All Chapters of Falling For Forbidden: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The tension in Rafael’s office was suffocating, thick with undercurrents of control, challenge, and something else—something far more dangerous.Amara remained hidden in the shadows, her breath shallow, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear every word spoken beyond the door, every syllable laced with quiet threat.And then—the door opened.A slow, deliberate creak.Lucas Vance stepped inside, his gaze sharp, his presence almost suffocating.He didn’t move carelessly. He knew exactly where he was—inside Rafael Aldridge’s domain.And yet, he walked in anyway.Rafael leaned against his desk, one hand in his pocket, the other lazily tapping against the polished wood. Completely unbothered.“Vance,” Rafael greeted smoothly. “Strange place for you to wander into.”Lucas smirked slightly, stepping forward. “I could say the same about you.”Rafael’s gaze flickered with amusement. “My office? Hardly. It’s a little early to be getting lost, don’t you think?”Lucas ignored the taunt, h

The silence in Amara’s apartment was suffocating.She was alone.Alone with the ghost of his touch.Alone with the weight of his words.“You’re mine, Lenz. And I don’t share.”The way Rafael had spoken those words, the way his fingers had wrapped around her chin, tilting her face up like he owned her—like he was branding her with his touch—it left something inside her aching, restless, and utterly shaken.She exhaled shakily, pressing her fingers against her lips.Her body was still on fire.A fire she couldn’t douse, no matter how hard she tried.Her hands clenched into fists.This wasn’t real. It was a game. His game.One she refused to lose.Her phone vibrated beside her.She grabbed it, praying for a distraction.A message.Her mystery man.Are you home?Her fingers hovered over the screen.Yes.A pause. Then—Did he hurt you?Her breath hitched.Her mind flashed back to Rafael’s grip on her chin, the way he had forced her to meet his gaze, the cruel stroke of his thumb along her

The moment Amara’s eyes landed on the phone screen, her breath caught in her throat. Her hands trembled as she held the device, her pulse hammering in her ears. The message was simple, yet it carried the weight of something far more terrifying:“He won’t bother you again.”Her fingers hovered over the screen, her mind racing to process what it meant. Lucas. The one who had tormented her, who had tried to strip away what little dignity she had left. He had been untouchable, surrounded by power, influence, and a cruel sense of entitlement.And now… he had been beaten. Badly.A sharp breath shuddered from her lips. Fear coiled tightly in her stomach, a suffocating presence that refused to ease. Who sent this? Was it a warning? A confession? A promise?She wanted to reply—to ask, to demand answers—but something stopped her. A gnawing, paralyzing dread. If she responded, if she acknowledged this unseen force lingering in the dark corners of her life, what would happen next?The night stret

Power wasn’t just something Rafael had. It was something he was.It dripped from him like a second skin, laced into every step he took, every word he spoke, every glance he cast. The world bent to his will, not because he asked—but because he demanded. And when Rafael wanted something, there were no obstacles. No nos. No refusals.And right now, Rafael wanted her.His empire stretched far beyond the darkened corners people feared. He was not just wealthy—he was control. He owned businesses, dictated contracts, ruined men with a flick of his fingers. There was no industry untouched by his influence, no name that didn’t carry weight when whispered alongside his.Banks. Real estate. Law firms. Underground networks. He had a hand in them all. Politicians shook his hand, only to realize they had signed their souls away the moment they accepted his deals. Rivals feared him. Allies worshipped him.But power came with a price, and Rafael had never been afraid to pay it.Some men built their l

Amara’s breath came shallow, her heartbeat an uneven rhythm against her ribs. She stood frozen near the door, Rafael’s words still lingering in the air, wrapping around her like chains she couldn’t shake.You keep coming back.She wanted to deny it. Wanted to throw the accusation back at him. But the truth was a bitter taste on her tongue.She was still here.And he knew it.Slowly, deliberately, Rafael moved around the desk, his movements unhurried, his confidence suffocating. He was a predator that had cornered his prey, waiting for the inevitable surrender.The distance between them disappeared in slow increments, until he stood mere inches from her. He didn’t touch her—not yet—but his presence alone pressed against her skin like a brand.“Tell me, Amara,” he murmured, tilting his head slightly. “What exactly are you running from?”She forced herself to meet his gaze, even though every instinct screamed at her to look away. “You.”His smirk deepened, as if that answer pleased him.