All Chapters of HIS BROKEN PLAYTHING : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

We slipped inside one after the other, making sure the door clicked shut quietly behind us. The inside was… not what I expected. The Alvadores were all about flaunting their wealth—big houses, flashy cars, everything screaming, Look at me, I’m rich. I figured this place would be the same—over-the-top, too much. But it wasn’t. It looked expensive, I had to admit, but in a way that spoke of quality rather than excess. The living room was bathed in soft beige, the dark wood floors polished to a gleam, like they’d been buffed just yesterday. The lighting cast a warm glow, making the space feel inviting, almost as if the room itself was wrapping around you. Real Persian rugs. Handcrafted wood beams stretching across the ceiling. Oversized leather furniture arranged just right, like a designer had orchestrated the setup. A crackling fireplace in the corner, adding to the coziness. Our target wasn’t like the rest of the Alvadores—at least not in how they spent their wealth. But ju

LYLA’S POVSomething’s off. I feel it before I even open my eyes.The air around me carried the scent of leather, faint cologne, and something smoky—like an expensive cigar had burned out hours ago. This isn’t my vanilla butterscotch bedroom. That thought alone is enough to shake me fully awake. My eyelids felt heavy, my head pulsing with a persistent ache and my body seems to have a mind of its own.But I force my blurry eyes to focus. The first thing I see is the ceiling. High, vaulted, with intricate gold trim running along its edges. A chandelier hangs above me, its crystals catching what little light coming from the opened window. Not mine. I shift, and the softest whisper of fabric reaches my ears. Silk sheets covering the bed underneath me. It’s massive. The mattress plushed enough to swallow me whole. Then covered in blankets that feel like they belong in a five-star hotel. Not mine either.The room itself has dark toned walls, heavy velvet curtains, and furnit

Cedric’s POV Long before I ever set foot in Philadelphia, long before my siblings and I managed to escape our father’s control, there was my mother. She had this obsession with porcelain dolls—beautiful, delicate little things to the point she became a hoarder. Having a specific room to keep all her collection. My mother wasn’t strong. After giving birth to Catherine, she lost the ability to walk. My father, as usual, didn’t care, always left her locked away in her room. With nothing else to focus on, she started making these dolls. I remember the way she smiled every time she finished painting one. She would show them to me every time I visited, and no matter how tired she looked, she’d beam like she had just done something amazing. Alec used to think they were creepy, and Mia didn’t really think much of them. But to me, they were beautiful, fragile little things. And oddly, there was this strange excitement that built inside me every time I touched them, the urge to want to

Lyla’s POVThe door shut softly behind me, and I stood there for a second, trying to catch my breath. I had no idea where to go, no idea what to do next. All I could feel was the cold air in the hallway, the same coldness that had been in his office.Cathy walked ahead of me, her steps quick and steady. I struggled to keep up, my feet aching with every step. It felt like she was miles ahead, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t catch up. Finally, Cathy stopped and turned around, noticing how much I was struggling. She waited for me to get closer before starting to walk again, this time slower, matching my pace.Every step down the long hallway echoed in my ears. My arms were still wrapped around myself, my fingers gripping the fabric of my sleeves so tightly that my knuckles ached. I didn’t know how I was still standing. I should have collapsed back there. I should have screamed, fought, or maybe faked something. But all I did was nod and obey. Because I was scared. Because he w

CEDRIC POV The meeting with Alec dragged on way longer than it should have. Cathy got back to finding me and Alec still arguing about how to handle the illegal organ buyers. It wasn’t something new between me and Alec. We never did see eye to eye. I was the blunt, straightforward type, the kind who dealt with problems quickly and left no room for loose ends. Alec, though? She liked mind games, dragging things out, playing the diplomatic route to gain control. It was exhausting to say the least.We were the opposite of eachother but worked so well non the less.Business with Alec never wrapped up smoothly. She had a knack for stretching out what should’ve been quick discussions, pissing the shit out of me. Cathy took the initiative to handle the list of organ buyers we got from Rafael. I didn’t have to worry—she always got answers in the most terrifying way possible. By the time someone thought to lie, she’d already torn them apart. Meanwhile, Alec kept ranting about the shipment