginger-red mane for hair, which she styled in a sleek, gelled-back ponytail. Her unique eyes were a pair of sage green orbs that matched her olive green dangling earrings and necklace. And her light make-up did nothing but enhance her ethereal beauty.The soft clinking of champagne glasses and the muted hum of conversation filled the air as Calista made her way through the crowded room.‘
Last Updated : 2025-04-02The Lie that Binds Chapter 3: Beware The Seductress
Inside his lavish hotel suit, Calista's eyes followed him closely as he uncuffed the briefcase from his wrist. Next, he went over to the dresser table where a digital safe box sat. Using his thumbprint he unlocked the safe and deposited the case into the safe before relocking it.He then turned to face her, a charming smile spread on his face. “I have encountered the most beautiful women of the world, but you my dear, are a discovery.” Mr. Xang said in a steamy tone as he settled onto the bed, undoing his tie with one hand and reaching out for her with the other.Calista took his hand, but he suddenly pulled her into his laps. She could feel her skin crawl, her thighs tingling with irritation. Reluctantly, she leaned in, and instantly masked the disgust and revulsion in her face with a flirtatious look. “I'm flattered, Marcus,” She purred.“No. In here, I’d prefer you called me ‘daddy’” Mr. Xang sounded more dominant. He leaned in closer, his eyes roaming all over her breasts. “A
Last Updated : 2025-04-02The Lie that Binds Chapter 4: The Tamer
An unknown location in Italy. 4:15 am. Deep beneath the De Rico manor, Stefano unleashed a relentless barrage of punches, his fists pummeling the helpless man like a human punching bag. Sadistic pleasure danced in his eyes as he savored every cry, every whimper. Interrogation was his twisted game, and he was the master.The air reeked of sweat, blood, and fear, a noxious odor that clung to the walls like a malignant shadow. The sound of the captured perpetrators' ragged breathing echoed through the damp space. Faint scents of mold, gunpowder, and blood mingled in the air. Dim fluorescent lights cast eerie shadows on the walls. The darkness seemed to close in around them.Just then, Marco Sanchez, Stefano's right hand and most trusted advisor, burst in, phone in hand, its loud ringing piercing the air like a warning siren.“Stefano! It’s Leonard. He says it’s urgent.” The highly anticipated call had finally come, but the news on the other end would shatter Stefano's expectations. A
Last Updated : 2025-04-03The Lie that Binds Chapter 5: The woman of the Hour
Washington DC, United States.9:00 am.Agent Calista Bloom arrived at her workplace; the Central Intelligence Agency Headquarters. As she walked in, the hum of activity momentarily ceased. The room was filled with rows of sleek, modern desks, each equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Agents and officers tapped away at their keyboards or pored over files, their faces a mix of concentration and curiosity.The walls were adorned with screens displaying real-time surveillance footage, maps, and data analytics. The air was thick with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and the soft murmur of hushed conversations.But as soon as her boss saw her, he made it her moment.“There she is! The woman of the hour!” Announced Chief Director Sylvester Peckham with a clap, commandeering the attention of the officers and agents at their desks. All heads turned towards the entrance as Calista sauntered in with a flattered smile.The veil of a seductress had been removed. She was now dressed in her
Last Updated : 2025-04-03The Lie that Binds Chapter 6: The ‘Prince Charming’
Milan, Italy.3:15 pm. She stepped off the train and onto the bustling platform of Milan's Central Station. The soft, indirect light of the Milanese afternoon spilled into the terminal, casting a warm glow over the bustling crowds. Her eyes briefly shut, she inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent of ripe citrus fruits and the subtle hint of freshly baked pastries that wafted through the air from the terminal cafe.‘New city, new identity,’ she muttered to herself with a subtle sly smile. She could feel the thrill of her new mission pulsating through her veins. Her past had been buried, but not forgotten. Her new name was Serena Lopez. A name fitting her personality and agenda.Even her outfit was that of an Italian lady boss. Exuding class and elegance in simplicity. She wore a simple white long-sleeve collared blouse, with a wide-leg style pants that were both flattering and comfortable. Her purse was a black Hermes handbag, and her feet were adorned by Channel scarpin heels.
Last Updated : 2025-04-03The Lie that Binds Chapter 7: What happened to ‘Callie’ Bloom?
