Lucy’s pov “How dare you! How dare you let my son lose a billion-dollar opportunity in San Francisco because of you!” The strident voice cut through the thick air like a knife. I flinched where I stood in the sitting room, spine straight, palms sweaty. My chest burned as I gazed at the woman who had once warmly called me her second daughter. Now she was fire and poison. Marcus’s mother towered over him in all her fashionable fury, designer purse swinging from her hip as she paced back and forth. “You must think you’re clever. You must think you’re special. My son—my only son—decided to stay in this godforsaken city instead of leading the expansion department of our firm in San Francisco. And why? You.” “Ma’am, I didn’t ask him to stay,” I said quickly, voice trembling. “I even said he should go if—” “Shut up!” she exclaimed. “I don’t want to hear one word from you, you gold-digging, manipulative little—” “Mum!” Marcus’s voice thundered. I turned to see him standing in the doorway, his jaw clenched so tightly I was sure his teeth would crack. “Don’t you ever speak to Lucy like that.” Her mother whirled to face him. Her impeccably drawn eyebrows arched in outrage. “Marcus—” “No. Enough!” He stormed in, shutting the door behind him. “This is my life, and I remained because this city holds some meaning for me. Because Lucy holds some meaning for me.” My heart jumped to my throat. “So now you’re confessing?” his mother sneered. “You’re in love with her? Is that it? You’d rather forfeit your inheritance for some no one with pretty eyes and a sob story?” Marcus’s fists tightened. He exhaled through his nose like a bull ready to charge. “Don’t insult her. You don’t know what she’s been through. You don’t know her.” I didn’t stir, frozen, torn between defending myself and disappearing completely. I felt small, a spark in a hurricane. His mother scoffed. “You think I don’t know girls like her? Girls who sneak into a man’s heart so subtly he doesn’t even realize it until she’s the cause of everything he built crumbling around him.” Marcus stepped forward, his voice softer now, but with a steely edge. “You will not speak to her that way. Not in my house.” His mother breathed as if he’d hit her. “Your house? Your house? Marcus, I built this house! Everything in your name was provided by me and your father. And this is how you repay me? Taking up for some ungrateful leech—” “Stop it!” he roared, and I jumped in shock. “Lucy is not a leech. She’s the finest person I know. I don’t care what you think, Mother. I’m not going to leave her. And if you can’t honor her, you can go.” There was silence. Cold, raw silence that made the air feel heavier. Marcus’s mother blinked. Her lips twitched in disbelief. “You’re choosing her over your family?” “No,” Marcus said. “I’m choosing me. For once in my damn life.” She shook her head, chest heaving. “You’ll regret this.” “Then I’ll regret it.” He turned to me. His voice softened. “Lucy, go wait in the study. I’ll talk to her.” I hesitated. I wanted to stay, wanted to protect him even though I knew that I couldn’t. But I nodded and departed, my heart pounding in my ears. From the hallway, I could still hear the sound of their battle. Marcus was trying to talk, trying to fix what could not be fixed in a single evening. And I. I just sat silently, gripping the arm of the chair as though it was the one true thing in the world. All because I existed. Because I had the audacity to be close to him. Because Marcus—my best friend—chose me. He showed up a half hour later, tie loose, hair mussed. He fell into the chair opposite me and buried his face in his hands. “She’s never going to accept this, is she?” I whispered. “Probably not,” he muttered. “But that’s her problem, not ours.” I hated how much that comforted me. Because deep down, I knew this wasn’t the end of the matter. This was the beginning of war. I was the girl that his mother hated,because of how low I sat in the finance ladder. And the worst? I hadn’t even told him how I really felt. Not yet and she already wanted nothing to do with me. The world seemed small and everything seemed to echo around her words My throat hitched and everything seemed to spin. I open my eyes. Another nightmare. Shit. This one was strange, too, The last thing I want to do is encounter Marcus’ mum again What the hell? I glance up at the ceiling, my mind still foggy. The sun slants between the blinds, making pale stripes across the room. How late is it? I glance at my phone. 5:45 AM. I roll over and moan. Time to start another day. I drag myself through my usual routine—brush my teeth, brush my hair, shower, and throw on my black-and-white uniform for work. A few minutes later, I’m out the door, locking it behind me. The streets are still quiet, the morning air fresh. I’m a little earlier than usual, but that’s fine. Gives me time to settle in before the rush starts. Then, out of nowhere, a black Mercedes slowly pulls up alongside me. Oh no.

Lucy’s pov Hello, the most beautiful woman on earth.” I roll my eyes and keep walking. The car keeps tailing me. “Lucy, my dear, if you could just take a minute out of your valuable time, I know you’re over 30 minutes early.” I glance at him and keep walking. A theatrical sigh. “Lucy Cheng, jump in the car right away and let the man of your dreams drive you home.” I burst out laughing, shaking my head. I swing open the door and get in, where I find Marcus, grinning like a fool. Marcus has changed over the years—dramatically. His once unruly hair is now perfectly styled, a little longer, falling over his shoulders. His chiseled jawline and stupidly blue eyes render it generously hard to look at him for longer than a second. And that suit? Bespoke perfection, clinging to his form in ways that surely have to be illegal. “Stop staring, Luce,” Marcus teases, snapping his fingers in my face. I raise an eyebrow, crossing my arms. “I wasn’t staring.” “You were staring.”. “I was checking out.” “You were salivating.” I slap his arm. “Shut up.” He laughs, the same reckless, heart-stopping laugh he’s always had. Marcus pulls up in front of sevenCafé, the city’s go-to breakfast joint, and I grab my bag. “Bye, idiot,” I say, pushing the door open. Marcus bends over his chest like I’ve just wounded him. “What an unwarranted way to speak of your own personal Uber driver.” I eye-roll. “I didn’t ask you for a ride. It’s literally down the block. Get to work, Marcus.” “Sure, sure, sure,” he promises me, but I can hear the smile of teasing in his voice. I leave, slamming the door behind me before I can let myself stare at him some more. But my heart is already behaving like an idiot in my chest. Marcus wasn’t that messy-haired boy I grew up with any longer. He was a man—tall, broad-shouldered, stupidly handsome, and completely unaware that I’d helplessly loved him for years. The worst part? Not being able to tell him. Keeping it bottled up was starting to hurt. I gnaw on my nails, a habit of nervous ritual I just cannot break. Suppose I reveal to him and ruin everything. Suppose he feels otherwise? The cafe was buzzing with noise by the time I got there, but that was to be expected. It opened at 7 a.m. on the dot, providing breakfast for the early birds, businesspeople, and students who were attempting to get something to eat before they left for their day. At 12 p.m., the menu opened up to full meals—anything from plain pasta to seafood plates that looked more complicated than the paycheck I got every two weeks. Of course, none of it had mattered when you were the one operating the counter, running around like your life depended upon it. The kitchen staff was underpaid, the waitresses were overworked, and the manager—well, he was the worst of them. I wiped down a table, my mind still idling on the car ride I’d just taken. “Go to work, Marcus.” I’d said it so matter-of-factly, shoving him away like I always did, but as soon as he pulled away, my heart squeezed like a water-soaked towel. When would I ever confess? That I loved him since we were kids, since he constructed me my first sandcastle, since he handed me that silly blue hat. But suppose I told him and destroyed everything? I chewed on my nails absent-mindedly as I stacked away the chairs, my nervousness rising up again. It was easier to pretend it wasn’t there, to just go through the motions. “Cheng!” I was yanked back into reality by one of my coworkers, Angela, rushing past with a tray of stacked-up plates. “You’re working the floor today, aren’t you? The kitchen’s in chaos already, and I’m not dealing with Todd’s meltdown again.” I sighed. “Yeah, yeah, got it.” “Good, because table four is already questioning why they don’t have their coffee yet.” This was typical for me. Getting yelled at from every direction, being the person that everyone relied on to do it all without whining. I didn’t really have a choice. I had to have the job. Rent was due soon, and my check hardly covered anything. The day passed in usual chaos—orders piled on the counter, plates shattering, my manager yelling at the backroom staff about money. I never had a moment’s rest, didn’t get time. It was almost three hours into the shift before he showed. Middle-aged man, dirty suit, slick hair, smug grin that crawled on my stomach. Sitting at the counter, slowly stirring his coffee with a spoon, looking at me like he had nothing better to do. I could sense his gaze before he even said a word. “Hi, sweetie,” he said as he passed by. I ignored him. Not the first time a client has tried something like that. “Come on,” he slurred. “Don’t play dumb like you didn’t hear me. A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be so rude.” I spun, stiffening my smile into courtesy. “Can I get you something else?” He grinned. “What about your number?” I stayed cool. “I don’t feel right providing that.” His grin twitched, but he leaned in, unashamed. “Oh, come on. You don’t want to be rude, do you?” I took a step back. “I have other tables to serve—” “What’s the big deal? Just a number, sweetheart.” My muscles tensed. “Sir, I’m sorry, but—” He grasped my wrist with quickness. My breath was caught. “You think you’re too good for me, huh?” His fingers tightened just a little. “A little Vietnamese waitress thinking she’s above a real man.” Vicious anger flared in me. “I’m Chinese,” I spat. He guffawed. “Same difference.” I jerked my hand back, my heart pounding. “Please don’t touch me.” “Or what?” He smiled. “You’ll call your manager?” “Yes,” I declared. “Then go ahead,” he challenged. “I’d love to see how much they care about you.” I faltered, my stomach roiling. I knew my boss. He cared about profit, not people. But I still spun on my heel and strode straight for his office. It took a moment before he grumbled a response. “What is it now, Cheng?” I clenched my fists. “A customer just grabbed me.” He barely looked up from the receipts in his hands. “And?” I blinked. “And?” He sighed, setting the papers down. “Was he buying something?” “What—?” “If he’s a paying customer, just deal with it,” he said lazily. “Smile, be nice. Don’t lose me business.” My stomach dropped. “You’re not serious.” “Do you think customers like to be yelled at?” He glared at me. “I thought I was going to have to regret bringing you on. Always looking for something to complain about.” “Something to complain about?” My voice shook. “I was attacked—” He waved a discouraging hand. “Then quit if you don’t like working here.” My mouth dropped open, then shut again, my ribs compressing. I needed the job too much to quit. So I swallowed the wad in my throat, turned around, and went back outside. The clerk behind the counter still had that smirk on his face. “So? What’d your boss tell you?” I picked up his vacated cup with shaking fingers. “Nothing.” “Figured,” he snickered, putting a crumpled bill on the counter. “Keep the change, sweetheart.” I wanted to fling it in his face. But I bit back, stored my pride, and walked away.

Lucy’s pov I clutched my phone to my ear as Marcus talked, his tone light as ever. “Sorry, Luce, I’m in the middle of a business meeting. I won’t be able to pick you up tonight, but how about takeout? My treat.” A soft sigh left my lips. How did one human being have so much consideration in all that he did? Marcus had been like this forever—kind, dependable, always watching out for me in ways that I didn’t feel I deserved. How could I not adore him? “Yeah, sure,” I grumbled, tightening my purse. “That’s my girl. Get home safe, okay?” I smiled despite myself. That’s my girl. Only if he spoke as I had hoped he would. I clocked out with Angela, easing my aching arms. My own shift ended at 4, but as usual, I had been stuck until 7. Twelve hours of racing back and forth, for a paycheck that was barely enough to cover my rent. I wished I could gripe, but what was the point? At least I was still getting paid. Cool night air I took the corner off the alley home. The most direct route—typically abandoned with the exception of stray cats and the infrequent drunk stagger too far off of the main thoroughfare. I then encountered a person. Large. Imposing. Oafish cologne that narrowed my lungs. Memories of past asthma attacks rushed to the front of my mind. My breathing hitched, and I turned immediately, forcing myself to breathe purer air. A hand closed on my wrist. “Hello, Vietnamese.” Every nerve in my body shrieked. I knew that voice. Slowly, I pushed my glasses up, jamming my face into a neutral look. “Please, I have to go home, sir.” I attempted to keep my voice light, hoping to defuse whatever nasty thing was about to happen. Then I saw them. Two other men. They weren’t here to chat. My stomach roiled. “I’m going to fuck you till you switch races, you hear me?” Ice-cold fear seeped down my back. I moved back, another, but too late. They were faster. I barely had time to react before I was shoved to the ground. A body—too heavy—came down on top of me, slamming me against the cold concrete. My glasses were knocked away, my vision becoming hazy as the rough texture of the ground scraped into my flesh. “Please,” I whimpered, but the word barely passed. Laughter. My skirt ripped. I struggled, my heart thudding like a mad drum against my ribs, but I was too thin, too small. A fist twisted in my hair, yanking my head back. The room spun dizzily, my head throbbing from the shock. Through blurred eyes, I saw it—his belt undone, his shaft out, precum glinting at the head. “Leave me alone, please!” I screamed. More laughter. “Oh no, don’t lose your fire now. It makes me horny.” A jarring crash—my head striking concrete. Pain scorched through my skull, white-hot and blinding. Then— “She told you to let go of her, you fucking asshole.” The voice was deep. Unknown. English-accented. A whirl of motion. A struggle. The crush was lifted off my shoulders. I breathed, spasming limbs trembling as I strained to push myself upward. My head spun, my eyes oscillating between light and dark. And then I gazed at him. A man. Wearing a suit. Towering. A goddamn force of nature. One of my attackers dangled in his hold, gagging, choking, clawing at the iron-hard fingers closing off his air. The other guy—the one who’d been pinning me—lay motionless, blood trickling from a wound on his head. Dead. I didn’t know why, but I inched toward my merciless savior. My body refused to stand, but my hands clung to the fabric of his pants, clinging weakly. “Please,” I whispered. “Please… let him go.” He didn’t move. I swallowed hard, my voice cracking. “Please. Please let him go.” Finally, he let the man go. The man fell on the floor, face an unnatural blue. My breathing was hard, my body still trembling when he knelt in front of me. His eyes—grey, metallic, cold. “Is this how you let people who have hurt you get off scot-free? You are a madman.” My body trembled. Then, he smiled. “Oh, bunty.” My vision came back as my glasses settled into resting on my face once more. He picked them up for me. He literally bent down, picked them up, and put them carefully on my nose. All was clear again, and I could finally see him properly. And—oh. I almost gaped. He looked like someone out of a fantasy novel—the kind I used to read in marathon sessions on Wattpad when I was twelve. He had short but long enough hair so that it could probably be pulled back into a miniature man bun. His features were delicate but sharp, an easy mix of refinement and danger. He was… gorgeous. Far more handsome than the fuzzy figure I had seen before. “Stop staring at me and get up.” His voice was brief, apathetic. I tried to comply, but my head swirled. Black spots blotted on the edge of vision. My body tilted. The biting coldness of fabric wrapped around my knees made me leap. His jacket coat. His arms were around me before I could react. He lifted me off the ground as if I weighed nothing. “Where do you live?” His cologne wrapped around me. It wasn’t as potent as the guy earlier. It was rich, earthy, like chocolate and something else… something that made my head spin. I blinked hard, trying to focus. “I… I live a few blocks down from here.” He nodded curtly and exited the alley. Outside the entrance waited a jet-black car—glittering, sleek, threatening. Two tuxedo-clad men guarded it, their sunglasses glinting off the dim streetlights. Who was this guy? My senses returned in an instant. I struggled despite the pounding in my head. “Put me down!” I wriggled in his arms. He barely winced, merely raising an eyebrow. “Why?” His tone was flat, emotionless. “I don’t know you!” I spat, fighting to keep the nausea in my throat. He breathed slowly, as if I was being ridiculous. As if I was a child throwing a tantrum. “I saved you from three idiots who were going to send your virgin self to the gods or something.” His accent thickened slightly on the word virgin, his tone dry. He wasn’t wrong.He put me down gently to the ground,with a kind of softness that felt like I was going to break. I swallowed hard, my throat tightening. I didn’t want to think about that. I gasped in sharply and made my legs go. One step, then another, and another. I walked away, ignoring the thudding in my head. I didn’t glance back. The sedan revved quietly, then moved forward, passing me with slow, unhurried ease. Behind the tinted glass, his eyes met mine. For an instant, neither of us blinked. Then, just as fluidly, he brought the window all the way up.

Lucys pov Marcus’s hiss was repeated, his eyebrows knitted together as he dabbed antiseptic on the cut in my head. I shuddered, the burning sting pulsing through me. “Keep still.” His voice was curt, his irritation barely concealed. I hadn’t even made it through the doorway before he arrived. One minute I was fumbling with my keys, the stranger’s suit jacket still around my waist, and the next, Marcus appeared—eyes scouring me, voice strained with repressed anger. I barely had time to breathe before he pulled me in, closing and locking the door behind us. Now, as he gently bandaged my wounds, he was calm again. But in a way that was far more threatening than his outburst. “I wish you’d quit that restaurant, Luce. Please.” His tone was quieter now, but the desperation in it could not be missed. This was not the first time he’d spoken this to me. And every time, I told him no. I clenched my fists in my lap, the guilt I knew so well creeping in. Marcus had the money. Hell, he was a billionaire, the CEO of one of Chicago’s most successful companies. He could take care of me. He had begged me—begged me—to let him help, but I was too proud, too needy to prove I could do it myself. “I don’t want to need you,” I whispered. Marcus exhaled sharply, reaching for the nape of his neck as though he was physically restraining himself from losing his cool. “Why didn’t you call me, Luce?” His tone was rough now, tense. Pained. I swallowed. “You should have damn well called me.” Marcus’s jaw worked as he prowled the perimeter of my apartment, his fists tight at his sides. “The thought of some other guy nearly getting their way with you—” he exhaled roughly, voice trembling with tightly contained rage. “And that moronic cunt who tried to get you into his vehicle… Lucy, you could’ve been badly hurt.” The blatant worry in his tone caused my heart to expand with a known warmth—one that I had no right to feel. Then his voice dropped, lower, more devastated. “What would I tell your mom? I promised her I’d look after you always after her accident. It’s barely been five years, and already… I almost let her daughter get raped.” Oh. So that was why he cared so much. Not because I was something more to him,besides a friendship of over a decade, Not because he felt anything for me except guilt and duty. Just a promise. I swallowed, forcing the bitter lump in my throat down with a weak smile. “It’s okay, Marcus. I’m fine.” His head snapped in my direction, his eyes frustrated and dark. “You’re not fine, Luz. Heck, you haven’t been fine in years.” I flinched at his tone, but then he gestured around the apartment, forcing me to really look. And damn it, he was right. The walls were rotting, pieces of paint and plaster crumbling off like dead skin. Water was dripping from at least six spots in the ceiling, the damp smell mixing with the faint aroma of stale coffee and something I did not wish to identify. My couch—if it could even be called that—looked as if it had been through war, beaten black and blue by the sun, rain, and every other extreme weather factor. And yet… this was mine. My life. My struggle. My independence. Marcus sighed heavily, then kneeled in front of me, grasping my hands in his. His touch was soft, too soft, and warmth rushed through me, unwanted, undeniable. “Please, Lucy. Let me help you. I’m begging you.” His voice was quiet, almost desperate. “Work for my company. Be a bloody cleaner if you like and work your way up. Just let me help you.” I pulled my hands back slowly, forcing my voice to stay even. “So I can be what? Your charity case? Your pity project?” I shook my head. “So your mother can validate everything she’s ever suspected about me?” His face twisted in frustration, hands pulling through his hair in frustration. “Lucy, that’s not—” “I don’t want to get where I am because my best friend gave me a leg up.” His frustration boiled over. He leapt to his feet, dragging his hands over his face. “Fine.” His tone was bitter, abrupt. “Then borrow money from me. Or something. I don’t know. Let me at least push you in the direction of what you actually want to do.” And still, I said no. I said no. I said I had to be independent. I said I could do this on my own. And he just stood there, staring at me like I was the most frustrating person in the world. Then something in his expression changed. “Alright,” he said slowly, like an idea had just struck him. “Let me suggest another company to you.” I blinked, surprised. “What?” “They’re a competing firm to my own. Their CEO is an asshole, and we don’t see eye to eye, so I won’t be able to put in a good word for you. Whatever job you get will be on your merit, and whatever he pays you as salary will be his choice—not mine.” My mouth opened. “If you can keep the job, great. If not. you can go back to working at the café.” He maintained eye contact, tone steady. “Just promise me you’ll take the offer.” He was negotiating. And for some reason, I couldn’t refuse. I exhaled, then nodded decisively. His entire body sagged in relief. “God damn it, Lucy, you drive me crazy,” he muttered, his forehead pressed against mine. My heart skipped a beat. And then, before I could even respond, he kissed my cheek—softly, hardly there. “Try to sleep,” he whispered. “I have some work to take care of.” And just like that, he was gone. I let out a soft sigh and rose to my feet. Putting on my glasses, I walked to the cabinet in which I kept most of my medications. I reached inside and pulled out the aspirin, taking it dry despite the unpleasant taste. Not even bothering to dress, I climbed onto my makeshift bed, the springs creaking beneath me. The pounding in my chest would not subside, but I suppressed my mind. I was not going to think about Marcus. I wasn’t going to think about him. I said it over and over, forcing my mind to go anywhere else. And yet—his face ran through my mind. The handsome stranger. His metallic grey eyes. The way he spoke—like he didn’t care what came next. He was the opposite of Marcus. Cold, detached, dangerous. And yet, the way my body responded to him… that disturbed me the most.

Lucy’s pov Stepping into coleIndustries was stepping into a different realm. The luxuriance of the place surrounded me like a second layer, my nerves thrilling. The floors gleamed under the light fixtures’ glare, and the smell of expensive cologne and newly ground coffee Beans permeated the atmosphere. One month had passed since that incident in the alley. One month of Marcus constantly checking up on me, lurking over me like an attentive specter. He’d had me banned from the café and then sued them for damages. I didn’t ask how much, and I didn’t want to know. He’d also taken my last bit of money to pay my rent, which had left me with hardly enough to survive until I got a new job. Not that it was required—most nights, I didn’t have to spend a penny. Marcus provided for that, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, despite my protests. And whenever I had gone to argue, he would just shrug and say, “You’re going to pay me back anyway.” For some reason, that had made me feel slightly better. Now here I was, standing in front of the receptionist’s desk, clinging to my bag like a lifeline. The woman behind the desk was stunning. Red lipstick, bold and perfect. Eyes the color of sapphires, framed by lashes long enough to reach heaven. Blond hair was pulled into a severe, no-nonsense knot that screamed power and danger. She looked like the kind of woman who could kill me with a single glance. And then she smiled. “Hello, what can I help you with today?” Her voice was smooth, polite, but there was a snap to it—like she was already sizing me up. I swallowed, shoving my glasses higher. “I have a job referral from Stanley Corporations.” Her eyes flickered. For a nanosecond, her lips twisted in disgust, like the name itself was something dirty on her desk. Then, just as quickly, she slapped on a perfectly fake smile. “Of course.” She picked up the receiver, dialing a number with immaculately manicured nails. She waited a few moments before talking into the receiver. “Sir, the Stanley referral is here.” A pause. Then her gaze sliced to me. “Go ahead. He’s expecting you.” I faltered, my heart pounding. He? I drew a deep breath and walked toward the double doors, my heels clicking on the marble floor. I knocked, and when a deep voice inside the room told me to enter, I pushed open the door— And stalled. Sitting behind a shiny black desk, smiling at me like I was a gift he’d been waiting to unwrap, was the man from the alley. The man who’d saved me. The man who had murdered for me. His icy blue eyes glinted with humor as he lounged in his chair, one hand resting lazily against his jaw. “Welcome, Bunty.” His voice was every bit as smooth and dangerous as I remembered. “I’ve been waiting for you.” I couldn’t catch my breath. He was sitting there. Behind that enormous desk, looking at me like a predator looking at prey. I’d gone over our alleyway encounter in my mind too many times during the past month, but I never figured I’d ever see him again. And here he was. Dustin Riot. My mouth was opening and shutting. Opening and shutting again. The words were there—Good morning, sir—but they stuck on my lips, barely above a whisper. His eyes didn’t waver from mine, but the look of condescending amusement twisted my stomach. “Don’t stammer.” I swallowed hard. “I—I’m sorry.” “Don’t apologize.” I bit down on my lips. He extended a hand, waiting. “Where’s your resume?” I dug into my bag, frantically pulling out the neatly typed sheet and laying it on his desk. He didn’t even glance at it. Instead, he grasped the paper in his hand, ripped it into half, and tossed it into the trash can beside him as if it was nothing. I blinked. My mind went blank. What… “I’m not going to need that,” he replied calmly, and my skin crawled. He indicated the chair in front of him. “Sit down. I have a couple of questions for you.” I obeyed immediately, smoothing my skirt a hundred times as I sat, my fingers curling into a knot in my lap. His blue eyes pinned me. “You’re going to be one of them, aren’t you?” I blinked, surprised. “One of—?” “One of the little pity things that drift up here pretending to be the most innocent pieces of the world.” His voice was smooth, with a touch of mockery. My hands curled tighter. “Let me tell you something, Lucy Cheng.” He inched forward, his movement slow, calculated. “I don’t care what becomes of you.” My breath halted. “You could have died that night, and finding you was a matter of luck.” His lips curled into something that would have been a smirk if it wasn’t so cruel. “So don’t stare at me like I’m some kind of messiah. Because I will kill you before you ever get the chance to worship me.” I shut down completely. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until my chest burned from the lack of oxygen. This wasn’t the same man that man. That man, despite how frightening he’d been, had still stood up for me. This man? He couldn’t have cared less. I opened my lips to respond, but before I could say one word, he stepped back, eyes scanning me as if I were nothing. “Anyway, Miss Cheng.” His tone shifted, becoming cold, detached. “Come back in two weeks.” I blinked. “What?” “Now, you’re not ready for this job.” My stomach dropped. Not ready? My fists tightened in my lap. “But… you didn’t even look at my resume. You tore it up. How can you—” “Decide whether you’re worth my time?” He tilted his head to one side, goading me with his eyes. “I already did.” It seemed like the room just dropped a few degrees. I should have been mad. I should have gotten up and stood up and walked out. But all I could manage was just sit there, stunned, as Dustin Riot leaned back in his chair and looked at me like he had already planned out exactly how my life was going to go from here. I barely noticed the taxi drive away as I walked to my apartment, my head in a knot of rage and something else I refused to name. The conversation replayed itself in my mind, repeating over and over, each word sinking deeper into my skin. I don’t care what happens to you. I will kill you before you ever have the chance to worship me. A shiver ran down my spine, but not from the night air. There was a well of heat in the pit of my stomach, making my legs stagger. What’s the matter with me? I detested men like him. Men who thought they could patronize women, men who had an unchecked ego, men who wielded power as a bludgeon. And yet…. My hands clenched into fists as I swallowed hard. He was so damn gorgeous. The curve of his lips shaping every word, every syllable flowing from his lips like something forbidden. The curve of his dark brows rising in perfect, effortless disdain, daring me to resist—to rebel against him. The timbre of his voice surrounding me, rough and smooth at once, like something dangerous. Like something that would consume me whole. And God have mercy on me, I couldn’t wait to be consumed.

Lucy’s POV Thin curtains let sunlight stream in, casting golden stripes over my dirty floor studio apartment. I was on the bed, staring at my phone screen, the time moving slowly like molasses. I’d been lying awake all night, tossing and turning, rehearsing Dustin Riot’s words in my head. “Come back in two weeks.” Two weeks of waiting? Getting ready? For a job that I hadn’t gotten ready for? I didn’t know what. But I knew I needed to go tell Marcus. He’d want to know. Slipping on jeans and a messy grey sweater, I pulled back my hair in a bun and grabbed my battered leather bag, and stepped out into the steamy city morning. The brief walk to Marcus’ flat was a burdensome one, each step laden with possibility. At the high metal gate, the guard did not stop. He simply pressed the intercom and let me in with a brusque nod. Whether he knew me from all the times that I had hung around wasn’t clear. Probably. I walked between neat hedges and marble water features to the elevator and pressed the button trembling. My guts were tight little knots of fear, nausea churning at the back of my throat. By the time I reached his penthouse floor, the door was already open. Marcus never locked when he was expecting me to come by. “Morning,” I breathed as I went inside. The air was heavy with the scent of roasted coffee beans and burnt toast. The living area, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, was immaculately tidy, the external skyline defined by the glass panes, light casting from glass surfaces and cream sofa. Marcus stood at the kitchen counter, his hair wet from the shower, dressed in a plain white t-shirt and black sweatpants. He looked up directly in my direction, his dark eyes letting go when he saw me. “Hi.” His voice was husky with sleep. “Come here.” I slid into his arms automatically. He wrapped them around me, holding me hard against him, lips planting against my hairline. “You didn’t sleep well,” he muttered against my scalp. “No,” I panted, my voice cracking. He withdrew enough to look down at me, his thumb tracing under my eyes. “Tell me.” I took a shaking breath. “I went to Cole Industries yesterday. For the referral job.” And?” He raised his eyebrows, waiting. I bit my lip, my eyes filling with tears. “I… I did. I think. He told me to report in two weeks.” “That’s terrific news.” “No, Marcus.” I was trembling my voice. “You don’t understand. He despises me. He—he ripped my resume up. Told me I wasn’t ready. Told him he didn’t care if I died.”. Marcus’ jaw locked, his dark eyes blazing with something feral before he masked it with calm. He cupped my face, held me steady so I couldn’t turn away. “Listen to me, Lucy. You’re going to take that job.” The words clung in my throat. “But—” “No.” His tone was stiff, unyielding. “You’re going to go back there in two weeks and do what you have to do.” I stared at him, shocked. “Why? ” “That’s why,” Marcus interrupted, releasing me and moving back to grab the coffee pot and pour himself a cup. He didn’t move quickly, but rather with a deliberate slowness. “Guys like Dustin don’t do anything without motive. If he invited you to come back, it’s because he needs something. And whatever that is, you’re going to learn.” My gut dropped, my knees buckled. “Marcus??” “I’m telling you to stay alive,” he growled, then took a rough breath, shoving his fingers through his hair. “Lucy. this guy isn’t just your boss. He’s half-owner of half the underground syndicates in this city. He’s volatile, yeah. But he’s also somebody you don’t cross. And I need you near him, now.” “Why? His gaze met mine, dark and bottomless. “Because he’s the one that I can’t control.” The words sent a cold finger tracing down my spine. Marcus had always protected me. Loved me, in his own strange way. But this. this was not love. This was control. I swallowed. “What if he discovers the truth?” “Then he’ll kill you.” That was nearly casual, like forecasting the weather. “But he won’t. You’re smart. You’ll keep him safe.” I could feel tears welling in my eyes again. “Marcus… I don’t want to do this.” He drew closer to me, his arms around me again, his mouth against my temple. “I know, I know. But you must.” There was a rustle in my pocket and my phone leapt out, breaking the stifling silence. I pulled it out, my heart thudding as I glanced at the name on the screen. Unknown Number I glanced up at Marcus, who nodded once. “Answer it.” Shaking hands, I swiped to answer and held it up to my ear. “Hello…?” Silence. And then a menacing low laugh that had every muscle in my body freeze with terror. “Don’t get too cozy, Bunty.” I stood stock-still, my mouth dry. “Mr… Mr. Dustin?” “You thought I’d let you disappear for two weeks without a string?” His voice was smooth, like velvet running over razor blades. “Check your email an hour from now. You’ll see your first assignment.” “A-assignment?” I gasped. His laughter became raspy, the shivers running down my arms. “Don’t panic, Lucy. It’s not more than you can handle. Yet.” The line fell silent. I was standing there, phone held to ear, my heart racing so hard I could hardly hear anything else. Marcus rested back and watched me, sipping his coffee as if nothing was wrong. “Want to know what he said?” he inquired. I gulped. “He… he’s assigning me a task.” Marcus smiled, but the joke wasn’t there. Only shadow. “Good. Let the game start.”

