ZOEYThe room echoed with the woman's laughter, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. I watched, bewildered, as she continued to chuckle, as if my plight was nothing more than a dark comedy."What the hell is so funny?" I muttered to myself, wondering what fresh hell I had stumbled into.She scoffed at my reference to being a guest. "Guest?" she exclaimed, as if the term was absurd. Another bout of laughter escaped her lips before she could compose herself enough to speak. "You're not a guest, darling. You're merchandise, and you're about to be sold."My eyes widened in disbelief. Sold? What the hell did she mean? I had a sinking feeling that this nightmare was about to take an even darker turn."What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice laced with a mix of confusion and trepidation.She leaned in, her expression cold and calculating. "The big boss," she said with a mockingly sweet smile, "has no use for you anymore.

ALEXEII gestured for Viktor and Yaz to follow as we silently trailed Ivan through the dimly lit corridors. Ivan entered a room guarded by two burly men. We hid in the shadows, assessing the situation. As the door closed behind him, Yaz worked on disabling the security cameras in that specific area, granting us a temporary blind spot.The tension in the air was palpable as we prepared to breach the guarded room. Viktor and I shared a knowing glance.When the cameras went dark, we seized the opportunity. Viktor swiftly took down the guards with minimal noise.The door swung open, and the scene unfolded before us – a hub of illicit activities, a twisted marketplace for human lives. Caged rooms revealed the grim reality of the trafficking ring's operations. Each step brought us closer to Zoey, and the anticipation hung in the air like a heavy fog.The air crackled with tension as our men clashed with th

ZOEYAs the tension escalated, the door burst open, revealing Alexei, a storm of fury and determination in his eyes. The room fell silent for a moment as he assessed the situation. His gaze locked onto me, and I saw a mixture of relief and anger in his eyes.The malicious woman tried to explain, "Alexei, we didn't—"He cut her off with a cold glare. "Save your excuses. You took something precious from me, and now you'll pay."I couldn't help but laugh again, the sound echoing in the tense room. "You're done, all of you. Alexei won't spare a single one."Alexei's expression softened as he stepped forward, his focus unwavering. "Zoey, are you okay?"I nodded, a flood of emotions overwhelming me. "I knew you'd come for me."He gently pulled me away from the man, who was now trapped between the wrath of Alexei and the chaos outside. The malicious woman was cornered, fear etched on her face.As Alexei and I st

ALEXEII waited patiently, giving her the time she needed to gather her thoughts. "After Mom died, I was first taken to an orphanage, and I was there for about a year before I was adopted," Zoey began, her voice carrying the scars of her memories."They were good people until they were not. Their daughter never liked me, so she turned her parents' hearts against me." Her eyes, clouded with sadness, mirrored the pain she had endured.I held her hands gently, a silent gesture of support as she ventured into the depths of her past. The pain etched on her face made it clear that these were wounds that time hadn't fully healed."They totally changed towards me overnight, and they became bad people until they eventually became tired of me, and then I went to the next foster home." Her gaze became distant, as if she were reliving those moments.As Zoey continued, the layers of her tumultuous journey unfolded before me. "They were even worse than the previous ones. It was as if they needed a

ZOEYI woke up the next morning feeling an unusual sense of calmness. It had been a long time since I had slept so peacefully.Turning to the other side of the bed, I noticed Alexei wasn't there. I scanned the room, but there was no sign of him. The warmth on his side of the bed suggested he had only just gotten up.After brushing my teeth in the bathroom, I realized my clothes were still dirty. Opting for one of his shirts, I found it large on me, with sleeves that were too long. I folded it and went in search of Alexei.The aroma of something delicious led me to the kitchen. There he was, shirtless and cooking. My heart raced at the sight of him. I stood in the doorway, captivated by the sheer presence of this man.Tattoos adorned his left hand and extended to his back. It was a breathtaking sight, and for a moment, I just couldn't look away.I mustered the courage to step into the kitchen, unable to resist the magnetic pu