9 years ago After the prosecution of her father's death, young Callie spent the first three months of her new life in the St. Rita's Orphanage home, Virginia. The First month, the little girl was numb —literally, emotionally. She barely spoke one word a day. But she always gave a cold, deathly stare to the kids who dared to taunt her, bully her and say her name; ‘Callie’. It was a name that now happened to terrify her memories, and send cold shivers all over her skin.Her late mother never called her Callie, she called her her own name instead —Serena. Her late father made sure of that. In his words, “No one calls her Callie but me! She's mine!” His grave voice still thundered in the back of her head, a haunting testament to the misery she endured in his hands. He was possessive of her. He dictated every aspect of her life, including her education, which meant she was strictly homeschooled. He’d locked her indoors for weeks without letting her see the sun. “The world is full of ev
Last Updated : 2025-04-07The Lie that Binds Chapter 8: What happened to ‘Callie’ Bloom? Part 2
Calista was then punished for two weeks. She was forced to atone for her odious sins by locking her up in the chapel room just like how her father would lock her up in her room. She spiraled and crashed out, yelling and screaming day after day, begging to be freed.But the only comfort that was brought to her was the news of Roger being confirmed blind in his right eye.No remorse. No empathy. “He deserves it.” She thought passionlessly. At the end of the third month, she was suddenly adopted by a wealthy family. The Sinclairs. In six months, she found out their secret; They were adopting kids, feeding them, and nursing them to good health. Then trade them as a pet to wealthier child abusers. Traffic them as slaves to masters and mistresses, and mules to drug dealers.However, Mr. Sinclair decided to keep Calista for himself. “She is priceless. She is mine.” He once said to a high bidder who wanted her as her pet.On Mr. Sinclair’s very first sexual attempt on Calista, she stabbed
Last Updated : 2025-04-07The Lie that Binds Chapter 9: The Black Box
Present Day Like a thunderous bolt shattering the stillness, the alarm clock blasted off at 4: 00 am, stirring its owner wide awake. With a frustrated groan, Serena rolled over to the edge of the bed. She planted her feet firmly on the ground and staggered to the bathroom a few feet from her bed, where she searched and groped in the dark for the screaming alarm clock.She found it where she had left it, blaring with a jarring sound, and killed it with a violent slap. The early morning became instantly still as it once was.She stood in the dark for a moment, breathless, terrified, her heart pounding rapidly —but it wasn't from a nightmare. Serena never had nightmares. Rather, she didn't dream or she never remembers them.It was from the cardiac arrest she flirted with each morning at the time when the thing erupted. Staring at the fluorescent numbers that glowed from the alarm clock, she realized how much she hated it —its piercing sound could wake the dead.Yet she took it with her
Last Updated : 2025-04-10
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The Lie that Binds Chapter 48: The Frenemies
MarcoSitting alone in the car garage, Marco leaned back against the hood of the black Maserati and stared at the cracked white ceiling for a while, his mind running circles around itself.What the hell was Stefano thinking?Entrusting delicate, multi-million-dollar business to a woman he'd only just brought into the fold? A woman who was gorgeous enough to scramble any man’s brain at twenty paces—and who, Marco knew, wasn’t just the shy, sweet little thing she pretended to be.No. Serena was something else entirely.Smart. Sharp. Dangerous, if she wanted to be. He could sense it.And Stefano—the damn fool—had paired them together.Trouble. It spelled trouble for him. Big, flashing neon kind.Marco scrubbed a hand down his face, letting out a long sigh. He already knew the fight ahead wasn’t just about recovering the stolen RH-57s. No, his real battle was going to be keeping his eyes—and his damn hands—off her.Focus. Just focus.Maybe...maybe he could make her forgive him. Maybe they
The Lie that Binds Chapter 47: The Empty House with Heavy Secrets
Still in the diner room.The clink of cutlery and the low hum of morning faded quickly once Stefano left. He kissed Serena goodbye like she was porcelain, with whispered promises he’d be back the next day—just needed to “smooth out some tension” with an associate in Palermo.Translation: Someone would either end up dead, paid off, or buried beneath wine barrels.Marco watched the entire thing from behind his coffee, silent. When Stefano left, the entire manor felt like it exhaled with him.Susan had taken the car to the market. The guards, as always, weren’t allowed to linger in the estate when Stefano wasn’t home. That left her and Marco. Alone. In a house too damn big, too damn quiet, and too full of unspoken history.Serena stood up from the dining table first, scooping up their empty plates and heading toward the kitchen. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she clenched them tight until the trembling stopped.Behind her, she heard Marco push back his chair slowly. The long scrape o
The Lie that Binds Chapter 46: A Dangerous Alliance
The lovebirds went back to the countryside—Stefano’s hidden territory. Neverland looked the same. Quiet, dreamy and deceptively innocent.But Serena was a mess inside.As Stefano’s car curved around the final bend to his secret decadent abode, she stared out at the endless, rolling green hills. They looked so serene it made her want to scream. Like the universe itself was mocking her—beautiful, peaceful, while inside her chest, a hurricane was tearing her apart.She pressed her forehead to the glass, watching droplets of last night’s rain race across it.God. What was she doing?It wasn't just the intense sexual attraction anymore. Honestly, it never had been, but thats if she'll admit itFalling madly in love with Stefano De Ricco had not been part of the mission objectives. It hadn’t even been in the fine print. And yet here she was: heart dangling like a bloody carcass, right over the mouth of a wolf."Talk to me," Stefano broke the silence, his voice low, pulling her from her spir