Lucy’s POV The sun had long since set by the time I finally got up from where I had sat curled up on my old couch, knees pulled into my chest, staring at the blank television screen. The lights in my apartment were off, the only light coming from the streetlamp outside my window, casting long, linear shadows on the peeling paper and cracked ceiling. My head rested against the rough fabric of the couch as ideas raged inside me, a ceaseless storm battering every recess of my brain. How did I get to this place? I imagined waking up tomorrow morning and walking back to that little café on 7th Street, asking if they would give me the old job back as a cleaner. They would most likely. They were always short of workers to clean tables, wipe up spilled coffee, disinfect the bathrooms after closing. I could all but imagine myself again in that little bathroom, scrubbing urine stains from cracked tiles, my knees aching, my hands red and raw from harsh chemicals, the air heavy with bleach. At least there, nobody gave a damn who I was. Nobody expected anything of me. Nobody could hurt me. A sardonic laugh escaped my lips. But Marcus would never allow anybody to do that. I shut my eyes and pictured his face—serene, inscrutable, with that flash of ownership in his dark eyes. He’d never do it aloud, but to him, me cleaning was a slap in the face. A humiliation. His little Bunty, on her knees for other people. His pride wouldn’t permit it. But if I worked for him—okay, worked with him at his company—I’d be vindicating his mother. The same woman who’d stood in front of him and told him, to his face, that a girl like me wasn’t worth the air we breathed. A burden. I recalled what she had said when we initially met, statuesque in her cream-colored Chanel suit, pearls glinting at her throat, gazing at me as dirt on the heel of her red-bottomed shoes. > “Don’t bring your filth into this house, Marcus. She will only destroy you.” No. I wouldn’t give it to her. I wouldn’t legitimize her by running to Marcus for a job. I was independent. I had survived in this city alone since I was sixteen. I wasn’t about to let that start now. My stomach bunched up in torment, the bitter truth of my decisions seeping into my marrow like cold, weighty stone. There was only one other option left. Dustin. My own breath was taken at the thought of him. His icy blue eyes. The way his voice slid under my skin like silk stretched to the snapping point with knives. Why would a man like him need me for his secretary? He’d thought so little of me. That much was certain. To him, I was a disposable little girl with trembling fingers and no backbone. He’d told me himself: You could have died that night, and discovering you was an accident.” And why… Why go to the trouble of hiring me? To have me on stand-by. It did not make sense. Unless it was exactly what Marcus had explained. Control. Or maybe humiliation. A game to him, to see how far he could push me before I finally snapped in two. A tear slid down my cheek, tracing over the curve of my chin before it dropped onto the couch cushion. But even as I shook with fear and confusion, another consideration whispered its way through the back of my mind. He had saved me. I shut my eyes and let the memory wash over me, stark and sharp as if it had happened yesterday. That alley. The metallic flavor of blood in my mouth as I screamed, the cold concrete against my arms as I tried to wriggle away, the heavy reek of sweat and cheap alcohol from the man pinning me down. His laughter echoing in my head. And then. silence. A shadow falling across me. The bitter smell of gunpowder. Welts of warmth on my cheek that I had not realized were blood until I opened my eyes, blinked, and saw his body lying over me, still. And standing over us, looming, was Dustin Riot. Calm. Cold. His gun hanging at his side, smoke curling from the muzzle, his face a mask as he looked down at me. That was the first I had seen his eyes. Those same cold eyes that scared me now. But then. at the time, they were salvation. They were the sole assurance that I existed. That someone cared for me enough to stop a monster from annihilating me. My heart writhed in torment. Why does it make my chest ache just to remember that? I hated him. I hated everything that he symbolized. Power. Violence. Condescension. But he had bought my heart that night, with blood and silence and one glance that said I see you. And now… now I was going to allow him to destroy it. My hand trembled as I lifted my phone and the splattered coffee table. The broken screen radiated blue light in the dark living room, illuminating my pale face and matted hair and red-lined eyes. A broken girl already. My breathing rose and fell in rapid gasps as I opened my email software. His letter waited, dark and cold, its words unblinking. I clicked “Reply.” My fingers danced over the keys, the words wavering in front of my drunken eyes. What do you even say to a person like that? My thumb descended, typing slowly, each word a nail into my own coffin. > Subject: Re: Assignment Mr. Dustin I’ll be there at midnight. I accept the job. – Lucy Cheng I read it twice, my stomach twisting with ill. Then, before I could wimp out, I pushed Send.

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REJECTED ELENA’S POV My world dissolved into a blurry mess, the tears gathering in my eyes, hot and heavy. I tried to blink them back, but it was useless. The hopelessness wrapped around me, suffocating, crushing every shred of faith I had left. “You’re hurting me, Liam” I gasped, my voice barely more than a whisper. Pain throbbed in my head, but it was nothing compared to the ache that was tearing me apart inside. “When did I ever say I cared?” he growled, his tone colder than I’d ever heard it. He yanked his trousers on, his movements jerky and impatient. My breath hitched in my throat, my chest tight. “If you didn’t care about me, then why did you take away my innocence?” My voice broke as I asked the question. I needed answers, anything to make sense of this. But his face remained impassive, utterly devoid of remorse. He didn’t flinch, didn’t soften. There was nothing there…no regret, no connection. This was the man who was supposed to be my best friend. My mate. I trusted him. “Spare me the theatrics” He scoffed, waving me off dismissively. “You’ve always wanted me, always throwing yourself at me. Don’t act like you didn’t.” His words felt like my heart shattering, leaving me breathless. “That’s not true! And you know it!” I shot back, my voice rising with the surge of anger. Before I could react, his hand flew across my cheek. The sharp sting of his slap made my head whip to the side. I stared at him, shocked, my skin burning where he struck me. “Liam…” My voice trembled. “I won’t go easy on you next time you raise your voice at me” He warned seething, his tone low and dangerous. “Pathetic, wolfless Omega” He spat, storming out of the room without a backward glance. And just like that, he was gone. I crumpled to the floor, my legs too weak to hold me up. The tears flowed freely now, no matter how hard I tried to stop them. Why? Why is this happening to me? I choked back a sob, swiping at my wet cheeks with shaking hands. Liam was just angry, right? He was joking. He had to be joking. _____________ I glanced at the clock and a scoff drew out of my mouth involuntarily, It wasn’t even 2 p.m yet. Why was this day dragging on forever? Pulling myself off the bed, I stumbled to the bathroom. The pain between my legs was still sharp, and no matter how many times I tried to wash my private part, the pain away, it still wouldn’t subside. This would be the fifth time I showered today, but I didn’t care. I needed to feel clean. My mind drifted to Liam and I felt a lump form up in my throat. Maybe if I went to see him, things would be better. Liam would have calmed down by now. Besides, he’s never been violent with me before. I’m sure he must’ve been upset, angry about something else. Maybe I was just… bad in bed? The thought made my stomach churn, but I needed to know. I turned off the water and grabbed a towel, drying myself slowly. My body felt heavy, still, I had to go see him. Maybe things could go back to normal. I grabbed some clothes, put them on and headed out. ‘Liam loves me…he did!’ I kept reassuring myself. “Stanley, hurry!” a girl’s voice cut through the air, pulling me from my thoughts. I stepped outside and noticed the entire pack moving in the same direction. Something was happening. Without thinking, I joined the crowd, trailing behind them. The pack was buzzing with energy, people whispering and glancing around with anticipation. A meeting? What could it be about? Then, I saw him—Liam, standing at the front. His eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on me, and for a fleeting moment, a sly smile curled on his lips. He doesn’t hate me, I thought, my heart lifting. He was just angry. My lips twitched into a small smile, but it faded the moment he spoke. “Good day, young Alpha!” The pack chorused. Liam’s deep voice rang out, commanding everyone’s attention. “I hope the pack is doing well, because you all need to brace yourselves for my announcement.” I watched him closely, my pulse quickening. An announcement? “I’m marking today as my mating ceremony” He said, his voice strong and sure. My heart skipped a beat. He was going to mark me. But before I could process it, he continued. “Maria Broodwing, come on board.” My world tilted. I could barely register the name. Maria? Slowly, I turned my head, just in time to see her striding confidently toward him. Her chin was held high, her smile smug. She’d always acted like she was better than everyone, always bragging about how she would be Luna someday and I hope Liam isn’t gonna do that. She wasn’t supposed to be his mate. I was. “She will be my new mate,” Liam declared. The words struck me like a dagger, twisting in my chest. The air seemed to leave my lungs. Everything I thought I knew crumbled in that moment—eight years of friendship, every promise, every whispered word of love. Lies. All of it. “Elena Darkwood, step up.” I froze. Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet his. There was no warmth, no love. Only mockery. “I’m announcing that Elena Darkwood is my mate, but I will not accept her. She might have been my friend, but I will never make a wolfless Omega my Luna.” I felt my heart break, shattering into pieces. But I couldn’t let him see me cry. Not here. Not now. “I, Liam Hemsworth, the future Alpha of this pack, hereby re—” “Hold it, Liam” I cut him off, my voice steady even as my heart splintered. “Let me do you the favor.” I took a deep breath, willing myself not to falter. “I, Elena Darkwood, reject you, Liam Hemsworth, as my mate and cut off any mating bond between us.” The crowd murmured in shock, but I didn’t care. Maria’s eyes gleamed with triumph. Liam smirked, his voice cold. “I, Liam Hemsworth, accept your rejection.” And just like that, the bond between us snapped, leaving nothing but emptiness in its wake. “I banish myself from this pack” I added, my voice firmer now. “I sever all connections and ties with this pack, its leaders, its Alpha and its future Alpha.” Liam’s expression hardened. The look on his face says it all, he definitely wasn’t expecting my declaration. “You’ll become a rogue, a wolfless Omega. Is that what you want? To add misery to your already pathetic existence?” I smiled faintly, feeling a strange sense of power wash over me. “I’d rather be a rogue than live under a worthless Alpha like you.” His face twisted with anger, but I didn’t stay to watch him explode. Without another word, I turned and walked away from the pack, leaving everything and everyone behind.

THE RESCUE ELENA’S POV I made my way home to grab my things. Every step I took felt heavier as the announcement echoed in the distance. “I hereby make Maria Broodwing my mate and the future Luna of this pack” Liam’s voice carried, and though I had already left, I could still hear him. I wanted to collapse, to let the pain swallow me whole. But I wouldn’t. None of them deserved my tears. Not after what they did. Grabbing my luggage, I took one last glance at the house I once called home. A surge of anger and sadness twisted inside me, but I pushed it down. Anywhere was better than here. Anywhere far from that traitor. ____ The sky was getting darker and darker, signifying the approaching night. Trees surrounded me in every direction, their branches twisting like skeletal hands reaching for the sky. I must’ve crossed the borders by now and would be in the rogue territory. The main thought of it made my blood run cold. I pray I don’t run into one. Besides I was now a rogue too, maybe they’d leave me alone since I no longer belonged to a pack. Or maybe they’d hunt me down. The thought made me take another gulp of nothing but my saliva, swallowing hard. Suddenly, a low growl sliced through the quiet air and my heart stopped beating, my spirit flying out of my body. I spun around, and there it was—a wolf, eyes gleaming with hunger. It was a rogue, just like me. But unlike me, it was ready to attack. My breath hitched. Fear clawed at me as I took a step back, my feet feeling like lead. Sweat trickled down the back of my neck, and my pulse quickened. I was alone. Defenseless. The wolf’s growl deepened, and before I could react, it lunged at me. I screamed, stumbling backward, the world spinning as I hit the ground. My limbs tangled in the underbrush, and I braced myself for the bite. But it never came. A blur of black shot out from the shadows, slamming into the rogue with a force that shook the earth beneath me. Another wolf, larger and more dangerous, had intercepted my attacker. The two clashed, their snarls ripping through the air like thunder. I watched, frozen, as the black wolf’s savage precision tore into the rogue. The fight was brutal, the constant chattering of teeth and claws feeling the air, but it was over in seconds. The rogue whimpered, limping off into the darkness, leaving the black wolf victorious. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath. The black wolf turned toward me, its piercing gaze locking onto mine. Something about those eyes felt familiar, though I couldn’t place it. They held a dangerous intensity, a power that sent a chill through me. He took a step closer, and I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding. Friend or foe? I couldn’t tell. The wolf’s form began to shift, bones cracking and reshaping until a man stood before me. Tall, muscular, and every bit as intimidating as the beast he had just been. His dark eyes locked onto mine, cold and unreadable. My gaze trailed down, and despite me cautioning myself, my cheeks flushed. He was… impressive. I quickly snapped my eyes back to his face, mortified at where my thoughts had wandered. “Who are you?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. He regarded me with an emotionless gaze, not saying a word for what felt like an eternity. Finally, he growled low in his throat, pulling me from my daze. “Oliver.” My eyes widened immediately, Oliver, the Alpha of the Full Moon Pack. His reputation preceded him—fierce and ruthless, brave and nonchalant. And now, here he stood, towering over me. “Thank you” I managed, my voice shaking. “You… you saved me.” Oliver’s lips curled into a sneer. “What’s a wolfless omega doing out here, alone?” The disdain in his voice cut deep. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, trying to stand tall despite the sting of his words. “I was banished. I have nowhere else to go.” His gaze swept over me, cold. “A rogue omega. Pathetic.” My chest tightened, but I refused to break down. Not in front of him. I’d shed enough tears for Liam. I wasn’t about to show my weakness to another Alpha. “I’m not weak” I protested, though my voice sounded more fragile than I intended. “I can take care of myself.” Oliver’s dark eyes gleamed as he pulled out a bag from behind a tree. “Is that so?” Without another word, he began dressing, pulling on a pair of boxers and trousers. I tried to avert my gaze, but curiosity got the best of me. My cheeks heated as I quickly looked away, feeling embarrassed and ridiculous. He must’ve noticed because when I finally glanced back, he was smirking. My face burned even more. Once fully dressed, he slung the bag over his shoulder and turned to leave without another word. “Wait!” I called, panic creeping into my voice as the growl of another wolf echoed in the distance. Maybe rudeness wasn’t the best approach. I ran after him, my feet slipping on the uneven ground. “Please, wait!” Oliver stopped abruptly, spunning to face me. His eyes were blazing with fury, and I instantly regretted calling out to him. My legs trembled under his gaze, and I forced myself to stand my ground. “I need help.” For a long moment, I thought he might walk away, leaving me alone in the dark. But then, he let out a long, frustrated sigh. “Follow me” He ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’ll take you to my pack.” Relief washed over me, and I hurried after him, struggling to match his long strides. As we walked, I couldn’t help but steal glances at him.. Soon, the dense trees thinned, and the Full Moon Pack’s territory stretched before us. Wolves moved about, their eyes wary as they noticed Oliver leading a stranger into their midst. I felt the weight of their gazes but kept my head down, not wanting to attract any more attention. He led me to a small, isolated room on the outskirts of the territory. “You can stay here” He said, his voice cold. “But don’t expect any special treatment. You’re just an omega.” I nodded silently, stepping into the small, barren room. Loneliness settled over me as I looked around. The cold air nipped at my skin, and the unfamiliar surroundings only heightened my sense of isolation. I missed the familiarity of my old pack—no matter how much it hurt to admit. I missed Liam. But I’d never go back. Not after what he did. I lay down on the makeshift bed, exhaustion weighing heavy on me. A cold breeze slipped through the cracks in the walls, sending a shiver down my spine. Something felt off—like I was being watched. My eyes darted toward the window, and my heart stilled as I caught sight of a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness. The rogue wolf. It hadn’t given up its hunt. It had found me again.

BETRAYAL AND FEAR My eyes darted toward the window, and my heart stilled as I caught sight of a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness. The rogue wolf. It hadn’t given up its hunt. It had found me again. I gulped down hard, taking a deep breath afterwards, trying to steady myself. Just then, something sharp yanked my hair, and I was violently pulled backward. The ground rushed up to meet me, and I hit it with a painful thud. I gasped, a cry escaping my lips as I instinctively reached for my head. I twisted to see who had attacked me, and there she was—a girl with fiery eyes and an expression filled with hatred. Before I could scramble to my feet, she grabbed my hair again, yanking my head painfully backward, her fingers like claws digging into my scalp. “Who the hell are you?” She spat, her voice dripping with venom. “How dare you touch my Oliver?! You think you can have him? I’ll show you! I’ll kill you!” I flailed desperately, trying to pry her fingers from my hair, but her grip was too strong. The pain was searing, and all I could do was cry out. “I don’t even know him! I swear, I’m no one! Why would I snatch Oliver from you? You can have him…he’s all yours!” My words came out in a frantic rush, my only hope that she would let go. I didn’t care who Oliver was to her or why she was so possessive—I just wanted her to stop pulling my hair. Her face twisted with rage, and I could feel her fingers tighten even more. “Liar! You’ve been plotting this all along, haven’t you? You think you can sneak into our pack and steal him from me?!” “I don’t want him!” I yelled, my voice cracking with the pain. “I swear!” Just as I thought she might tear my scalp off, a deep, commanding voice cut through the air. “What’s going on here?” Her grip loosened instantly, and I collapsed to the ground, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I looked up, dazed, to see the Oliver, I was almost killed for. The girl’s demeanor shifted instantly, and she backed away, her hands trembling slightly. “Oliver…” She murmured, her voice suddenly soft and pitiful. Oliver moved toward us, his gaze flicking between the girl and me, but I could see his attention was focused on her. “Hailey” He growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. “You know how much I hate repeating myself, so you better start speaking.” Hailey swallowed hard, visibly shaken. “I…I saw her” She stammered. “I saw her sneaking into the pack. I’m sure she’s a spy sent by the rogues.” Oliver’s eyes narrowed, and I could feel his stares swallowing me up as it shifted to me. My heart pounded in my chest, terror coursing through my veins. “She’s not a spy,” he snapped, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. “I brought her here myself.” Hailey’s face twisted with a mix of shock and anger, but she quickly masked it with a gasp, feigning surprise. “She told you that right? But what if she’s lying? What if the rogues sent her to infiltrate our pack?” “They didn’t” Oliver growled, his patience clearly wearing thin. “She was being attacked by them when I found her. I saved her.” I watched as Hailey’s expression darkened, but she quickly covered it with an exaggerated look of concern. “But what if that’s exactly what they wanted you to think? What if it’s all a plan to get her into the pack, to spy on us for information?” Oliver’s jaw clenched, his fists curling at his sides as he glared at Hailey. “Enough.” Hailey flinched, her expression going sober “I never knew you’d bend your own rules, Alpha,” she said, her voice dripping with manipulative sweetness. “Allowing a rogue into our pack without a proper check. Are you really willing to risk the safety of the pack?” I saw Oliver’s face darken, his muscles tensing as his fury rose. He turned his attention back to me, and I felt a cold dread settle in my stomach. “You’ll be watched closely” He snarled, his voice cold. “If I find anything suspicious, I’ll snap your head off myself and feed your body to the vampires. Do you understand?” My throat tightened, and I could only manage a nod. He let out a low growl, standing abruptly. “Good” With that, he stormed out of the cot, his footsteps heavy and full of anger. Hailey lingered for a moment, giving me a smug grin before she followed him, leaving me alone and trembling on the floor. I pulled my knees up to my chest, feeling my heart race uncontrollably. Fear coursed through my body like an unstoppable current, and I couldn’t hold back the tears that burned at the corners of my eyes. What was I supposed to do now? I should leave but I’ve got nowhere to go! I was trapped, surrounded by people who hated me, accused of things I didn’t even understand. And worse, I had somehow become the target of this mad girl’s obsession with her Alpha. I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. There was no escaping this. No running away. I had to survive, even if it meant enduring this torment. NEXT MORNING The door creaked open, startling me from my restless sleep. I looked up to see him Oliver standing in the doorway, his imposing figure blocking the light. His expression was cold and indifferent, as if the events from the night before hadn’t happened at all. “Get up,” he ordered, his voice devoid of emotion. “You have work to do.” Scrambling to my feet, I winced as my body protested from the hard floor I had slept on. My muscles ached, and the remnants of last night’s attack still stung. I trailed behind him, trying to match his brisk pace, but his strides were too long, too fast. Couldn’t he slow down for once? He led me to the edge of the grounds, where the warriors were already gathering for their morning drills. I could feel their eyes on me as we passed, whispers and murmurs trailing in our wake. I kept my head down, not daring to meet anyone’s gaze. “You’ll assist with the training today” Oliver said curtly, not sparing me a glance. I nodded silently, my mind buzzing with questions and anxiety. The fear from last night still gripped me tightly, but I forced myself to focus on what was in front of me. Lucas, one of the head warriors, signaled for me to follow his orders. As the morning passed, I did my best to keep up with the instructions, assisting where I could, though I knew I was being watched closely, but I didn’t know who it was. Just then I saw Hailey walking toward me with a slow clap. I froze. The memory of her assault flashed before my eyes, and my muscles tensed in fear. “Well, well” She sneered, standing a few feet away. “The little rogue playing warrior now?” I said nothing, keeping my gaze focused on the ground, my hands trembling. “No matter the trailing you’d take omega, you don’t stand a chance against me” She hissed. “You’re nothing. Nothing but a worthless rogue. But don’t worry—I’ll put you in your place.” Before I could react, she lunged at me, her fist connecting with my lip, sending a sharp burst of pain through my body. I staggered backward, tasting blood. Shit! She’s crazy!

“Well, well” She sneered, standing a few feet away. “The little rogue playing warrior now?” I said nothing, keeping my gaze focused on the ground, my hands trembling. “No matter the trailing you’d take omega, you don’t stand a chance against me” She hissed. “You’re nothing. Nothing but a worthless rogue. But don’t worry—I’ll put you in your place.” Before I could react, she lunged at me, her fist connecting with my lip, sending a sharp burst of pain through my body. I staggered backward, tasting blood. Shit! She’s crazy! Before I could react, she lunged at me, her fist connecting with my lip, sending a sharp burst of pain through my body. I staggered backward, tasting blood. Just as I braced for the final blow, a familiar voice thundered across the training grounds. “Enough!” Oliver’s eyes burned with fury as he stormed toward us, his presence sending a wave of unease across the warriors nearby. They all stilled, watching him approach with fear. Hailey froze in place, her hand still raised as if preparing to strike me again. She quickly dropped it, her face paling as she realized Oliver had seen everything. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Oliver growled, his gaze locked on her. Hailey’s lips trembled as she stammered for an excuse. “I-I thought she was trying to…’” She stuttered trying to place in some words. “I was just…” “You think I’m blind?” Oliver cut her off, his voice dangerously low. He stepped closer, his towering form casting a shadow over her. “You know how much I hate being lied to, Hailey.” Hailey’s eyes widened, and she quickly dropped her gaze to the ground. “I’m sorry, Alpha” She whispered. “I didn’t mean…” “Get out of my sight” He groaned, cutting her off coldly. Without another word, Hailey scurried off, her face flushed with embarrassment. I could feel the other warriors’ eyes on me, their disdain heavy in the air, but none of them dared to approach. Oliver remained in front of me, his expression hard, unreadable. “Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice softer now, though I could still feel that commanding edge. I nodded slightly. “I’ll be fine” I muttered, though the pain was still fresh. He stared at me for a moment longer, then sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “This isn’t going to be easy for you” He said, his tone almost resigned. “But if you want to stay, you’ll have to learn to defend yourself. I won’t always be there to stop them.” I swallowed hard, my throat tight. “I didn’t ask for any of this” I whispered. He glanced at me. “You didn’t,” he agreed quietly. “But you’re here now. And that means you’ll have to play by our rules.” I wasn’t sure if that was supposed to comfort me or make me more afraid. His hands slowly moved to my lips, sending me jolting out of my thought and then he cleaned off the blood, drawling down my lip with his thumb. I swallowed hard, staring at his actions. He locked his gaze on me and slowly licked the blood off his thumb, with his tongue. I swallowed hard staring at how sexy he looked doing that. All of a suddenly, I felt a rush of wind, my heart racing faster than necessary, my legs weakling, as if I’d wobble and fall to the floor anytime. Oliver’s face suddenly crippled into a frown, his eyes darkening as he stepped backwards, away from me. Just then I felt a silver lining shoot up in the sky. His lips parted open and the words that left his lips left me frozen. “Mate” My lips parted to say something but nothing came out. Oliver suddenly spun, turning his back to me, then said “Go clean yourself up immediately” I nodded even though I couldn’t see him and walked off. I wandered toward my room, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts. Everything felt surreal. Could this really be happening? A second chance mate? I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or terrified. Once inside, I made my way to the bathroom and quickly turned on the shower, hoping the hot water would calm my racing heart. It didn’t. No matter how long I stood there, letting the warmth cascade over me, I couldn’t shake the dread that clung to me. The water only washed over the surface—it couldn’t reach the storm brewing inside. I wrapped myself in a towel and sat on the edge of the bed, my mind swirling with everything that had been revealed. A second chance mate—something I never thought I’d have. It felt like the universe was offering me an opportunity to rewrite the painful chapters of my life. But Oliver… Oliver was… I let out a deep sigh. Would he reject me like Liam had? That thought sent a shiver down my spine, fear creeping into my chest. I tried to push it away, unwilling to let the pain of the past consume me again. Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps approaching snapped me out of my thoughts. Before I could fully register it, the door swung open with a sharp bang. Oliver stood in the doorway, his eyes stormy, his presence overwhelming. The air in the room shifted, heavy with tension. His gaze fell on me, and I instinctively tightened my grip on the towel, feeling a sudden vulnerability under his intense stare. His aura—so commanding, so intimidating—made my heart race for reasons I didn’t fully understand. “Do you have a family?” His voice was sharp, cutting through the silence. I blinked, caught off guard by the question. It wasn’t what I expected. “No,” I said softly, my voice barely a whisper. “I don’t remember.” “Parents, relatives, uncles, auntd, guardians?” He listed, panting. My eyes shifted to his shirtless chest and i swallowed hard, he was making it hard to concentrate. “I don’t have any” I slowly took my gaze to the floor. For a moment, there was silence. Then, his face twisted with something cold, almost disdainful. He growled loudly and banged his hand hard against the desk, just next to my bed “You don’t remember?” He scoffed, the scorn in his tone unmistakable. “What do you even have to offer? A rogue with no pack, no family, no lineage worth mentioning.” His words hit me hard, each syllable driving deeper into my chest. The way he looked at me, like I was nothing—worthless—made my stomach churn. I bit down hard on my lip, fighting to keep the tears at bay. I wouldn’t let him see how much his words hurt. Not again. “I should reject you.” His voice was cold, distant and I felt my heart shatter. He took a step closer, his eyes burning with clear fury. “You’re nothing but trouble. A burden I don’t need.” Another rejection. The thought of it sent waves of pain through me, but I braced myself for it, preparing for the inevitable. Just like before. But then, something flickered in his eyes. But as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. His expression hardened, the brief moment of softness replaced with cold resolve. He stepped closer again, his presence consuming every inch of space between us. His scent filled my senses—a mix of pine and musk that made it impossible to think straight. “Stay away from me.” His voice was low, dangerous. Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind him. For a moment, I stood there, frozen, his scent still lingering in the air. But then the weight of it all crashed down on me, and my legs gave way. I sank to the floor, my chest heaving as silent tears finally spilled over. I pressed my palms to my face, trying to stifle the sobs that threatened to break free, but it was no use. The pain, the rejection—it was all too much. What was I supposed to do now?

Elena’s pov Another rejection! Again! I lay down on my bed, tears filled eyes. I felt like the moon’s goodness had abandoned me. No wolf, family, friends, or even a single memory of my life before. I felt like trash, no scratch that, I am trash. Rejected by Liam and now Oliver. I guess I broke a record, the only wolf who was rejected twice in werewolf history. I tried to console myself but I ended up wetting my pillow as I cried myself to sleep. ******* I woke up with my head banging hard. I held my head trying to stabilize myself and check where I was. I looked around and I figured out I was in my room, still without clothes. I looked at the pillow that had been stained with tears and the memories of the rejection flooded back. I picked myself up and got dressed, it was almost dark out and I needed to keep myself distracted. I walked out of my room, my head hung down, avoiding eye contact, and just when I thought I was invisible, I collided with a girl and a tray of drinks poured all over me. “Oh my goodness…… I’m so sorry! I’m sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going!” I apologize as I bent down to pick up the drinks that poured down. She bent down with me picking up the piece also “It’s no big deal, are you okay? You are drenched you should go change” We got up and I handed her the tray, still avoiding her eyes. I didn’t want any more trouble as Oliver’s words boomed in my ears. “YOU ARE TROUBLE!” I shivered at the thought. “Hey! Did you hear what I said?” I heard the girl’s voice. I looked in her direction as I shook my head “No, I didn’t. I’m sorry I wasn’t listening” She stared at me for a while “What’s your name? I haven’t seen you around ?” I scratched my neck, shy and trying to avoid any communication from anyone “Hmmm…. Ya, I am a rescued wolf or as you call it a rogue.” “Oh!!” She mouthed, “That’s sad. I’m Beauty, you are?” “I’m Elena,” I replied. “Nice name…..stop looking at the floor. I’m an omega like you, so you can look at me in the eyes” Beauty says to me but I did not feel comfortable doing so. “I….I….don’t think that’s a good idea!” I stuttered, and I tried to walk past her. She held my hands before I could pass. I looked at our hands, I tried breaking free but she was stronger than I was. She walked to my front and she used her fingers to lift my face to meet hers. Her eyes widened in surprise, I guess seeing my bruises. “How did you get that many injuries?” she asked me as she tried to touch it but I moved my face before she could reach it. “Let me help you, Elena. I mean no harm” she said softly to me “If you don’t get treated, you can get infected which might cause a fever and with the rate you are healing, I can tell your wolf is not active”. What she said hit a nerve and I quickly disentangled my hand from hers, she noticed that I was not comfortable with what she said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. Just let me help you, here in this place you need someone to lean on once in a while. I can’t help if you won’t let me”. She talked to me softly and kindly. I exhaled, I had no choice, she looked like she was not giving up anytime soon. “Okay, fine but just my injuries no more questions,” I said to her, and her eyes lit up. “Oh that’s cool, follow me” She turned and began to walk out of the pack house. I followed her quietly, my hood up and my head down. As I avoided all eye contact. We turned into an alley which was not far from the pack house, the first house on the street, she pulled the door and walked in. The house was smaller than the pack house obviously but it gave a more homely vibe. “Welcome to my house. I live with my mum and my sister. We work in the pack house, my mum cooks while my sister and I serve.” We walked deep into the house, looking around. We got to the living room and she pointed to the sofa, “You can sit there, I will be back” I nodded and slowly sat down. Everything seemed so strange, probably because I had not experienced anything homely before, I had been on the move from one pack to another. I was beginning to feel out of place, I did not touch anything, least I stained it. Beauty walked back with a first aid kit, she sat close to me and examined the wound. “That’s deep!” She looked at me with a smile, “Guess you don’t talk much?” She brought out a cotton wool and some alcohol, “It’s going to sting a bit” She then applied it to my injuries, and I flinched at the pain. “Shit!” I cursed out and she removed her hands immediately “I’m sorry! I would be gentle this time around” she said and went in slowly, it still stung but I endured. “You seem like someone cool and kind. I wonder why you don’t talk much, I would love to be your friend and if you don’t have anywhere to stay, you can stay with me and my family and work in the palace.” She kept on talking as she dressed my wound but I wasn’t even listening to anything she was saying. “All done!” She stood up and stared at me. “It should heal soon enough!” “Thank you,” I said to her and she froze. I stood up, dismissing her expression, “But I have to go” “But…..” she tried to say but I interrupted her “No need for anything else, please. You’ve helped enough and I appreciate but I don’t want to cause more trouble to you and your family.” I said and rushed out of the door before she could say anything else.

