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Chapter 36: The Trip to Neverland
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๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2025-04-22 17:55:25
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The Lie that Bindsย ย ย Chapter 37: The Manor
Into the manor they went.Serenaโs eyes roamed the expansive interior, tracing the grandeur of it allโthe high vaulted ceilings, the gold-framed paintings, the polished marble floor that gleamed under warm lighting. It was opulent but not ostentatious, and it carried a masculine eleganceโdark woods, stone, and steel softened by curated pieces that whispered wealth and power.Even Stefano looked around, mildly surprised. Marco had taken initiative, and it showed. The broken ornaments had been restored, the antique frames replaced or repaired. Every corner gleamed with intention. Stefano didnโt know how Marco had pulled it off so quickly, but he silently appreciated it.โMyโฆโ Serenaโs voice trailed as she gazed around in awe. โItโs... huge.โโIt is,โ Stefano replied with a faint smile, watching her reaction closely.He led her down a long corridor until they reached a wing adjacent to his. He opened the door to a spacious suite, stepping aside so she could enter first.โI had it furnish
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-22The Lie that Bindsย ย ย Chapter 38: To Whom she Belongs
The night had enveloped the entire city.And the room was dimly lit, punctuated by the shimmering light of the chandelier and the fluorescent bedside lamp.Stefanoโs eyes burned into her like fire meeting silk. She lay there, bare, her legs spread wide, her gaze seductive and commandingโand still, he was the one completely undone.His breathing deepened as he pulled off his shirt, every slow motion revealing more of his defined torso. Shadows danced over the hard ridges of his chest and abdomen, and Serenaโs breath hitched, her body already aching for him.He climbed onto the bed like a predator, slow and deliberate, every inch of his movement a silent promise.He didnโt touch her immediately. He just knelt between her legs and stared.Serenaโs body shivered under his gaze. No man had ever looked at her like that. Like she was something sacred. Something dangerous. Something his.Then Stefano leaned down.His tongue slid out, warm and wet, and traced a slow line up the inside of her t
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-22The Lie that Bindsย ย ย Chapter 39: The Edge of Temptation
Next Day. The morning sun cast golden warmth across the marble floor of Serenaโs room, chasing shadows from the corners and kissing the silk sheets that no longer smelled like him. Her fingers reached over instinctively, searching for warmth that wasnโt there. But he wasn't right next to her.A quiet ache vibrated in her chest, one she tried to ignore. But when she saw a written note resting neatly on the nightstand, she eagerly reached for it. It read: ~ Morning, tรฉsoro mio. Had to leave for urgent business. But Iโve made plans for us today. Wear something youโll want to remember. โS ~Her lips curved into a faint smile despite herself. He always knew how to tug at her. She held the note against her chest for a second before tossing back the covers and padding to the bathroom.The steam of the hot shower fogged the mirror, wrapping her in a cocoon of warmth. But inside her head, it wasnโt peaceful. Marco's voice echoed faintly in her thoughtsโhis promise to see her soon. That cr
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-22The Lie that Bindsย ย ย Chapter 40: Blood and Betrayal
Stefano.The morning heat clung to the Milanese countryside like a shroud. It was thick with tension and the smell of gunpowder enveloped the field. Stefano stood over the body, his jaw tight, his pistol still raised. Smoke curled from the barrel, disappearing into the warm breeze.The manโs blood darkened the dirt beneath him.He had been one of Stefano's own. Trusted. Loyal. Or so he thought.โSelling our weapons to our enemies?โ Stefano muttered to himself, fury darkening his features. โAnd skimming off the top for your own pocket?โThe betrayal sliced deep.This wasnโt the first. And wouldnโt be the last.โIโve buried more of my men this year than I can count,โ he said bitterly, addressing the two soldiers standing behind him, both pale, both silent. โEvery time I look into one of their eyes, I wonder whoโs next.โHe stared down at the corpse for a long moment before glancing up. โClear this mess.โโYes, Don De Ricco,โ they said in unison, dragging the body away without question.