The Lie that Binds Chapter 45: The De Ricco Club
The third one was next.They were leaving the countryside now. The city shimmered in the late evening light, buildings painted gold by the setting sun. Stefano’s car cut through the streets like a sleek panther, and Serena’s heart beat with an odd blend of anticipation and adrenaline. The farther they got from the countryside, the more she sensed a shift in his energy. He was less guarded now, more primal.It seemed like he tended to enjoy the silence more during the drive. Because he still didn’t speak much, but his hand rested on her thigh, thumb brushing slow circles over the fabric of her dress. Possessive. Teasing. As though silently reminding her who she belonged to.After what seemed like forever, they pulled up in front of a building with mirrored glass windows and black marble walls. “De Ricco Noir,” the silver sign above read. The entrance was velvet-roped and guarded, but as soon as Stefano stepped out, doors opened and heads bowed.This club was nothing like the one they’d
The Lie that Binds Chapter 44: The De Ricco Armoury
Off to another one.The car sped down a gravel path carved into the mountain's edge, flanked by olive trees and thick wild grass, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze as the wheels kicked up small rocks and dust. The scenery was peaceful—deceivingly so. Serena sat in the passenger seat as usual, trying to still her hands in her lap. The flower Stefano had bought her earlier still lay on the dashboard, its petals soft and delicate against the cold reality of where they were headed next.Stefano had said little since they left the winery. But the look in his eyes—the way it had burned when he showed her that hidden world below the vineyard—had stayed with her. A part of her wondered if she had seen too much. But another part… wanted more.About ten minutes later. "We’re here," Stefano said, his voice slicing through the quiet.They pulled up to what looked like an abandoned stone chapel nestled into a clearing, its rustic facade blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
The Lie that Binds Chapter 43: The Wine That Bleeds Red
Stefano and Serena. The duo got into the car and embarked on a journey to see the source of Stefano's wealth and power—his ‘establishments.’ Legitimate and Illicit included. It was the most delicate moment of Serena’s mission. Any slip, one wrong look, or one misplaced word, would make him suspicious, crumbling everything immediately.The air between them was thick,tense yet intimate, charged with everything left unsaid. Stefano said nothing, his fingers tapping the wheel in quiet rhythm, his presence a force on its own.Serena sat composed, but inside, her heart raced each time his gaze lingered. The silence, broken only by the hum of the engine, only deepened the pull between them.This silence was no awkward accident. It was more like a warning and a promise that what was to come was dangerous. The winding road eventually opened up to a sweeping estate nestled between the gentle rise of vineyards. Row upon row of lush, deep-green vines stretched across the horizon like veins p
The Lie that Binds Chapter 44: The De Ricco Armoury
Off to another one.The car sped down a gravel path carved into the mountain's edge, flanked by olive trees and thick wild grass, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze as the wheels kicked up small rocks and dust. The scenery was peaceful—deceivingly so. Serena sat in the passenger seat as usual, trying to still her hands in her lap. The flower Stefano had bought her earlier still lay on the dashboard, its petals soft and delicate against the cold reality of where they were headed next.Stefano had said little since they left the winery. But the look in his eyes—the way it had burned when he showed her that hidden world below the vineyard—had stayed with her. A part of her wondered if she had seen too much. But another part… wanted more.About ten minutes later. "We’re here," Stefano said, his voice slicing through the quiet.They pulled up to what looked like an abandoned stone chapel nestled into a clearing, its rustic facade blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
The Lie that Binds Chapter 42: The Neverland Tour
Serena. She had to act like everything was fine—perfect even. Her smile was light, her posture poised, and her voice delicately threaded with warmth. But beneath the charm, Serena’s pulse fluttered like a bird trapped in a gilded cage.Stefano’s eyes were sharp, watching her every expression.“But why do you look so worried?” she asked, her voice laced with gentle curiosity as she crossed the room toward him.“I had some intense business matters, that's all.” He brushed it off with practiced ease, a ghost of tension still shadowing his words. It was a lie—she could see it in the flicker behind his dark gaze. But he was also… afraid. Not of her. Of something else. Something that might have happened to her. The idea lingered between them unspoken.But just when she thought she had escaped his scrutinizing gaze, she heard him ask. “Your lips… what happened?” Fuck! That bastard, Marco, had bit me. She shrugged it off, “I dunno… probably brushed too hard or bit too hard, I don't remembe
The Lie that Binds Chapter 41: The Consigliere
Marco.Through the hidden door he had installed during the latest round of upgrades to the house, Marco slipped out of her room like a shadow fleeing daylight. His breath caught in his throat, each exhale shaky, his pulse thudding like a war drum in his ears. The hallway was quiet—too quiet—but he didn’t dare slow down. Guilt clawed at his chest with every step as he moved swiftly toward the east wing of the manor, to his private suite tucked far from hers.When he finally pushed open the glass doors to his veranda, the cool night air slapped against his face, awakening his senses with a jolt. He leaned over the railing, gripping it until his knuckles turned white once again, his chest rising and falling in short, sharp bursts.What the hell are you doing, Marco?His reflection in the glass door behind him stared back at him like a silent accusation. This wasn’t just a lapse in judgment—it was betrayal. Not just in thought, but in action… He had touched her, kissed her with a roughn