Elena’s pov I roamed the forest without a destination and nowhere to go. I did not wish to go back to the pack. I thought I finally felt something and felt loved but it was another pack that treated me like trash and an alpha who rejected me, again. I did not know how much of this emotional pain I could take. Just then I heard some voices and I quickly hid behind a tree. A few seconds later two guards passed by and from their conversation they were heading to the border. “I’m close to the border?” I asked myself, surprised at how long and how far I had walked. Just then an idea came to me. “I can leave! No one would miss me or look for me and I can escape the harsh judgment from the pack and Oliver” I braced myself and decided to escape from the pack. I walked silently towards the border trying not to draw attention and I would try to jump the wall of the pack and I would be free. I was near the border and I could see the wall. I lay low, trying to avoid being caught. There were a lot of guards patrolling the wall and if I got out of there it would be a miracle. “I can do it!” I encouraged myself, I looked up at the wall and it was at least 20 feet tall. “Fuck, that’s high!” I whispered, “I better get climbing.” I brought out the two pocket knives I always had on me, attached them to the wall and placed my leg on a stone that shot out. I looked like a spider trying to walk. It wasn’t easy but I was almost close to the other side when I slipped and I slid down and I let out a scream which was enough to alert the guards. I fell on the floor with a loud thud “fuck!” The pain of colliding with the floor hit me hard. Just then I heard footsteps approaching, I tried to get up and run but I couldn’t move my body and within a second I was surrounded by guards. My vision blurred, I couldn’t see their faces. My head was spinning, my body aching. I was sure I was being asked a question but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. All of a sudden it went blank. ******** My eyes fluttered open, I looked around the stranger’s room. My hands connected to an IV drip and other machines, I tried to get up but my body was hit with a wave of pain. “Damn!” I immediately laid down back and tried not to move, hoping it would stop the pain. The door to the room—that I soon figured out was an infirmary, a woman walked in with a tray and when she saw me awake she rushed to me. “You are finally up!” She said to check my body and my pulse, “Do you feel any pain?” “Ya, my head and all over my body!” I said to her, which she nodded and documented down. “Ma’am, where am I?” I asked but before she could reply a guy wearing a military uniform walked into the room. “You are in the infirmary that’s in the border camp.” He said to me, I looked from him to the nurse and back to him. “You fell from the wall and passed out.” The nurse said to me, making me remember my feeble attempt at escaping. “Ahh, shit!” I said to myself. “You secured yourself a few broken bones and you seem not to be healing which means your wolf is not active.” The nurse gave her report and I lay there waiting for her to finish. “I would recommend some drugs and I recommend bed rest.” She bowed to the man and walked out. The guy’s eyes focused on me like he was trying to study me. He walked into the room and stood by my side. “Is anything the problem?” I asked him. “What baffles me is why a girl, with no wolf, would want to escape the pack through the wall. Who are you running from?” he hit the nail on the head and I turned to the other side to avoid his stares “I’m not running from anyone!” I said in a shaky voice. “I see!” The door opened, and another officer walked in and saluted him. “Sir, the Alpha is on his way here,” the guard says and immediately my heart skipped a beat. “The Alpha is coming here?” I asked, fear written all over my face. The two guards exchanged a look but said nothing to each other. “Thank you for the information, you are dismissed!” The first guard dismissed the other and he bowed and left. When he left, the guard turned his attention back to me, “So let’s start this again, why are you running from the Alpha?” My eyes widen in surprise at how he knew, “how….did.….you” “I’m in the military, so yes…..your facial expressions gave you away. Now do you want to spill before he gets here, as you know he is a very ruthless person. “I have nothing to say to you!” I pushed back, as I was already planning my escape so I would be out of here before Oliver gets here. He stared at me for a while “I’m Lucas, the third in command in the military” I was surprised by his introduction, “what about you?” he asked “I’m….” “Don’t bother to lie, I would know,” he said and I immediately closed my mouth, swallowing hard. After a minute of silence, I exhaled “Fine … . I’m Elena.” He kept looking at me like he was accessing what I told him, “ it’s nice to meet you, Elena” he said with a smile and walked close to me. He picked up my hand from the bed and held it. “Just lay down and rest, okay?” He said and the next thing that happened was me being handcuffed to the bed. “What are you doing? Let me go!” I screamed but it fell on deaf ears as he left me in the ward screaming like a mad woman, as I waited to face Oliver.

Elena’s pov Oliver was on his way to the camp and if I don’t get out of here right now, I would have to face him and I was not ready after the rejection. This was not how I had planned this, I was supposed to move away from him and not be delivered to him on a platter of gold. I looked around for something I could use to break the handcuff and set myself free but every movement was met with unbearable pain. “I can’t stay here, I have to bear the pain” I said as I tugged at the cuff, which made cuts on my skin. “Fuck, I need to get out of here.” I got up, ignoring all the pain. “I wish this chain could be like cookies and I could break through it,” and just then a bright light appeared, it was so bright that I had to shield my eyes. Few minutes later the light dimmed, leaving me stunned. “What was that?” I asked myself, looking confused. I shook my head and tried to concentrate on the task at hand, and immediately I pulled the cuff, it came crumbling down like pieces of crumbs. “The…fuck!“ I brought my hand to my face to examine it. The cuff was still on my wrist but the chain binding it to the other cuff was broken into pieces. As I still wondered what was going on, I heard footsteps and voices “fuck he is here.” I looked around and the window was close by. I slowly got out of the bed and moved to the window. Luckily for me, we were on the ground floor. I quickly proceeded to climb slowly out the window, my body resisted but I pushed through ignoring the pain. I jumped out, I looked to my left and right. The place would be crawling with guards, which was sure and with the state of my body, I need to find a place where I can lay low and move when it is clear. I looked ahead and dashed into the forest, limp slowly and slowly. It was sunset and I needed to get where I was safe before sundown and tried to escape his pack. Oliver’s Pov The border has called me to tell me about a girl who was caught trying to escape the pack but she fell and went unconscious. They suspected it was a rogue trying to give out information but suspected otherwise. Since I rejected Elena, she had not been seen and it was making me a little worried. I thought she would be around the town, hiding from me but when she did not show for training this morning I knew something was wrong. Then I got this call and I suspected but how did she get to the border? Anyways my questions would be answered soon enough, it’s just time. I got to the camp, my third in command—-Lucas, was there to welcome me. “Sir” he saluted me “At ease. Where is the prisoner?” I asked, skipping all the pleasantries. Lucas gave me a look “she is in the infirmary.…she…” “Lead the way,” I cut him off, he was puzzled but turned to lead me to where she was being held. We walked into the infirmary passing through different ward. Then we got the last ward on the the floor, Lucas push the door opened and we ¹ it was empty. “Lucas? Where is the prisoner?” I asked in confusion but when I looked at him, he still had the same confused look. “I don’t know where she went to.” he walked to bed, confused at what was happening “I suspected she was running away from you, so before I left I cuffed her to the bed with a silver cuff but…..” “She broke it and ran out from the window……” I looked out the window surprised. “Did you get her details?” I asked, still hoping it wasn’t who I think it was. “Yes your highness, her name was ELENA” Lucas said and my heart dropped in an instant. “Elena? But how? How did she get here and how could she be able to break the chain?” I asked myself. “Assemble the guards, she would not have gone far. She broke a couple of bones and she would have not gone far.” I commanded and Lucas hurried out. I looked out the window “I don’t care how far you run Elena, I’m going to get you.” I gazed out the window, my eyes scanning the forest beyond the camp. Elena, my rejected mate, is out there somewhere, I shouldn’t be this worried but I was, I was the one who rejected her but now here I am gathering troops to go search for her. As I turned to leave, a faint scent wafted through the air, teasing my senses. Elena’s scent. My heart racing, I followed the fragrance to the nearby woods. The moon was rising, casting an eerie glow over the trees. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows—Elena Our eyes locked, and for a moment, time stood still. “Elena,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. She took a step back, her eyes flashing with fear. “Don’t come any closer, Oliver,” she warned, her voice trembling. I froze, my instincts screaming to chase her, to claim her. But Elena’s next words stopped me cold: “I don’t want to go back,Oliver. Please just let me go.” With that, she turned and vanished into the darkness. I gave chase, my wolf senses on high alert. As I pursued her, the forest grew denser, the shadows twisting around us. Suddenly, Elena stumbled, her cry echoing through the night. I caught up to her, my arms wrapping around her waist. But as I pulled her close, a snarling growl erupted from the underbrush. A rival pack’s wolf emerged, its eyes fixed on Elena. “Mine,” I snarled, baring my teeth. The wolf charged, and I prepared to defend my mate…

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “302713”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Luca Vincenzo woke up from sleep and looked around him, he sighed disappointedly went he saw the two ladies that laid naked beside him. He was already growing annoyed at the sight of their porcelain bodies lying peacefully beside him. Yes, the sex was good but he needed them out of his penthouse immediately, so he rudely shook them awake. They grumbled as they woke up and started touching his shoulders, thighs and any other parts of him their sluggish hands could reach, thinking he was waking them up for another bout of sex. “Get out of here immediately”, he growled and stood up from the bed and went to the bedstand, he pulled out a gun from the drawer and showed the ladies. “I am going to go and take a shower; I don’t want to come and meet either of you here or else…” he paused and waved the weapon in from of the scared ladies who were suddenly widely awake and bundled together. The sight made him chuckle slightly. “The good news though is, I don’t take so long in the bathroom. Ten minutes at most and I am out, that should give you ample time to get dressed and get the fuck out”. He said and walked away into the adjoining bathroom, waving the gun as he went to make sure the women understood that he really meant what he said. He heard them grumble, then curse him silently before the scurried around to get dressed. Few minutes under the shower and he heard the door slam shut to indicate that the sluts he brought had left and he suddenly felt a lot much better. He came out of the shower and dressed in a black dress-shirt and black pant trouser which complimented his dark aura. His long dark brown hair was packed into a short ponytail and that gave him a serious but sexy look. He heard his phone ring and picked it from where he had charged it overnight and read the caller ID; Padre (father). “Father…”, he answered the call with respect as he walked out of the penthouse and made his war to his sport car. He checked the time on his watch, it was 7:43. He was glad that he would be punctual as usual to the gang meeting, he hated lateness. “Where are you son?” his father asked from the other side of the phone. “I am on my way home. I should arrive before ten minutes elapses if all goes as planned”, he said as he got into the car, turned on his ignition and connected the call to the car’s Bluetooth. “Magnifico. Call your brother and remind him that tardiness would be highly frown upon”, his father said and ended the call immediately. Luca frowned and the thought of his immediate younger brother, Rafael. At age 26, he was still acting like a teenager and misbehaving around. What was more annoying was the fact that he had to always clean up after his brother and that was starting to get tiring, but his father would always drum into his ear “la famiglia é tutto ealla fine della giornata, hai solo la famiglia al tuo angolo” (family is everything and at the end of the day, you only have family at your corner). At this point, he was very sure he was down for punching this particular family into that corner and make sure he never steps a foot out again but he sighed and resigned to calling his brother. The caller ID showed Fratellino (little brother) and a couple of rings later, the call was answered. “Let me guess, you forgot today’s meeting Rafael, didn’t you?” Luca growled at a half-sleepy Rafael who suddenly jolted fully awake. “Shit! Shit! Shit!”, Rafael said in frustration and Luca could hear him scramble around, he pulled the gear to drive and tilted into the road and immediately cut the call on a confused Rafael. Few minutes later and he pulled up to the front of the Vincenzo house and home to the La Mano Nera mafia group. He packed the car and handed the key to one of the valets as he walked into the meeting room, completely ignoring the greetings made by the scared maids. He saw his father and his uncle who also doubled as the consigliere of the group, they were the only ones there. “Welcome my boy”, his father said with a smile while his uncle acknowledged him with a nodded, but he felt uncomfortable immediately at the warmness he was receiving from them. They must be a reason for this and he was sure that they were conniving something in regards to him, he just did not know if it was something he had to be worried about. “Father, uncle”, he replied the greetings with a bow. “Sit down”, his father gestured to a seat beside him and he sat down but gave them a calculative look. “There is something of utmost importance I have to discuss with you before the others arrive” “I’m listening father”. “I am getting too old for this, I want to resign and I am passing on the clan to you. You will be their new leader, their Capo.” “Father, what do you mean you are too old? You are still as active as ever” “I know my body and bones and I know it is time for me to take a step back. I know the gang in your hands is safe and would probably be better than it is now. But you would need help, that takes me to the next topic of discussion” His father and uncle shared a look he was not so sure he was comfortable with, especially with the new news that he had just received. “What is it father?” “Your uncle and I have had an extensive discussion and we have deemed it fit for Adriana, his daughter, to be your betrothed.” “What?” he asked, getting up to his feet in utter confusion. “That is completely absurd” “Except you can find a woman and get married to her in four months’ time, Adriana is to marry you four months after your coronation as Capofamaliglia and that is final. Before Luca could protest, people had started filing in for the meeting and that was the end of that conversation until probably after this meeting, Luca sat in silence and annoyance throughout the whole meeting session. He could not wait to leave the room and take his car out for a spin to clear his head.

“I heard you are the best assassin in the whole of Boston and with this results you have shown, I no longer have a doubt” “As long as the pay is good, the job is going to be worth it. It is my policy”, Bianca replied as she pushed a stray hair away from her face to the back of her ears. The man that hired her had a grin on her face that she didn’t like but for the amount of money he had paid for the past two jobs, she stomached the disgust she felt. It was not that the man was ugly, on the contrary, he was actually outer worldly handsome with his very enrapturing green eyes. What she was not comfortable with was his aura, it was deadly…a bit too deadly for her taste. “Perfect!”, he exclaimed as he leaned back on his seat. “I have a new job for you.” “I am sorry to decline. That was my last job for you.” She turned around and started walking away. “I will pay you $400,000,000 to do this particular job”, his voice dripped of pure hate that made Bianca’s blood curl*. Why would anyone pay so much to have someone killed? “Make it $800,000,000 and I will do the job”, she replied, turning back to face him and mentally telling herself it was going to be her last job with him. Cynical or not, she was not going to pass up that amount of money because of some weird feeling. “Deal. But the job has to be completed first before you get the pay.” “What exactly is this job?” she asked and a cruel smirk creeped its way onto the man’s face. “You are to kill a man named Luca Vincenzo.” Bianca woke up from sleep very early the next day and quickly rushed to the bathroom to get dressed and start the day, she had a new job and she had to prep herself on everything relating to this new target named Luca Vincenzo. The name sound oddly familiar but she waved it aside because the names are also popular names. Few minutes later and she was out of the bathroom and fully dressed with her hair packed up in a messy bun. She picked up her phone and made a phone call, the person on the other end picked up on the second ring. “Any information on the person I sent to you yesterday?” she asked as she sat down at her in-built work station and propped open her laptop. She went ahead and type in the name ‘Luca Vincenzo’ on goggle while listening attentively to what the other person was saying. “I have not seen half of that information you just said on the internet, this man is doing a really good job of staying hidden. Send all the information you have on him to my work email.” She ended the call and went through the watered-down information of Luca that was available on the internet. All she could gather was that this man was really wealthy, highly influential and a narcissistic whore who leaves a trail of heart-broken women in his wake. “Disgusting pig”, she sighed before opening the new message that popped up on her screen, her informant had dropped something for her and she wasted no time to go to her mailbox. She opened the attachment and was surprised yet completely appreciative of how detailed the information there was. Apparently, Luca Vincenzo was multi-billionaire who owned enterprises and conglomerates all over New York and the world at large. He was a very important man and what caught the attention of Bianca was that he was a mafia…actually, he was the mafia leader as of yesterday when his father openly declared his resignation from the leadership position and announced him as the new leader. This had caused an uproar in the world of the underground because Luca was known for his ruthlessness. No wonder her hirer was willing to pay such huge amount of money to kill him, he really was worth all the fuse. She stared at her screen, carefully studying the picture of Luca shown there, his tone, honey brownish skin spoke loudly about his Italian roots. His hair was packed into a ponytail, giving his symmetrical face a sturdy look that scream ‘serious but sexy’. She felt a pang of sadness that she would have to remove such a handsome person from the face of the world very soon. “Hopefully he has a kid or two somewhere that he had passed along these beautiful genes”, she grumbled to herself as she scrolled down on her laptop and to find to her dismay that he was single and childless but console herself in the thought that she wasn’t making a fellow woman a widow at an early age. She studied the places he visits regularly but there was no particular routine which she could trail him with, so she decided to go to his most frequented bar, a place called Opal bar. But first, she would have to pack some of her stuff and lodge in one of his biggest and most frequented hostels with the hope that luck would shine on her side and she would bump into him at one of these places. With a working plan in place, she quickly stood up, packed a small traveling bag with her clothes, some painkillers and emergency stitching kits, some money, her laptop and chargers. And of course, her instruments of work. She threw in two guns, two ten inches knives, some syringe, knuckle bracelets and a couple of other things she believed would be of importance to her and left her small cottage house, making sure to off all the light and lock all the windows and doors before heading to her car. She had over half a billion dollars waiting for her and she could not afford to waste any more time. The plan was simple, kill Luca Vincenzo in three days’ time.

“Father, forcing a marriage on me really isn’t the best option, especially to Adriana. You know I only have affection towards her as the cousin she is to me. This marriage would break her”, Luca tried to reason with his father who was just sitting quietly and letting him rant, Luca never liked when his father goes quiet, it never is a good sign and so he was almost certain that all this logical reasoning wasn’t going to change his stubborn father’s mind. “Adriana is beautiful, kind, compassionate and she is family. Non si fa del male alla famiglia (we don’t hurt family) and you know this”, Antonio responded calmly. Luca took a deep breath to calm himself down, he now understood why his father had picked Adriana. She was supposed to be some beacon of hope that appeals to his humanity for some reason and his father was right, he would never hurt Adriana…at least not physically but he could not vouch for that in regards to emotionally and mentally. “Find a woman that would marry you in four months’ time and you won’t have to marry Adriana. It is that simple figlio mio (son of mine)”, Antonio said and walked away, leaving behind a confused Luca was sat down in deep contemplation on how he would be able to settle down with a woman in less than four months. No way, he refused to condemn Adriana to this fate just because he did not have a heart to give anybody. His father was right; family don’t get hurt no matter what. He needed to leave the house immediately, surely if he was to find a woman, it would outside there and not in the place he was sitting which was slowly turning into a nightmare. He would go to the Opal later on that night but for now, he would lodge at one of his numerous hotels. He picked himself up and drove himself to La Rosa Della Notte, it was one of the family’s many hotels and it was named and dedicated to his mother who was known as the Rose of the night. It was in times like these that he missed his mother, but the Grim Reaper was such a cruel entity. Few minutes later and he was at the reception of the hotel and he walked up to the counter with a haughty aura and asked for the key to his usual room. “My room key” “Yes sir”, the receptionist said and scurried around to get his key card from where it was kept before passing it to him with a soft bow. He snatched the key card and he went to the elevator with the intent to use his family’s private elevator but somehow found himself in the regular elevator by mistake. He groaned inwardly as he realized this and before he could step out, the door had already been shut. He was stuck with going to his suite with the stranger who had lifted her head slightly to stare at him just as soon as he had turned his back to face the door and he was grateful because he was sure he did not want to be notice in a regular elevator. The whiff of her perfume lingered softly in the air and tickled his nose seductively, it had a hint of vanilla and fresh rose petals. He unconsciously agreed within himself that he loved the perfume already but he dared not to turn around and look at the mysterious lady. Shortly after, the door had pinged open and the lady stepped out on that floor, as she passed him, brushing him ever so slightly, her perfume scent danced its way into his nostrils heavily and by the time she had gone and the door was shut close again, he was surprised to find out that just the lady’s perfume had turned him on. The perfume and the wide, shapely set of hips he happened to notice just before she walked out. He groaned again in frustration and his unexpected hard-on solidified his initial plan to go to his regular bar, The Opal. As soon as the elevator’s door pinged open, he rushed out and into his room to quickly undress and hit the showers in hopes that the cold spray on his body will calm down his erection. Before he knew what was happening, he felt his hand on his shaft and it felt so good so he proceeded to rub himself. Slowly at first, then he added speed and pressure as the scent and image of a mysterious lady in red who happened to have thighs that were perfectly wide to hold him tight while he pumped into was laid hidden between those thighs evaded his thoughts. A few pumps later and he could feel himself come apart in his palms as the cold spray from the shower helped him come and to his senses and clear his foggy sight. He could not believe that he could actually be that mesmerized over somebody he had not even clearly seen but he decided to push that thought aside as he came out of the bathroom and laid on his bed. He thought of doing some work with his phone first and also confirm when their drug shipment was to arrive in the state. It was in the process of all these work that sleep enveloped him but not before his thoughts flickered one last time to the lady on red with the vanilla and rose scent. He woke up later in the evening around 7pm or thereabout and took his time getting to the bathroom to freshen up, he was giving himself today to relax and bounce back from the shocking news his father had given him, and even though it had been more than 24 hours since he first had the conversation of his marriage to Adriana, it still marveled him at how his father and uncle had come up with such conclusion. He got dressed and went out, dropping his key card with the reception before he entered his car and zoomed up to The Opal which was a few blocks away from the hotel. Once he reached there and alighted the car, he gave his keys to the valet and went inside. He walked straight to the bartender and ordered his usual rum to be served in his personal VVIP room before walking through the crowd to the stairs that leads to the VIPs and VVIPs sections. He opened the door to the VIPs section and made his way to the VVIPs section and was almost there went a familiar scent hit him. It was the vanilla and fresh rose petal scent and he swiftly, instinctively turned around to follow the scent and sure enough, there was a woman seated at the edge of the VIP section. He stared at her, she wore a black dress that had a low cut neck but she was seated so he couldn’t notice any other thing about the dress other than the fact that it was long-sleeved. He noticed she had a beautiful face and her black hair was packed up in a neat chignon. He took the seat in front of her and observed her dark brown eyes were so beautiful and enchanting, she was beautiful in a moderate but ethereal way. “Hello”, he said with his usual confidence and she cocked a questioning brow yet he refused to let that deter him. He believed it must be his lucky day that he was fated to meet her twice that same day and he would not let the opportunity of having her in his arms slide. “I am Luca Vincenzo and you are?”

Bianca could not believe her luck, she schooled her face into a non-chalant mask as she mused over how lucky she was to have to meet her target twice already. She was suddenly more annoyed at how unprepared she had been at both instances; first, at the elevator and now, here. Immediately she had recognized who he was back when they were in the elevator alone, she was frustrated that she could not make any move to hurt him because this was his family’s hotel and the elevators had camera. They would have seen her face and haunted her down until they were sure she was dead, so she let that opportunity slide and decided to come and check out how The Opal is appealing to people of his caliber. She couldn’t deny that she was impressed but she was more frustrated that the only weapons she had on her was a gun she had hidden under her dress and a poison lipstick she always carried in her purse. She had no idea how she would manage to kill him and walk away since the only reasonable way to do that for now was to shoot him. Unless she could get him to kill her by some means but she doubted she was that lucky. She stretched forth her right hand to him for a handshake and with a coy smile, she replied, “Diana Braulio” He took her hand in his and took it to his lips before placing a soft kiss on the back of her hand, “It is a pleasure you meet a beauty like you Diana”, he said. Bianca observed that his voice was low and it had a mild effect on her, sending sensual shivers down her spines which she covered up by keeping a pacifying smile on her face. She had never had to talk with her target before so this experience was unnerving for her, she preferred to have no close encounter with her targets what-so-ever. “I believe this is not our first meeting though”, he continued and Bianca quietly prayed to God that he was not the chatty type, she would not be able to bear it if he were and might actually dam the consequences and blow his brains out where he sat, but she was a tad-bit curious on where else they had met. She was very sure she had concealed her face in the elevator and while she was going out and Me. Luca probably took her silence for curiosity and continued. ‘It was not formal but the elevator meeting was enough to leave a lasting impression”, he said with a smile as he leaned back in his chair. “Spend the night with me” Bianca was taken aback by how bold and crass he was, she felt slightly insulted at how cheap he thought she was and suddenly felt the urge to kill him indeed. She opened her purse and pulled out a red lipstick and reapplied it slowly on her lips with the intent of getting his attention drawn to her lips, and she succeeded. She then stood up and walked towards him and bent down, stared deeply into his dark eyes then gave him a deep kiss which he quickly reciprocated by sucking on her lips softly but she pulled out before it got intense before whispering into his ears, “No, Signore”, before walking away and leaving a mesmerized Luca. Few steps after, she mumbled to herself, “that was easy” and inwardly congratulating herself for the completion of that job. Now all she had to do is wait a couple of minutes so the poison from the lipstick kiss would kick in. by the next morning when the news of his death would be everywhere, she would go and get her money and probably leave Boston for a while. She made her way past the crowd of people at the bar and out of the door of the bar, she got her car keys and drove off but not too quickly to avoid any suspicion when the surveillance tapes are being searched. She drove back to the hotel and quickly packed her bags and prepared to check out of the hotel the next day before she went into the bathroom and prepared for her beauty sleep. She woke up the next morning early as usual, did her morning exercise routines that consisted of push-ups, planks and other indoor exercises. She had a strong urge to check the news tabs to see the accomplishment of her last mission but decided to exercise self-control and restrain herself until later in the day, so after her morning exercise, she took her bathe and prepared for the day. She dressed in a simple sweat pant and long tank top and packed her hair up in a ponytail before heading out of her room to the breakfast area with her phone in her hand. She had finally given herself reprieve and allowed her to check what was going on in the social world but still no news of Mr. Luca’s death and that confused her but she decided that maybe his family wanted to keep the news of the media. She quickly called her informant and he picked up on the second call. “New news?” she asked briefly to avoid any one who might be eavesdropping to be unaware of the conversation they were having. “Only that he was seen last night entering and leaving The Opal”. “How did he leave The Opal last night?” she asked confused but waited to hear her informant tell her it was in a body bag. “With the car he came in”. “Ok, thank you”, she replied briskly and ended the call. Surely, the poison must have taken effect on him after he got home so there was no need for her to worry, she thought to herself when she suddenly felt a presence behind her. She put her phone in her pocket and folded her fists, ready for a fight, before turning around to have a proper look at who the unfortunate stalker was. She turned around and almost lost her balance when she saw a familiar face staring at her with a smile. “Luca Vincenzo?” she whispered, her voice laced in surprise. She could not believe that this man was alive and standing before her regardless of how successful last night’s murder mission had been. It couldn’t be!

Shortly after Diana Braulio had kissed him and left, Luca stood up and went to his VVIP suite where he was to meet with a gang lord that flew in from Los Angeles. “You are late Mr. Luca. I do not appreciate lateness”, the gang lord said without standing up to show respect “I had business to attend to but let us get down to our own business immediately”, Luca replied before pouring himself a drink. “When should I expect my shipment from LA?” “It will arrive in a week’s time”, the visitor said. “I’m here to conclude the business transaction” Luca sat down at his chair behind his table, he suddenly felt very dizzy but he knew he had to control himself to avoid looking weak in front of his business partner. “You really did not have to fly all the way down here to conclude a transaction. I will wire the money as soon as I get my goods.” Luca head started swimming and he knew he had to leave immediately and get back to his suite, he knew he had been poisoned but he could not think about how it happened. “I am leaving, our business would be concluded by next week then. Have a lovely flight home”, Luca said as he walked out of the suite and immediately drove out with his car back to the hotel. “Key card! Now!” he yelled at the reception even before he reached the counter and the scared young brunette scurried to get the key card and had it on the counter before he finally reached it. He picked it from the counter and cursed the fact that he had forgotten his antidote bottle for poison at the suite. Once he opened the door and got in, he jammed it shut before he scrambled to his weaponry suitcase and upturned everything in search for the small jar of antidote. “Where is that fucking bottle?”, he cursed at no one in particular as he used his hands to pat around in search of it because he had already started losing 80 to 90% of his sight. He finally found the jar and popped it open then turn the entire content into his mouth before he slumped on the bed and became unconscious. The next morning, he woke up really early and although the after effect of the poison still lingered, he found himself ready for work before 8am as usual. He thought carefully on who and how he got poisoned and although he was not completely sure, he had a strong gut feeling that the mysterious woman named Diana Braulio had something up her sleeve and may have poisoned him somehow. He made a call and it got answered within seconds. “Send me the footage of yesterday’s floor. Send it to my email and send me the room number and what you know of one of the guests by name Diana Braulio” He ended the call and within seconds, he had a pop-up notification of a new mail which he quickly opened. He went through the footage of the previous night and saw Diana (Bianca) stroll back to her room calmly, it did not look like she had something to hide. He quicky sent the video to another contact of his and the very scanty detail that was provided by the hotel with hope something could come out of that. “I have sent an attachment to you, get back to me on what you have”, he said to the receiver of the call then ended the call immediately. He decided to go downstairs for breakfast, he knew he had to go back to the Vincenzo house soon but he wanted to relax a bit before he gets stuck with the reality of getting married. As if the family business was not enough, his father had deemed it fit to add a loveless marriage to the lists of his problems. He dressed in comfy slacks and shirt and stepped out of his room and into the elevator, a couple of minutes later he was down at the entrance of the breakfast hall when his attention was caught by the woman in sweat pants and high ponytail in front of him. ‘Damn!’, he thought, ‘this woman was hot even in ordinary outfits like tank tops and sweat pants.’ He could not get his eyes off the back of her exposed neck that was begging to be marked and given hickeys. He was about to call her name when she turned around and face him but he noticed that her guard had been up, her fist folded and her stance had widened just enough for her to comfortably throw a swinging punch. She was an avid fighter in disguise and that made his suspicion even greater. “Luca Vincenzo”, she said and Luca saw he struggle to hide her surprise, “you startled me”. “I am absolutely sorry about that Miss Diana”, Luca replied, “but are you trying to kill me by any chance?”, he asked subtly in a form of a tease but she had already regained composure of her emotion and if she was shocked at his question, she hide it perfectly behind a pleasing smile before turning around to head into the breakfast section. “What do you mean Sir Luca? I would never try such”, she replied in a cheery voice as she made her way to the buffet stand and filled her plate with bacon and steaming devilled eggs and grabbed a glass of freshly squeezed apple juice then headed towards a sit. Luca followed with a plate of toast, avocado and bacons and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice before taking a seat by her side. “Looking so beautiful this early morning even in sweat pants…you put models to shame”, he said and before she could reply, his phone pinged with a message that change his countenance. His suspicion had been proven right but at that moment, Luca was thinking of how he could get her to follow him back to his suite for questioning. He needed to know why she wanted him dead but now he knew she was dangerous; he was sure not to let his guard down again. “How about we take this breakfast up to my suite?”, Luca said with a coy smile as he put down his phone but she forked a piece of egg and chewed slowly on it before she looked up at him again. “What exactly do you keep in your room that you are always inviting me to it?” she replied with a soft, sly smile. “Why don’t you come and find out Miss Diana, or should I say Bianca Salvatore?”

