جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 130

Before he could finish his sentence, a loud, sharp screech echoed from the lower floor of the mansion, bouncing off the high ceilings and vibrating through the heavy wooden door. It was a woman’s voice, raw, shrieking, and full of chaotic rage, followed by the heavy thud of security boots on marble.Elias groaned aloud, rubbing his temples as his expression twisted into annoyance. "Unbelievable," he muttered under his breath. "He actually removed the tape from her mouth. Why was he dumb enough to do that inside my house?"Thea’s brow furrowed in complete confusion. She took a step toward him, her eyes scanning his flustered face. "What is that noise? Elias, what is going on downstairs?"Elias turned back to answer her, but the moment his eyes landed on her, his mind went entirely blank again.Thea was standing under the warm chandelier light. Her hair was slightly messy from taking off her sweater, falling in soft waves around her neck, and her silk top clung loosely to her frame. She

Darius took a long, slow breath, turning his attention back to the married couple. He looked at Elias, then shifted his gaze to Thea, his dark eyes softening once again.“Now that your little family reunion is over," Darius said smoothly, "I should take my leave. The sun will be up in a few hours." "Good," Elias said coldly, taking a firm step toward the main entrance doors and holding them open. "Don't let the gate hit you on the way out."Darius chuckled softly, shaking his head at Elias’s childlike hostility. He walked slowly past Elias, but right as he reached the threshold of the doorway, he paused. He turned his head back to look at Thea over his shoulder. "Thea," Darius said, his tone entirely serious now. "The Charity Banquet on Saturday... Sirius is going to make his move. It's going to be dangerous. If things get out of hand, if Elias’s family drama becomes too much for you to bear... my car will be parked at the west gate of the hotel. You always have an exit with me."El

The sleek black sedan glided through the quiet, rain-slicked streets of the upper district. Inside the quiet cabin, Darius Manchester rested his head against the cool glass of the window, watching the streetlights stretch into long, golden ribbons across the dark asphalt.The rain had softened into a gentle drizzle, but the heavy mood inside his chest hadn't lifted.His driver, a quiet professional who had served the Manchester family for over a decade, kept his eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead. In the passenger seat sat Darius’s chief security officer, quietly reviewing patrol logs on a glowing tablet. They were used to long, silent nights, but tonight, the silence around Darius felt different. It was heavier, laced with a quiet, lingering sadness that he rarely permitted himself to feel.Twenty minutes later, the sedan pulled up the long, winding driveway of the Manchester private estate. The grand stone manor loomed in the darkness, illuminated only by soft architectural lighti

ELIAS’s POV I opened my eyes to the quiet dimness of the master bedroom.Instinctively, I reached out to my side, expecting to feel the warm body of my wife resting beside me. My hand swept across cold, smooth silk.I sat up immediately, the last remnants of sleep instantly vanishing from my mind. The space beside me was empty. The dark velvet curtains were slightly drawn, letting in the faint, pale moonlight. I glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was 3:15 AM. >> Where is she?I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, throwing on a simple grey shirt and black sweatpants. My pulse quickened with a sudden, restless anxiety. Ever since Maya escaped from prison, I had been living on high alert. Even though Maya was captured and currently sitting in our basement quarters, my instinct to protect Thea was running on overdrive.I pushed the heavy oak bedroom door open and stepped barefoot into the long, dark hallway. The house was dead quiet.I walked down the grand marble s

Thea’s POV The heavy, suffocating darkness of the night slowly melted away, replaced by the pale, soft gray of early morning.I opened my eyes, blinking against the soft light filtering through the sheer velvet curtains. My head was resting against the warm, steady rise and fall of Elias’s chest. His broad arm was still wrapped securely around my waist, his long fingers loosely intertwined with mine, keeping me tight against him all through the quiet hours.For the first time in days, my mind felt clear. The bitter, toxic rage that had consumed me in the basement was gone, replaced by a quiet, comforting stillness. The terrifying memory of Maya’s shrieks seemed small and distant now, completely washed away by the steady rhythm of my husband’s heartbeat.I shifted slightly, trying to move closer to the warmth of his body."Are you awake?" Elias’s voice was a low, morning rumble, thick with sleep.I looked up to find his dark eyes already watching me. The intense, lethal edge he carr