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Chapter 16: The Other Man
Huling Na-update:
2025-04-14 08:45:16
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The Lie that Binds Chapter 17: Pablo Fibonacci
If Pablo Fibonacci was alive, and still work on the Der Rico's case, then he was one of theirs and they needed to work together. So she proceeded to go pick up her phone when the instructions on her mission document came flooding her mind like a warning. “ASSIGNED AGENT MUST ON NO CIRCUMSTANCES CONTACT THE HEADQUARTERS WITHOUT SUCCESSFUL CONTACT WITH THE TARGET, OR CLOSURE OF THE MISSION.”Right now, that rule made no sense. I mean, why? Serena's mind reeled.Regardless, she picked up her phone, her fingers flew across the keypad as she dialed the headquarters, but the call disconnected abruptly. Two more attempts yielded the same result – a swift disconnection.Her brows drew close, staring at her phone. She tried one more time, yet she heard that abrupt frustrating beeps. Exasperated but undeterred, she dialed another number, this one for her boss, Chief Director Sylvester Peckham. He picked up on the third ring."Hello, Chief? What's going on?" she asked, her tone laced with conce
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-14The Lie that Binds Chapter 18: His Dark Obsessions
An unknown location, Milan, Italy.10:15 pm.Stefano stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of his Milanese manor, gazing out into the rain-soaked night. The droplets slid down the glass like tears, their rhythmic patter a soothing melody that couldn't calm the storm in his mind. Repeatedly, constantly, obsessively, his thoughts were consumed by her —Serena. Her beautiful sage green eyes, her wavy black hair, her fragrance —a scent he couldn't get enough of.He obsessed thought deeply about her smile, the sound of her laughter, her sultry voice and the way she moved in his arms when they danced.The memory of their evening replayed on repeat, and Stefano couldn't shake off the feeling that something had shifted within him. He was so lost in the haze of his thoughts that he couldn't even hear the approaching walking steps. Marco gently pushed open the grand door. He entered the sitting room, where Stefano stood by the window in a dark tailored suit.The room's neutral tones were
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-14The Lie that Binds Chapter 19: The Ticking Time Bomb
As the elevator descended eight feet beneath the manor, Stefano and Marco stepped out into the dimly lit room, his eyes locking onto the three bound men. But unlike his usual victims, these men were laughing hysterically, their battered and bruised bodies a stark contrast to their mirth. Blood pooled from their mouths, cut and burn marks smeared all over their skin.The torture party has already started before him —not like he cared.However, his eyes lingering on them for a moment, he began. "You lot have to be the first brave ones to end up in my dungeon," His voice dripped with sarcasm. And somehow the men found it funny. They laughed even louder."I think they're high," one of Stefano's men suggested. “I found this in one of the Gringo's pockets.” Stefano's eye met the object he was waving in the hair. It was a white powdery substance in a transparent satchet. Had to be narcotics.His gaze narrowed. “How were they caught?”“The FBI mole surrendered and told us where to find th
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-14The Lie that Binds Chapter 20: Echoes of Fire
Still trapped underground.The elevator groaned in protest, stalling mid-ascent as dust and smoke seeped through the cracks of the doors. The red emergency light flickered, casting ominous shadows over their faces. Without thinking twice, Marco who was still panting from the sprint and explosion effect pulled out his phone with trembling fingers and dialed the emergency number assigned to their underground tech team.“We need extraction. Now!” he barked, voice low but urgent. “Bomb. Explosion. Elevator’s stuck! Stefano’s with us!” He ended the call, his thumb slick with sweat.Across from him, Stefano stood rigid, jaw clenched, eyes fixed on the blinking red light overhead. Rage simmered beneath his skin like molten lead. But beneath the rage, something more insidious writhed —fear. He wouldn't show it, not in front of his men. Never.His thoughts churned like a storm.Pablo had outplayed him. He had trusted the mole just long enough to get burned, and the sting of betrayal seared de
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-14The Lie that Binds Chapter 21: The Devil They Loved
Serena.Sunlight danced on cobbled streets, weaving through arches and glass-paneled rooftops. Milan’s heart beat loud and beautiful, its pulse hidden in alleyways draped with ivy and piazzas that whispered secrets in foreign tongues.Serena walked beside Nadia, her tour guide and the first real friend she’d made in the city. Nadia’s navy hijab caught the wind, her honey-toned skin glowing under the midday sun as she gestured animatedly toward yet another ancient building.“That’s the Santa Maria delle Grazie,” Nadia explained. “It houses The Last Supper. Da Vinci himself painted it.”Serena took it in, eyes scanning the old brickwork, the eternal reverence that seemed to cling to the place. She scribbled something small in her notebook.They had already been to the Duomo Cathedral, the Sforza Castle, the Pinacoteca di Brera gallery, and at least two hidden underground subway murals that looked like something out of a dream. Every turn brought a new layer to the city, a new wonder tha
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-17The Lie that Binds Chapter 22: His Solace in Chaos
Stefano. Back at the manor. Many hours later.The smoke hadn't even settled when the rescue team arrived.Flames licked the walls beneath the manor like the tongues of hell itself, choking the air with burning metal and seared concrete. The explosion had torn through the lower chamber, warping steel, shattering ancient tiles, and triggering the alarm system across the entire estate.The elevator groaned under the pressure, its inner walls scorched black. Inside, Stefano and his men were trapped — battered, choking, eyes red from smoke. The steel cage had jammed mid-ascent, suspended like a coffin in limbo.“Cut the shaft!” one of the rescuers shouted.“They're still alive!” another barked back, his gloved hand pressed against the outer wall of the elevator. “I hear movement!”An emergency generator kicked in, flickering lights sparking on. Sparks sizzled. The backup system tried to jerk the elevator upward, but instead it dropped—six inches—then another foot."Hold it steady!" someon
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-17The Lie that Binds Chapter 23: When Masks Begin to Crack
Serena.She stared at the message long after she hit send.“I miss you too.”She read it again.Then again.What the hell had she just done?She paced across the living room of her condo, arms crossed tight, her brain warring with her heart. It was part of the act. It had to be. She was playing him, deceiving him — he was the enemy, the mark. This was the game. She was winning.Right?Except… why had her fingers trembled as she typed it?Why had her lips curled in a sheepish, reluctant smile when she hit send — like a teenager with a crush?Goddammit, Calista, she scolded herself silently, slipping into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. The mirror caught her expression — wide-eyed, flushed, and betraying something dangerously close to… longing.No.It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.She turned on the shower, steam rising around her like a veil, hot water hitting her tense shoulders and loosening the weight of the day. But the heat didn’t ease her thoughts. If anything, it m
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-17The Lie that Binds Chapter 24: Awaited Midnight Intrusion
Serena.The moment Serena ended the call, a wild rush of adrenaline surged through her veins. Her breath caught. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she shot up from the bed, pacing her bedroom like a caged animal.What had she just done?If her conscience was a person, she imagined her glaring at her with disgust, like she was so stupid.She felt stupid.“God,” she whispered under her breath, dragging her hands through her damp hair. “What am I doing?”Her thoughts were spinning faster than she could contain. Her mind screamed at her that this was a mistake—a reckless, emotional blunder. But her heart? It thudded with anticipation.Meanwhile, across the city, Stefano rushed through his closet, grabbing his timberland boots and spraying his cologne. He was dressed in a Calvin Klein V-neck shirt, and plain, baggy dark blue Denim jeans and a black leather jacket on top. In a matter of minutes, he was ready. He walked into the corridor of his smoke-drenched manor. The air smelled faintly
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-18
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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