Bianca’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of her real name. Her fork froze mid-air, a piece of the egg she was eating was left dangling. She forced herself to chew slowly, as she kept thinking fast. How did he find out? She had thought that she was so careful. Her alias, Diana Braulio, was the best she has ever used or so she thought. She swallowed the bite and set her fork down, her expression calm but she could hear her pulse sounding in her ears. “Bianca Salvatore?” she repeated, bending her head slightly as if she was amused. “I’m sorry you’ve mistaken me for someone else, signore Vincenzo.” Luca leaned back into his chair, his dark eyes shone with amusement and something sharper, something scary maybe, danger! “Oh, I don’t think so,” he said, his voice low and smooth, like a soft bed linen. “You see, I have a very good memory for faces. And names. Especially when they belong to someone who tried to kill me.” Bianca’s stomach rumbled as she was uneasy at this point, but she kept her face neutral. She couldn’t afford to panic now. “That’s a heavy accusation,” she said lightly, picking up her glass of apple juice. “Do you often accuse women of trying to kill you, or am I just special?” Luca chuckled, a deep sound that sent a shiver down her spine, and made her want to puke. “You’re definitely special, mia bella assassina (my beautiful assassin). But let’s not play games. I know who you are. And I know why you’re here.” Bianca took a sip of her juice, trying so hard to keep her cool. She had two options: deny everything and hope he didn’t have enough evidence to act, or admit the truth and try to negotiate her way out of this mess. Neither option was ideal, but she had to choose quick enough. “Fine,” she said, setting her glass down and facing him directly while maintaining eye contact. “You’re right. I’m Bianca Salvatore. But if you think I’m going to apologize for trying to kill you, you’re sorely mistaken.” She said without realizing she actually sounded scared. Luca’s lips curved into a smirk. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone with your reputation. But here’s the thing, Bianca, you failed. And now you’re in my world. My rules and only my rules apply here. Le mie regole e solo le mie regole valgono qui.” Bianca leaned forward, her elbows on the table, her voice dropping to a whisper. “And what exactly are your rules, Ragazzo?” He replicated her posture, his face inches from hers. “Rule number one: you don’t get to walk away. Rule number two: you work for me now.” She laughed, a sharp, but bitter sound. “Work for you? You think I would ever work for the man I was hired to kill?” She was now gradually settling back into the conversation. “I don’t think you are in any position to refuse but I like your spirit and boldness, I appreciate such boldness only when it is on my side”. He stood up and poured himself a glass of the juice she was drinking before sitting down again and took his time to sip the drink while looking at her with a curios smile on his face. “I do want you on my side though Miss Bianca so I will make additions to that offer” “What exactly is this addition?” Bianca asked, more skeptical about the whole bargaining. “It is simple and should favor you. I will delete your records you put in so much stress to hide, it will be as though Bianca Salvatore, the hired assassin with a good record never existed” “Now why would I be happy that you want to delete my hard-earned reputation?” “Well, it seemed to be that you went extra miles to have that record deleted…at the very least, I will make sure the history of your childhood and movements through various foster home are gone. You and I know you did some pretty bad things growing up”, Luca said with a sinister smile “I am still waiting to hear what exactly you want from me”, Bianca said, cutting straight to the chase. “Okay then… this is the bargain, for the sum of $1,000,000,000 and a clean record and well…your life, you have to kill who sent you and you would also have to marry me” “What?” Bianca had never been that surprised in her entire life. At this point she was on her feet. “Marry you…what do you want from me exactly Signore Luca?, I can’t marry you”. She said with utmost disgust as she sat back down. “You don’t have a choice,” he said, his tone hardening. “You see, I could have you killed right now. Or worse, handed you over to my men, who would make sure you regretted ever crossing me. But I’m offering you a way out. A deal.” She stared at him, her mind racing. It was a dangerous proposition, but it also seemed as her only way out. If she refused, she was dead. If she accepted, she’d be trading one target for another and putting herself in even greater danger. But at least she’d have a chance to survive. “And if I say no?” she asked, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. Luca’s smile faded, his expression turning cold. “Then it would be obvious that you have not been listening to me all along or that you’re just intentionally ignorant” he responded in the deepest voice he has used all morning. “How many times do I have to tell you that you don’t get too choose here?” Bianca held his gaze for a long moment, weighing her options. “On one condition” Luca raised an eyebrow. “You’re not exactly in a position to make demands.” “Humor me,” she said, her tone firm. “I want my complete payment before I complete the job” Luca studied her for a moment, then waved his head slowly. “No at least half payment should suffice. But if you double-cross me, I’ll kill you and everybody you’ve ever known on this earth” Bianca smirked. “Noted. Now, if I may ask, why do you want to marry me?” “It’s perfect,” Luca said, clearly enjoying her reaction. “My father’s been on my neck about finding a wife. If I show up with you, it will buy me sometime… and keep you close where I can keep an eye on you.” Bianca stared at him, her mind reeling. “You can’t be serious.” “Deadly,” Luca said, his smirk widening. “Besides, it’s not like you have a choice.” She opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off. “You wanted a condition? This is mine. You play the part of my loving fiancée, and I’ll make sure your records disappear and pay you heavily, while also keeping you alive, what more do you want?” Bianca clenched her fists under the table, her nails digging into her palms. She hated this. Hated him. But she had no other options, it was this or death, although this could also get her killed. Luca’s smile was triumphant. “Good. Now, finish your breakfast. We have a lot to discuss.” Bianca reluctantly picked up her fork, her mind racing with thoughts of escape and maybe completing the mission of killing Luca after all. But for now, she was trapped in Luca’s game. And she had to play along. As she took a bite of her egg, Luca’s phone rang, breaking the heavy compulsory silence. He glanced at the screen, his expression unreadable. “Not now,” he muttered, sending the call to voicemail. Luca stood, his chair scraping against the floor. “Enough chit-chat,” he said, his voice crisp. “We have work to do.” Bianca’s heart sank. What did he have planned for her? And how could she possibly get out of this alive? As Luca gestured for her to follow him, Bianca pushed back her chair, her mind racing with possibilities. She had to think fast, had to come up with a plan to outsmart Luca and escape or maybe even kill him.

In the days that followed, Bianca struggled with her decision. The more time she spent with Luca, the more complex her feelings became. He was charming and ruthless, but there was a vulnerability to him that she hadn’t anticipated. Their dinners became a routine, filled with laughter, shared stories, and an undeniable chemistry. But every moment of intimacy felt like a betrayal of her mission. She was supposed to be plotting his death, yet here she was, becoming entwined in his life. One evening, as they strolled through a quiet park, Luca turned to her, his expression serious. “I can sense something is off. You’re holding back. What are you hiding?” Bianca’s heart raced. She had to tread carefully. “I’m just adjusting to this world, Luca. It’s not easy for someone like me.” He stopped walking and faced her, his gaze intense. “I’m not just a mafia leader; I’m a man who values honesty. If you want to be part of this, you need to trust me.” She swallowed hard, knowing that trust was a fragile thing. “I want to, but my past is complicated.” “Then let me in,” he urged, his voice low and earnest. “I can help you.” The offer hung in the air, a lifeline she desperately wanted to grasp. But as she looked into his eyes, she knew that revealing her true identity would shatter the connection they had built. “I need time,” she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. Luca nodded, his expression softening. “Take all the time you need. Just know that I’m here.” As the days turned into weeks, Bianca found herself caught in a web of emotions. She was falling for Luca, and the longer she stayed, the harder it became to fulfill her mission. One evening, as they sat in his penthouse, Bianca felt a surge of desperation. She had to make a choice. “Luca,” she began, biting her lip, “I need to tell you something important.” He looked up, concern etched on his face. “What is it?” She hesitated, her heart pounding. “I’ve been hired to kill you.” The silence that followed felt suffocating. Luca’s expression hardened, and for a moment, she feared she had lost him completely. “Why should I believe you?” he asked, his voice cold. “Because I’m standing here, telling you the truth,” she replied, tears welling in her eyes. “I could have just done it and walked away, but I didn’t. I didn’t want to.” His gaze softened slightly, but suspicion lingered. “Why?” “Because I’m starting to care about you,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” Luca’s eyes narrowed, a mix of anger and confusion crossing his features. “So you think you can just walk away from this? From me?” “I don’t know!” she exclaimed, frustration spilling over. “I didn’t plan for any of this. I didn’t plan to fall for you.” He stepped closer, his eyes searching hers. “And what do you want now?” The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken possibilities. “I want to stay,” she whispered, “but I need to know if you can trust me.” Luca took a step back, his expression conflicted. “Trust is hard to come by in my world. You’ve put me in a difficult position.” “I know,” she replied, her heart racing. “But I promise I’ll do whatever it takes to prove myself.” He studied her, the tension between them palpable. “Then let’s make it a game. If you can prove your loyalty, maybe I’ll reconsider.” Bianca felt a mix of relief and dread. She was in deeper than she had ever intended, yet part of her was exhilarated by the challenge. Luca was offering her a path, albeit a dangerous one. “How do I prove my loyalty?” she asked, her voice steady despite the uncertainty swirling inside her. Luca leaned back, a calculating look in his eyes. “You’ll need to help me uncover the traitors in my organization. I have my suspicions, but I need someone I can trust to dig deeper.” Bianca hesitated, knowing that this could lead her further into his world. “And if I refuse?” “Then you walk away,” he replied, his tone unyielding. “But know that walking away means turning your back on what we have.” The weight of his words pressed down on her. She was torn between her mission and the undeniable connection they shared. “Alright,” she agreed, steeling herself. “I’ll help.” Luca’s expression shifted, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his face. “Good. We’ll start with the men closest to me. I need you to gather information discreetly.” As the days passed, Bianca found herself deep in the underbelly of the mafia world. She shadowed Luca, observing his interactions with his men, noting their behaviors, and piecing together a web of deceit. Each encounter felt like a dance on a razor’s edge. She was both hunter and hunted, and the thrill of the chase awakened something within her. Yet, the deeper she got, the harder it became to separate her feelings for Luca from her mission. One night, as they reviewed the information she had gathered, Luca leaned closer, his breath warm against her skin. “You’re doing well, Diana. I knew I could count on you.” The compliment sent sparks through her, and for a moment, she forgot the danger looming over them. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper. He studied her, his expression serious. “But I need to know if you’re truly committed to this. Loyalty can’t be half-hearted.” Bianca took a deep breath, her heart racing. “I’m all in, Luca. I want to help you.” A flicker of something—trust, perhaps—passed between them. “Then let’s make this official,” he said, pulling a small pendant from his pocket. “Wear this. It signifies our bond and your commitment to our cause.” She took the pendant, a silver chain with a small insignia that represented the La Mano Nera. It was a symbol of loyalty, and as she slipped it around her neck, she felt the weight of her decision settle over her. “I won’t let you down,” Bianca promised, determination flooding her veins. Luca smiled, a genuine warmth in his eyes. “I believe you. Together, we’ll uncover the truth and protect what’s ours.”

The Pasquale estate was a huge luxurious mansion in the heart of Philadelphia, its beauty an evidence of the family’s power and wealth. The mansion had beautifully carved stone walls, large windows, and a stunning garden that was always well maintained. The gardens were always maintained, the halls adorned with priceless art, and the air was always filled with a weak scent of expensive cigars and old money. Adriana Pasquale stood by the long windows of her bedroom, her pale blue eyes were fixated on the garden directly below her bedroom. The soft glow of the moon shone on the carefully cut hedges and blooming roses, creating a peaceful atmosphere. She looked very quiet and peaceful but Adriana’s mind was far from peaceful. Her heart skipped every time she glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost midnight, and she knew he would come. Marco DeLuca. A highly rated member of La Mano Nera, and Luca Vincenzo’s most trusted lieutenant. He was tall, lean and muscular young man with an athletic build. His contoured features and strong jawline made him look even more handsome. His appearance was striking, perfectly combining charm with a dangerous edge. He was quite an ambitious man who felt he could achieve a lot for himself, yet remained loyal, and fiercely protective of the Vincenzo family. The thought of him alone always sent shivers down her spine. He was everything she ever wanted. Warm, attentive, and passionate. Marco’s eyes burned with a fire that made her feel alive. Every time he looked at her, she felt like she was the only person in the world. Their affair had started innocently and unexpectedly enough, an unplanned encounter in the gardens one evening when she had been crying over the death of her mother. Marco had comforted her, and one thing had led to another which brought them to where they were currently. A soft knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts and back to reality. Adriana’s heart skipped multiple beats and she stood up hastily and hurried to the door, her silk nightgown kept swishing around her ankles. She opened it just enough to peep from, and there he was…Marco, his dark hair slightly trimmed, his green eyes filled with longing of her. “You came,” she whispered, struggling to get her voice which had a trembling mix of relief and excitement. “I told you I would,” Marco replied, his voice lower than Adriana’s. He stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. The moment the lock clicked, Adriana threw herself into his arms, her lips meeting his in a desperate kiss. Marco’s arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her close as they kissed. Marco’s hands caressed her body gently. He kept pulling her closer as if he was trying to push her into his own body. “I’ve missed you,” Adriana murmured against his lips, her fingers gently pulling his hair. “It’s been too long.” “I know,” Marco replied, his breath warm against her skin. “But we have to be very careful. If anyone finds out we could be in real trouble and you know it” “I don’t care,” Adriana interrupted, her voice fierce. “I can’t keep pretending, Marco. I can’t keep living this lie. Luca doesn’t love me. He never will. He has never thought of me in that sense I’m very sure. But you… you make me feel like I’m something.” “You know I love you so much, and I can never love Luca” Marco covered the sides of her face in his hands, his expression softening. “You are worth everything, Adriana. More than you may even know.” Their lips met again, the kiss was deeper than the previous ones, as the world outside faded away in their mind. For a moment, it was just the two of them, lost in each other. But reality was never far away… “Knock knock” A soft knock on the door made them both freeze, their hearts pounding together. Adriana’s eyes widened in panic as she stood there, her mind kept racing and she was very confused. “Who is it?” she called out, trying to keep her voice steady. “It’s me, Adriana,” came the voice of her father, Matteo Pasquale. “I need to speak with you.” Adriana’s stopped at that instant. She glanced at Marco, who was already on moving back slowly, his expression grim. He increased his pace, grabbing his jacket that he had dropped on the couch before slipping into the closet. Adriana smoothed her hair and took a deep breath before opening the door. “Father,” she said, forcing a smile. “What are you doing here so late?” Matteo’s sharp eyes scanned the room, his gaze lingering as if he was looking for something or… someone before settling his gaze on his daughter. “You’ve been acting strange lately, Adriana. Tutti bene? (Is everything alright?)” Adriana’s heart raced, but she kept her expression calm. “I’m fine, Father. Just… tired. It’s been a long day.” Matteo studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he nodded, though his eyes still held a hint of suspicion. “Very well. Remember, you’re to marry Luca in a few months. It’s important that you focus on your duties to the family, ricorda, la famiglia viene prima.” Adriana’s stomach rumbled at the reminder, but she nodded. “I know, Father. I won’t let you down.” Matteo gave her a nod before turning to leave. “Buona notte, Adriana.” (Goodnight Adriana) “Buona notte, Padre.,” she replied, closing the door behind him. She leaned against it, her legs shaking as she tried to steady her breathing. Marco came out from the closet, his expression tense. “That was too close.” Adriana nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “I can’t do this anymore, Marco. I can’t keep living like this.” Marco crossed over to the part of the room where she stood, and pulled her into his arms. “We’ll figure something out,” he promised, though his voice sounded unsure . “We have to.” As Marco slipped out of Adriana’s room, he didn’t notice the shadowy figure watching from the end of the hall. The figure lingered for a moment before disappearing into the darkness…

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “302712”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Aurora’s Pov I felt like a new born who was just seeing the world for the first time. I could not help it, after being blind for three years, it was a privilege to see again. I held the cake I had bought to celebrate the recovery of my sight with my fiancee Nathan. He had been supportive to me for the past three years and I wanted to show him how grateful I was. It was also his birthday so it was a double celebration for us. “You seem to be in high spirit ma’am,” The cab driver commented as he stopped in front of the estate Nathan and I shared. “Yes I am,” I answered as I gave him his money and came outside. The weather suddenly changed and it started drizzling. I quickened my footsteps as the drizzling rain turned into a downpour. I got inside quickly and opened the door with excitement. I rushed in happily but the scene I met stopped me in my tracks. My mouth fell open as I continued to stare at the scene in front of me. I blinked several times to check if I was hallucinating but no matter how much I close my eyes and opened them, the scene never changed. Right before my eyes was my fiancee kissing and smooching another woman. My hands clutched tightly to the cake. My clothes were drenched from the rain because I had used them to cover the cake so it would not be ruined by the rain. I stood there motionlessly until Nathan finally noticed me. He looked at me with desires in his eyes but they were not for me. “Aurora is here, let’s reduce our noise,” He said in a teasing tone to the woman as he crushed his mouth to hers. I knew I could not tell him the goodnews because of what I had witnessed so I continued to act blind while I watched painfully as they continued their romance. After a while, the woman detached herself from Nathan and sighed. “Relax babe, Aurora is blind so there is no need for us to be careful because she won’t be able to notice anything,” The woman whispered to Nathan but I could still hear it. Hearing her voice, I then knew who she was. Vanessa Sinclair. She was Nathan’s business partner. She often visited so while I could recognize her voice, I could not recognize her face because I was blind. Nathan reluctantly let go of her and faced me. He thought I was still blind so he pretended to see me for the first time. “Aurora! How are you doing? Why is your clothes wet and what are you doing here? I thought you went abroad for treatment and would not be coming back anytime soon?” He asked faking concern into his voice. Vanessa scoffed and went to sit on a chair as she watched us. I felt like plucking out his eyes but I had to reign in my emotions. There was too much at stake so I could not act rashly. “I came back early so I can celebrate your birthday,” I answered forcing a smile on my face. “Oh, you should not have bothered, it’s not a big deal, getting your eyesight back is more important,” He said. “What happened to your voice? Why are you sounding like this?” I asked with fake concern as I noticed the hoarseness in his voice. “I caught a cold,” He stated coldly. I could see that he was already getting impatient with me because he could not wait to continue his romance with Vanessa. I was about to say something when he spoke again. “You know what, why don’t you help me get my cold medicine from the coffee table,” He instructed. I saw Vanessa stifle her laughter and I wandered what was amusing to her until I reached the coffee table and understood why. There was no medicine on the table. Instead, what I saw was a box of condom. I gritted my teeth and balled my hands into a fist. The bastard! He was testing me to know if I was truly blind. I smiled bitterly to myself. I will make him believe that I was still blind to make him lower his guard so I can plan my next move. My hand trembled as I picked up the box and gave them to him. “Thank you Aurora,” He said with mockery in his voice while Vanessa could barely contained her laughter. “How did you get a cold?” I ask. “I don’t know, the weather maybe,” He answered dismissively. “Oh, okay,” I replied. “It’s nothing to concern yourself with, I just need to rest,” He said and gestured to Vanessa. She stood up and walked to his outstretched arms. He carried her in bridal style while she giggled quietly. I watched him carry her into the bedroom, our bedroom. He got to the door and turned back. “You need to rest Aurora, I don’t want you to fall sick and don’t worry, we will celebrate the birthday together later at night,” He informed me and walked inside the room. I slumped on the floor as I heared the door click shut inside. The tears came swift and fast and I clutched my chest tightly. Three years ago, I had lost my eyesight in an attempt to rescue Nathan when he was kidnapped. He had promised to take care of me and be the eyes I would use to see. To prove his loyalty, he had taken it upon himself to take care of my mother’s hospital bills. I had believed him, I had trusted him but here he was, cheating on me without remorse. I wanted to expose him but when I thought of my mother and the fear of him retaliating, I knew I had to calm down and bid my time. I cleaned my eyes and went to the bathroom to wash my face. I washed my face and cleaned it with tissue. I was about to discard the tissue in the waste bin when my eyes fell on something inside. I picked it up and saw that it was a pregnancy test strip and it was positive. I covered my mouth in shock at the realization. Vanessa was pregnant!

Aurora’s Pov I staggered back to the sitting room and sat on the floor. I was too shocked and heartbroken to think. Just then, Nathan came out of the bedroom half naked. His body was covered with kisses marks and bruises and I did not need anyone to tell me what had occurred in the bedroom. Vanessa followed closely behind him completely naked. She held his arms smiling contentedly. It was obvious they were no longer trying to hide their affair. They thought I was still blind so they did not see any reason to hide it. I was too dazed to say anything. I just watched them in silence as my heart kept breaking into tiny pieces. They noticed the way I was looking and Nathan approached me. “What is wrong Aurora? You look pale, are you okay?” He asked. I knew he was not being sincere but seeing him act all loving, I felt repulsive. I didn’t say anything and he tried to touch me but I quickly pulled back. I could not bear the feeling of his dirty hands on me. Those hands that had once filled me with pleasure now made me want to throw up. “Aurora, is everything alright?” He asked again. I noticed the awkwardness and pulled myself together. I decided to bait him. “I’m fine but when are you going to announce our engagement?” I inquired. He was taken aback by the sudden question and was at lost for what to say. “I.. I…well, I am not yet ready, there is no rush,” He stammered as he spoke. I smiled bitterly in my heart at the lie. I had already seen the condescending look on his face and that was when I knew that he had always looked at me like that, I was blind then so I could not see it. He was no longer hiding his reaction in front of me because he thought that I could not see him. He was already cheating and she was pregnant, so there was no reason for him to announce a blind girl to the world as his fiance. “Alright, I understand,” I answered with forced smile. “There will be a grand party tonight to celebrate Nathan’s birthday so prepare,” Vanessa informed me with mockery in her tone. *** I had thought it was going to be a small party but Vanessa was obviously not playing when she said it was ‘a grand’ party. They were influential people in attendance and from the look of things, it was obvious that they were aware of Nathan’s relationship with Vanessa. I was the only one in the dark. They had gone public with their relationship. No wonder Nathan did not want to announce our engagement. When people asked him who I was at the party, he told them I was his adopted sister. Vanessa even wore my clothes and jeweleries since they were certain that I was blind. “Oh, it’s such a pity that you are blind, this banquet is everything!” Vanessa gushed beside me. I could not understand what her problem was but I was not in the mood to answer her. “Yes, it would have been a fine sight to see,” I answered dryly. It was obvious that my reaction was not what she was expecting as I saw anger flashed in her eyes. She smiled coldly and touched my necklace that she was wearing. “And you won’t believe how perfectly well this necklace suit me. If only you could see it.” She said but I only smiled at her. I understood now that she was trying to provoke me. I did not know what she hoped to achieved by that but I was not going to fall for her schemes. “You know, this necklace is actually for you and even the clothes I’m putting on. Alexander told me to wear them because it would be a waste to leave them for you because you will not be able to appreciate their beauty due to your blindness,” She added. I knew she deliberately mentioned Alexander’s name to get me worked up but I was already too heartbroken and feeling betrayed to care anymore. Vanessa became frustrated when she saw that I still remained calm despite her best effort to get me rilled up. She looked at me with a knowing smirk in her face and I knew she was up to no good. I wondered what she was going to do when she clicked her glass slightly, drawing everybody’s attention. “I have an announcement to make everyone,” She said and the room fell silent. “Nathan and I are expecting a child! I’m pregnant!” She announced with exaggerated cheerfulness and I almost choked. I saw Nathan cast a worried glance at my direction but it was brief as he was surrounded by people congratulating him. I took this as a good opportunity and went to meet Nathan. “Nathan, why don’t we break off our engagement because there is no need to keep this up between us and nobody even knew in the first place that we are engaged,” I suggested calmly to Nathan who was still shocked by Vanessa’s sudden announcement. He turned to me and the shock on his face changed to rage. “What are you thinking?” He asked me coldly. “Nothing, I just want to make things easier for you and Vanessa,” I answered in the same calm tone. Nathan ruffled his head in frustration as he tried to calm himself down. “Look Aurora, it’s not what you are thinking, Vanessa is lying, just believe me okay, I don’t know why you would ever think that I would leave you for another woman, you are supposed to trust me,” He said trying to gaslight me. I knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to guilt trip me into believing him but I already saw the evidence of Vanessa’s pregnancy so there was no need. I almost laughed at his pathetic act but I knew I was powerless to confront him head on. “Nathan, it’s okay, I’m not angry, I just want what’s best for you,” I told him. He let out an exasperated sigh and was about to say something when the door opened. A powerful man entered the banquet hall and everyone became stunned.

Aurora’s Pov I was stunned just like everyone by the man’s presence but for a different reason. I was stunned by the sheer handsomeness of the man and the confident way in which he carried himself but when I looked around, I saw the fear on everyone’s face. I could not help but wonder who this powerful strange man was that had the power to make a room full of influential people to become suddenly quiet. I glanced at Nathan and saw the fear in his eyes. So there was finally someone who the great Nathan Wolfe was afraid of. This was becoming more interesting. I was grateful at that moment for the blind act I was putting on. It made me able to observe things without being noticed. “What’s going on here? I was told this is a birthday banquet but it’s feeling more like a funeral,” The strange man said. His cold voice boomed inside my ears sending shivers down my spine. There was authority and power in the way he spoke. Everyone still kept looking at him in fear including Nathan but after a few moments, he regained his composure. “Matteo Moretti! What are you doing in my party?” Nathan asked. I knew he was trying to act courageous but deep down, he was shivering with fear. The strange man Matteo seemed to noticed and he only smiled but the smile did not reach his eyes. “What? Am I not invited,” He asked Nathan in an almost teasing tone. There was tension in the room but Nathan quickly smiled to easy the tension. “Of course you are welcome, it’s just that I was not expecting a man of your importance to grace my small party,” Nathan answered and burst into laughter. The rest of the people also joined in the laughter. “It’s a privilege to have you at my birthday banquet,” Nathan said and Matteo smiled. “Thank you! Now let’s have fun!” He intoned. The tension seemed to dissipate a bit as everyone started moving slowly again. I heaved a sigh of relief and bent my head. I was still thinking about who the stranger was. I had not heard that name Sebastian Hale before. Had the world really changed in the three years that I was blind? I was lost in my thoughts when I felt someone staring at me. I raised my head up and was startled to see Matteo’s cold blue eyes boring into my face. I flinched and tried my best to pretend that I could not see him but somehow, I felt he knew that I could see him. “Who is that?” I heard him asking Nathan. “Oh, her name is Aurora, she is my adopted sister,” Nathan answered as he turned to me. “She is blind so she is not able to see you,” Nathan quickly explained to cover up for my silence. “Really? That’s interesting,” Matteo noted and gave me a knowing smile. I swallowed hard and was wondering what I should do next when Vanessa stepped in. I was almost grateful for her interference until I heard what she had to say. “Matteo, why don’t we make the party fun again by asking Aurora to dance for you,” She suggested. Heat burned into my face and I blushed in embarrassment. I knew Vanessa was not happy with things being out of her control so she was using me as a scapegoat. “Yes, we need the entertainment and Aurora can provide that,” Nathan readily agreed. I could see that he did so because he was still angry with me for having the audacity to tell him to break our engagement. He was trying teach me a lesson so that I will know that he is the boss. I knew that Nathan was not angry because I suggested we cancel our engagement, in fact, I knew that was what he wanted but he was angry because I was the one who suggested it and not him. I had always known that Nathan could be ruthless when he want to be but he had always been acting nice to me so I almost forgot this side of him. He was pained that I could think of leaving him when he was the one who was supposed to leave me. It was too much for his overinflated ego to take. “Wow, won’t she be shy?” Matteo asked clearly enjoying the drama. “She is blind anyways, so there is no need for her to be shy since she can’t see anyone,” Nathan answered. He knew I could not refuse because I was a nobody here and that no one would stand up for me. “Aurora, come and dance for our guest!” Vanessa ordered. I almost cried at this point. They were doing everything to humiliate me and I could see the disgusting looks the people around were giving me. With no hope in sight, I walked to the stage as my last shred of dignity shatter. Just as I was about to climb the stage, Matteo’s voice stopped me. “I don’t mind dancing a duet,” He said and the room fell silent. Everyone watched in shock as Matteo walked to me and held my hands. I recoiled instinctively but he held me tightly and drew me closer to himself. “You better dance!” He whispered in my ears. His voice was as cold as his icy blue eyes. I knew I had to choice but to dance with him. He was already saving me from embarrassment so this was a way of paying him back. The music started and we began to dance. Matteo was a good dancer, I would give it to him. All through the dance, he held me close and I felt warmth as our body touched. It was a feeling I had never felt before. I felt my legs wobble but Matteo was quick to hold me. His movements was perfect and swift. After the song ended, everyone started clapping. “Thank you sir,” I said to Matteo and I was about to go when he drew me back. My head landed on his solid chest and my heart raced. He lifted my face to him and before I could comprehend what was happening, he crushed his lips to mine and kissed me.

Aurora’s pov I heard the people gasped in shock and I tried to pull back but Sebastian did not let go. His mouth took mine in a possessive manner. There was nothing calm about the kiss. It was hungry, bruising and obsessive. He only stopped when he noticed that I was beginning to gasped for breath. He released me in a gentle manner that was the direct opposite of the kiss. I felt dizzy and has to hold him for support. When I finally steadied myself, I saw everyone looking at us still shocked and I almost wished for the ground to open and swallow me. “What was the meaning of that Sebastian? How could you do that?” Nathan shouted angrily. “Why can’t I do that?” Sebastian questioned. “Besides, she belongs to me now so I’m taking her with me!” He announced. I gasped in shock, same with everyone in the room. “No! You are not taking her with you!” Nathan objected. Sebastian did not look fazed by Nathan’s refusal. He simply flashed that same cold smile. “Why not? You told me she is your adopted sister and besides, you already have your woman who is pregnant with your child,” Sebastian calmly reminded Nathan. Nathan was speechless and did not know what to say. “Good! I don’t think there should be any objections,” He simply said and dragged me away. I tried to stop him but compared to Sebastian, I was like a small fly. “Stop! Let me go!” I protested. It was as if I was talking to a stone. He did not even behave like he heard me. He kept dragging me until we got to a door, he opened it and threw me inside. I could no longer pretend to be blind, fear gripped my heart as I realized that it was only the two of us in the room. “What do you want from me?” I asked him scared. If I thought Nathan was scary, Sebastian was a hundred times worse. He walked towards me but I moved back. He kept walking towards me and I kept moving back until my back touched the wall and I knew I had met a dead end. He got closer and I recoiled. “Let me go please! I’m just a poor blind girl with nothing to offer you sir,” I pleaded with my eyes closed. Sebastian burst into laughter and my eyes flew open. “Blind? Really? Let’s see how true that is,” He said and rushed to me. I screamed and closed my eyes in fear as he placed his hands on the wall above my head. “Look at me!” He ordered and my eyes flew open instantly. “Are you really blind?” He asked with dead coldness. “Yes..sir..I…am..” I stuttered as I lied. Sebastian scoffed in mockery. “Since you insist on lying, why don’t I put my fingers into your eyes and see your reaction,” He suggested in an almost playful tone. “Ah! Sir! Please no!” I shouted but Sebastian held my two hands with one hand and placed them on the wall above my head. He brought his other hand forward towards my eyes. My heart began to beat faster. I had just regained my sight. There was no way I was going to lose them again just because I was trying to put up an act. From the look of things, Sebastian was not a man to joke around. If he said he was going to poke my eyes, he was really going to. I had no choice but to tell him he truth. “I’m sorry sir! I’m not blind please! I was blind three years ago but after getting treatment recently, I was able to see. I didn’t want Nathan to know I caught him cheating with Vanessa so I decided to continue to act blind, please sir, forgive me for lying,” Tears streamed down my face as I exposed everything. Sebastian stopped with his finger midway to my eyes. He smiled coldly. “Now, that’s better, you should learn that Sebastian is not a stupid man, I can tell truth from lie from a distance,” He boasted. I was too drained to say anything, I only nodded my head in silence. He released my hands and I slumped to the floor. My legs were too exhausted to keep me standing straight. “Stand up! We have things to discuss,” He ordered. I did not wait for him to repeat himself before I forced my already tired legs to stand. The room was silent and the tension was so thick that a knife could cut through it. “So, sir, would you have really poke my eyes if I had refused to say the truth?” I managed to ask trying to break the silence. Sebastian smiled coldly at me. “Yes,” He answered simply. I instantly went pale, he noticed my reaction and laughed. “Don’t worry Aurora, we are going to spend a lot of time together and you will come to know who Sebastian Hale really is and how ruthless he can be,” Sebastian told me. I could hardly believe my ears, was this man really boasting about being ruthless and heartless? Who exactly was he? “Who are you sir?” I dared to ask him. “You will find out soon enough,” He answered dismissively. I was not happy with the way he was treating me and how he was putting me on suspense. “What do you want from me sir?” I asked him. “Simple! You are going to be my wife,” He answered. “What?” I shouted in shock. “Yes,” He continued without even acknowledging my shocked reaction. “We are going to get married but it will be just for six months. It’s a contract marriage and trust me you will be well compensated.” He said but I was still too shocked to say anything. “You will be treated with the respect that comes with being Sebastian Hale’s wife and I will help you bring those that humiliated you like those two under your feet but there is a condition,” He explained. “What condition?” I asked after I finally found my voice. “You must keep up your act of blindness in public!” He answered.