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-24The Lie that Bindsย ย ย 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 quietโtoo quietโbut he didnโt 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 wasnโt just a lapse in judgmentโit was betrayal. Not just in thought, but in actionโฆ He had touched her, kissed her with a roughn
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-24The Lie that Bindsย ย ย Chapter 42: The Neverland Tour
Serena. She had to act like everything was fineโperfect even. Her smile was light, her posture poised, and her voice delicately threaded with warmth. But beneath the charm, Serenaโs pulse fluttered like a bird trapped in a gilded cage.Stefanoโs eyes were sharp, watching her every expression.โBut why do you look so worried?โ she asked, her voice laced with gentle curiosity as she crossed the room toward him.โI had some intense business matters, that's all.โ He brushed it off with practiced ease, a ghost of tension still shadowing his words. It was a lieโshe could see it in the flicker behind his dark gaze. But he was alsoโฆ 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. โYour lipsโฆ what happened?โ Fuck! That bastard, Marco, had bit me. She shrugged it off, โI dunnoโฆ probably brushed too hard or bit too hard, I don't remembe
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-25The Lie that Bindsย ย ย 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 peacefulโdeceivingly 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 eyesโthe way it had burned when he showed her that hidden world below the vineyardโhad stayed with her. A part of her wondered if she had seen too much. But another partโฆ wanted more.About ten minutes later. "Weโre 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.
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-26The Lie that Bindsย ย ย 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 powerโhis โestablishments.โ Legitimate and Illicit included. It was the most delicate moment of Serenaโs 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
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-26
์ต์ ์ฑํฐ
The Lie that Bindsย ย ย Chapter 50: Power Plays
Stefano.The air in the room was thick with cigar smoke and tension.Stefano De Ricco sat at the head of a long, obsidian conference table inside his private suite above a Roman financial institution no outsider would dare suspect was his. Every inch of the room dripped with wealth. Glass chandeliers glittered above them like a constellation of knives, walls paneled with centuries-old mahogany, and security systems so advanced they could detect a heartbeat shift. The entire building was a fortress, hidden behind centuries of old money and new technology.Six men surrounded him. Titans in their own rights. And devils in tailored suits.To his right sat Senator Emilio Pirelli, a corrupt Italian politician with deep pockets and deeper secrets. Next to him, Yuri Baranov, a Russian oil magnate and arms trafficker with ties to every conflict east of Berlin. Alfonso Vega, the Madrid cartel boss, swirled a glass of red wine like he hadnโt ordered three assassinations that morning. Beside him
The Lie that Bindsย ย ย Chapter 49: Lust or Forgiveness
Marco and Serena.Serena straightened up, the air in the armory pressing heavy on her chest. She took a step closer to Marco, her expression unreadable, eyes fixed on the biometric vault at the end of the corridor."I'm being serious," she said softly, her voice no longer laced with sarcasm. โI need to know how deep this goes.โMarco turned to her, his usual cocky smirk faltering as he caught the hard edge in her tone. His brow furrowed, eyes narrowing with suspicion.โOkay,โ he said, crossing his arms slowly. โWhat do you want to know?โSerena exhaled through her nose, steadying herself. โHow dark and messy thisโฆ all of thisโฆ can be. Is it just weapons? Just the occasional betrayal and bullet holes? Or is there something else I should know?โMarco didnโt answer right away.Instead, silence fell between them againโthis time heavier, darker, more intimate.He looked at her, really looked at her. And something twisted deep in his chest.She was asking about Stefano.Not him.The realiz
The Lie that Bindsย ย ย 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 manโs brain at twenty pacesโand who, Marco knew, wasnโt 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 Stefanoโthe damn foolโhad 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 wasnโt just about recovering the stolen RH-57s. No, his real battle was going to be keeping his eyesโand his damn handsโoff her.Focus. Just focus.Maybe...maybe he could make her forgive him. Maybe they
The Lie that Bindsย ย ย 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 heโd be back the next dayโjust needed to โsmooth out some tensionโ 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, werenโt allowed to linger in the estate when Stefano wasnโt 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 Bindsย ย ย Chapter 46: A Dangerous Alliance
The lovebirds went back to the countrysideโStefanoโs hidden territory. Neverland looked the same. Quiet, dreamy and deceptively innocent.But Serena was a mess inside.As Stefanoโs 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 herโbeautiful, peaceful, while inside her chest, a hurricane was tearing her apart.She pressed her forehead to the glass, watching droplets of last nightโs 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 hadnโt 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 Bindsย ย ย 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. Stefanoโs car cut through the streets like a sleek panther, and Serenaโs 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 didnโt 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. โDe Ricco Noir,โ 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 theyโd
The Lie that Bindsย ย ย 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 peacefulโdeceivingly 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 eyesโthe way it had burned when he showed her that hidden world below the vineyardโhad stayed with her. A part of her wondered if she had seen too much. But another partโฆ wanted more.About ten minutes later. "Weโre 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 Bindsย ย ย 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 powerโhis โestablishments.โ Legitimate and Illicit included. It was the most delicate moment of Serenaโs 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 Bindsย ย ย 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 peacefulโdeceivingly 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 eyesโthe way it had burned when he showed her that hidden world below the vineyardโhad stayed with her. A part of her wondered if she had seen too much. But another partโฆ wanted more.About ten minutes later. "Weโre 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.
