Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 41 - Chapitre 50

Damien’s POVI didn’t confront him immediately.Adrian slipped his phone into his pocket and walked to the window. He looked calm on the surface, but I saw the tension in his eyes.I stepped back into the shadows of the bedroom before he could turn. My fists clenched. It was troubling, almost cruel, that I had been tearing myself apart over keeping his dad still alive from him, and now he was doing the exact same thing to me.Except… my gut told me this was different.Whoever was on the other end of that call, Adrian trusted them enough to keep me in the dark. That alone made my chest burn.By the time he padded back into the bedroom, I was under the covers, pretending to be half-asleep. He slipped in beside me, curling into my side like always. His warmth pressed against me, but the comfort I usually felt was gone.Because if Adrian was lying to me, what the hell did we still have?The next day, I followed him.Not openly Adrian would have sniffed me out in minutes. But I had people

Adrian’s POVI couldn’t breathe everytime I closed my eyes, I saw Evelyn’s face. Wide eyes. Innocent smile. My little sister. Taken. And the one name burned in my head like acid.Richard Hale.My father.No he wasn’t my father anymore, he was a devil.The photographs Damien had thrown on the desk wouldn’t leave me alone. Richard, alive, strong standing with monsters. Men who had nearly ruined us. And now Evelyn was in his hands.How will a man that claims to be my father destroy me.I wanted to scream, to break something, to tear down the walls until the city hears my voice. But all I could do was sit in the dark and try to hold myself together.Damien stood across the room, watching me like I was acting a movie. He didn’t touch me. Maybe he was afraid I’d shatter completely if he did.Finally, I broke the silence. My voice was raw. “He has her.”“Yes.” Damien’s answer was clipped, controlled. Too controlled.My head snapped up. “How can you be so calm?”“I’m not calm,” he said calmly

Adrian Hale POVI couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.All I could see was my sister, shivering in the guard’s arm, her eyes locked on me like I was her only hope.And Damien He stood across from us, face unreadable, but I knew him too well, behind that calm face there was a devil. His eyes went back to me and Evelyn, caught in Richard's trap.“Choose, Damien,” Richard said. “Your husband or his sister. You can’t have both.”I wanted to scream. To break free. To shield Evelyn with my body. But the ropes held fast.“Don’t you dare,” I rasped, my voice cracking. “Damien, don’t you listen to him. Don’t sacrifice yourself for me.”Richard’s eyes slid back to me, cold and sharp. “Oh, but you’re worth sacrificing, aren’t you? You’ve always been the weakness in every man’s armor. First your father’s. Now his.”I spat blood at his feet. “You’ll never own me.”But my chest is still heavy with fear. Because deep down, I knew Richard’s trap was working. Not because Damien didn’t love me I knew he

Adrian’s POVMy wrists hurt as I rubbed them. The chains cut deep into my skin, leaving red lines and blood. Evelyn was close, her small hand grabbing my arm. She was shaking, as far as she was alive I had a little peace inside me.But inside, I wasn’t stable at all.Richard was alive.My father. The man I had buried. The man I had cried for, hated for leaving us, and sworn to avenge. He was alive. Breathing. Smiling. Watching everything from the shadows like some monster who had never died.And worse he wanted me by his side. He wanted me to take the crown he had built in blood. To stand as his heir.I hated him with everything in me. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t still crave for answers. Why had he done it? Why fake his death? Why destroy us? Why let Evelyn, Clara and me suffer when he was strong enough to stop it?My eyes slid back to Damien. His face was swollen and sweaten, his hands on the gun. He had fought for me. Choose me, even when Julian tries to destroy me. Ev

Damien’s POVThe room went silent.I could still smell the smoke from my gun. Richard’s men stood around us in a circle.They looked like wolves waiting to tear us apart. Evelyn was pressed against Adrian’s side, crying hard into his sleeve.But all of that faded when I saw him.Ethan Ward.He walked through the doorway as if he owned the place. His steps were steady. He held his gun so tight in his hands, like he was part of this blood-soaked mess.This wasn’t Clara’s sweet boyfriend anymore. This wasn’t the man who was supposed to be family to Adrian.No.This was someone else.On his chest was a badge. It shone under the bright light, His eyes were cold. His voice was steady.“I’m here for both of you,” he said.“I don’t understand,” I said harshly.I raised my gun without thinking. I aimed it straight at his chest.“What the hell are you talking about?” I snapped.Ethan didn’t even move. He just stared.“You think Richard is the only rot in this empire?” he said. “You think Hale Ho