Aurora’s Pov “What?” I asked in disbelief. “What is the problem? You are already pretending to be blind so you should not have an issue with continuing the act,” He answered. “No, please sir, I don’t want to marry you,” I pleaded. He looked at me and shook his head. “Aurora, we are going to get married so you are going to address me as Sebastian and not sir!” He instructed. Was this man being serious? Fear gripped my heart and I found myself moving back. “Please sir…” I started to speak but he cut me short. “Aurora!” He snapped and hit the wall. I almost collapsed from fear. “This will be the last time I will warn you! Call me sir again and you will regret it!” He warned. I nodded my head and swallowed hard. “And another thing, when I say something or ask you a question, I expect you to answer and not nod your head like a lizard,” He said. “Is that clear?” He asked. “Yes..si.. Sebastian!” I answered quickly and quietly. “Good!” He said and smiled at me at bit warmly. “But why do you need me to be blind?” I asked him. “That’s because, marrying a blind girl would be good for my image,” He answered with the warmth still in his voice. I decided to take this little opportunity to say my mind. “Please Sebastian, let me go home and think about it,” I suggested. “This isn’t a negotiation Aurora, go home and pack your things because I will be coming to pick you up tomorrow,” He said in a voice that left no room for arguments. I was furious and could not help but curse my bad luck for meeting him but there was nothing I could do. *** When I got back to the estate, I met Nathan alone. Vanessa had not come back with him and I wondered why. Was he angry with her for announcing her pregnancy and exposing their relationship to me? They were the least of my concern at this moment. It was hard to believe that just few hours ago, I was thinking of how to escape from Nathan now, I’m thinking of how to avoid the man that even Nathan was scared of. Whoever was writing the story of my life was certainly a wicked person with no iota of love for me. “Aurora! Thank God you are back, I was already getting worried,” Nathan said as he rushed to me but I pulled back. He noticed my reaction and his expression softened more. “Look Aurora, I know you are angry with me because of Vanessa and I’m really sorry, she was the one who seduced and forced herself on me, I’m really sorry,” He apologized sounding all regretful but I know it was all an act. Nathan was such an animal. He had suddenly turned around to put the blame on Vanessa. If I had not caught him with Vanessa before, I would have believed him with the way he was sounding but I knew better. “Nathan, like I said before, I don’t have an issue with your relationship with Vanessa, in fact, I’m happy for you which is why I wanted us to go our separate ways,” I explained calmly but inside of me was a raging storm. “Can you just stop being stubborn! What is your problem? I already apologized to you, what else do you want?” He shouted. He was already losing his cool. He could not keep up with the regretful act anymore. “Nathan, my response still remain the same and nothing will change it!” I told him. He started laughing as he began to pace around. I became scared because I did not know what his next reaction will be. “I think I know where your sudden confidence is coming from.” He finally spoke after turning around for a while. “It’s because of Sebastian Hale right? Because he kissed you and tried to claim you as his own but let me tell you, you don’t know who he is, a blind, pathetic girl like you will not be able to survive a week by his side,” He hissed in anger. “Look Nathan, Sebastian or no Sebastian, I will still stand by my decision,” I told him totally unfazed by his talks. Looking at Nathan now, I wondered what I had seen in him to have chosen him. To think that I was once madly in love with him made me want to throw up. He appears all cool and good and calm in public but in reality, he was just a decorated beast with money. “I see you are still adamant but don’t forget that your mother’s life lies in my hands,” He boasted. He had threatened me with the one thing he knew I held most important in my life. Fearing for my mother’s life, I quickly left the estate and went to the hospital to check on her myself. I sighed in relief when I noticed that she was still okay. I was too scared to leave her so I spent the night there with her but I could not sleep. The next morning, the door to my mother’s hospital room was flunged open and I saw Nathan come in with a smug look on his face. I became scared and stood in front of my mother. I didn’t know what he had planned but I will never let him harm her. I knew from the look on his face that he was sure he had backed me into a corner and there was nothing I would be able to do. “Don’t you dare touch my mother!” I warned him as he took a step closer. I was silently praying for help to come when I heard noises outside. Before Nathan could say anything, Sebastian walked. I didn’t know if I should be relieved or alarmed because choosing between Sebastian and Nathan was like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea. “Nathan! You have no right here because I have taken control of the entire hospital, it’s mine now!” He announced loudly. Nathan was speechless and felt humiliated and he left angrily. A small crowd had gathered around when Sebastian walked in. “Come with me, the nurses will take care of your mother,” Sebastian ordered and without waiting for my response, he took my hand escorted me out of the hospital with everyone watching us. He led me to his car and drove off to his estate. It was two times bigger and better than Nathan’s own. He led me to his home office and gave me a document to fill. “This is the contract form, fill it now!” He said in a voice that left no room for arguments. I knew I could not refuse even if I wanted to. I needed someone to protect my mother and I against Nathan and Sebastian was the best bet. Even if he was like the deep blue sea, I was ready to drown in it if it would keep my mother safe. With my resolve harden and my hands steady, I signed the contract and in that moment, I knew a new life had begun for me.

Aurora’s POV I watched as the hair stylist added a few retouches to my hair, tying it stylishly with a ribbon. To the hair stylist, I was blind. No one else knew I could see except Matteo and his right-hand man. According to Matteo, we could not risk adding extra people to the circle. Tonight was the official engagement party that would tell everyone that we were on the path to marriage. “Your hair looks so nice,” the hairstylist said. “I wish you could see the masterpiece I just worked out with your hair,” the woman added. I could see it. She’s just not aware that I could, and it was meant to be that way. Her work on my hair was truly a masterpiece. I wish I could take an image snapshot, but apparently, that seems to be the last thing on her mind right now. “Thank you, uh….” I trailed off. “Fatima,” she chirped. “Thank you, Fatima,” I replied. She smiled and she left. Waiting a brief moment, I grabbed my phone from the table and took a few selfies. I can’t afford to let these precious moments go to waste. I was going through the selfies when the door opened and Matteo walked through with a man. I remembered him introducing him to me the first day I landed in his estate. “What the hell are you doing?” His face darkened. I met his reflection in the mirror. “Nothing really.” My face was flushed white, and he could see right through me that I was up to something. “What’s that thing in your hand?” He growled. Hesitating, I lifted it slowly until the light caught the black rectangular brick. His reflection in the mirror raised a brow at me, but the other man’s face remained stoic. The first time I saw him, it was easy for me to mistake him for a mannequin until I saw him walk. Now, he was doing it again. Matteo walked towards me and plucked the phone from my hand. I sprang up to my feet to protest when he gave me a look. I stilled, and he dragged his eyes back to the screen. A chuckle spilled from his lips. “Pictures, huh?” His eyes darted between me and the device he was holding. “You really are a beautiful lady, Aurora.” His eyes were glinting with mischief. “But you don’t have to worry. I’m committed to keeping our contract.” I didn’t reply to him. He made a simple face before tossing my phone to the floor. It landed and cracked. I looked sharply at him in shock. “What are you doing?” I almost shrieked. “What I should have done all this while,” he closed the gap between us. “As my wife, you can’t be seen using that cheap thing. I’ll make arrangements for my men to get you a device befitting of who you are.” “But…but the pictures?” I stuttered. “Need not worry,” he croaked. “My cameramen are going to snap you so much that you’d have to beg them to stop.” “Now, if you don’t mind, the engagement gala is not going to attend itself.” He added. I picked up the dark glasses on the dressing desk and slipped them over my eyes before I took his hand. “Whenever I’m not with you, stay close to Arturo as much as possible,” he gestured to the scowling-faced man with him. I nodded. I spared him a glance and I almost fell into the trap of nodding. Regaining my composure, I answered. “Yes, of course.” He tilted his head ever so slightly to the side and added. “That was better than the first time.” When we entered the ballroom, everywhere was filled. This was my first time seeing this number of dignitaries gathered together in one place. I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me that the game was on, and I slipped into my best acting mode. Matteo was commanding the room as he walked in. While the music still played, everybody respected themselves. Voices started to murmur within the hall, the ones behind me more pronounced that the rest of the voices in the hall. “She’s the blind one,” a male voice hushed behind me. “I heard it was an accident,” another man hushed. “No, it seems like….” Matteo had turned around when the voices stopped in an instant. His hands on me were possessive and commanding at the same time, and he dished out subtle instructions as we continued through the party. At some point, I glimpsed Nathan standing with one of the guests, fuming for no reason. I wondered. If he had done the right thing, Matteo wouldn’t have attended the ceremony to whisk me away. Either way, if Matteo hadn’t come for my rescue, the truth of the matter was that we were done. He made his choice, and I made mine. All we need to do now is live with our choices. “Smile,” he commanded as he led me onto the dance floor. I forced a smile on my face. From the way Matteo led me across the dance floor, every head was turning occasionally in our direction. I could interprete from the current situation that the ladies wished they were the ones in my position, judging from the number of glares they threw my way. I was, however, unbothered. This was a contract. Once the details of the agreement were satisfied, we’d all go our separate ways. And they can be free to have him if they want to. As the song ended, Matteo led me off the dance floor to a side of the hall. While we stood there, he greeted a few special guests who walked up to him. I took note of every single face while keeping up with the blind act. Some of the ladies spoke about how I was beautiful I looked. Some of them emphasized that I didn’t deserve the blindness, but the world was against me. I ignored them. “Oh, crap,” Matteo growled. I almost spun around to look at him, but I managed to suppress the action. I followed his gaze to notice a younger man than him who seemed to share the same facial features. I stilled, too.

Matteo’s POV The last person I expected to be at this party was in this ball. Plastered on his face was a smug smile that stretched across his lips. Aurora herself seemed not to be a total loser. She had stiffened as I did. Either she was quite aware of who Leo was and what he was capable of, or she’s got something up that skull of hers. Still, I didn’t think it was worth the risk. Lettting Aurora assume things around here isn’t exactly the smartest of ideas. I should let her know what was going on. “That’s Leo,” I mumbled under my breath. “The only flaw I never take care of, but usually appears at random times to ruin the day. He can notice something wrong a few feet away. You’re going to need to do extra work to convince him,” I added. Aurora didn’t reply. She didn’t even mumble back. She squeezed my hand briefly. I didn’t know her reason for doing that, but at least it was better than nodding like an agama lizard or turning in my direction to meet my eyes subtly. “Leo,” I breathed his name with disgust as he approached. Leo ignored me and turned to Aurora. “Aurora, hmm, you seem…different, unlike what the tabloids say.” “As much as I want to agree with you,” I told him. “I must say, Leo, you’re the last person I expected to see around here.” He spared me a glance. “I know, brother. You always look down on me. Always in the business of underestimating me. What makes you think that I shouldn’t be present at your engagement party?” “You always were weird,” I shot back with a low growl. “I didn’t want to have that kind of suspense around me.” “You do agree with me that suspense is fun,” he croaked. Gently, he picked Aurora’s hand and kissed it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aurora. I believe there are yet many more things I’d come to learn about you. You seem like an interesting subject.” “Careful,” I grumbled. “She bruises easily.” Aurora played her part perfectly, such that if I didn’t know better, I might have been fooled myself. Turning her face to an angle slightly away from where Leo stood, she let a small smile have its way on her lips for a moment. “It’s good to meet you, Mr—” “Leo,” he answered sharply. “Leo Moretti. I’m your husband’s little brother—well, husband to be, I guess.” He turned to me as Aurora nodded like a hypnotized idiot, the smile on her face growing lightly. I frowned at him. He shot a cool smile in my direction, unfazed and unbothered by anything. His hands still held Aurora’s, and I was waiting for him to let her hand go. After a long, lingering moment, he finally let go of her hand. “I shouldn’t be the asshole here, Matteo,” he took a step back. “But I must give it to you, blind or not, she’s lovely. You’ve got good taste, man.” “Back off,” I growled. He shrugged. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he stalked away triumphantly. I watched him disappear into the crowd. “Is he always like that?” Aurora breathed, so low that only I could hear her. I spared her a glance. “Don’t think about it too much. My junior brother can be an asshole when he wants to be. He’s also the last person you want to be messing with. The young man is a mess.” From Aurora’s eyes, I could tell she had more to say, but she swallowed her words. Smart. Like I concluded the other time, she wasn’t a total loser after all. They say not to judge a book by its cover, but I judged this one by the cover. During Nathan’s party when I saw her. She wasn’t doing an excellent job of deceiving those fools, but she wasn’t messing around. And right now, with some raised stakes, she was still handling the job nicely. She could play the role like a pro. At least, I was not wrong in choosing her. The party continued in a blur—I was not a fan of parties. I just realized that sometimes, it helps to get the job done. It saves you from going the long route sometimes, and it meant that most people can use it to assert control. Right now, I was using it to tell everyone that Aurora was mine, at least for the time being. I met Nathan in the crowd, who seemed to have huge trouble finishing a glass of drink. His eyes were directed in our direction. I squeezed Aurora’s hand lightly. “C’mon.” As everything was winding down, I led Aurora to my car with Arturo following closely. Letting her inside, I stopped to have a few words with Arturo. “Did you have any idea that my brother was going to show up today?” I asked. “We made our research,” Arturo’s lips moved, eyes slightly narrowed. “He didn’t look like he was going to show up. Apparently, his flight to the British Isles was delayed a little.” I nodded. “Fine. Right now, you have one mission.” His gaze was laser-focused on me. I met his gaze with the same intensity. “Whatever it will cost,” I said. “Your current life’s mission is to ensure that nothing happens to her.” He nodded once, twice. I gave him a nod and turned away. Joining Aurora in the car, she shot her question without hesitation. “What the hell is going on? Why is your brother acting weird? Why does your conversation with your brother sound like a threat to each other?” I didn’t answer. I didn’t spare her a glance. There was no need to answer all those questions, at least for now. She just needs to do her job, and both of us will be fine. “Why did you let him touch me like that?” She asked. I didn’t want to answer that question. Hesitating, I spilled. “Leo likes to test boundaries. He did that with you.”

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Diana’s POV “Do you want me to put it in deeper?” His cold baritone voice whispered against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. I felt the warmth of his breath caress my neck. I didn’t answer—not with words. Instead, I placed my hands on his hips, feeling the soft curve of his dick before pulling him deeper into me. A slow smirk curved his lips. “I see… you want me to go deeper.” Before I could react, he grabbed my wrists and pinned them to the bed, locking them down with his knees. I gasped. The pressure made my fingers crack, the pain sharp—but I was already too far gone. That pain was nothing compared to the overwhelming sensation of pleasure taking over my body. He pushed deeper. Each thrust—deliberate, powerful—was a reminder that this was unlike anything I had ever felt. Not that I had much to compare it to. Not that I had ever even had one. “You want some more?” His voice rumbled through me. I nodded, breathless. He pulled out slowly, raised my hips with one strong hand, and drove himself back in. This time… It felt like the first time all over again. New. Intoxicating. Too much and not enough. Every stroke sent me spiralling— Bliss. Ecstasy. Madness. “Say my name,” he growled, eyes locked on mine as his pace quickened. “Ryan,” I whispered. “Louder.” “Ryan!” I moaned louder, trembling under him. “After this…” He smirked, his voice dark and possessive. “My name will never leave your lips.” He chuckled lowly. Something inside me snapped. I don’t know where the strength came from, but I flipped him over, our bodies moving in one seamless motion. His surprised laugh filled the room. “Now you want to lead?” he teased. I didn’t answer. I straddled him without hesitation, sinking into him with a gasp. My nails dug into his chest, and then— I bit him. Hard. His groan echoed through the room, raw and primal. When he said my name, it came out broken, breathless— The sexiest sound I’d ever heard. In that moment, I knew one thing for sure— He would never forget this night. And neither would I. ***** “Diana! Diana!” My name echoed down the university hallway like an alarm I didn’t want to hear. I kept walking, refusing to turn around. But the voice—loud, persistent, and impossible to ignore—only got closer. “What the hell, Trisha?” I spun around, irritated. “Why are you yelling my name from over there?” I motioned vaguely behind me, not pointing anywhere specific. Trisha caught up, slightly breathless. “I’ve been calling you since the end of class! You wouldn’t answer!” I stared at her flatly. “Uh? Maybe it should’ve occurred to you that I wasn’t in the mood for your non-stop talking and your—stupid—questions.” Trisha was my best friend. Scratch that—my only friend. She was also the daughter of the Alpha’s Beta, which, in theory, should have made her dignified, poised, maybe even a little stuck-up. But Trisha was none of those things. She was loud, messy, unfiltered, and still somehow the one person who’d always stood by me. Sometimes, I wondered how we even became friends. I turned and resumed my walk down the hallway. Destination: the library. “Come on, Diana. Where are you going now?” she asked, trailing behind me. “To the library, of course,” I replied without looking back. “Uh? It’s not even exam time yet.” “Well,” I shrugged, “some of us have parents who don’t hold high ranks in the pack. So, no special treatment.” “Ouch. That hurts.” I ignored her and kept walking, letting the silence stretch. But of course, Trisha couldn’t let it stay that way. “I know you’re trying to avoid me because you don’t want me asking how it went with the cutie from history class,” she teased. “The fact that you’ve been dodging me since last week says a lot.” I stopped walking. “Look, Trisha,” I said slowly, “can you just—chillax? Get off my back. I need to study.” “The exam isn’t for another four months. Why the rush?” I shot her an icy glare that finally made her stop talking. The truth? I didn’t want to talk about it. Not about Ryan. Not about that night. Since then, we haven’t spoken. He hadn’t come to class, and his number had been switched off. Just—gone. Vanished like it never happened. And yeah, maybe I was too quick to fall for him, to get hooked on a pair of piercing eyes and the kind of smile that could ruin a girl for good. But you wouldn’t blame me if you saw him. God, he was fine. And that night… I still felt the imprint of it on my skin, in my bones. I wondered if he thought about it, too. “Tell me what’s wrong, Diana.” “Nothing’s wrong,” I said sharply. “I just need to study. I need to get that scholarship.” My voice softened. “My parents need it, too.” Trisha blinked. “Okay, okay. Slow down. No need to bite my head off.” By the time we reached the library doors, she was still right beside me. “Trisha,” I groaned, “what are you still doing here?” She rolled her eyes. “Um, what does it look like I’m doing? I’m coming to study—with my best friend.” I sighed in frustration and walked in. And then—just as I prayed she wouldn’t bring it up—she did. “Are you excited about Awakening Your Wolf this weekend?” I froze for a second. She just had to bring that up. The real reason I was here wasn’t just to “study.” I was looking for books—anything—about the rare possibility of a child born to omega parents awakening as a beta. Because this Saturday, Trisha and I will both be turning twenty. And unfortunately for us, that day also happened to fall on the full moon. We’d be out in the dark, standing in a sacred circle beneath the stars—alongside the other young adults who’d turned twenty earlier this year. And all eyes would be on me. On what I would become. The girl was born to omega parents. The girl everyone already assumed would amount to nothing. But what if I surprised them? What if the blood in my veins held more than they thought?

Diana’s POV Trisha was not giving up. She kept following me to every shelf I went through. “Come on, Trisha, you’ve got to give me some breathing space.” “Girl, since when did we start giving each other breathing space?” she asked. I sighed. “Look, Trish, I know we are—” “Found it!” she yelled, raising a book. “Found what?” I asked, confused. “Found what you are looking for, Diana,” she said, handing the book to me. Surprisingly, when I saw the title of the book, it was exactly what I had in mind. I was shocked. How the hell did she know that this was why I was worried? “Trisha.” “Diana.” “How did you know that this is what I was looking for?” She took in a deep breath before answering. “It’s obvious, Diana. I am your friend—do you think I wouldn’t know when something is bothering you?” “I am sorry I tried to hide it from you. I just—” “It’s fine, Diana. I get it,” she said, smiling. “I am just gonna go through a few pages and then we’ll go,” I said, tapping the book. “Oh, no problem. Take your time, girl.” About one hour into the book, suddenly, the heavy wooden doors of the library swung open with a dramatic creak that made everyone glance up. And just like that, Ava Storm walked in—like she owned the damn place. Scratch that. She did own the place. Or at least, her father did. She strutted in on designer boots, her Moonbound High blazer draped fashionably over her shoulders like a cape. Her platinum blonde hair shimmered under the dusty rays of sunlight spilling through the tall windows, and her crimson lips curled into a smirk that reeked of mischief. “Gather around, ladies!” she called out, loud and unapologetic. “I’ve got something important to share.” Girls abandoned their books mid-sentence, swarming to her like moths to flame. Only Trisha and I stayed put, unmoved. “She’s at it again,” Trisha muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes. Ava’s sharp gaze swept over the room, pausing briefly on us—like we were dust on her manicured nails. Then she flipped her hair and turned her attention back to her loyal swarm. “I turn twenty this weekend,” she said sweetly, her voice laced with arrogance. “And it just so happens to be my first transformation.” Gasps. Giddy whispers. Typical. “Well, guess what? I heard the next alpha of the pack would be at the transformation ceremony too.” Everyone began to giggle. “The next alpha!” Trish exclaimed. I didn’t care about the alpha or anything else. What I was bothered about the most was how my transformation would go. My transformation would determine if my family would be saved from shame or remain in shame. “You know what I also heard?” Ava asked, leaning forward a little and smiling. Everyone was asking. “I heard he’s gonna be choosing his mate and Luna too.” Being the Alpha’s mate was every girl’s dream, including the dream of my friend Trisha, but I was different. I wasn’t like any other girl. I didn’t see myself becoming an Alpha’s mate or a Luna. It wasn’t because I was born to omega parents. I simply never dreamed of becoming a Luna—it just never appealed to me. I could see Trisha smiling. She seemed happy, and I was happy that she was happy. I finally scanned through the book’s table of contents but didn’t find anything that made mention of the possibility of transforming into a beta wolf. So there are different categories of wolves. There is the Alpha, who is the strongest and the leader of the pack. And then there’s also the Alpha of Alphas. Just as the name implies, this is an alpha whose pack is made of only Alphas, and then there are the beta wolves. Beta wolves are the next in line when it comes to strength and power. All Alphas must have a beta wolf as their right-hand man and personal guard as well. The next in line are the omega wolves. These are the weakest of all wolves, just like my parents. Though there are omegas with ranks, these are omegas that have successfully climbed the ladder of strength and have probably levelled up to the beta’s strength. But this is very rare. Despite these levels of wolves, strength still varies depending on the individual and the family and how hard they’ve trained. My parents tried everything they could so they could level up for me, just so they could save me from humiliation and rejection, but all their efforts were fruitless. “Hey Diana, I hear you are also turning twenty on that day.” “Yes, she is, and so am I!” Trish interrupted. “I wasn’t talking to you, bitch.” “Say that one more time and I swear you will regret crossing my path today forever.” Trisha wasn’t just my friend—she was also my protector. Countless times she’s saved me from people who tend to mock me for having two weak omegas as my parents. There were other people with omega parents, but I was the only one with two omega parents. Others had an omega mother and a beta father, or an omega father whose strength already equals that of a beta and a beta mother. One characteristic difference is the eye colour of the three ranks. Alphas have red eyes, beta wolves have golden yellow eyes, and omegas have blue eyes. No matter the amount of level-up, an omega’s eye colour would never change, except there’s a way the omega can become an Alpha wolf. “You’ve got so much nerve, Trisha. Don’t think that my father would take it easy on you because dear daddy is his beta,” Ava chuckled. “I will be counting on it.” The weekend. It came so fast. Mom had woken me up with a happy birthday song, singing and praying for me. But that wasn’t my problem. The transformation ceremony was later tonight. I wasn’t ready. I picked up my phone and there were about ten missed calls from Trisha and about seven happy birthday messages from her. I smiled and called her back to wish her a happy birthday too. We talked for a while and then we ended the call. I spent the rest of the day surfing through the net for stories, folktales, and legends that might talk about the possibility of becoming a beta wolf, but there was nothing. My heart was heavy. I paced back and forth. I was having trouble breathing. The night had finally reached. The one I dreaded the most. All the ladies who turned twenty that day and the ones who had turned during the earlier days of the week were called out and made to stand in a straight line. The boys were made to stand in the other line. Trisha stood by my side, holding and squeezing my hands tightly, assuring me that everything would be fine. After the speech the alpha made, we all stood waiting on the full moon. But before then, I was feeling something strange in my heart, something like a pull. It started small but became stronger as the full moon came out. Suddenly I could hear bones crack. Screams of agony and pain filled the Moonbound square. But then something strange happened.

Diana’s POV My eyes moved from one direction to the other, watching as people began to change under the full moon. Ava had a bright smile on her face. Despite the cracking of her bones, she didn’t even flinch or show any signs of pain. “Is she even normal?” I muttered to myself. I watched as she changed, now on all four legs. Her form was… I don’t even have the right words to describe it. It was massive, beautiful, with white fur and elegant—the best fit for an Alpha’s daughter. She had the best and the biggest form among every other person who had turned. My eyes drifted to where her father, the alpha, and her mother, the luna of the pack, stood. I could see satisfaction in their eyes. Their beloved daughter turned into a beautiful and obviously strong beta wolf, a perfect match for an Alpha’s mate. Honestly, I was jealous. I envied her. Ava had always had everything at her beck and call. She never needed to struggle for anything, and now she had this beautiful form too. Could the universe ever be so unfair? “Aarrrggghhhh!” a loud groan laced with pain came from beside me. Trisha! She was changing too. Her grip became tighter. Her bones cracked loudly, and then slowly her fur began to show. She had silver-colored fur. Very beautiful. My eyes were filled with tears. I was happy for her. She transformed fully, and she was no doubt a beta wolf too. I could tell that her strength was close to Ava’s, if not exactly the same. They both had the best forms. My eyes drifted to my mother and father. I could see them praying to the moon goddess to help me through it. Almost everyone had turned, but nothing was happening to me. Despite still being in her wolf form, her eyes were still encouraging me not to lose hope. She moved closer to me, rubbing her fur against my body, attempting to calm me down. It was hard to be calm. Everyone had now transformed—I was the only one left. What is happening to me? Why am I not changing? I closed my eyes, attempting to force the transformation, but nothing was happening. I looked up at the sky. The full moon was almost gone. They’d soon be asked to shift back into human form… And I still hadn’t changed. I was devastated, frustrated. I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me. People of the Moonbound pack had already started whispering. Some were laughing. One behind me said, “What would you expect from a girl whose parents are the weakest omegas we’ve ever seen?” My heart ached. It raced. “Now that we have our new wol—” “Aaarrrgggghhh!” I screamed out in pain. Finally. I was transforming. I could feel the shocked stares, but the pain I was feeling made it hard to concentrate on them. After a few minutes, I was on all four legs. My eyesight had changed, and I wasn’t standing tall. I knew that it was done. I had transformed. But then laughter echoed from every corner of the square. Why? I wasn’t sure. “Silence, everyone.” I noticed footsteps coming towards me, alongside mocking laughter. What the hell was going on? I screamed in my head. In the blink of an eye, Trisha was in front of me, still in her magnificent wolf form. She roared. I still couldn’t understand what was going on until someone brought out a very large mirror and placed it beside me. Then I saw my form. I wasn’t an alpha, wasn’t a beta, wasn’t even an omega. My fur was a strange, shimmering black tinged with silver streaks—unlike anything I’d seen before. My limbs were too slender, my stance unsteady. I didn’t look like a wolf. I looked… wrong. What was I? An abomination. It’s what you call something that no one knows about or understands. I took a few steps backward. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Everyone mocked and laughed. They called me useless, weakling, abomination. Some even went as far as throwing tiny pieces of rock at me. Though Trisha tried to protect me, they were skilled. They made sure none of the rock pieces hit her because they knew who her father was. But somehow they still found a way to hit me. The full moon was finally over, and everyone turned back to their human form. I felt so ashamed of myself. My heart raced. My stomach churned. “Now, with time, you all will be able to control your shifting.” The alpha paused. His gaze shifted from one person to another until it landed on mine. All I could see was disgust. He had spent time observing every other person, but he barely looked at me. I bowed my head in shame. “Now to the next phase of tonight. Please, all male wolves, could you step aside, leaving only the females at the center?” Some of the males felt too shy to move because they were naked—we all were. Our clothes had been torn off while transforming. They left the center of the square, leaving us females. I didn’t care about what was going on anymore. Tears rolled down my eyes. Trisha tried to calm me down, but I couldn’t help it. My worst fear had happened to me. I had brought more shame upon my parents. “Now, as we all know, I am getting older and as well becoming unfit to lead this pack with my strength. Very soon we will be crowning a new alpha, and right now that alpha is here tonight, and he will be choosing his mate—the one whom the moon goddess had chosen for him.” The girls began to whisper. Ava stood proud, flipping her hair backward like her beauty depended on it. “And now the new Alpha is none other than the great Ryan Wesley, son of the late alpha Gabriel Wesley.” “Ryan,” I muttered. I had quick flashback memories of that steamy night. “Could he be the same Ryan?” I muttered. I shook my head. There’s no way it’s the same Ryan. Besides, Ryan is a common name, so it could be anybody. But deep down, something told me that he was the same Ryan, but I didn’t want to believe it. There was a sudden change in the atmosphere. Like a powerful presence. It came from behind the crowd, up to the center, standing in front of the alpha and bowing his head. “This power,” I muttered. I clutched my chest tightly. There was a pain and a pull towards this individual who was standing in front of us. And just then he turned in our direction. His presence was intoxicating. As I raised my head to get a clearer look at him… There it was. The night that I couldn’t forget was standing in front of me. “Ryan,” I muttered. “Oh my gosh!” Trisha exclaimed. She recognized him too. At that moment, all I wanted was just to die. Ryan is the next alpha? He was here all along. He saw my disgusting form. The pull came stronger, and now that I saw him, I could hear it clearly. Mate! The way he looked at me when he came closer, I could tell he was feeling it too, and he remembered me from that night—no doubts about that. He walked up to me, stood in front of me for a while. In my mind, I knew he was going to choose me. We both had a very beautiful night—that was the basis of my belief. And I knew that if he chose me, my status would automatically change, irrespective of the kind of wolf I am. But to my greatest surprise, he walked past me and went over to where Ava stood, taking her hands and raising them up. “I, Ryan Wesley, take Ava Storm as my one and only mate. She is to be my luna when I eventually become the Alpha of this pack.” I felt a sudden sharp pain hit my chest. My heart skipped beats, and then I was on—

Diana’s POV I still couldn’t believe my eyes. My heart still ached from the whole ordeal of that night. The memory haunted me—it felt like I was going to die. The pain of Ryan’s rejection was still etched deep in my heart. I sat in my room. For days, I had refused to see anyone, nor had I eaten anything in the last three days. All I wanted to do was die. Death felt like the only solution to the shame I felt. How was I going to go back to school and look at everyone, especially Ava Storm? How was I supposed to face those demon-jesting haters at school? Pictures of my wolf form in the mirror haunted me. ‘What an abomination,’ I thought. “Diana, dear, you can’t remain inside forever. You have to come out, please.” Mom’s voice echoed from behind the door, her voice shaky. She hadn’t seen me for three days. I hadn’t even spoken for three days, so they didn’t know if I was dead or alive. “Please, Diana, you have to come out,” Dad’s voice followed. “At least say something to us. Let us know you’re alive,” Mom pleaded. I remained silent. ‘I don’t deserve to be your daughter. The only chance I had to change your status, I destroyed by turning into an abomination,’ I thought. Mom’s tears broke me, but I couldn’t afford to be any form of disgrace to them. “Look, dear, it’s not your fault that you turned into something else. It’s not your fault that you are—” “An abomination,” I muttered. “Please, Diana, you have to come out. You haven’t eaten in days,” Mom begged. Honestly, I didn’t like that I was making them go through this pain, but what could I do? I was an abomination. As if that wasn’t enough, I had tried to beg my way into becoming Ryan’s mate after he chose Ava. Yes, I was that stupid. I know that now—I wasn’t thinking straight. After Ryan had chosen Ava, I went down on my knees, holding his leg and begging him to accept me as his mate. I even went ahead and told the whole pack that we were mated, hoping there would be a change, but everyone looked at me like I was an abomination. Some laughed; others whispered. Ryan had kicked me off like I was some dirty scum, a dangerous leech. Imagine that scenario and place yourself in my shoes. Would you be able to look your parents in the eyes anymore? There was no way I would be able to look them in the eye. Knocks kept coming at my door, but I ignored them. After a while, there was a brief silence, followed by a hard banging sound on my door. The knocking became fiercer, and then the next thing I heard was a loud thud and a rush of wind on my skin. I looked to see what was going on. Lo and behold, it was Trisha James—my only best friend. She had been coming to see me ever since the weekend, but I didn’t open the door for her either. She stops by in the morning before going to school and stops by in the evening before going home. The last time she came, she had promised me that if I wasn’t out, she was going to break down the door. And yes, she did. Typical Trisha—never going back on her word. “What the hell are you still doing, holed up inside here?” she yelled angrily. Mom rushed in, hugging me tightly like a mother hen who had just found her lost chick. “I am so glad you’re alright,” Mom said. “I’m sorry, Mom!” I muttered through tears. “Hush now, dear. You don’t have to be sorry for anything. We, your parents, are supposed to be the ones apologising to you for failing you.” “No, Mom, you didn’t fail me. I was the one who failed you both. I couldn’t—” “Enough of that bullshit, Diana,” Trisha butted in. “Trisha,” I called calmly. She walked swiftly with what looked like wolf speed and grabbed me by the hands. “Mom, I’m sorry, but I have to drag her out to start preparing for school.” “But she hasn’t eaten anything in three days,” Mom said. “Prepare the food. She’s going to eat it when she’s out of the bathroom,” Trisha replied. Trisha dragged me to our bathroom. Of course, she knew where it was—she was my best friend. She knew the ins and outs of my house. But I didn’t know the ins and outs of hers. Her parents never approved of our friendship, but Trisha, being the stubborn, strong-headed girl she was, disobeyed her parents and went ahead to become friends with me anyway. My home was small. Our bathroom was just beside our kitchen. As soon as we got there, Trisha released her grip, and the next thing I saw were her arms around me, hugging me tightly. Through tears in her eyes, she said, “I missed you, Diana. Don’t you ever do this to yourself again.” I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly too. She finally released me, urging me to freshen up fast since we were already running late for school. After a few minutes, I was out. I ate the food Mom had prepared, and then we left for school. **** At the school gate, I stood with my heart in my mouth. “Come on, Diana, we have to go in.” “I’m scared,” I muttered. Trisha held my hand. “Don’t worry, I’m here with you.” I took a deep breath and walked through the school gates with Trisha beside me. Everything felt different now. Students stopped talking when they saw me, staring and whispering to each other. My heart was beating so fast as we walked down the hallway. Then I looked up, and there she was—Ava Storm. She was standing by her locker with all her friends around her, looking perfect as always. Her cold blue eyes met mine, and I could see exactly what she was thinking. There was no kindness there, just satisfaction that she had won and I had lost. All the shame from that night came flooding back, and I wanted to disappear.

