Semua Bab The Don’s Dangerous Addiction: Bab 61 - Bab 70

Behind the heavy door lay a converted warehouse, now a private gallery. It was windowless, the air thick with the scent of aged paper and dust. The cold light from the overhead fixtures made the space feel sterile, unforgiving, as if the room itself was holding its breath.Dominic stood in the center of the room. His posture was rigid, almost statue-like, but the tension coiling through his shoulders betrayed the storm beneath.His gaze was fixed on a massive luminescent projection screen on the wall, filled with a dense web of red line graphs. Before him sat a stainless steel table littered with documents. The paper was yellowed, the edges curled with char marks as if they had been salvaged from a fire. Some pages were so brittle that the slightest touch might turn them to dust."Boss, they're here."Drake stopped at the threshold, giving a slight bow before retreating silently into the shadows. His footsteps faded into nothing, leaving only the hum of t

Avery sat by the bed for another ten minutes. Only after Dorothea’s soft, rhythmic breathing signaled deep sleep did she finally lie down, curling her body protectively around the small girl.Moonlight sliced through the gap in the curtains, casting a cold, silver light across the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught it—a tiny, faint red pulse flickering from within the decorative molding facing the foot of the bed.Avery’s fingers tightened.A camera.Dominic’s eyes were everywhere. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel that red dot pinned to her face like a physical weight.She couldn't move yet. She knew Dominic’s nature; he wasn't the type to simply lock someone up and go to sleep. He would be in the shadows, dissecting her every move. The "test tube" lie she’d spun wouldn't hold him for long. He hadn't believed her; he’d simply been too calculating to tear it down on the spot.Dominic enjoyed the hunt. He would verify it himself.A paternity test. The fastest way wa

The afternoon sunlight flooded through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Dorothea lay stomach-down on the plush carpet, lost in her drawings, while Avery sat on the sofa with her laptop balanced on her knees.On the screen was Julian’s medical log for the day.In the attached photo, Julian propped himself up against a stack of pillows, his complexion looking marginally better than it had the previous week. Avery zoomed in on the image, meticulously verifying that the IV port on his wrist had been rotated to a new vein, and that the numbers flickering on the monitor behind him had changed from yesterday’s metrics. Only then did she breathe a small sigh of relief and close the file.Dominic had honored their deal. Julian was safe.Leaning back against the cushions, she finally exhaled a breath she had been holding all day.Three sharp knocks rattled the heavy wood of the door. Drake stood on the threshold, flanked by two men in dark suits who pushed a pair of empty, oversized wardrobe trunk

In the hallway, Dominic stood silently at the threshold of the pink bedroom, holding a cup of black coffee. The morning light slanted through the tall windows, catching the gold cufflinks at his wrists.His hair was perfectly styled, and he wore a dark three-piece suit with his tie meticulously knotted. He kept his head turned toward the room, watching Dorothea. His expression was surprisingly soft, the faint hint of a smile touching the corner of his lips.The sight broke Avery into a cold sweat. She had never seen that look on his face before—unguarded, almost tender.Hearing her approach, Dominic turned around. His gaze swept over the damp ends of her hair before settling on her face."Good morning, Dr. Clair. You rose quite early for someone who had such a restless night."She didn't offer a reply, attempting to bypass him to enter the room. Dominic simply shifted his weight, extending his arm to block her path."From today onward, every corner of this estate is open to you." He l

Avery didn't back down. Instead, she placed a flat palm against his chest."In what exact capacity do you think you are interrogating me right now? As my patient? Or... my employer?"His pupils contracted. His fingers clamped tighter against the wooden cabinet door beside her ear."In this city," he growled, his gaze trapping her, "there isn't a person I can't keep, or a record I can't erase, if I so choose.""Does that include me?" She gave him a firm push. "If you intend to destroy your own treatment, to destroy me, over some man asking questions—then by all means, be my guest."Dominic stared down at her. Letting out a low, dark chuckle, he released his grip on her jaw and took a step back."Don't play games with me, Avery. Three months. Fulfill your end of the protocol." His voice regained its frigid composure. "As for Thorne, I'll ensure he learns the rules of Obsidian City."The punishing pressure on her wrist and jaw vani