บททั้งหมดของ Taken by my stepfathers: บทที่ 121 - บทที่ 130

Eden’s POVDay twelve.The hunger had moved past the point of a sharp ache and into a dull, constant thrum that lived in my bones. I spent most of my time in my room, staring at the walls, the image of the dungeon burnt into my retinas. My skin was still tender, the faint yellowing of bruises a map of a night I couldn’t forget. I didn't try to leave. I didn't try to seduce anyone. I had become the "good girl" Silas demanded, but the silence I maintained was heavier than any words I could have spoken.The mansion felt different. The air was pressurised, a storm front moving through the hallways. It wasn't just me anymore; the "starvation" was a poison that had leaked into the men who had designed it. I could hear it in the way doors were slammed and the low tones of voices echoing through the vents.I was sitting by my window, watching the rain streak the glass, when I heard the heavy thud of boots in the hallway outside. They stopped right outside the study, which was adjacent to my b

Eden’s POVDaniel didn’t break the kiss until he felt the shift in the room. He wasn't a fool. His hand stayed tangled in my hair, but his eyes drifted to the dark, fresh bruises on my neck—marks that hadn't been there when I was taken to the dungeon.The silence turned lethal. Silas stepped into the light, his nostrils flaring as he caught the scent of his brothers on my skin. He looked at Luca, then at Felix. The tension between them was a physical weight, a violent electricity that threatened to tear the unified front apart before the night even began."You broke the decree," Silas growled, his hand moving toward the holster at his hip."We didn't fuck her, Silas," Felix said, his voice level but defiant. "But we weren't going to let her rot while you played at being the Butcher."Daniel didn't let them start a war. He tightened his grip on my hair, pulling my head back further. "It doesn't matter," he said, his voice like grinding stones. "The clock is at zero. The starvation ends

Eden’s POVThe house helper had left a simple black dress in the bathroom for me. After I showered, I put it on and followed her to the dining room. I found Daddy already seated at the head of a long, dark wood table. There were no candles, no flowers—just two plates and the silence of a man who didn't feel the need to fill the air with noise.He looked at me as I sat down, and the intensity of his gaze was physical. I felt like I was being watched by a hawk, his eyes cataloging every movement, every shift in my posture. He didn't offer a greeting. He didn't pull out my chair. He simply waited for me to settle into the space he had provided."Does the boys know you are Lilian's daughter?" he asked.The question hit me like a physical blow. I froze, my hand hovering over the napkin. The only people who knew the truth were Daniel, Silas, and Luca. I had been careful to keep that part of my history buried, knowing how deep the resentments in this family could run. I hadn't expected the h

Lilian’s POVThe drive to the Schmidt estate was fuelled by a cold desperation. For three days, the whispers had been growing louder in the circles I clawed my way into. Eden was back. Not just back, but ensconced in Daniel’s world like she belonged there. I knew Daniel’s schedule like a prayer; on a Tuesday afternoon, he was buried in board meetings at the Schmidt Tower, miles away from the silent walls of his mansion. He wouldn't be there to shield her. He wouldn't be there to lie for her.I stepped out of my car, smoothing my designer skirt. The security at the gate had been surprisingly lax—or perhaps they had simply been told to let the "ghost" in. I walked through the foyer, my heels clicking sharply against the marble. The house felt empty, draped in a heavy, expensive silence that made the hair on my arms stand up. I checked the parlor, the dining room, and Daniel’s study. Nothing.I followed the trail of discarded clothes toward the rear of the house, where the floor-to-ceili

Lilian’s POVThe city felt like it was closing in on me. The neon lights of Manhattan, once so welcoming and full of promise, now felt like cold, judgemental eyes. Every shadow seemed to hold a secret I wasn’t privy to. I had run out of allies. I had run out of secrets. But the questions Daniel had left me with were like glass shards in my mind, cutting deeper every time I tried to ignore them.Brothers. A father. An Asset.I needed to know how deep the rot went. I needed to know if fighting for my place next to Daniel meant I would eventually be forced to submit to Luca—or worse, to men I hadn’t even met yet. The thought of Luca's hands on me made my skin crawl, but the thought of losing the Schmidt empire made me feel like I was disappearing entirely.There was only one man left who played in the same dark, filthy circles as the Schmidts, even if he was a scavenger compared to their apex predator status.Klaus.The elevator ride up to his penthouse was suffocating. I checked my refl