Diana’s POV “And here comes the abomination,” one of her followers announced. The others burst into laughter. Ava sat on her locker, her cold eyes still watching me. I could literally feel the hatred in her eyes. If only staring could make people disappear, then I would have disappeared—or maybe exploded at the rate she was staring. Trisha held me tightly, drawing me close to her. “And there goes the mother wolf protecting her weak cub,” another girl mocked. The rest burst into mocking laughter. “Don’t you girls have anything better to do with your time?” Trisha shot back at them. “And who the hell are you to talk back to us when we’re talking?” Trisha looked around for a brief moment. “Last I checked, we are all students here—same age and same class,” she replied firmly. “I see you’ve got a lot of nerve, Trisha,” another one said. “Fuck off,” Trisha blurted out. “How dare you—” “That’s enough, everyone,” Ava interrupted, raising her right hand as a signal. Her minions kept quiet. She jumped down from her locker. “It’s surprising that you could still show your face here,” she said, her eyes fixed on me. “Honestly, when I didn’t see you for about three days, I hoped you were dead.” Trisha was about to react with her fist, but I stopped her. Ava looked at Trisha with disdain in her eyes. “Just because you transformed into a striking wolf doesn’t give you the right to challenge me.” “And who are you to tell me what to do?” Ava laughed scornfully. “Did you have memory loss or something? Or do I need to remind you that I am your chosen Luna?” Trisha scoffed. “Please, Ava, could you just let us go? We’re just trying to get to our seats.” “And the abomination can talk!” she said mockingly. Everyone in the classroom laughed out loud. Some mimicked the way I sounded. Others looked at me with disgust in their eyes. Then, from nowhere, I suddenly became cold and wet. Someone in Ava’s team of girls had gone behind our backs secretly to get a bucket of water and poured it on me. They had purposely pushed Trisha away so she wouldn’t get wet. They dared not include Trisha. Her dad was the Alpha’s beta—a very strong one at that. Rumour even had it that he had overpowered the Alpha during one of their spars. And also, Trisha herself had transformed into something magnificent, so no one would want to cross her—well, except for the Queen herself, Ava. Trisha was surprised when she was pushed and fell to the floor. She got up and saw a soaked and shivering Diana. She turned to Ava and was about to grab her by the collar of her uniform, but I told her to stop. “What the hell, Diana!” she said angrily. “Please, I don’t want you causing trouble because of me.” “They are the ones who caused the trouble” I pulled her close and lowered my voice to a whisper. “The board of directors won’t agree with you—you know that, Trisha. If your father finds out that you fought with the Alpha’s daughter, he won’t be happy with you. Plus, if he discovers it was because of me, things could get very difficult for you at home.” “But—” “No, Trisha, no buts, please.” I was worried about what her father would do to her. “You know, Trish, with your strength and your level, you shouldn’t be rolling with riff-raff like this,” Ava said, pointing at me. “Do not call her a riff-raff!” Trisha said firmly. “Oh, but I’m sorry—that’s all she is, nothing but a riff-raff who is about to become a dead rat,” she said, folding her arms. “I wonder why you weren’t banished the moment you turned into that abomination.” Trisha’s hand had formed into a fist, but I placed my hands on her shoulder and my other hand on her fist, attempting to calm her down. “What do you want to do? You want to hit me?” She scoffed. “Let me see you try.” “The only person stopping me from destroying your canines right now is Diana,” Trisha yelled. “Oh, so should I be grateful?” “Yes, you should.” Trisha retorted. “Okay, class, settle down,” the teacher said, dropping his book on the teacher’s desk in front of the class. Everybody dispersed to their seats except Ava, who remained standing, blocking our path. “Please, Miss Ava, could you kindly go back to your seat so Trisha and—” he paused “—can go to their seats?” he said, omitting my name. I didn’t even care about that. I was used to teachers not knowing my name already. Some would even go ahead and refer to me as “the girl born to the weakest omega wolves.” “Of course, Mr. Thompson, I will gladly do that,” she said, her gaze still fixed on me. She finally left for her seat. Trisha and I went to ours. “Can I get someone to clean the board?” Thompson requested. “Sure, sir!” Ava said, raising her hand. Everybody looked at her with surprise, including the teacher. I kept my head down, facing my book. “You… want… to… do… it?” Mr. Thompson stammered. “No, not exactly, but I want to recommend someone to do it.” The entire class watched in awe. Her eyes scanned the classroom until they settled on me, and then she pointed. I hadn’t even realised it until Trisha’s voice made me aware. “What the hell are you planning?” Trisha asked, her tone laced with anger. “Okay then, Ms. Leslie, could you please help us with the board?” I raised my head. “Um, sure,” I muttered. Trisha’s seat was directly in front of the board. She alone stayed on that line while everyone else’s seats were behind hers. She would say, “I am the queen of this school. I can’t be sitting in the same line with you lot. There has to be a difference.” As I walked past her seat, a sly smirk played at the corners of her lips. I knew that what she had in mind was nothing short of pure evil, but what could I possibly do? Nothing. As I was cleaning the board, I felt a liquid on my body and heard the thud of a bottle hitting the classroom floor. My body was still wet from the first water—now this. “What did you do that for?” I yelled angrily. She snapped her fingers. And that was it. Two guys—I recognised them to be among the male wolves who had transformed into elegant and strong beta wolves during the transformation ceremony—both held Trisha down to her seat. While the rest kept throwing books, banana peels, snacks, and every single thing they could get their hands on at me while screaming the words: “ABOMINATION! ABOMINATION!”

Diana’s POV My hands were shaking as I held the board eraser. I tried to stop the first tear, but it came anyway. Then another one. Soon they were falling down my face, mixing with the sticky stuff on my uniform. “ABOMINATION! ABOMINATION!” They kept shouting at me. A pencil hit my shoulder. Someone threw an eraser at my back. A crumpled paper landed in my wet hair. I felt like I was drowning in their hate. I looked at Mr. Thompson. Please, I thought, please make them stop. Our eyes met for just a second. But he looked away fast and started moving papers on his desk. His face was white and his hands were shaking. Even the teacher was scared of them. More tears came. My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe. The whole room was spinning as they kept screaming at me. “Look at her crying like a baby!” “Maybe she should go back to her mama!” “Wait, does she even have a real mama?” Their laughter hurt worse than all the things they were throwing. I dropped the eraser and it hit the floor with a small sound that seemed louder than everything else. I looked at Trisha. My best friend was fighting against the two boys holding her down. Her face was red and angry. Her mouth was moving but I couldn’t hear what she was saying because of all the noise. “That’s enough,” I said quietly. But my voice was too soft. Nobody heard me. “THAT’S ENOUGH!” I screamed as loud as I could. Everything went quiet for three seconds. Then Ava started clapping slowly. “Oh, the little abomination found her voice,” she said with that fake sweet smile that made me feel sick. “How cute.” I couldn’t take it anymore. I ran to the door, pushing past desks and chairs. Students pulled their feet back when I got close, like I might make them dirty just by touching their shoes. “Run away, little freak!” someone yelled behind me. I pushed through the classroom door into the hallway. But there were other students there too, walking between classes. When they saw me all wet and messy, they started pointing and talking. “Is that the girl who turned into that thing?” “My mom told me to stay away from her.” “She looks even worse than I thought.” I ran faster. My wet shoes made loud sounds on the floor. More students came to watch me run by. Some took out their phones. “This is going on social media,” one girl laughed. I got to the front doors and pushed through them. The afternoon sun hit my face, but it didn’t make me feel any warmer. I was still shaking from being wet and from the shame burning inside me. The walk home felt like it took forever. Cars drove past me on the street. I wondered if the people inside were looking at me too. Were they thinking the same horrible things about me? When I got to my house, I stood outside for a few minutes. I could see Mom through the kitchen window, stirring something in a pot. Dad was probably in his study reading like he always did after work. I used my key to open the front door as quietly as I could. Maybe I could go upstairs without them seeing me. “Diana? Is that you, honey?” Mom called from the kitchen. I froze. I could hear her footsteps coming toward me. “Oh my God! What happened to you?” Mom’s eyes went wide when she saw me. “You’re soaking wet! And is that food in your hair?” “I’m fine, Mom.” I tried to walk past her to the stairs. “Fine? You don’t look fine. Did someone do this to you at school?” She reached out to touch my arm, but I pulled away. “Diana, talk to me. What happened?” “I said I’m fine!” The words came out louder than I wanted them to. Dad came out of his study. He looked at me with worried eyes. “Did those kids hurt you again?” “Nobody hurt me. I just… I just want to go upstairs.” “But Diana—” “Please just leave me alone!” I ran up the stairs as fast as I could. I could hear my parents talking quietly downstairs, but I didn’t want to listen. I went straight to the bathroom and locked the door. In the mirror, I looked terrible. My hair was full of sticky gross stuff. My uniform was dirty and wrinkled. My eyes were red and puffy from crying. I turned on the shower and sat down in the tub with all my clothes still on. The warm water felt good on my skin, but it couldn’t wash away how ashamed I felt. I stayed there until the water got cold. After I put on clean clothes, I went to my bedroom and lay down on my bed. I stared at the ceiling for hours. I could hear my parents moving around downstairs, probably making dinner. They didn’t come upstairs to bother me again. Thank God they had managed to fix the door of my room when I was away. The sun went down. My room got dark, but I didn’t turn on the lights. I just lay there thinking about everything that happened. About how even the teacher was too scared to help me. About how the other students looked at me like I was some kind of monster. Maybe they were right. Maybe I really was a monster. Around eight o’clock, I heard a soft knock on my bedroom door. “Diana? It’s me, Trisha. Can I come in?” I didn’t answer at first. But then I heard her sigh and lean against the door. “I’m not leaving until you talk to me,” she said. “I’ll sleep in this hallway if I have to.” I finally got up and opened the door. Trisha looked tired. Her uniform was wrinkled and her hair was messy. “Are you okay?” she asked as she came into my room. “I should be asking you that. Those boys looked like they were hurting you.” “I’m fine. They’re just cowards who only feel strong when they’re doing what Ava tells them to.” Trisha sat down on my bed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop them from hurting you.” “It’s not your fault.” “Yes, it is. I should have been faster. I should have—” “Trisha, stop. You can’t fight everyone. And I don’t want you getting in trouble because of me.” We sat quietly for a few minutes. Finally, Trisha spoke again. “This won’t last forever, you know.” “How can you be sure?” “Because bullies get bored. And because you’re stronger than you think you are.” She took my hand. “I saw how you stood up to them today. The old Diana would have just taken it without saying anything.” “The old Diana wouldn’t have been called an abomination.” “The old Diana also wouldn’t have had the courage to scream back at them.” I thought about what she said. Maybe Trisha was right. Maybe I was getting stronger, even though it didn’t feel like it. “Besides,” Trisha said with a small smile, “I heard that Ava got in trouble with her father for what happened today. Mr. Thompson finally got some courage and reported it.” “Really?” “Really. Things are going to get better, Diana. I promise.” For the first time all day, I felt a tiny bit of hope growing inside me.

Diana’s POV I woke up the next morning hoping yesterday was just a bad dream. But when I looked at my school uniform hanging on my chair, I knew it was real. I had to go back to that place. Mom made me breakfast, but I could barely eat. She kept looking at me with worried eyes, but she didn’t ask any questions. Dad was reading his newspaper like always, but I could tell he was watching me too. “Do you want me to drive you to school today?” Mom asked. “No, it’s okay. I’ll walk.” I grabbed my backpack and headed for the door. The walk to school felt too short. I wanted to turn around and go home, but I couldn’t. I had to face them again. When I got to school, the first thing I did was look for Trisha. She always waited for me by the front steps or stop by my place most of the times. But she wasn’t there. Maybe she’s just running late, I thought. But deep down, I had a bad feeling. I went to my locker and got my books. Still no Trisha. I pulled out my phone and called her number. It went straight to voicemail. I tried texting her, but the messages wouldn’t go through. “Looking for your little friend?” I turned around. Ava was standing behind me with her mean smile. She had two other girls with her – Jessica and Mia. They were both smiling too. “Where is she?” I asked. “Oh, didn’t you hear? Poor Trisha is sick today. Something about a stomach bug.” Ava laughed. “Looks like you’re all alone.” My heart started beating fast. Trisha had never missed school, not even when she was really sick. Something was wrong. “You’re lying,” I said. “Am I? Why don’t you try calling her again? Oh wait, you already did.” Ava looked at my phone in my hand. “Still not answering, is she?” The three girls walked away, laughing. I stood there feeling more alone than ever. The morning classes were terrible. Kids kept staring at me and whispering. Some of them made gross faces when I walked by. Others just looked away like they were afraid to even see me. In math class, I sat in the back corner. The teacher, Mrs. Wilson, was nice to me, but I could tell she was nervous too. When she handed back our tests, she put mine on my desk without looking at me. “Nice job, Diana,” she said quietly. But her voice was shaky. Even the nice teachers were scared of me now. At lunch time, I didn’t go to the cafeteria. I knew it would be even worse in there with all those kids together. Instead, I went to the library and sat in the corner with a book. But I couldn’t read. I kept thinking about Trisha and wondering where she was. I tried calling her again. Still nothing. The afternoon was just as bad. In science class, my lab partner asked to switch to a different table. The teacher let him do it without asking why. I had to do the whole experiment by myself. “Freak,” someone whispered behind me. “Monster,” said another voice. I kept my head down and tried to focus on mixing the chemicals. But my hands were shaking so much I almost dropped the test tube. Finally, the last class of the day was over. All I wanted to do was go home and hide in my room. But as I was walking down the hall, I realized I really needed to use the bathroom. I looked around. The halls were almost empty now. Most kids had already gone home or were at their lockers. Maybe I could go to the bathroom without anyone bothering me. I pushed open the door to the girls’ bathroom. It seemed empty. I went into one of the stalls and locked the door. For a few seconds, I felt safe in there by myself. But then I heard the main door open. Footsteps came in. More than one person. “I know you’re in here,” Ava’s voice said. My heart stopped. I stayed very quiet, hoping they would leave. “Come out, come out, little freak.” That was Jessica’s voice. I heard them checking the stalls one by one. The doors were banging open. They were getting closer to mine. “Found you!” Mia said as she opened my stall door. I tried to push past them, but there were too many. Ava, Jessica, Mia, and two other girls I didn’t know. They blocked the way to the main door. “Your little friend isn’t here to save you anymore,” Ava said with that terrible smile. “Looks like it’s just you and us.” “Please just leave me alone,” I said. My voice was tiny and scared. “Leave you alone? But we’re just getting started.” Jessica grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the stall. I tried to get away, but Mia grabbed my other arm. They were stronger than me. “You think you’re so special,” Ava said, getting close to my face. “You think you can just come to our school and make everyone scared with your monster tricks.” “I didn’t do anything,” I said. “You exist. That’s enough.” Then she hit me. Hard across the face. My cheek burned and my eyes started to water. “That’s for yesterday,” she said. Then Jessica hit me in the stomach. I bent over, trying to breathe. “That’s for being a freak,” Jessica said. They pushed me against the wall. My back hit the tiles hard. One of the girls I didn’t know pulled my hair. Another one kicked my leg. “Stop!” I cried. “Please stop!” But they didn’t stop. They kept hitting me and saying terrible things. They called me monster and freak and abomination. They said I didn’t belong here. They said everyone would be happier if I just disappeared. I tried to fight back, but there were too many of them. Every time I tried to push one away, another one would hit me. I felt like I was drowning again, just like yesterday. My nose started bleeding. My lip was cut. There were bruises forming on my arms where they grabbed me. “Had enough?” Ava asked. I was crying now. I couldn’t help it. Everything hurt and I was so scared. “Please,” I whispered. “I’ll do anything. Just stop.” “Anything?” Ava laughed. “Okay. Here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to stay away from everyone. You’re not going to talk to anyone. You’re not going to look at anyone. You’re going to be invisible. And if you don’t…” She grabbed my chin and made me look at her. “We’ll do this again. Every day. Until you learn your place.” They finally let me go. I collapsed on the bathroom floor, shaking and crying. They stood over me for a few more seconds, looking proud of what they had done. “Remember what I said,” Ava told me. Then they all left. I sat on that cold floor for a long time. My whole body hurt. My face was swollen. My uniform was torn and dirty. But the worst part wasn’t the pain. It was knowing that Trisha wasn’t coming to help me. It was knowing that I was truly alone now. Finally, I got up and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked terrible. I couldn’t go home like this. Mom and Dad would ask too many questions. I washed the blood off my face as best I could. I tried to fix my hair. I practiced smiling in the mirror, even though it hurt. Then I walked home, trying to look normal. Trying to pretend that nothing had happened. Trying to pretend that I wasn’t falling apart inside. But I knew tomorrow would be even worse. And the day after that. And every day until I figured out how to make it stop. If I even could. Best title suggestion for the chapter

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“Are you planning to surprise Alpha Lance, Lady Cassie?” “Yes,” I replied softly, my fingers cradling the small wooden carving I’d spent days perfecting. “I carved this myself. I want it to be meaningful. Something to show him how much he means to me.” A proud, content smile tugged at my lips. Today marked eight years with Lance, and he was preparing our anniversary celebration tonight! Eight years of standing by his side. Through battles, wounds, council politics, and sleepless nights. I had given him everything. My heart, my loyalty, my youth. “Congratulations on your anniversary, Lady Cassie,” the maid said, bowing slightly. “Thank you. Could you prepare my dress for tonight? I want to look my best for him.” She nodded and scurried off, leaving me alone in the dressing room. I placed the carving, a crescent moon with our initials, into a red velvet box. Soon, Lance and I would be fully bound. The Luna ceremony was expected to be announced any day now. I chose a white silk dress that shimmered under the candlelight, one Lance had once said made me look like a goddess. I ran a comb through my dark hair and added a touch of perfume he’d gifted me last winter. Tonight would be perfect. I spotted Beta Damien near the courtyard, overseeing arrangements. “Have you seen Lance?” He stiffened, avoiding my gaze. “I… I’m not sure where he is, Lady Cassie. Perhaps he’s in the Den.” The Den of Shadows. Reserved for high-ranking wolves, warriors, and of course, the Alpha. I thanked him and made my way there, confused by his tension. The corridors leading to the Den were dim and quiet, the scent of burning wood and incense thick in the air. I raised my hand to knock, but froze. Because I heard voices. “Alpha Lance, how are you planning to tell Lady Cassie that this whole preparation isn’t for your anniversary… but for Arielle’s return?” Every muscle in my body locked. Wait…what? “I’m not,” Lance replied, voice low and soulless. “Let her find out with the rest of them.” “But she’s your mate.” He scoffed. “Cassie’s nothing more than a convenience. She was loyal, sure, and useful for a while. But now that Arielle’s back, and carrying my child, Cassie’s role is finished here.” My knees nearly gave out. No… “She’s not even of noble blood,” another voice sneered. “Arielle’s lineage dates back to the original High Blood packs. She was always meant to stand beside an Alpha.” “That’s why she’ll be my Luna,” Lance said flatly. “Cassie will understand. Or she won’t. Doesn’t matter. I just used her anyway. It’s good to fuck her. You all should try her sometime.” I stumbled back from the door, my breath shattering into sharp, uneven gasps. Arielle. That name. The last I heard, she had left the territory years ago to train in one of the royal courts. Rumors swirled that she had power, bloodline, and ambition. I never thought she’d come back, let alone steal everything from me. And Lance… Lance had been hiding this. Hiding her. And a child. I clutched my chest as my wolf whimpered inside me, her cries echoing in my head. My wolf snarled, pacing inside me, torn between mourning and murder. He betrayed us, she howled. He chose her. A liar. A snake. I ran. I didn’t care who saw me. My legs carried me back to the pack house like they had a mind of their own. Once inside, I collapsed onto the floor. The velvet box opened on impact, revealing the necklace I had lovingly carved. A symbol of us. Now meaningless! I sat in silence, trembling, tears running down my cheeks. Eight years. Eight years I had devoted to a man who saw me as disposable. Who was ready to cast me out for status and bloodline. I hadn’t been marked. Not yet. He always said he was waiting for the Luna ceremony. Now I knew why. “Cassie, darling, are you here?” Lance’s voice cut through the air. I wiped my tears, calming myself. I stood tall, slipping the box beneath a nearby table. “Yes,” I replied calmly. He walked in, tilting his head. “Were you crying?” I forced a laugh. “Just emotional. It’s our anniversary, after all.” He looked at me, disinterested. “You should start preparing. Tonight’s important.” Then he turned and left. No kiss. No embrace. Just orders. That night, the ceremony began. Music swelled, candles flickered, and the pack gathered under the moon. Lance stood beside me, his hand casually draped around my waist as if nothing was a problem. He leaned close, whispering, “Happy anniversary, darling. You should smile and enjoy it.” So I did. But I felt like I was choking on every breath. Because I knew what this celebration was really for. “Excuse me… I need to go to the bathroom.” I didn’t wait for his response. I immediately pulled my hands away from his and walked off. He didn’t follow me, and honestly, I didn’t care. I was halfway through jogging when someone suddenly bumped into me. Or maybe… they were the one who ran into me. “Ouch. Watch where you’re going, you bitch!” The shrill voice pierced through the hallway, followed by the loud click of designer heels. I turned slowly, already knowing who it was. Her glossy lips curled into a smug smile as her eyes raked over me like I was something she scraped off her shoe. “Oh, look. The placeholder,” she said with a mocking tilt of her head. “Arielle,” I muttered through clenched teeth, trying to keep my cool. “What do you want?” She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she strutted closer until she was right in my face, the sharp scent of her expensive perfume clashing with the stifling tension between us. Her manicured nails reached up and she grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking it back so hard I winced. “To watch you fall,” she whispered sweetly, “To watch you crash and burn like the pathetic little stand-in you are.” I tried to pull away, but her grip tightened. “You think Lance actually cares about you?” she sneered, eyes blazing. “You’re just a distraction. A joke. A warm body he uses when I’m not around.” I opened my mouth to retort, but she was faster, leaning in so only I could hear the next cruel whisper. “He moans my name when he’s with you, doesn’t he?” My stomach twisted. She laughed, low and cruel, clearly enjoying my reaction. “Don’t flatter yourself, Cassie. You’ll never be me. You don’t have the looks, the class, or the history. Lance and I, we’re inevitable. You? You’re just a phase.” She shoved me back roughly, still gripping my hair, and I stumbled before regaining my balance. Then she turned to the crowd and raised her voice. “Everyone, I have an announcement!” Silence fell. She slowly walked toward Lance. I watched in horror as she reached for his hand. He didn’t resist. He smiled when he saw her. “I’m pregnant,” she said, her voice rich with pride. “And I will be claiming Alpha Lance as my mate!”

My tears poured down my face. Memories of being with Lance crashed into me like a tidal wave. I could still feel his arms wrapped around me, his warm breath tickling my ear as he whispered, “I love you so much.” His eyes had been full of love, genuine and deep, or so I thought. I remembered the way he knelt in front of me, his voice trembling as he said, “Cassie, I can’t imagine a life without you.” He looked so sincere. “I can’t ever imagine hurting you. You’re the most important person in my life. You’re my first and only love.” Those words used to be my comfort, my anchor. But now, I realized they were nothing but lies. Empty, cruel lies. All this time, he was just using me—because Arielle wasn’t around. I was just a stand-in, a distraction. And now, Arielle’s pregnant. The thought twisted in my chest, making it hard to breathe. Anger bubbled up inside me, hot and consuming. My hands curled into fists. No. I’m not letting things end like this! Fury pushed me forward. I stormed after Arielle, grabbing her arm hard enough to make her flinch. “How dare you!” I yelled, my voice trembling with rage. “All this time, you’ve been sneaking around with my mate behind my back?!” The hurt and betrayal poured out of me, and I tightened my grip, desperate to make her understand the pain she’d caused. But before I could say anything else, Arielle gasped dramatically. “Ouch! Stop!” she cried out, clutching her stomach like she was in intense pain. She stumbled back, her face twisted in agony, and then collapsed to the ground. My eyes widened. I hadn’t even done anything. I just grabbed her arm! What the hell was she doing? Her reaction was way over the top! “Cassie…what did you do?! My baby! You killed my baby!” Arielle screamed, her voice ringing out. The accusation was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. Whispers and murmurs erupted, and I could feel eyes burning holes into my back. My mouth fell open in shock. “What are you—” I tried to ask, but a furious voice cut me off. “Cassie! What are you doing to her?! Get away from her!” I turned, my heart plummeting as Lance rushed toward us, his eyes blazing with anger. I stood frozen as he dropped to Arielle’s side. He was so gentle, helping her up with careful hands, brushing hair from her face. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?” Lance asked, his voice dripping with concern. “I’m fine,” Arielle whimpered, leaning into him as she clutched her stomach. “She’s bleeding!” “Oh no!” “Cassie did this to her!” Then I saw blood dripping down her legs. “It hurts so much! Cassie did this to me!” Arielle cried, pointing a finger at me. “That’s a lie!” I shouted, pointing a trembling finger at her. “You’ve been sneaking around with him this whole time!” But Lance’s glare was ice-cold. “Cassie, enough! You’ve done enough!” My throat tightened as I watched Arielle snuggle closer, a faint, smug smirk on her lips. Lance wrapped a protective arm around her, whispering soft reassurances. The man I loved had chosen her. Tears burned my eyes as I took a shaky step back. My mate betrayed me, and all I could do was watch as he comforted her. I shook my head, glaring at Lance. “You’re lying to me. Stop lying! Tell them the truth! Tell the whole pack the truth! Admit you’ve been sneaking around with Arielle behind my back. Admit you never loved me, that you were just using me!” The words tumbled out of my mouth, fueled by anger and desperation. I wanted him to admit it, to make everyone see the truth. “I SAID ENOUGH!” Lance’s hand came down hard across my face. The slap echoed, and the force sent me stumbling back. Pain exploded on my cheek, and before I could catch my balance, he shoved me hard. I crashed to the ground. “L-Lance?-” He pointed a furious finger at me, his eyes blazing with hatred. “You should be grateful I even accepted you after what your father did!” he snarled. “Your father, the traitorous beta, lied and manipulated my father—got them both killed! I took you in out of mercy, made you my mate, and this is how you repay me?!” Tears blurred my vision, but I caught a glimpse of Arielle behind him, her lips curved in a satisfied smirk. She was enjoying every second of my humiliation. I clenched my fists, trembling with anger. “I-I hate you,” I spat, my voice cracking. “And I hope karma gets both of you for what you’ve done!” Lance’s glare was a warning, but I didn’t care anymore. I pushed myself off the ground, ignoring the whispers and judging stares from the pack. “What a weak mate,” someone sneered. “She’s not fit to be our Luna.” I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I shoved past wolves whose eyes were full of either disgust or pity, their whispers crawling over my skin like poison. My legs moved faster, faster until I was sprinting. Tears streamed down my cheeks, mixing with the damp night air as the forest blurred around me. I didn’t care where I was going. I just needed to run! To get away! Away from them! From him! From the lies and the weight of eight wasted years! My foot suddenly caught on a root, and I stumbled, crashing to my knees with a painful grunt. “Shit!” Dirt smeared across my skin, and sharp stones bit into my palms. The sky opened above me as if to mock my misery, and cold rain poured down in heavy sheets, drenching me instantly. My white dress clung to me, soaked and ruined. I sobbed out loud, choking on the lump in my throat. I tried to rise, but my legs trembled and collapsed beneath me. My body gave up and my heart ached relentlessly. I was about to push myself up when a low growl cut through the storm. I froze. From the shadows of the trees, a pair of glowing yellow eyes emerged. Then another. A rogue. “N-No…” There were two of them. Panic surged through me as I scrambled backward on the muddy ground, heart slamming in my chest. I was too weak to shift. Too heartbroken. Too late. One of the rogues lunged. “Ahhhh!” I waited…but it never reached me. A blur of motion slammed into the beast midair, knocking it aside. A deep snarl ripped through the air, more feral, more powerful than the rogues’. I stared, stunned, as the second rogue tried to flee, only to be caught and thrown against a tree with bone-cracking force. I gasped, my breath catching as the rain lightened just enough for me to see him. A tall figure stood over me, chest heaving, his eyes glowing faintly in the storm light. “Are you hurt?” he asked. I blinked, still trying to process what just happened. My arms shook as I pushed myself upright, staring at the stranger. My voice cracked. “What… what the hell just happened?” He stepped closer, his gaze scanning me carefully. “Rogues,” he said. “You were lucky.” I let out a bitter laugh. “Lucky? Right.” Then I narrowed my eyes, “Who are you?” He looked at me steadily, “My name is Dominic,” he said calmly. “And your brother sent me here.”

