“My apologies, Sire. I spoke out of line”, the waiter spoke, eyeing him, following his action as his young boss absentmindedly poked at the free end of the bandage on his right arm where the doctor had injected the antidote.He heaved out a heavy sigh,” I don’t want to do this, Walter. But I don’t see another way out. You know how severe the punishment for carrying out a hit on a future mafia overlord can be. Death would be the easy way out for her, according to the rest of the people. We both know that. She will be tortured endlessly, beaten and God knows what my father will have his men do to her if I don’t handle this my way. Unthinkable things, Walter, unthinkable. And you know just how ruthless he can be.” “Your actions show the opposite, sire”, Walter quietly rebutted, not wanting to get his boss cross with him but also wanting to drive his point home. “I saw her, Derek”, his voice went weak, catching the heir’s attention. “She broke. She fucking broke when I told her you were

I never doubted how much she cared for me. But the way she was avoiding eye contact with me at the dinner, looking unbearably sad by my existence, annoyed even, that sent me down a spiral of unparalleled confusion. But at least now I had some clue about her weird behaviour at the banquet. It all tied into my poisoning and the attempt at my life. But how was the unanswered question.There were cameras in the cell she was being kept in, the footage of her absolute horror on hearing the news of my demise had to some extent curbed my father’s anger. And bought me some well needed time. The others were not so convinced, most of them, especially my mother, claiming that Roselia was just faking it. That she was just acting for all it was worth so that she could save herself after her escape attempt failed. But thankfully for me, I had a very strong rebuttal, ‘Could anyone of them explain why she then told them where the antidote was? If her plan was to kill me.’ That shut them up real quick

Derek’s POVIt wasn’t going to be easy. Hell, the last thing this was going to be was easy.Fuck! Lia, sweetie, what the fuck have you done?I kept replaying Walter’s words in my head, trying to find something, anything that could help me prove Lia’s innocence. God! None of this made any fucking sense.I rubbed at the throbbing pain in my head when Lia’s screams echoed in the back of my mind, not stopping anytime soon. I hated myself for making Walter tell her that I was dead. I hated hearing her yearn for me, her voice breaking from shock and sadness, painful denial writ in her voice.But I would be lying if I said it didn’t make my heart happy as fuck when I realized that even the possibility of my being dead and no more in this world would make her that fucking sad, like she couldn’t even ever accept it for it would be too painful. Her cries for me broke and fixed me all at the same time.I never doubted how much she cared for me. But the way she was avoiding eye contact with me at

　　Caspian’s house looked even more elegant now, the moonlight reflecting off of its surface made the glass exterior look spectacular….. but it was just too treacherously big for me to admit to liking it.　　Aiden and I had fallen asleep whilst talking. Thankfully I’d set up an alarm so I’d made it to Lucy’s by 5. I took a cab because I didn’t want to bother Aiden, he’d been asleep anyway. And then when I reached Lucy’s friend's apartment where she was staying, she wrestled me into a skin-tight, red, strapless dress which had a slit right up to the top of my left thigh. And then she practically shoved my feet into some high-heeled Louboutins after applying some mascara, a light blush and a rosy red lipstick despite my protests on her dressing me up more than was needed.　　“Would you hurry up there, Bella ?” Lucy frustratedly called out to me as she sauntered over to the horrendously huge house. How she could walk in six-inch pencil heels would remain a mystery to me for the rest of my l

　　Tipping my chin up, he looks up at me with a torn frown, his gaze moves down to my lips just as I lick my bottom lip.　　“I… uh ...um”, I start with my stuttering…. as always　　“You’re adorable when you blush.” He gives me a lop-sided grin as he brushes a strand of hair away from my face and tucks it away behind my ear, making me blush even harder.　　“I should get going, so…..” I start but am cut off by him placing a finger on my lips…...interrupting me.　　“You know, you are now living in my house, right ?” He says, a mischievous grin spreading over his face as he subtly wraps an arm around me.　　“Yes,” I answer, curious to know where he’s going with this.　　“So you should repay me somehow, don’t you think ? It is the American law after all.” He playfully says, pulling me into him by my waist so that my one hand rested on his shoulder to maintain my balance.　　“Hmm….we must abide by the American law obviously.” I replied, winking at him. But before he can reply, I continue, “And we,