LOGINRoman sat on the edge of the mattress, his fingers lightly tracing the cuff of his shirt. He took a heavy breath, his eyes staring blankly at the floorboards between them."I will start with Kim," Roman began, his voice flat. "We knew each other since we were children. Her father worked as a fixer for my father, who was deeply involved in the mafia world. Her father was also giving our family information about a rival syndicate, which was how he became connected to my father's organization.""Whenever his business brought him to the estate, Kim came with him. Damien and I had no friends back then, so the three of us often spent time together."Alana kept her face turned toward the wall, but she listened to the slight rasp in his throat. Her crossed arms tightened over her chest, yet the rigid stance she had held all morning was slowly beginning to give way. She finally turned to face him."Kim eventually became very important to me," Roman continued, a faint shadow passing over his
Alana woke up with a terrible hangover, her head pounding so violently that the room seemed to tilt. She lay frozen for a moment, her eyes squinting against the morning light while she tried to piece together where she was or how she had even gotten there. She eventually managed to drag herself out of bed, her muscles aching as she stumbled into the bathroom. She splashed freezing water over her face and rinsed out her mouth, trying to wash away the stale taste of whiskey. When she finally looked up into the mirror, she winced; she was still wearing the midnight-black silk gown from the previous night, and she looked like absolute crap.She stepped out of the bathroom, crossing the floor toward the exit to figure out whose roof she was under. The second she opened the bedroom door, she nearly collided with a maid in her 30s who was standing in the corridor, holding a silver tray with a steaming mug. The woman had her hand raised, just about to knock."Good morning, Alana," the maid
Give Her SpaceThe heavy metal doors opened, exposing them to the cool, damp night air. A torrential downpour had begun to fall, the heavy rain splashing violently against the concrete and turning the neon city lights into a blurred smear of color. Ryan immediately opened a massive black umbrella, holding it high over Alana's head to shield her from the storm.Before they could even reach the edge of the curb, a sleek black sedan pulled up to the pavement with a sharp screech of tires. The driver’s side door flung open, and Roman stepped out into the pouring rain. He didn't care about the water soaking through his clothes. His eyes were locked entirely on his wife, his face pale and etched with an intense anxiety that Alana had never seen before.The moment Alana’s drunken eyes registered his silhouette, her sorrow instantly morphed back into a fiery, volatile rage."Alana, thank God," Roman breathed, stepping forward, his hands reaching out automatically to check her for inj
The flashing neon lights of the crowded lounge blurred into streaks of hot pink and electric blue, matching the relentless pounding in Alana’s head. It was past midnight. She sat at the perimeter of the VIP bar, her fingers tightly gripping the stem of her third glass of neat whiskey. Every burning swallow was a desperate attempt to silence the ringing echo of Roman's voice from earlier. Our marriage is a contract marriage. Act like it. The words felt like fresh lacerations against her skin.She lifted the glass to her lips again, tilting her head back to drain the amber liquid. She wanted to drown the image of Roman's dark eyes, the cold precision of his posture, and the many questions of his mysterious ex fiancee; Kim Morrison."You look far too beautiful to be drinking alone this late," a smooth voice purred beside her.Alana didn't turn around right away. She set her empty glass down on the counter with a heavy click before glancing sideways. A man in an expensive tailored navy
Outside, a heavy rain began to fall, the cool drops splashing against the gravel and soaking through his dark clothing. He got back into his car, staring through the wet windshield as the wipers sliced across the glass. The damp, heavy atmosphere seemed to pull him under, dragging his consciousness away from the current conflict. As he sat there in the darkness, the defensive walls in his mind crumbled entirely, and the vivid memories of Kim returned to flood his senses.The rain faded away into a different time, the scenery shifting completely into the master bedroom of his estate from two years ago.Kim was lying in the center of the plush bed, looking incredibly fragile against the stark white sheets. Her illness had taken a massive toll, weakening her body drastically, but her beauty remained undeniable. She had long, raven black hair that cascaded across the pillows in dark waves, framing a face that was still deeply endearin
The sleek black sedan tore down the winding roads, the headlights cutting a sharp path through the encroaching darkness as Roman drove straight to Damien’s estate. His hands gripped the steering wheel with a lethal tightness, his knuckles white against the leather. The raw fury rolling through him was completely frozen over, masked by a rigid, expressionless mask. The massive iron gates swung open the exact second his car reached them, the smooth motion making it entirely clear that Damien had been expecting him all along. Roman parked on the gravel driveway, stepped out of the vehicle, and walked toward the grand entrance with slow, measured strides. Damien stood waiting by the towering double doors, a smug, insufferable smile stretching across his face as he leaned casually against the frame. "Did your little wife tell you about our pleasant afternoon together?" Damien taunted, his tone laced with a smooth, mocking amusement. Roman didn't offer a single word of greeting. He m
After leaving Roman's room, Alana went straight to the kitchen to make breakfast for herself.She poured cereal into a bowl and added milk to the bowl. Making herself comfortably on a stool, she began eating.A minute later, Erin entered, tapping on his phone. From his attire, Alana could tell tha
"Alana What are you doing here?!" Katherine asked, her shock and surprise on seeing Alana evident in her voice.Words seemed to have left Alana's mouth, as she stared at Katherine then Roman then back to Katherine again, dumbfounded.What on earth could her Mother's best friend; Katherine Haze, be
Putting her last pair of shoes in the her suitcase, Alana looked around her room to make sure she had packed everything. Seeing that there was nothing left, she zipped the suitcase and placed it aside before exiting the room. Her feet padded down the stairs, and she made her way straight to the si
Taking the phone from Rosalind, Alana placed it by her ear and walked a little distance away from her aunt. She didn't utter a word, and the other end of the phone remained equally silent."You didn't bother to call me," her mother said from the other side of the phone."What do you want, Stephanie







