Novel & Cerita How To Hide An Empire Book

Something dark flickered in his expression. And before she could think, his fingers brushed against her wrist, trailing upward in a slow, deliberate motion. Her pulse jumped. “You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, Isabella,” he murmured. Her breath came out shaky. “Then tell me.” His fingers traced up to her jaw, tilting her chin ever so slightly. “Some things,” he whispered, “are better left unknown.” A Hidden Empire She pulled away, her mind spinning. “You’re still keeping things from me,” she accused.

I did nothing but bury myself in studies and work. My attention was caught by the gleaming, towering glass windows of the Henderson Company building—our family’s empire. I took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. I removed my sunglasses with pride, holding my head high. I looked around. What a sunny day. I hope their reception of me would be just as bright and warm. “Look, he’s here,” I heard someone whisper as I walked in. The employees were neatly lined up, eagerness clear on their faces. They were excited to meet me.

He chuckled, "Were you talking to Mike? Did you spill our secret?" Luke was undeniably striking. At school, he was an iceberg, cold and untouchable. But in private, he was warm and almost clingy. In the past, I'd have melted into his arms, blushing. Now I just stepped back, creating distance. "Didn't you want to keep us hidden?" I muttered. His eyes flickered as he caught the edge of my tone. Still, he pressed on with the question that always lingered. "You know we can't go public."

Like we’re nothing. “Why are you so scared, Alex?” I muttered, dragging a hand through my hair. “Why the hell are you holding back?” I stopped at the window, staring out into the city. I watched the moon even though I couldn't feel it's brightness. The city lights filled the space. We’ve played around this for too long. Every moment we’ve shared—every touch, every lingering glance, every word left unsaid—it’s all been too real. But he keeps retreating, hiding behind that damn title, behind the expectations like any of that matters more than us.

My heart is beating fast from certainty. I know what I have to do now. No more silence. No more hiding. No more waiting. I walk over to my desk and kneel beside the hidden drawer. I unlock it and pull it open. Inside lies the book I wasn’t supposed to keep. The one the Council tried to destroy after I failed the trial. The book they feared. I pull it out and begin flipping through the pages. There are maps, symbols, clues and hidden truths. Everything is still here. Everything is still alive.

Every move around me was tactical, calculated. Just like that cursed village. The one they’d all but forgotten existed. The Empire pretended to acknowledge it after the war, but in reality, they left it to rot. And me? I seized the opportunity. I made that place my shadow—my stage for schemes and alliances long lost to time. A sanctuary where I could work in secrecy, ask no questions, owe no explanations. A façade to keep up appearances. But now… the shadow is stirring. There’s no stopping it. Edward Wood’s visit merely accelerated the events—but ultimately, that hardly matters. What matters is that the DaWolf Empire is destined to fall.

she roared, her spittle practically flying through the screen. I forced down my pounding heart and struck first, shouting angrily back at the camera. "I'm in the underground vault. Did you think one billion dollars was just sitting in my office drawer?! To get you this money, I had to open the corporation's emergency reserve. It's completely sealed, and I haven't turned on the lights because any light could trip the sensors. If you keep wasting time and security shows up, nobody's getting this money!" Perhaps because she had never seen me be so harsh before, she froze. She leaned closer to the screen suspiciously, trying to make out something in the darkness.

"You use it to shut me out whenever you feel something you can't put on a spreadsheet." "I use it because it's the only thing keeping this mess of a marriage together," he growls, stepping into my space. "You think you want 'real'? You have no idea what you're asking for." "Then show me," I challenge, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Stop hiding behind the contract and show me." His eyes darken, the grumpy restraint finally snapping. "Fine." He doesn't wait. His hand cups my jaw, fingers tangling in my hair to tilt my head back, and then his mouth is on mine.

He couldn’t face it. Kade held out his hand, and she deposited the files, waiting while he paged quickly through. She knew now why he insisted on paper: it was a strategy he’d taken from a military security contractor on staff. Paper was unhackable. It prevented a breach before a breach could occur. “This is the last of it?” Kade raised his eyes. “You’re sure?” “I thought you didn’t doubt my abilities.” It was an echo of the conversation over the dining room table, over the dark red wine…

No one builds a fortress like this without secrets to protect. I glance back at the door. Lucy is still outside, but the thought does little to calm my nerves. I return to the desk, running my hands along the edges in search of a hidden compartment. When nothing gives, I move to the bookshelves. My fingers trail over the spines, most of which are fake—decorative placeholders meant to impress rather than inform. I’m about to give up when one book catches my eye. Smaller than the others, it’s wedged awkwardly between two massive volumes.