“My brother died a long time ago!” This is the story I’ve always known about my family. Ever since my father, the Beta, betrayed Lance’s father, the Alpha of our pack, I knew my whole family was marked for death. I was the only one left. Then Lance came into the picture, making me his mate. But I later found out he was just using me all along. My eyes caught his, and he just stared back at me without saying anything. Suddenly, he shifted into his wolf form. His wolf was massive, towering over me, and it completely threw me off. “Get on,” he said, his voice commanding. I shook my head. “No, answer my question first! I don’t have a brother! My brother’s dead!” “You’re wrong about that,” he said, his tone calm but firm. “Get on if you want to see him.” His words hit me like a ton of bricks. How could he know? My brother’s been gone for so long. But something in his voice, something in his eyes, made me believe him. “I know those people betrayed you,” he added. “But I won’t betray you like they did.” His voice was steady, and for the first time in a long time, I actually felt like I could trust someone. I swallowed hard, trying to make sense of everything. But in the end, I had no choice. My instincts kicked in, telling me to follow him, to trust him. So, I climbed onto his back, gripping his fur as we began moving through the forest. The wind whipped past my face, cold and sharp. I could hear the rustling of leaves, the soft crunch of twigs underfoot. The sound of Dominic’s steady breathing was the only thing that kept me grounded. After a while, we stopped. The forest opened up to reveal a large community town, obviously belonging to another pack. “Alpha, you’ve returned,” a voice said from the gates. I froze as guards appeared. My heart started racing as Dominic helped me off his back. I looked at him, still in shock. “You’re an Alpha, but my brother sent you to fetch me? What the hell is going on here?” Dominic didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he motioned for me to follow him. “Just follow, and you’ll understand,” he said. I didn’t have much of a choice, so I followed. We entered a huge hall, and then we moved into a room. There, a group of people stood waiting. Healers, maybe. One of them stepped forward. “Alpha, his condition is stable. He’s doing better now.” “Good,” Dominic said simply, his voice filled with authority. We entered the room, and that’s when I saw him. A man lay in bed, covered in bandages, looking fragile but alive. I swallowed hard when I saw him. I slowly walked toward the bed, my eyes—damn, my eyes were already watering with tears. “A-Adrian?” I whispered. He blinked, his eyes slowly focusing on me. “Cassie, I can’t believe it. The rumors were true. You’re alive.” His voice was weak, like he didn’t have the strength to believe it himself. I couldn’t stop myself. I rushed forward and hugged him tightly. “I thought… I thought you were dead! When we were just kids, rumors said our whole family was killed…” My voice cracked as I held him, desperate to believe he was really there. “No, Cassie.” He pulled back slightly, his eyes looking straight at mine. “Our father didn’t betray the Alpha. He was framed.” “W-What?!” I asked, my head spinning as I tried to process what he was saying. Adrian nodded slowly, his face serious. “Yes. Our father was innocent. He was supposed to be the Alpha, but they framed him. And when he found out the truth, he tried to take back what was rightfully his. But they… they killed him. Lance’s family killed him. After that, our whole family was cast aside. You were the only one left because you were the only girl, meant to become their breeder.” I felt a lump in my throat. “A…a breeder?” The weight of his words hit me. I didn’t know that. “And what happened to you?” Adrian’s eyes softened. “I was cast aside, too. When Mom died, Alpha Dominic took me in. He made me his Beta.” I turned to look behind me. Alpha Dominic was standing in the doorway, silently watching us. I still didn’t understand. “But why did Alpha Dominic take me in if he’s the Alpha? Why did he help me?” I asked, my voice shaking. “He saved my life,” Dominic spoke up suddenly, stepping into the room. His eyes locked onto mine, intense and unwavering. “We were attacked by rogue wolves here, in the village. And thanks to your brother, he saved my life. I didn’t even realize there was a rogue wolf trying to kill me from behind. It was Adrian who saved me. That’s why he’s in critical condition now. But I made sure he’d survive.” Dominic continued, his voice calm but full of purpose. “He asked me to fetch you in honor of what he did for me. That’s why I came—to save you.” He looked at Adrian and then nodded. “And I saved your sister’s life just before she became the Luna of the enemy.” I stood there, processing everything they’d just told me. There was so much I didn’t know, so much I hadn’t understood. My brother wasn’t dead. My family wasn’t what I’d been told. And now, everything I thought I knew was being flipped upside down. “You must stay here, Cassie, and train with us so you can become stronger,” Adrian said. “I… I don’t know—” Before I could finish my sentence, my head suddenly swirled. “Cassie!” Before I hit the ground, I felt someone’s hands catch me. “She’s bleeding!” My vision spun, and pain surged through my body… especially down there. When I looked down, my legs were dripping with blood. And then I remembered… I was late. And that could only mean one thing. I’m… pregnant with Lance’s pup?

“Make sure she’s okay!” I heard chaos around me. Voices. Movement. Panic. Everything felt like a blur until my eyelids fluttered open. The room was dimly lit, but I quickly noticed two figures arguing near the foot of the bed I was lying on. As my vision adjusted, my heart stopped for a second. It was my brother, Adrian. My chest tightened. He was still recovering from his recent attack, yet there he was, standing in front of me, visibly exhausted but determined. He looked like he had forced himself to come here. Across from him stood a healer, trying to calm him down. I struggled to sit up, but my body felt heavy, drained. I was inside a healer’s residence. The sterile smell, the faint chanting outside, the herbs on the shelf, everything was familiar yet foreign at the same time. That’s when everything came crashing back to me. I remembered now. I had bled out. I collapsed. I lost consciousness. And now… now I was here. A wave of dread swept over me. Could…I be pregnant? The thought hit me like a truck. I grabbed the blanket tightly, my breathing quickening. No. No, this couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be possible! But deep down, something in my gut told me it was. I felt it in my body. I felt it in my soul. The signs were there. The pain. The bleeding. The exhaustion. I might be pregnant, with Lance’s pup. A lump formed in my throat. The betrayal stung more now than it ever had. Lance… he used me. Every night, he touched me, kissed me, claimed me. And I believed him. I thought he loved me. I thought we had something real. But it was all a lie. He used me like I was nothing more than a breeder. A means to an end. And now, I might be carrying his child. Even if the healer hadn’t said anything yet, I was sure of it. “Cassie?” Adrian’s voice brought me back. I looked up and saw him, struggling to stay upright. He limped toward me slowly, his movements pained, but he didn’t stop. He wrapped his arms around me tightly. When he pulled away, he cupped my face with his trembling hands. “Are you okay? Are you in pain? What’s happening to you?” His voice was shaky. “Do you know why you started bleeding?” I couldn’t answer immediately. I swallowed hard and looked him directly in the eyes. He looked so worried, so scared for me. “Adrian,” I said softly, “would it be okay if I spoke to the healer in private?” He was confused at first, but then he nodded slowly. “Okay, sure,” he said. “I know a lot is going on with you, but I respect your decision.” He stood up straight despite the pain and limped toward the door. “I’ll wait for you outside,” he said gently, before stepping out and closing the door behind him. Once we were alone, I turned to face the healer. My heart pounded as I asked the question that had been consuming my thoughts. “You found out I’m pregnant, didn’t you?” I asked, my voice low but direct. The healer stared at me for a while, her eyes searching my face like she was deciding whether to say the truth or keep it to herself. Then, slowly, she nodded. Without saying a word, she walked closer and began to clean me up. Her hands moved gently but with practiced care. She did what she needed to do, checking my vitals, feeling my pulse, and assessing my condition. “You are pregnant,” she finally said, her voice calm but direct. My breath caught in my throat. “And you didn’t tell my brother…” I whispered. She nodded. “I heard you just reunited with your brother, Beta Adrian. And I didn’t want to overwhelm him by telling him that you’re bearing a pup.” My eyes locked on hers. I didn’t say anything yet. I could feel my chest tightening with each word that came out of her mouth. She continued, her tone softer now. “And I know that your former mate not only humiliated you but also abused you.” The moment she confirmed what I already feared, all the emotions I had been holding in burst at once. My throat tightened, and I bit down on my lower lip, but the tears still fell. I cried right in front of her. No shame, no strength left to hide behind. “T-This is a mistake,” I choked out, my voice trembling. I was shaking, violently. I grabbed her hand tightly, desperate, and begging! “I-I want to kill the pup,” I said. “Please! Let me kill the pup. Please!” I screamed the words, the pain overwhelming me. My voice cracked, but I didn’t care. I was breaking apart, piece by piece. The healer flinched slightly at my outburst. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t pull away from me. “Hey, you need to calm down,” she said firmly. “Please,” I whispered again, my entire body trembling. “Please…” She held my hands tighter, grounding me. “I know this is hard for you. I know how heavy this must feel. But you need to think this through. Ending the pup’s life won’t fix anything. That’s still an innocent life inside you.” Her words hit me like cold water. It wasn’t just what she said, but how she said it. There was no judgment in her voice. Just truth. And then, just as I was about to say something, the door suddenly burst open. My head turned fast, expecting to see Adrian, my brother. I assumed he must have heard my shouting and rushed in. But it wasn’t him. It was Alpha Dominic. He stood in the doorway like a wall of strength, his presence commanding. His aura was cold, intense, and intimidating. My breath caught in my chest as our eyes locked. “What’s going on here?” he asked, his voice deep and cutting. There was no softness in his tone, just the firm, sharp authority of an Alpha who demanded answers. I froze in place. The healer remained silent. She lowered her head in respect and said nothing, showing deference to her Alpha. He stepped further inside, eyes narrowing. “Have you checked what’s happening to her?” he asked, not even addressing me directly. “Why is she crying?” I bit my lower lip hard, trying to stop myself from falling apart again. “She’s doing okay now, Alpha,” the healer answered quickly. “It’s just… she has a headache. That’s all.” I glanced at her, shocked by her answer, but also… relieved. She didn’t tell him. She was giving me time. She stood up and didn’t meet my eyes. Without another word, she walked out of the room, leaving me alone with Dominic. I couldn’t meet his gaze. He moved closer and sat across from me, watching me closely. “What’s going on with you?” he asked directly. My mind raced. My heart pounded. I wanted to scream the truth, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t ready. “I’m fine,” I answered quickly. “It’s nothing.” I lied. And I hoped to the Moon Goddess he wouldn’t see through it.

“Think you can manage here alone? Or do you want us to be together?” Adrian’s voice carried a teasing warmth as he helped me settle into the room. “I really don’t mind, you know. I’ve missed you so much.” That was Adrian, always trying to make things lighter, even when everything felt heavy. He joked, but I could hear the concern in his voice. “Brother,” I looked at him seriously, “you don’t need to treat me like I’m helpless. You should be the one resting. You were the one attacked by rogue wolves.” He let out a short laugh, brushing it off like it was no big deal. But I knew better. He was injured. He should’ve been lying in bed, not lifting and moving around just for me. It worried me. No matter how much he smiled, I could see the pain behind his eyes. The moment I was cleared to leave the healer’s residency, Adrian was already waiting for me outside. He didn’t ask questions, just took my hand and led me to the new room. I remember my conversation with Dominic earlier. He stayed quiet after I lied, maybe because he sensed I wasn’t ready to talk. I definitely didn’t tell him about the pregnancy. I don’t want him to know, especially him. And I don’t even know why. So, he kept his distance when he noticed I wasn’t comfortable around him. And the space between us only grew heavier. Every time he was near, I felt uneasy. Maybe it was just me. Maybe I was the only one feeling this way. “Cassie?” Adrian’s voice suddenly pulled me out of my thoughts. “Are you even listening to me?” I blinked a few times. “Oh. I’m sorry. What were you saying?” He moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed, his face softening. “You seemed far away just now. I know it’s a lot. Everything that’s happened… with our parents. And then what Lance did to you. Now you’re here in a whole new pack, trying to act like everything’s fine.” I looked down, my fingers tightening slightly. “But don’t worry,” he said gently. “You’ll be taken care of here. Alpha Dominic… he’s a good Alpha. Lance is nothing compared to him.” That made me pause. I looked at Adrian but didn’t say anything. I wanted to believe what he was saying. And maybe, to an outsider, Dominic did look like a great Alpha. He was calm, composed, and had a certain strength that demanded respect. But something about him felt… off. I couldn’t explain it, but my instincts told me not to trust him completely. There was a wall around him I couldn’t get past. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to try. I nodded slowly and forced a smile. “Go now, brother. I just want to rest for a bit,” I said softly. Adrian nodded and gave me a warm look. “If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call me, okay?” I smiled at him faintly. “I know.” He leaned in and kissed my forehead before finally leaving the room. As soon as the door shut behind him, the silence became deafening. Being alone made everything crash down all at once. I felt overwhelmed. This new room, this new pack, this new reality, none of it felt real. And Alpha Dominic… there were so many questions swirling in my head about him. But I knew none of them would ever be answered. He was too closed off. Too unreadable. And yet, his presence lingered in my mind. I was still heartbroken from what Lance had done. The betrayal, the humiliation… it clung to me like a shadow. And now, I was carrying his pup. A pup I didn’t ask for. A pup I wasn’t even sure I wanted. The thought of it made my stomach twist. I wanted to get rid of it. I wanted to pretend like it never happened. But at the same time… guilt ate at me. It wasn’t the pup’s fault. It didn’t deserve to carry the weight of my pain and shame. It didn’t choose any of this. I climbed into bed, closed my eyes, and hoped sleep would give me even a moment of peace. For a while, it did. But it didn’t last long. When I slowly opened my eyes, I felt something strange. A chill ran down my spine. Someone was watching me. I blinked, trying to adjust to the darkness, and my eyes widened when I saw who it was. “D-Dominic?” I gasped, shocked. I blinked again, as if my eyes were playing tricks on me. “Did I startle you?” he asked. I swallowed hard, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest. He stepped closer. How did he even get in? The door was locked. The windows were shut. I hadn’t heard anything. “I just wanted to check on you.” “I’m fine,” I replied quickly, sitting up straighter. He looked cold, emotionally detached even. I didn’t understand him. “You can go now,” I told him. “You should have knocked. I would’ve woken up.” He didn’t respond to that. Instead, his eyes dropped downward, and I suddenly felt heat rush to my face. My legs were exposed. The blanket had slipped while I was sleeping, and I hadn’t even realized it. I quickly pulled it over myself, feeling embarrassed. His gaze shifted, but there was something different in his eyes, something unreadable. He sat on the edge of the bed, and my body tensed. When our faces drew closer, I felt something strange. A jolt. An energy I couldn’t explain. It made my chest tighten and sent panic shooting through me. I immediately pulled away. My heart was racing. My breaths became shallow as I tried to calm myself down. Dominic looked at me closely, his expression unreadable. “Do you want to be strong?” he asked. I nodded hesitantly, even though his question felt sudden and caught me off guard. “Yes.” “Good. Because I’m going to train you.”

Lance’s POV The ceremony was finally over. I returned straight to the pack house, expecting to find Cassie waiting inside, just like she always did. Like a loyal dog. But before I could even reach the door, a familiar voice called out behind me. “Lance, where are you going?” I stopped walking and turned around. It was Arielle. I clenched my jaw. “What are you doing here? Why did you follow me?” She stepped closer, wearing that same smug expression she always had when she thought she was winning. “Are you seriously going back to her?” she asked. “I already announced to everyone that you’re mine, and that I’m yours. You didn’t even stop me. That must mean something. It means you don’t care about her anymore, right? Wherever she is now, it doesn’t matter to you.” I stared at her for a long moment before smirking widely. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved,” I said, my voice low but firm. “You’re the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. But I need Cassie beside me now.” Arielle’s face froze for a second, but I didn’t stop. “I told you before, Cassie was just a placeholder. Someone I used while you weren’t around.” She gave me a tight smile. “It’s okay. I understand,” she replied like it was nothing. “But now I’m back. I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere this time. So I should be the one living in that house with you. Not her. Kick Cassie out.” I went still. “No,” I said coldly. “I’m not kicking Cassie out.” “What?” she snapped. “Why not?” I stepped closer, locking my gaze on hers. “Arielle, there’s a lot you don’t know. It’s better if you just trust me on this, why I need her.” “But—” “End of discussion,” I said firmly. “I need rest,” I added. “And I need to talk to Cassie, to teach her a lesson. I’ll visit you tomorrow. Don’t worry.” I turned my back on her and walked toward the door of the house. I stepped inside without looking back. But of course, Arielle followed. “No, Lance! Get back here!” she yelled. “You can’t be serious! Tell me what’s going on and why you need her! For fuck’s sake! I don’t like that you’re keeping things from me! You chose me, and I’m going to be your Luna anyway. You should tell me!” I groaned in frustration, wishing she would just shut up. I ignored her, not in the mood to argue any longer. As soon as I entered the pack house, I shouted her name. “Cassie!” No response. I froze, my heartbeat echoing in my ears. The house was too quiet. The air felt heavy, like something was wrong. Footsteps approached behind me, and I turned to see Arielle standing there. She was looking around the place, confused and slightly anxious. “Did she run away?” she asked. Her question hit me like a slap. The idea hadn’t crossed my mind, until now. “No,” I said firmly, shaking my head. “She couldn’t have!” But doubt started creeping in. I stormed down the hallway and started searching. I checked every room, every corner, every drawer. I opened closets, looked under the bed, even tore through our shared room. Nothing. Her scent had faded. She wasn’t here. She really left. I clenched my fists. My chest tightened with panic and anger. I couldn’t let this happen. I wouldn’t! I turned to Arielle, eyes burning. “She can’t just run away like that!” Without waiting for her to respond, I rushed out of the pack house. I didn’t care about anything else. Cassie was my priority now! I immediately summoned members of my elite tribe. “Find her,” I ordered, my voice sharp and commanding. “Track her down, now!” “Why, Alpha?” one of them asked. “What’s going on?” “Cassie, she ran away!” I snapped. “And I don’t want her running from me. Make sure to find where she is. I don’t care what it takes, just bring her back!” From behind, Arielle was watching the scene unfold, disbelief written all over her face. “Why would you want her back?” she said loudly, stepping forward. “Isn’t this the exact outcome we wanted? We pushed her to leave! That was the point, right? We don’t need her anymore!” I turned to face her. She was angry, confused, and honestly, she had every right to be. But she didn’t understand. “You don’t know Cassie,” I said coldly. “You never did. I’ve been with her longer. I know her better than anyone.” “Then tell me what it is,” she demanded. “What do you know that I don’t?” I didn’t answer her. Instead, I walked off with purpose, heading straight to the Grand Hall. “Lance!” she called out behind me, but I ignored her. When she finally caught up, I was already in my office, rummaging through a locked drawer. I pulled out a folder, Cassie’s family file. Something I had been keeping hidden, just in case. I slammed the file down on the desk and flipped it open. “What is that?” she asked, stepping closer. “I had a hunch,” I muttered. “Cassie… she’s not just some random she-wolf. She comes from a bloodline that carries something…something powerful.” “What do you mean?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. I looked at her, dead serious. “Power. Enough to kill anyone. Enough to destroy entire packs, if she wanted to. She just doesn’t know how to use it yet.” Arielle went silent. “That’s why I need her back,” I continued. “Not as my Luna. That part of our relationship is already over. But as my warrior. My secret weapon. My pet, if I have to call it that.” She stared at me like I’d completely lost it. “So now you want her back just to use her?” “Yes,” I said, not blinking. “Because we can use her. That kind of strength? That kind of power? We’d be fools to let it slip away.” Arielle didn’t speak. She just stood there, trying to process everything. But I didn’t care what she thought. I had already made up my mind. Cassie was too valuable. Too important. I couldn’t afford to lose her, not now, not ever. Even if I had to hunt her down myself.

It took me a few days before I could finally feel okay again. I needed time to recover, physically and emotionally. “Cassie, are you sure you want to attend this training?” he asked, concern written all over his face. “The training ground here is no joke. It’s brutal. Alpha Dominic runs things differently. This isn’t like what you’re used to. And you’re new here.” He paused, like he was hoping I’d change my mind. “It’s okay if you need more time. There’s no pressure. No one’s rushing you.” I looked at him, my heart clenching a little. I appreciated his concern, really, but I knew I couldn’t hide forever. “I understand your concern, Adrian,” I said softly. “But I don’t want to stay weak. I need to get stronger. I need to be able to protect myself… and you. I can’t just sit around after what Lance and his family did to us. I can’t accept that. We need justice for our parents. We need to bring back our family’s name.” He let out a sharp breath, frustrated but calm. “I get that you’re angry. I really do. But revenge isn’t something we rush into, Cassie. When we let anger lead us, we make stupid choices.” I clenched my fists tightly, avoiding his gaze. “You wouldn’t understand,” I muttered. “Then help me understand,” he pushed gently. “What happened to you? Are you hiding something from me?” He stepped closer. “I’m your brother. You can trust me.” I looked at him, and for a moment, my walls started to crumble. I nearly cried. Seeing him again after everything that happened brought emotions I wasn’t ready to face. We had just reunited. And yet, I was already keeping secrets from him. “I… I—” I didn’t get to finish my sentence. A voice cut through the air. “Cassie, are you ready?” It was Dominic. He appeared beside us, arms crossed, eyes sharp as ever. He looked at me like he was assessing whether I was worth his time. I inhaled deeply and met his gaze. “Yes. I’m ready.” I turned to Adrian one last time. “I’ll be going now.” Before he could say anything else, I walked past him and followed Dominic. We made our way toward the training ground in silence. I could feel the tension in the air as we approached the area. When we finally arrived, I noticed a group of warriors already standing there. Some of them were watching me curiously. Others looked… unimpressed. I swallowed hard. I wasn’t used to this. I hadn’t trained in a long time. My skills were rusty, and my strength was far from what it used to be. I could feel their eyes judging me, like they already decided I didn’t belong here. Dominic didn’t say anything. He simply walked ahead and motioned for me to follow. I did. As I stood in the middle of the training ground, Dominic faced me with a cold, unreadable expression. “Are you ready?” “I’m ready,” I told him, trying to hide the fear building up in my chest. He gave a small nod. But the moment I blinked, he was gone. I barely had time to react. Because out of nowhere, Dominic attacked. His speed was unreal. In a blink, he was already in front of me, and I didn’t even see it coming. His body slammed into mine, and I hit the ground hard. My back ached. Pain shot through me as I groaned, curling up slightly from the impact. “Fuck!” I cursed under my breath. “You’re too slow,” Dominic snapped, his voice sharp and cold. “I won’t accept someone like you, someone who moves like a snail and can’t fight back.” He paced in front of me as I struggled to sit up. His voice thundered across the field, commanding attention. “The warriors here, I’ve trained them myself. I honed their strength and instincts. Their stamina rivals that of rogue wolves. And the enemies we face… they don’t wait for you to be ready.” I tried to get back on my feet, using everything I had left, but he didn’t give me time to breathe. In a flash, he grabbed me, flipped me, and threw me back to the ground. I hit the ground harder this time. The air was knocked out of my lungs, and a sharp pain shot up my ribs. I groaned again, unable to hold it back. Somewhere in the background, I heard Adrian shout my name. “Cassie!” His voice was full of panic but he couldn’t get close. He wasn’t allowed to interfere. That was the rule. I coughed. And then again. Until I felt the metallic taste in my mouth. Blood. I was coughing up blood. My hands trembled slightly as I wiped my lips and looked up. Dominic stood above me, looking down like he was studying me. Then, he bent down, getting close. Too close. His sharp eyes locked with mine. I froze. He reached out and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. “You can’t hide things from me, Cassie,” he said in a low voice. “I know you’re keeping something. I can see it in your eyes.” My eyes widened. Panic shot through me. Does he know I’m pregnant? Did he hear something from the healer? Did someone tell him? Suddenly, when his fingers held my chin, I felt a strange jolt of energy run through my body. It was powerful. Electric. No…It’s impossible. I pulled away from him, my body weak, but my instincts screaming at me to get some distance. Dominic stood back up. He felt it. “Someone else will train you from now on. Someone who will push you past your limits. You have to be strong. Or else… I’ll have you removed from this pack.” Then, he turned his back on me and walked away, just like that. I was left on the ground, catching my breath, barely holding myself together. Moments later, Adrian rushed to my side. “Cassie! Are you okay?” he asked, kneeling beside me. “He didn’t have to be that harsh—” But I didn’t respond. Because right then… something flashed in my mind. A vision… It played in my head like a scene from a dream. Dominic. He was talking to someone. A woman. I couldn’t hear the words. I couldn’t make sense of it. But she looked familiar. Too familiar. “Cassie?” Adrian asked again, but I was already lost in that strange vision. Something wasn’t right.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “302709”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Annabel Sinclair woke up as usual—in a hurry—a quick shower, her dark locks tied back into a neat bun, her starched scrubs crisp and fresh and ready. A twelve-hour shift stretched out before her, the kind that seeped into the bones, but she welcomed it. Work was all that was left in her life that was steady. She was halfway to the hospital when she turned around, having left something behind. Not something—her tablet, full of patient charts, case notes, and hours of work from her life. She cursed and turned her car around. The building loomed on the horizon, their apartment window shining with morning light. She rolled her eyes, half-laughing at herself. Steven is probably still asleep. The door clicked open with her hand. “Steven, you would not even believe—” Her words died away. First, it was the sound that stopped her—low, gasping moans, rhythmic and unmistakable. She froze in the hallway, her chest constricting, the sound pulling her forward against her will. She came to the bedroom door. Her lips curled into a disbelieving smile, the one that precedes denial breaks. She opened the door. And there he was. Her Steven—boyfriend, man she trusted with her life—was wrapped in the bed sheets with a stranger. Blonde hair on her pillow. His body on hers with a ferocity that made Annabel’s stomach turn. He was so engulfed in it, so far deep in this woman, that he didn’t notice Annabel until their eyes locked. Time shattered. Her heart missed a beat. Her mouth went dry. Steven’s face went white as his strokes faltered. “Annabel—wait—it’s not—” But she did not wait. She stumbled backward, a gagging sound tearing from her throat, and the apartment walls came tumbling down. The room was thick with sex and betrayal, the cologne she had loved now choking her. Her shaking hands groped for the doorknob, missing once, twice, before jerking it open and fleeing. By the time she was in her car, her heart was thudding in her ears, obscenely streaming tears in her eyes. She gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles were white. How could he? The man who breathed forever, the man who wrapped his arms around her when the nights were endless, the man who had vowed to give her everything—had shattered it all. And then the most brutal thought of all came crashing down. She hadn’t even told him yet. She was pregnant. Her belly revolted. The queasiness rushed up, past heartache, past betrayal. She was pregnant. Alone. The wheel blurred out of view as the tears flowed freely now, dropping onto her lap as she convulsed with sobs. Annabel Sinclair, the woman who’d saved countless lives in the operating theatre, who mended broken hearts with unwavering hands—couldn’t save her own. For interminable seconds she cracked, slumped over the wheel. But something within her changed. Steven had already reached his limit. He was not going to have her strength. She breathed more steadily. She rubbed her face on the back of her hand and composed herself. Work. That was all that mattered now. Precision. Control. Life and death—not this. She drove to the hospital, mask safely in place. The hospital greeted her with its cold sterility—stunning lights, quiet emergency, the hum of monitors and scurrying footsteps. It was easier here, where emotions had no place, where she could merge with rhythm and technique. She scrubbed her hands automatically: scrub, rinse, repeat. She focused on the burn of antiseptic, the smell snapping at her nostrils, grounding her. “Dr. Sinclair?” She turned. Dr. Ethan Carter stood nearby, eyes narrowed with quiet intensity. A senior surgeon, sharp, intuitive—he was brilliant, but his worst quality was seeing through people. “You okay?” His voice was low, meant only for her. Annabel forced a smile, the kind that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine.” He didn’t appear to take him seriously. His gaze remained on him, but he nodded once. “Good. Because we’ve got a patient with a ruptured aorta. I want you helping out.” The adrenaline came in immediately, a lifeline pulling her in. She went into the operating room with him, her world narrowing to the man on the table. “Lancet,” she breathed. The instrument slapped into her palm, familiar, heavy. Ethan’s commands snapped out sharp and unrelenting, and she greeted them with trained speed. There was a moment, a fleeting moment, when there was nothing else—scalpel, suction, clamps, and the fragile heartbeat of the man they were trying to save. Until her body turned against her. A wave of dizziness struck like a blow. The room tilted, her vision blurring at the edges. Her breath caught, and for one terrifying moment, she thought she might collapse right there. “Dr. Sinclair?” Ethan’s sharp voice cut across the sterile air. “I’m fine,” she rasped, forcing her hand steady, forcing her body into obedience. She would not fail here. Not now. Minutes turned to hours, but the surgery was a success. Relief surged through her as monitors leveled out. She ripped off her gloves and took a step back, the world careening again as nausea and exhaustion hit her. Her hand flashed to the wall, grabbing for balance. She didn’t have the strength to stand before he was by her side. “Ethan,” he said, not Dr. Sinclair—Ethan. His hand wrapped around her arm, holding her in place as her knees buckled. You’re not okay.” His tone was steel. “I’m insisting you go get yourself checked out this minute.” She shook her head quickly, panic rising. Vulnerability was a no-go. “No—I’m fine. Really. I just… I didn’t eat today. I’m tired, that’s all. I’ll be fine.” His jaw tightened, eyes still scouring hers. But she pushed back, struggled up, mask falling into place again. Fine. She would be fine. But deep inside, Annabel knew the truth. How long could she hide it?

