Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 21 - Chapitre 30

Chapter Twenty One: No MercyVivian's POVThe darkened lounge of my mansion buzzed in quiet tension, thick with pungent fumes of cigar smoke and whiskey, an atmosphere that made men feel invincible.I sat back in my chair, my fingertips dancing upon my wine glass as I considered the men in front of me—Simeon's men.At least, they had been.Now they belonged to me.Loyalty was fragile, easily bought by the right price or broken by the right betrayal. I knew precisely what strings to pull to make these men mine.One of them-a burly man with a scar down his cheek-shifted uncomfortably. The fingers twitched at his side no doubt itching for the gun at his waist.He wasn't stupid. None of them were.They knew this was a direct attack on Simeon. And they knew what it meant if they were caught.But fear wasn't enough to stop them.Money, power, revenge-those things spoke louder.And I had all three.I sipped my wine before placing the glass down gently. "You know why you're here."No one spok

Chapter Twenty Three: Shattered TrustLily's POVPain. That was the first thing I felt. A dull, aching pain that radiated through my entire body, making it impossible to move.I could hear voices—muffled, distant. Bright light pressed against my closed eyelids, forcing me to stir. My throat was dry, raw, like I had swallowed shards of glass. My body felt heavy, drained, like all the strength had been ripped from me.Slowly, I opened my eyes.White walls. A beeping sound. The sterile scent of antiseptics.A hospital.I blinked, trying to focus, but everything was hazy. My limbs felt foreign, my mind sluggish. Then, like a crashing wave, the memories hit me.The men. Their hands. Their laughter. The pain.A strangled sob rose in my throat, and I swallowed it back down. I tried to move, but even that simple action sent a searing pain through me.Then I felt it-warm fingers wrapping around my own."Lily."His voice was hoarse, full of something I couldn't quite place. Desperation? Guilt?

Chapter Twenty Five: Embracing the ShadowsLily's POVAntiseptic disinfectant-sterile-hung in the air, further reminding me of my fragility. The steady beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound that companioned my lonely solitude. Hours had passed since Simeon had left me, insisting this was for my safety, and his absence still felt like a bleeding wound.I shifted a little in the hospital bed, wincing as pain radiated through my body. The physical wounds were healing, but the emotional scars ran deeper. Memories of the attack haunted me, but intertwined with them were thoughts of Simeon—his protective gaze, the warmth of his touch, the way his voice softened when he spoke to me.I closed my eyes and let the memories cascade over me. I could almost hear the deep reassuring laughter, see the rare tug of a smile at the corners of his lips. Outside, there was so much in darkness surrounding him; still, for me, there was only a reserve of light. It was in the way he cared, the unspo

Chapter Twenty Seven: A Pact of DestructionVivian's POVI sat in my darkened study, the golden glow of the chandelier casting long shadows against the walls. My fingers tapped against the armrest of my chair as my mind whirled with thoughts of vengeance. Simeon had humiliated me. He had declared war on me in front of his entire organization, stripped me of my influence, and cast out my loyalists. But he had made one fatal mistake-he underestimated me.A slow smile curled at my lips.He thought he had won.Fool.He had no idea what was coming for him.A knock sounded at the door."Come in," I called, my voice smooth, controlled.The door swung open, and Nelson stepped inside-tall, broad-shouldered, with a face that seemed chiseled out of stone-sharp angles, cold eyes. He was one of the most feared mafia bosses in town, Simeon's archenemy. While Simeon ruled with both his brains and brute force, Nelson was all brutality. Relentless. Unpredictable. The type who would not think twice to

Chapter Twenty Nine - The First TestLily's POVI woke up feeling a lot more rested than I would have thought possible, considering the events of the last few days. The nightmares that had haunted me were quieter last night, and for the first time in a long while, I didn't wake up gasping for air. Maybe it was because I finally felt… safe.I sat up and stretched my arms, looking around the huge room Simeon had given me. It was still weird being here, within this world I never thought I'd be part of. This mansion was movie-like, so big, luxurious, and very far from my former life.As I stood up, my muscles ached a little, reminding me of what happened yesterday. I had fought one of the men who hurt me, and to my own surprise, I had taken him down with skill I didn't even know I had. That moment kept replaying in my head. How did I know those moves? How had my body reacted so naturally?Before I could get lost in that thought, a knock came from my door."Come in," I called out.The door