Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 31 - Chapitre 40

[ IRIS’S POV ]The gates slid open with a quiet hum, and for once, I didn't feel like I was sneaking out of a cage.I sat back in the leather seat, the scent of Sofia’s expensive perfume mixing with the cool air from the vents. The city stretched ahead of us—brightly. It felt unreal. This is the first time Sofia had asked me to go out with her willingly, not an obligation or a command, but like this mattered to her.Wedding shopping. She says.I would say yes to anything just to leave the estate and Salvatore’s watch.Salvatore wasn’t home. That alone made the air lighter. Even though I knew someone had already told him we were going out.Still, freedom tasted sweet, even borrowed.The stereo played softly, I hummed along without realizing it, fingers tapping against my thigh.“I got that sunshine in my pocket…huhuhu”Sofia glanced at me, one brow lifting. “I can see you’re happy.”I turned my head toward the window, watching buildings blur past. My reflection smiled back before I co

[ SALVATORE’S POV ]The moment I walked into the boardroom, everything stopped. With Anton walking closely behind me.Voices cut off. Laughter died. Even the sound of moving papers moving disappeared. It was like someone had pressed a switch.I hadn’t informed anyone I would be coming. Not the directors. Not even the acting manager. I rarely showed my face here, and that was exactly why they panicked when I did.Chairs scraped harshly against the floor as they jumped to their feet. Fake fat ass people. The word rolled through my mind as I moved deeper into the room. Their backs were straight, their faces stiff, eyes wide with forced respect. Men who ruled numbers and contracts suddenly forgot how to stand naturally.The acting manager rushed up from the large chair at the head of the table. The chair meant for the CEO. Me. Like when did we begin to chair a seat?He didn’t belong in it. And yet he sat there.His suit looked tight around his shoulders as he stood, hands clenching an

[ IRIS’S POV ]“Which one of you is Iris?”The question was asked again, slow and deliberate, slicing through the room like a blade.Four naked men stood before us, their eyes roaming, measuring. The air reeked of sweat and fear. My wrists burned where the rope bit into my skin, every breath shallow, uneven. Beside me, Sofia sobbed quietly—soft, broken sounds, like hope leaking away.I lowered my head and prayed. Not with words. With need. With the desperate promise that I would give anything if this moment passed us by.Sofia was working at the knot of the rope on her wrist, fingers slick with blood, teeth clenched as she dragged the rope against the jagged edge of a broken chair leg. Her jaw was set, eyes sharp despite the terror shaking her hands. She was already planning to fight. Already choosing pain over surrender.“She’s my sister.”Sofia stepped forward suddenly, placing herself in front of me, her back pressed to my chest as if she could shield me with her body alone.“She’s

[ SALVATORE ]I was in the Russo control room watching the same footage over and over again.Mario reset the clip again after I finished watching it for the tenth time. I’ve been at this since I got back, searching for a clue. Just one clue that would lead me to where my little mouse is.The clip reset.Five seconds.The timestamp flickered in the corner — 22:47:13.Her car rolled to a stop on the highway. One car at the front and another at the back, blocking and leaving no room for an escape.22:47:16. A shadow moved from the blind spot.22:47:18. The rear door was ripped open so violently it bounced against the frame. The interior light flashed on, exposing her face for half a second — confused and shaking.22:47:19. A hand shot in and fisted a handful of her hair.22:47:20. She grabbed the seat. Nails digging into leather.22:47:21. They dragged her out.Her heel scraped across the asphalt. The sound wasn’t there, but I could hear it. I could hear everything.Iris struggling.

[ IRIS’S POV ]The scent of antiseptic and starch clung to the room, but my focus was entirely on Salvatore. He stood by the bed, gripping the thin fabric of the new gown as if it were an enemy he was forced to negotiate with.After ten minutes of low-growled protests and sharp glares at me, I finally gave in. Because the sooner I agree, the sooner I will leave the hospital to see Sofia.My face warmed as I watched him move. I quickly looked down at my lap, tracing the frayed edges of my sleeve, but my eyes kept betraying me, darting back to catch the line of his shoulders and the flex of his back.Every time he caught me looking, a heat that had nothing to do with the hospital’s radiator climbed up my neck. I felt exposed just watching him, my heart thudding a frantic rhythm against my ribs."Enough, Iris," he murmured, though his voice held more amusement than edge. "You’re going to burn a hole in me."Before I could stutter out a defense, the world tilted. He swept me up, his movem