CHAPTER 51

Anya’s POVSoon enough, the business dinner finally came to an end. It didn’t end suddenly. It slowly unraveled, like a thread being pulled loose. Plates were cleared away, glasses emptied, and the loud, serious voices softened into polite laughter and closing remarks. Chairs scraped gently against the floor as everyone stood up, stretching stiff limbs after hours of sitting.This time, I didn’t wait.I stepped forward and shook the men’s hands myself, one by one. Their palms were warm, their grips firm. They smiled at me, some with respect, some with curiosity. We exchanged brief goodbyes, promises to stay in touch, and polite nods. It felt important—standing there on my own, meeting their eyes, ending the evening on my terms.When it was done, I turned and began walking toward the elevator.The dining area felt quieter now, emptier. My heels echoed against the polished floor, each step slow and tired. I could feel Orion behind me without having to look. His presence was familiar, he

Last Updated : 2026-01-06

CHAPTER 52

Orion’s POVI didn’t follow Anya back to the suite.I couldn’t.If I had, I knew I would say something I shouldn’t. Or worse—I would look at her the way I had been looking all evening, like I was forgetting every boundary that existed between us. So instead, I turned away and walked in the opposite direction, my steps sharp and restless, my mind louder than the hotel around me.I headed straight for the bar.I needed space.I needed air.I needed a moment where Anya wasn’t right there beside me, close enough to touch, close enough to undo me.Being near her again was wrecking my focus. Every careful wall I had built over the years was cracking, and I hated how easy it was for her to affect me without even trying.The bar was dim and quiet, tucked away from the noise of the hotel lobby. Soft music hummed in the background, slow and heavy, like it understood my mood. I took a seat at the counter and leaned forward, resting my forearms against the cool surface.“Whiskey,” I said, my voic

Last Updated : 2026-01-11

CHAPTER 53

Orion’s POVI stayed where I was, my eyes locked on her without even trying to hide it anymore. I told myself I was just watching to make sure she was okay. That was the excuse. The truth was heavier than that. I couldn’t look away. Not when she was right there. Not when every instinct in me stayed alert, coiled tight.Then a man approached her.He came from her blind side, sliding into the empty space next to her like he belonged there. Tall. Confident. Too smooth. The kind of man who thought charm was a weapon. My hand tightened around my glass before I even realized it had happened. The ice clinked softly, a warning sound only I heard.He leaned in close, said something to her. She turned toward him, polite, distant. I could tell from her body language that she wasn’t interested. Her smile was small. Careful. The kind women use when they don’t want trouble. Still, he kept talking, laughing a little too loudly, inching closer with every sentence.I hated how close he stood.I told m

Last Updated : 2026-01-13

CHAPTER 54

Anya’s POVThe elevator finally dinged, and the doors slid open. I stepped out first, my heels clicking softly against the carpeted floor, but I could feel Orion right behind me. The air felt thick, almost heavy, like the hallway itself had been holding its breath after everything that had happened. Neither of us said a word. Not because we didn’t want to, but because there was too much unsaid, too much that didn’t have words yet.When we reached the suite, I paused at the door. My hands trembled slightly as I fumbled with the keycard. “Thank you,” I said again, my voice softer this time, almost a whisper. He nodded once, his expression unreadable, like he thought saving me was the most natural thing in the world. My chest tightened. I wanted to say more, to explain how scared I’d been, how helpless I felt, but the words stuck in my throat.I stepped inside and immediately headed toward my room, my mind still buzzing. My hands shook a little as I closed the door behind me. The quiet o

Last Updated : 2026-01-17

CHAPTER 55

Anya's POVI wanted to speak, to tell him something—anything—but my throat had completely locked up, like someone had wrapped their hands around it and squeezed. The words I needed were right there, sitting heavy on my tongue, but they felt useless, absolutely worthless. They were trapped somewhere deep inside me, tangled up in a knot of sobs and panic that I couldn't untie no matter how hard I tried.My chest heaved up and down as I cried, each breath coming out shaky and uneven. My tears kept falling, one after another, dropping freely onto the sheets below me and soaking through the fabric until I could feel the dampness against my knees. My hands gripped his shirt desperately, my fingers twisting into the soft material and clutching at him like he was the only solid thing in the entire world—like he was the only thing keeping me tethered to the present, to reality, to right now instead of that awful place my mind kept dragging me back to.He didn't push me. He didn't demand an exp

Last Updated : 2026-02-09

CHAPTER 56

Anya's POVThe moment his lips touched mine, everything else just... disappeared. It felt so good—better than good, actually. It felt right in a way that terrified me and comforted me all at the same time. His lips pressed against mine, warm and soft and achingly familiar, like coming home after being lost for years. The gentle pressure sent a shiver racing down my spine, and my chest ached with something I couldn't even name—longing, maybe, or relief, or just the overwhelming feeling of finally having something I'd been missing without even realizing it.But he pulled away almost immediately, so quickly that I barely had time to process what was happening. My eyes fluttered open in confusion, my lips still tingling from that brief contact. For a split second, I thought maybe he regretted it, maybe he was going to apologize and leave. But then I saw the look in his eyes—dark and intense and filled with something wild—and I knew he wasn't done.He crashed his lips onto mine again, hard