MasukAfter hours of careful work, Sergio finally put down his brush and turned Ava toward the mirror.“Go on. Take a look.”Ava looked at her reflection, and a smile immediately spread across her face.Her makeup was simple but elegant, bringing out her features without making her look overly done. Her dark hair fell in smooth waves down her back, framing her face beautifully.Sergio had outdone himself.“It’s beautiful,” she said.Sergio gave a satisfied hum.“Of course it is. Do you expect anything less from me?”He crossed the room and brought out the dress, carefully laying it across the bed.“Now, put this on. I’ll give you some privacy.”Ava nodded.Once the door closed, she stood and approached the bed.She carefully slipped into the gown, adjusting the fabric until it settled perfectly against her body.The white dress hugged her figure elegantly, with a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt that moved beautifully whenever she walked. Tiny stones were scattered across the fabric, catch
Two days later, Ava woke up with a quiet sense of excitement.Today was the day.She sat up, stretched, and walked over to her drawer. Inside, neatly placed among her belongings, was the invitation Lilian had given her. She picked it up and studied it for a moment, a small smile appearing on her face.Everything was finally falling into place.A knock sounded at the door.Ava put the invitation down and went to open it. The moment she did, her face lit up.“Sergio!”Sergio stood beside Lucian, looking as elegant as ever. He stepped into the room and greeted Ava with two dramatic kisses on her cheeks.“Look at you,” he said, giving her a quick once-over. “Still glowing. Tell me the truth, has Lucian been treating you right?”Ava glanced at Lucian before smiling.“He’s been the perfect gentleman.”Sergio nodded approvingly.“Good. That’s
Inside the car, Lucian reached to the side, pulled out a cigarette and a lighter, and lit it. The flame briefly lit up his face before fading. He took a slow drag, eyes dark, jaw tight.Carlo glanced at him through the rearview mirror.“Boss… the boys lost track of Perez.”Lucian scoffed and exhaled smoke toward the window.“He can run. He just can’t run far.”Silence sat between them for a moment. Lucian’s mind was already turning. Perez wasn’t the type to disappear completely. Someone local had to be covering for him.“Where’s Nino?” Lucian asked.“He’s got a girl out in the suburbs,” Carlo replied. “He holes up there on days like this. Stay till sundown.”Lucian looked out the window, cigarette resting between his fingers.“Head there,” Lucian said. “I want to know why that weasel let my enemy into his crew.” His voice stayed low, but the edge in it was sharp. “This town’s been peaceful so long they forgot who owns it.”“Yes, Boss.”Carlo reached up, pressed the comm in his ear, an
Mrs. Susu ladled the soup into bowls and handed one to each of them. When she noticed Carlo still standing near the door, she clicked her tongue and filled another bowl.“Carlo, come and sit. Don’t just stand there. You haven’t eaten either, have you?”Carlo hesitated for a second.“I’m fine, Mrs. Susu—”“Nonsense. Sit down and eat.” She pushed the bowl toward him. “You’ve been running around since last night. You need something warm in your stomach.”Carlo gave a small, almost awkward smile and finally sat down.“Thank you.”The four of them ate together. The warm soup and Mrs. Susu’s presence softened the heavy mood that had hung over the room since the night before. For a little while, it almost felt ordinary.Mrs. Susu looked at Lucian between spoonfuls.“And Lucas? How is he doing?”“He’s st
After Carlo left, the room fell quiet again.Ava turned to Lucian with a slight frown.“What’s the deal with Antonio? I thought you two were acquaintances.”Lucian was silent for a moment, as if deciding how much to say. Then he spoke.“Antonio was with Rick long before I came around. When Rick took a liking to me and passed his seat to me, Antonio’s been bitter ever since. He thinks everything I have should’ve been his.”Ava nodded slowly. Her frown deepened as the pieces clicked into place. That day at the cocktail party… the way Lucian had reacted when he saw her talking to Antonio suddenly made sense.“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know he was your rival. I wouldn’t have messed around with him that day if I did.”Lucian gave a small wave of his hand.“Can’t blame you for that, Ava.” His voice was still low and a li
Ava followed the doctor into the ward.The moment she stepped inside, her eyes locked on Lucian. He lay completely still on the bed, an oxygen tube under his nose, bandaged on his head and his face pale against the white sheets. Machines beeped steadily around him. The sight made her heart race.The doctor gestured for her to sit in the chair beside the bed.“Your wrist, please.”Ava held out her arm. The doctor cleaned the skin, then carefully slid the needle into her vein. She barely felt the sting. Almost immediately, dark blood began to fill the tube.He connected the line and inserted the other end into Lucian’s wrist.Ava sat there, watching the blood leave her body and flow toward him. She kept her eyes on Lucian’s face, searching for any small change, a twitch of his fingers, a shift in his breathing, anything.But nothing changed.He remained just as still as before. The machines continued their







