جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

My twentieth birthday was only days away, but instead of feeling excited, I felt like I was counting down to the moment my life would no longer belong to me. I knew what my father had planned. On my birthday, in front of our family and everyone who mattered, he would announce my engagement to Leonardo Stone. A future had already been decided for me before I was given the chance to decide what I wanted for myself. Ever since my parents found out that Alex had come to my room a few days ago, the entire house had changed. No one needed to say they were angry. I could feel it in the silence, in the way they looked at me, in the way every conversation ended too quickly. It felt like I was being punished without anyone admitting they were punishing me. My older brothers were the first to confront me. They warned me not to meet Alex again. “You wouldn't like what we will do to him if you don't cut him off.” “Cutting him out of my life won't solve anything!” “It will stop you from seein

So I stayed quiet and let his promise comfort me. Before he left, Alex paid for my apartment for three months. “Within three months, I’ll marry you,” he'd promised. I held onto those words long after he was gone. I convinced myself that everything would work out. I convinced myself that the doubts, the rumors, and the fears were nothing compared to what Alex and I had. I stopped listening to what people were saying. I avoided everyone who might bring me more pain. I stayed away from my family and buried myself in finding a job online. That was when I met Jackie Malcolm. She was my age, and from the moment we started talking, I realized how much we had in common. We were loners who loved cooking. For Jackie, It wasn’t just a passion she enjoyed. It was the dream she had held onto for years. She had dropped out of high school and wanted to become a chef, but being an orphan meant she didn’t have the support or money to attend the culinary academy she had always dreamed of. Despi

The announcement came from their father during a live broadcast. He calmly revealed that Finn would inherit the Stone family's fortune and assume the responsibilities once held by his eldest son. I stared at the screen, unable to understand what I was reading. Alex had lost everything. He had lost his position. His future. The life he had been raised to inherit. A video showed Alex standing outside, surrounded by reporters. His father stood in front of him, saying words I couldn't hear. Alex said something before punching him in the face. The crowd erupted in shock. I watched the clip again, but I still couldn't read Alex’s lips. I had seen Alex angry before. I had seen him hurt, frustrated, and stubborn. But I had never seen him lose control like that. I knew there had to be a reason he had reached that point. My hands trembled as I searched for the video online. I downloaded another clip I found, hoping it would reveal what Alex had said before he raised his fist. I watch

Behind a grand mahogany desk sat the man behind my nightmares, Leonardo Stone. His dark hair was impeccably styled, and his tailored suit looked as luxurious as everything else in the room. He remained silent, but his gaze was piercing, as if he were weighing my every thought. A slow, calculating smile crept across his lips, sending a shiver down my spine. I could almost feel the weight of the words that were yet to come, words that might change everything for me. I braced myself, tension coiling in my chest.“So,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “you're the young woman who's been visiting this house for quite some time.”I swallowed. “I’m here because I want answers from Alex.”“I see.” His gaze lingered on me longer than was comfortable. “The staff mentioned you've returned again and again.”“I just want to know where he is.”Instead of answering, he rose from his chair and walked slowly around the desk until he stood only a few feet away.

Alex’s grip on my hand tightened. He swallowed hard, his dark eyes searching mine.“I'm sorry,” he said, breathing heavily. “I am so sorry for neglecting you. I promise I will never do it again.”I was about to respond when he slipped out of the car and opened my door. He took my hand and helped me outside into the cool night air. He didn’t let go of my hand as he guided me up the walkway to my front door. As soon as we reached the porch, he turned me to face him, shutting out the rest of the world. “Trust me, Nadia. I will find a way out,” he vowed. Without another word, Alex leaned down and kissed me again. From the periphery of my vision, I caught the blinds fluttering. My family was definitely watching from the windows. Alex must have noticed too, but he remained unmoved, not letting go until he had claimed me completely, sealing his promise on my lips. Then he retreated to Adrian’s waiting car.The second the front door clicked shu