[VECTOR]I didn’t expect myself to get so invested in that kid’s sickness—I had hundreds of jobs to do, and piles of paperwork to go through. But for some reason, my mind chose to disregard all the deadlines and fixate on Lizzy and the kid she brought along, the one who stuck to her like an annoying little monkey.But maybe he wasn’t the reason. Even though the doctor assured me that there was nothing to worry about and the kid had just caught a flu, possibly due to the unusual weather in recent days, I still couldn’t bring myself to leave for work. Venice could be quite unbearable for someone who wasn’t accustomed to the local climate.It was Lizzy I was worried about. I had been informed by the household staff that she wasn’t taking care of herself as a young woman her age should. She frequently skipped meals, completely focused on the kids.At first, it was only Joey, so she usually found time to take small breaks. That kid, surprisingly, wasn’t all that nuts. Nothing like Nico. I

[LIZZY]After Joey falls asleep, I finally heed Gemma, one of the chef’s assistants, who has been persistently calling me to join them for dinner. My grumbling stomach bullies me to give in, and I make my way downstairs. As soon as Gemma spots me descending, she quickly scrambles to the kitchen and then hurries over with a kind smile.“Don’t worry about the boy. I informed the chef you’re coming, and she’s already warming the food.”Grateful for their support, I reciprocate the smile. I can sense that Vector is likely the reason everyone is on edge, but there’s something more than just fear driving the staff to care. They genuinely appear concerned about Joey and truly want to help in any way they can.Just the thought of it fills my heart with warmth.At first, I was a bit cautious—and maybe a little bitch—about their growing involvement with Joey. I didn’t quite appreciate the attention they were giving him. But now I see that it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Joey doesn’t have many

She peered out of the first-floor window, observing Xavier Perazzo as he retreated into the distance. Every now and then, he glanced back over his shoulder, but as he walked further away, she couldn’t tell if he was still looking at the building she had entered.Once he vanished from her sight completely, and after ensuring that nobody was watching, she leaned against the nearby wall and released a relieved sigh. Tilting her head upwards, she fixated on the intricately designed ceiling for a bit too long. Her heart was still racing, beating far too fast for her own well-being, and her legs trembled.She reached up with one hand to feel the kiss that still lingered on her cheek. This feeling was so unexpected—so uncalled for—and yet it made the knots in her stomach twist.When her team had chosen Xavier Perazzo as her target, she hadn’t anticipated the task to be this intimidating. She had thoroughly studied his file, delving into countless hours of research and even engaging in occasi

[VECTOR]After riding the waves of pleasure, Lizzy is left in a state of near-exhaustion. She can barely stand on her own, her body weak and her mind hazy. When I reach down to gather her into my arms, she doesn’t put up a fight as she normally would.Without hesitation, I carry her to my room, the place where she belongs, at least in my eyes. I’ve tried to be understanding and patient with her. I’ve given her the space and time to make her own choices, hoping she would choose me. But time and time again, she chose to keep her distance.She holds me responsible for the chaos that has turned her life upside down, and maybe I did have a role to play in it. However, the truth is, I have no regrets about putting an end to her abusive father’s life. I would do it all over again without a second thought if it meant freeing Lizzy from his heartless clutches.But if I know Lizzy as well as I think I do, her anger and pain aren’t just because of what I did to her father, but because of the per

[LIZZY]I’m not exactly sure how long I slept, but when I woke up again, I felt incredibly well-rested. There were no scary dreams to startle me awake, and there were no sudden surprises as soon as I opened my eyes. I just lay there, placing my hands on my stomach, and gazed up at the ceiling, loving this new feeling of flapping wings in my stomach.As I sat up and rubbed my eyes, clutching the sheets close to my chest, I knew what had happened last night. Once again, I gave in to temptation and didn’t regret a single moment of it. I’m fully aware that both of us are deeply flawed, and our past is incredibly messed up at best. However, last night served as a stark realization for me, at least for myself.Ever since I first laid eyes on him at the Perazzo mansion, I’ve loved that man. I can still vividly recall the way he used to glance at me, as if I disgusted him beyond imagination. He did everything possible to push me away and keep one hell of a distance between us. Yet, I was stub