The night was thick, viscous, as rain crept over the city streets. Annabel walked out of the hospital, exhaustion creeping into her bones after a lengthy shift. Work had been her only armor, her only sanctuary, but now that the operating room was behind her, the betrayal—the pregnancy—crept back into her thoughts like shadows waiting in ambush. She pulled her coat closer and walked across the parking lot, heels clicking on the damp asphalt. The overhead lights buzzed quietly, their long, fractured beams reaching out over the pavement. She sighed, wanting to just go home and collapse into bed. That’s when she felt it. A shiver ran down her spine. The slight sensation of being watched. Her hand had hardly touched the car door handle when an arm circled her waist, another clamped hard over her mouth. The scream was swallowed in her throat, suffocated by the calloused palm over her mouth. She fought wildly. Panic clawed at her breast, adrenaline racing through her veins. She kicked, her heels thudding into the ground, but another pair of hands clutched her legs and dragged her off her feet. “Keep still,” a deep voice growled in her ear, the words slurring with a heavy Italian accent. Terror spiked. Her fingernails scraped across his arm in a desperate attempt to break free, but her struggles appeared to strengthen their hold. A black van slid into view. The side door opened. A rag was clamped over her face, acrid chemicals burning her lungs. The world reeled. Her screams were never able to leave her throat. Darkness claimed her. — She awoke to echoes of movement. Her head throbbed. The constant hum of engines vibrated through her body. Annabel blinked into a haze of dim light. The air smelled of leather, tobacco, and something metallic. She shifted—and froze. Her wrists were bound. When her eyes focused, the truth snapped into place. She wasn’t on a hospital cot. She was on a private jet. The cabin gleamed with opulence: mahogany wood, polished gold, plush leather. It screamed wealth and power, but to Annabel it reeked of danger. “You’re awake.” The sound drew her attention. A man sat across from her. Broad shoulders strained his bespoke suit, his face chiseled in austere lines. His eyes were worse—dark, icy, cutting her open like prey. “Who are you?” Her voice rasped, dry and coarse, contradicting the fear. He bowed his head, amusement flickering. “You don’t need my name, Dottoressa. Just know that you have a function here.” Doctor. Her chest constricted. They knew exactly who she was. There was no time to respond before the cabin door opened. In came a second man, older, silver streaking his slicked-back hair. Command wore him like a second skin. Annabel needed no introduction. Don Raffaele. The name she’d heard whispered, spoken in fear, headlines that implied brutality and power. “Dr. Sinclair,” he said, taking a seat opposite her. His Italian accent stroked every syllable like velvet on steel. “Pardon the theatrics, but time was not in our favor.” Her heart pounded. Why me? Raffaele tented his fingers. “My sister, Pinky, suffers from a rare and terminal heart condition. The best have failed her. You will not.” Annabel stared, horror tightening her stomach. She was a doctor, sworn to save lives. But kidnapped? Forced across borders? Fury bubbled under her fear. “You kidnapped me,” she spat. “And now you expect me to willingly save her?” The don’s lips curled, less than a smile. “You are mistaken. This is not a request. You will save her because I need you to. Or you will never see your home again.” The words sliced like a knife. Annabel bristled, hardening her voice even as her stomach tightened. “Threats won’t heal her. Medicine doesn’t yield to intimidation. If your sister is as sick as you say, she needs proper care. I need her records. Tests. A hospital.” Raffaele’s black eyes searched her, seeking vulnerabilities. “You’ll have what you need. But you will do it under my roof. Under my protection.” Protection. The word burned. Her jaw clenched. “Why me? There are specialists, entire clinics—” “You are the best,” he cut in, his voice authoritative. “And you are discreet. That is most important.” Annabel’s breath caught. It wasn’t her skill they required—it was her silence. They didn’t require a doctor. They required a ghost who would never inquire, never disclose the truth. Hours later, the plane touched down. Midnight veiled the private airstrip. Salt and citrus were heavy in the air, warm Mediterranean winds enfolding her. No sooner had the cabin door been opened than armed men stepped in. “Untie her,” Raffaele ordered. The ropes fell from her wrists, blood rushing back in stinging throbs. Annabel rubbed the raw places, her mind racing. Run. Her muscles bunched, ready. But she was grasped by the arm before she had a chance to step forward. “Don’t,” a low voice breathed. She spun around. A tall, lean man with piercing green eyes gazed down at her. His expression was unreadable, but his words cut. “You won’t get far.” Her body tensed. Fight boiled in her chest, but she swallowed it. Not yet. They escorted her to a sleek black car. The ride was quiet, broken only by the winding roads through the countryside. Then the villa rose in front of her—massive, lit up against the moon’s darkness. Stone walls, giant gates, chandeliers glittering through the windows. Opulence saturated in menace. Marble floors stretched out before her within, chandeliers spilling crystal. It was beautiful, dizzying. The air itself vibrated with power. A young woman burst in, her voice frantic. “Raffaele! È peggiorata!” She’s worse. Annabel’s heart fell. Pinky. For the first time, Raffaele’s mask slipped. Fear gleamed in his eyes. “This is why you are here, Dottoressa Sinclair.” His voice dropped to a growl. “Save her.”

Annabel stepped into the hall, her body trembling with exhaustion. Every nerve in her body screamed for rest, but she forced herself to stand tall. Raffaele was waiting for her, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his face carved in stone. His eyes, dark and unfathomable, never left hers. “How is she?” His voice cut through the stillness—sharp, authoritative, impossible to ignore. Annabel breathed slowly before she could bear to look at him. “She’s stable. The surgery was a success. There were moments it almost slipped, but I held her through it. For now, she just needs to be watched closely.” Raffaele didn’t move. Didn’t blink. He was as unmoving as the marble that adorned his villa. Annabel crossed her arms, gathering courage she could barely feel. “I’ve done what you wanted. Now, let me go.” A muscle in his jaw twitched. “No. Not yet.” Her stomach tightened. “No? That wasn’t the deal.” His lips curved—although not into a smile. “We never had a deal.” He turned as if to walk past her, dismissing her altogether. Annabel grabbed his arm, surprising herself as much as him. “Don’t you dare dismiss me. You said we’d talk after surgery. I held my end of the bargain. You do know she’ll live because of me. That’s why you brought me here in the first place. So now—let me go.” He brushed her hand away like it was nothing, moving into the room. Fury surged through her exhaustion. She followed, stepping between him and the bed. “A patient fresh out of surgery should not be disturbed. And you’re not an exception. Look for yourself—she’s alive. She’s stable. That’s my work. Now keep your promise.” His eyes darkened, his presence swallowing the space around her. “You’re not leaving this estate until Pinky is better. That is not up for debate.” Annabel’s heart rate sped up, but she didn’t back down. “You can be Don Raffaele out there,” she spat, her voice slashing despite the tremble in her hands, “but in here, with me, she’s my patient. And this—” she nodded toward the girl sleeping behind them— “is medicine. Not mafia business. You can’t order that.” A spark of something danced in his eyes, but it was gone as fast. His hand darted out, catching her arm, yanking her into the hallway before slamming her against the wall. “Listen,” he snarled, voice low and lethal. “Do not touch me again. Don’t mistake your skill for power. I didn’t bring you here to negotiate. You’ll do my bidding until Pinky is out of danger. And if you so much as think about testing me—” His aura thrust into her, suffocating. “—you will not leave here alive.” The impact of his words hit her in the chest, but Annabel refused to look away. He scared her—repelled her—but she’d die standing rather than cower at his feet. He rose to his feet, his voice back to glacial command. “Take her to her room. Feed her. Clothes. She’s earned that much.” His gaze was still on her, knife-sharp. “Let’s make our relationship problem-free, Dottoressa Sinclair.” He did not wait for her reply. He had no need to. His word was law in this place. Annabel’s legs were weak, her stomach nauseous, but she would not let it be obvious. When the guards brought her to the room, she was aware of the truth about her destiny: she could save Pinky’s life, but she had no way to save her own. Her room was large, luxurious, suffocating. A tray of food waited for her, clothes stacked neatly on the bed. She didn’t see them. Her eyes landed squarely on the balcony. She ran outside, breath catching at the sight of armed guards patrolling the grounds. The smell of the ocean blew in the night air, salt and freedom tauntingly combining with her captivity. Even if she could slip past the guards, she had no ID, no money, no phone. There was no escape. Her chest tightened. No one knew where she was. No one would even search. She stormed back in, wildly searching around. Her bag was on the sofa. She tore it open, her heart pounding—her clothes, her wallet, her belongings were there. Everything except for her phone. Classic. The mafia didn’t leave loose ends. “This is bullshit, Raffaele!” she screamed into the void. “You steal my freedom, now my phone too? What next? My life?”She wouldn’t dare mention the fact that she was pregnant who knew what these people were capable of. And though the walls didn’t answer, she knew he was listening. Miles away in his study, Raffaele leaned back in his chair, cigarette dangling between his fingers, eyes fixed on the CCTV transmission. Annabel’s revolt blazed across the screen, her anger emanating off her in waves. “You certain about this, Don?” his underboss asked uncertainly, watching with him. “She’s volatile. What if she turns that temper on Pinky?” Raffaele exhaled a slow stream of smoke, his eyes never leaving the image of Annabel on the screen. “She’s too smart for that,” he said evenly. “But if she isn’t—” His lips curved into something dangerous. “—I’ll kill her myself.”

Annabel’s door boomed with a resounding crash, jolting her out of the disturbed sleep she had finally gained. Her heart missed a beat as she dragged herself out of bed, her eyes gritty with sleep deprivation. Raffaele towered in the doorway when she opened it—large, furious, his hand on her arm before she could so much as speak. “What have you done?” he grated. Annabel’s eyes snapped open, sleep fogged with confusion. “What are you saying?” “Her machines are beeping—” The sentence wasn’t completed because Annabel tore loose, running down the hall before he could stop her. She burst through Pinky’s door. The machines shrieked in warning. Her stomach plummeted with fear, but her hands stayed certain. She raced to the bedside, checking vitals, checking everything. “Someone was in here,” she snarled, already filling a syringe. She injected the stabilizer hastily, and the beeping slowed. Pinky’s vitals leveled out, but Annabel’s fury rose. “I said nobody was to come in here! She’s still too weak—any stress can kill her!” Raffaele’s gaze sliced to Luca, his underboss, who stood in the doorway with the same impassive calm. “Who came in?” “Nobody, Don,” Luca answered evenly. “The maids were nearby. They heard the alarm and came to report.” Raffaele’s jaw tightened. His eyes burned into Luca’s, but Annabel wasn’t paying attention. She was too focused on keeping Pinky’s pulse stable. Her patient came first—always. Even here. Even in danger. “She’s stable now,” Annabel muttered, replacing everything she’d handled. She didn’t look at Raffaele when she said, “For the last time—no one is to enter this room. She’s semi-conscious, she can hear, and you’re worrying her. You want her alive? Stay away and heed me. I’m the doctor here, not you.” She blurted out, her hand coming to her stomach—an act she had picked up recently. Without thinking, the words slipped free, low and sharp: “And I don’t need this stress—I’m pregnant.” Raffaele froze, his dark eyes narrowing sharply. “What?” Not waiting for permission, Annabel stood and departed quickly, muttering under her breath, that was close, who knew what would have happened. It was five a.m., she’d had little sleep, and now she was being dragged about like she was the criminal. Hours later, she was sitting at the dinner table across from Raffaele. He ate in silence, calm as if nothing had happened. Her plate was still full. “Not hungry?” he finally asked, eyes not lifting. “I want my phone,” she shot back. “That’s the very least you can do after keeping me here against my will. I’ll have you sued for this the moment I’m free.” His eyes lifted, dark and intense. “What if I don’t release you? She taunted, gesturing at him fearless. “Hear me, Don Raffaele. If you had brought your sister to a hospital like a decent human being, I would have performed surgery on her for free. But no, you abducted me. I am done with this craziness.” The maids halted, agog. The guards shifted. No one—no one—ever addressed him in anything more than a whisper. And here she was, snapping her fingers, waving at the Don like he was anybody. “You’re pushing your luck, Dottoressa Sinclair,” he said, putting down his knife and fork. His presence rolled across the table, heavy, menacing. Annabel didn’t flinch. “Give me back my phone, and we forget all about this. Simple.” His head was cocked, studying her like a puzzle. “And how am I supposed to know you won’t shout for help?” Her eyes narrowed. “Sure I will. That’s what phones were made for—to communicate.” Her fingers cracked again. “I can also rip out the threads keeping your sister alive at my next appointment. Or I can take a jump from that balcony and kill myself. At least that way I won’t be your prisoner.” The room went silent. Even Raffaele looked… unsettled. Not by fear—by intrigue. She was the first person who had dared to corner him like this, using his weakness against him. Annabel stood tall, hand outstretched. “I’m waiting.” A long beat passed before he finally spoke. “How long until she wakes?” “About a week. Maybe less.” Raffaele gestured to his butler. Wordlessly, the man left the room. Raffaele continued eating, at ease once more. “Eat something. You didn’t have dinner last night.” “Your son of—” Annabel cut herself off as the butler returned, placing her phone in her hand. She snatched it like air, turning it on immediately. “If you so much as breathe a word to anyone about being here,” Raffaele said flatly, his eyes glacial and unyielding, “you’re dead. I’ve had my men take care of your leave at work. You’re here until Pinky’s out of danger. That’s final.” Annabel had no opportunity to respond before Luca appeared beside them, stooping to whisper in Raffaele’s ear. And then—gunshots. Annabel froze. The harsh report of gunfire echoed through the villa, shredding the tense silence. Her phone dropped from her hand. “What—what’s going on?” she demanded, fear tightening her chest. Raffaele leapt to his feet. He grabbed her, lifting her into his arms without hesitation, getting out of the dining room as more shots were fired. “A setup,” he snarled, his grip like stone on her. His stride didn’t falter as chaos erupted in the halls. Annabel clung to him, fear racing through her veins. “Where are we going?” He didn’t stop, didn’t look at her. “To Pinky. We get her now. Stay with me—or you’ll die in the crossfire.”

The door slammed shut with a gunshot’s force in the black empty room. There were heavy footsteps, slow and deliberate, almost theatrical. The room was dark—darkness crawling up the walls, lit only by the thin crescent of moonlight through the ajar window. The wind screamed through the opening like a snake’s breath. “How did the plan go?” The voice was male, hunched in the blackness. He filled the room with his presence even though he didn’t stir, his presence suffocating enough. “It is powerful, boss,” the figure who had just walked in replied. His tone even, but sweat slicking the palms of his hands. “But… there is an unforeseen twist of complication. Someone we didn’t expect.” There was a silence. The darkness was even blacker. “Explain.” “They have Doctor Sinclair now. Raffaele brought her in. With her talent, Pinky… may be saved.” The silence that followed was worse than any scream. Then the voice of the boss dropped to an unholy whisper. “What?” “I—I thought—” “You thought?” The glacial, frosty words cut like a knife. “If the girl lives, we have no leverage. We have no chance of breaking Raffaele. Do you comprehend?” The man gulped. “Yes, boss.”. “Then make sure the doctor never gets the chance to succeed. Kill her before Pinky is freed by the Sinclair woman. I want her killed.” The figure bowed his head in agreement. “Your wish, my command.” — At the same time, in Raffaele’s villa, chaos was the order of the day. Men rushed with weapons drawn, smoke still rising from the raging battle miles away. Pinky’s frail body was being carried gingerly towards a waiting private aircraft. Annabel trailed behind, her heart pounding so fiercely she was afraid it would break her ribs. She had never imagined she would be in the midst of a mafia war zone. Don Raffaele—the name uttered in reverence, the one breathed on streets everywhere—besieged in his own territory. Unless… had this not been his true fortress at all? Was this villa just a decoy, a temporary domicile? Had he overestimated his enemies—or overestimated how much she saw? “Get in,” Luca directed, his voice sharp, jolting her out of her turbulent thoughts. Annabel stood still, watching the burning house, the shouting men bellowing orders in Italian, the bitter scent of gunpowder drifting on the night air. Ironically, she wasn’t trembling. Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe years of state-of-the-art surgeries had rewired her nerves—danger did not paralyze her; it focused her. She nodded once, moving toward the jet’s stairs. And then— CRACK! Blistering white-hot pain coursed through her arm, searing. A gunshot. Her scream tore through her throat as blood flowed fast and hot, moistening her sleeve. She hadn’t even had time to slump when someone pushed her hard forward. She fell face-first into the plane, feeling metal as her teeth bit into her lip. “F—shit!” she moaned, clashing her arm. Her body spasmed as pain ripped through her. The pain was exquisite, blinding her mind. The woman who could cut through the human chest with eyes closed was now at her mercy, overwhelmed by pain. Gunfire cracked outside, but a second later the ear-shattering roar of engines drowned it out. In the seconds it took, the jet soared into the night. “Do dottoressa Sinclair, okay?” Luca had materialized out of thin air, kneeling, hands already on her wound. His voice was frantic but controlled, his movements fluid—this was a man who had seen his share of blood. Annabel grimaced as he pressed on the wound. “Don’t touch me!” she snarled, tears running down her face. “I did not sign up for this! I am a doctor, not a grunt!” She wished to slap him, to scream, to open the plane door wide and leap out. But the harsh reality pressed down upon her heart—she was not here by choice. She was dragged into this hell, and the culprit was none other than Raffaele himself. If he came into the room right now, she knew she would claw his eyes out. “Doctor— The hysterical voice of a maid cut through the air. “She’s unstable again! Is it the stress?” Annabel’s bleeding head whirled. Pinky. Her fury came back momentarily, giving way to sheer animal instinct. She yanked her arm away from Luca’s, just managing to stay upright from the action. “If I’m killed, who rescues her, then? Damn it!” she growled, stumbling to her feet. Her vision blurred. She was stunned, weak, bleeding, but she struggled on. Sheaving herself in haste for strength, growling orders at the maids, her voice iron. “Do exactly what I did to her previously—stabilize her now. Get a move on!” Her medical mind kicked in, blinding her to the pain. Her arm was broken, but her hands were okay. Her mind was okay. She had prepared for emergencies her entire life, and this one was no different. As a child, while others played, she had studied anatomy textbooks. She had chased the dream of becoming a surgeon ruthlessly, never giving up. She had promised never to lose a patient. And she would not start now—not even in this bloody life she was forced into. Hours bled into one continual hell. The plane touched down, the wounded were shunted out, the new headquarters of the mansion revealed. Annabel did not notice the luxurious corridors or the gunslingers in every corner. She noticed only that Pinky’s stats remained stable when she finally released him. Her body ached, her arm burned, but fury propelled her. She barged into the living room where Raffaele and Luca stood talking to each other. Don Raffaele, she spat, her voice sharp enough to cut steel. He whirled, brows slanted in disbelief. Few people cut him short. Annabel marched ahead, glaring up at him despite the dizziness threatening to drive her to the floor. “Whatever this is, I don’t play. I almost died today. Do you know that? Died. Because of your enemies. Because you brought me here.”. His expression was unreadable. “It was a bait. You weren’t meant to be caught in the crossfire.” “Crossfire?” she growled, anger seething. “In case you didn’t get the time of day—I was shot. I’ve got flames in my arm, I’m bleeding on my clothing, and you’re telling me it was a crossfire? That young woman inside—your sister—is dead due to your incompetence! Did I save her life to have her be collateral damage in your mafia horseshit?” The maids and guards stood frozen in shock. No one talked to him that way. No one. Raffaele’s eyes grew dark, his aura bearing down. But Annabel didn’t back down. Her head reeled, her arm ached, but her glare remained fixed on his. “If anything goes wrong with her,” she spat, “you will never hear the end of it from me. Never.” The tension between them crackled with unspoken words—anger, defiance, and something neither could bring themselves to call. But before Raffaele could answer, a maid burst into the room, out of breath. “She’s awake!” Everyone stood stock-still. The maid trembled as she spoke again, “The young mistress is awake.”

Annabel shoved Luca aside, her bandaged arm blazing as she struggled through. She was talking to herself, spitting Don Raffaele’s name like venom through clenched teeth. Every movement hurt her like a stab of pain, but she forced herself upright, jaw tight. She was not a soldier, but she wore her wounds like one—hospital blues rather than uniform, duty fighting rage. Her anger simmered, then hardened into something more brittle. Duty. Whatever anger she felt toward Raffaele would have to wait. The maid’s breathless announcement still rang in her ears—Pinky was awake. The hallway to the girl’s bedroom was lengthy and heavy with silence, the kind that was rife with echoes of bullets and near-death. Every step Annabel took was pursued by the recollection of her own shriek when the bullet tore through her arm, the fear of sprinting through crossfire. The door loomed before her, partly ajar, as if it had been waiting for her. Her knees nearly buckled beneath her from the weight of all that was on the other side. She pushed it open. There, on the wide bed dressed in white linens, lay Pinky. Her skin was pale, her breathing so shallow it did not even stir her chest. But her eyes—open, glassy, unprotected—met Annabel’s. The sight wrenched the air from Annabel’s chest. The girl was alive. Barely, but alive. And in this world of smoke and blood, that was nothing short of a miracle. Annabel swallowed the lump in her throat and whispered, “Pinky…” The girl’s head moved, her eyes drifting towards her doctor. By the bedside, Raffaele leaned forward, one of his hands closing around Pinky’s frail fingers. His face was stone, but his hand betrayed him—tightly fisted, desperate, clinging as if his own life was tied to hers. Annabel entered to meet his piercing eyes flashing up to hers. They shared a silent communication. His was silent gratitude, hers frosty professionalism. “Dottoressa,” his voice grated low, almost a plea. “She needs you.” Annabel didn’t answer. She brushed past him, her coat grazing his arm. Her hands were already on Pinky’s wrist, checking pulse, measuring pupils, running through her assessments with brisk precision. “You’re one tough little cookie,” Annabel muttered, managing the barest ghost of a smile. Pinky’s lips trembled. Her whisper was fragile, dreamlike. “I saw… a butterfly. It had your face.” Raffaele’s eyebrows narrowed, suspicion fluttering. Annabel snorted, in spite of herself. “New one,” she said, voice rough. She glanced at the machines beside the bed. “Vitals are stabilizing. She’s not out of the woods, but she’s fighting.” “She said my name,” Raffaele rasped suddenly, his mask cracking. His eyes gleamed, voice cracking. “When she woke up. I thought for a moment—” He choked, unable to go on. Annabel’s tone softened, almost kind. “She’s not done yet, Don. Whatever they put her through, whatever she’s seen—it hasn’t broken her. That’s something.” The quiet hum of the monitors filled the silence. Even the maids at the door sniffled, relief etched into their faces. Pinky blinked slowly, turning toward her brother. Her lips parted. “Raffaele…” He leaned closer, his entire body drawn toward her. “I’m here, sorellina. Always.” Her next words shattered the fragile calm. “Where’s… Mama?” The room held its breath. Annabel’s hands stilled in mid-check. The question lingered like smoke. Raffaele’s features hardened, then locked. “She’s watching over you,” he rasped. “Always.” Pinky nodded feebly, as though to some unspoken pact, and withdrew her hand. Annabel registered the change first—the quake in Pinky’s fingers, the sudden spike on the monitor. Her training screamed warning. “Raffaele, step back,” she ordered, voice sharp. His head snapped toward her. “What is it?” Her voice tight, professional. “Something’s wrong. Her vitals are spiking.” Before he could move, Pinky’s eyes rolled back. Her small body convulsed violently, spasms racking her frame. The monitors shrieked. The maids screamed in panic. A tray clattered to the floor. “No, no, no—damn it!” Annabel yelled. “Get me diazepam! Now!” she bellowed to the nearest maid. The room dissolved into chaos. One maid ran towards the medicine cabinet. Another plunged forward to hold down Pinky’s flailing legs. Annabel jumped onto the bed, grappling the girl’s arching shoulders down with her good arm, trying to keep her from hurting herself. She slapped the oxygen mask back over Pinky’s mouth. “She’s seizing! Move!” Raffaele recoiled, startled, then leaped into action. “Luca!” Luca was there in a flash, breathless. “Don?” “Lock down the compound. Double the guard. No one in, no one out until I say. I want this house impenetrable!” “Subito!” Luca barked, vanishing down the hall. Annabel barely heard him. She was battling with death itself. Sweat dripped into her eyes, but her hands were steady as a rock. The maid returned, wrestling the medication into her hands. Annabel administered it with practiced speed. “Come on,” she muttered, voice a chant. “Come on, Pinky. With me.” Her eyes darted back and forth between the seizing child and the frantic monitors. Seconds passed like forever. Then, finally, the seizures stopped. Pinky went limp, her breathing rough gasps but present. The monitor slowed, steadied. Annabel collapsed against the bed, her chest rising and falling. Relief swept through her. “Stabilized. For now.” The room sagged with exhaustion. The maids were slumped against the walls, murmuring prayers. Raffaele moved silently to his sister’s bedside, his face a stone mask of grief. He brushed a strand of hair from her face with trembling fingers. “Will she live? Annabel met his eyes, hers grim. “I don’t know. That seizure—it wasn’t normal. It was like her brain was trying to purge something. Trauma. Stress. Or worse… something was induced.” Raffaele’s fists clenched. His jaw worked silently before he rasped, “I’ll tear this city apart. Whoever touched her—” “No,” Annabel cut in, her voice a blade. “Your sister doesn’t need revenge. She needs stability. Quiet. If you go thundering out there looking for enemies, you invite danger back into this room. And I won’t have you undo my work.” Their eyes locked, a contest of wills. Then, finally, his shoulders eased, infinitesimally. “You’re right,” he muttered, voice low. “You keep her safe. I’ll keep everything outside this door safe.” “Deal,” Annabel muttered, already stripping off gloves smeared with blood. She turned on the maids, her voice sharp. “You—warm saline in her IV every two hours. And you—stay by her bedside. No rattling, no whispering. I don’t want to hear a pin drop unless it’s to save her life. Do I make myself clear?” “Yes, doctor,” the women chimed in unison, dipping their heads. It was not until the room was quiet that Annabel’s body betrayed her. The adrenaline drained, and she was weak. Her knees buckled and she nearly fell. A biting gust from the open window startled her awake again. Her arm was numb, cold, seeping through the bandage, but she would not be stopped. Pinky’s fragile grip on life held her captive. Raffaele stood in the doorway. Arms crossed. Eyes unreadable. You could’ve run last night,” he said finally. His voice was low, woven with something that was not quite reproach, not quite admiration. “Instead, you come in here half-dead and dive headfirst into the fire.” Annabel shot him a glare, tired, belligerent. “I don’t do this for applause, Don. I do it because I can. Even if I hate every single person in this house.”. For the first time, his mouth corner jerked. A low laugh. “Do you hate me that much?” Her reply was dry. “You’re not getting on my Christmas list.” His laughter darkened, lower now. “Then from tonight, you owe me more than a card.” She said nothing. The machines hummed, Pinky’s breathing sighed, and in the distance Luca’s voice bellowed orders down the corridor. Annabel wiped at her forehead, exhaustion consuming her. But upon gazing at Pinky, she whispered, a prayer almost. “Stay with me, Pinky. For a little longer.”.

The spasm had passed, but the strangling silence it left behind remained. Annabel Sinclair inhaled a breath, then forced herself into slow, careful exhalation. Her arms were wrapped tightly around Pinky’s face, porcelain white, glass thin. The child slept—her small chest rising and falling with a pace so shallow as to be mistaken for death. But it was life, fragile and beautiful. The machines hummed like sentinels around them, hygienic, metallic, and pitiless. For the time being at least, the war had stopped. “Resting,” Annabel panted huskily to herself, her words creaking like shattered glass with strain. The two maids exchanged glances across the room—fear giving way to relief, hope flickering dimly in their drained eyes. Behind them, against the wall, Raffaele watched. His granite position revealed nothing, but his eyes were fixed—on Annabel, not on equipment, not on his sister, but on Annabel. Admiration. Awe. Something un-safe in a man like him. Annabel, on the other hand, was snapping. She had a white shirt sticking to her back with clotted blood, a bandaged arm dripping red down to the elbow. She could barely keep from leaning forward, but her eyes were bright, unwinking, the eyes of a soldier who will not blink on the field of war. “Doctor,” Raffaele did say at last, his voice gravelly and low. “You should have that arm treated.” “I will,” she whispered without looking up. “When? “When she is safe.” “She is safe. We’ve barricaded the house.” Annabel spun around, her expression as unyielding as steel. “That’s what you said last time. And she nearly died.” The words cut. His jaw tightened, and guilt flickered in his eyes before he covered it once more. Good. She wanted him to feel it. He should. Once she’d taken Pinky’s readings again, Annabel finally stood, muscles trembling. She washed her bloodstained hands on a towel, then headed toward the adjoining bathroom. “I’m dressing this wound,” she said without a trace of doubt in her voice. “Don’t let anyone disturb me—unless her vitals crash.” Raffaele gave a curt nod. “Go.” Behind the locked door, Annabel tore the bandage from her arm. The view made her stomach churn—red, inflamed, angry flesh beneath. Her hand closed around a bottle, spilling liquor right on top of the wound. Teeth gritted, a snarl tearing from her throat as the burn sent fire shooting through her nerves. The mirror reflected back to the woman what she had become now: hair disheveled, skin pale, dark half-circles deepening below her eyes. Not the polished surgeon from New York, not the girl who used to daydream about saving lives in spotless white wards. No—this was a battlefield medic, driven by adrenaline and fury. “This is not what I signed up for,” she snarled at her reflection. But her hands were fast, steady, precise. She had just restrapped her arm when the mansion shook. Boom. The floor shook. Then— RATATATATAT! Gunfire. Shouts. Screams. The house exploded. Annabel’s blood went cold. She flung open the bathroom door and sped into the bedroom. One maid was already across Pinky, covering her. The other clutched her rosary, mumbling desperate prayers. Luca burst through the door, gun up high, sweat sliding down his temple. “Down! They’re in!” he roared. Annabel’s breath caught. “Who’s in?!” “They breached the west wing. And they’re not here just for Raffaele this time.” Her gut twisted. She knew. She didn’t need him to say it. This wasn’t about the Don. This was about her. “Get her out of here!” Raffaele shouted, jamming a magazine into his pistol. His voice cracked like thunder. “Through the service tunnel—Luca, take her!” “No!” Annabel shouted back, fury sparking. “I’m not leaving Pinky!” “Guards!” he snapped, catching her arm, pulling her bodily toward the door. “They’re after you now, Annabel.” Her heart leapt. “What in the name of hell for?! I’m a doctor!” “You’re the doctor to my sister. You’re the only thing between life and death for her. That makes you bargaining power.” She spat another word in his face, but before she could, the wall behind them shuddered with a second explosion. The sound was deafening. Dust rained from the ceiling. They bolted. Luca led the charge down the corridor, shouting into his radio. The walls themselves seemed to warp under the strobe of gunfire beyond. Portraits shattered. Sconces tore from plaster. The mansion was a warzone. “I am not a fugitive!” Annabel snarled, her chest heaving. “No,” Raffaele growled back, “but tonight you’re the prize.” The words stabbed her like a knife. They reached the marble great hall. The doors were ripped wide—two guards dead on the threshold already. One of them had a bullet through the skull. Annabel’s legs buckled, but Raffaele urged her forward. “Don’t look. Go!” The courtyard stretched out before them, silver with moonlight. But the silence was a lie. A crack. The air whistled. Stone splintered inches from Annabel’s head. “Sniper!” Luca yelled, his own gun firing already at the rooftop. “Get down!” Raffaele screamed, throwing her hard behind the fountain. Her injured arm thudded against the stone. The shriek stuck in her throat. She spat blood. Raffaele crouched out from cover, shooting with uncontrolled fury. One, two, three shots. A shriek. A body slumped off the roof, crashing into the bushes with a sickening crack. “Clear!” Luca bellowed. “Move!” Raffaele shoved her forward again, yanking her toward the SUV. The armored vehicle came to life as its engine turned over, lights blinding across the courtyard. But as they reached it— A fusillade of bullets tore into the stone beside them, flashing off the fountain. The noise was deafening, a symphony of death. “Get in!” Raffaele shouted, shoving Annabel into the backseat. Luca jumped into the front, shooting back out the window as the SUV fishtailed out of the courtyard. A second vehicle came after—a caravan of Raffaele’s crew. Annabel cowered on the floor of the SUV, chest burning, ears ringing. “You could’ve been killed!” she croaked at him. Raffaele’s jaw was granite, his knuckles white on his gun. He didn’t say a word. Her voice broke, rage mounting over terror. “Why me?! Why do they want to kill me?!” Finally, his eyes flickered to hers, hard and deadly. “Because Mendoza knows what you are now. You’re not a doctor anymore. You’re my sister’s salvation. That makes you the one weapon I own worth fighting for. And the only one they have to use to kill me.” His words coiled in her heart like a blade. She opened her lips to reply— Then the glass beside her burst. Bullets ripped through the SUV. Tires screamed as the vehicle skidded. Luca swore, jerking the wheel. The convoy disintegrated. “Ambush!” he shouted. Annabel was pushed to one side, shoulder colliding with the seat. Ribs contracting in agony. She clutched at them—then went rigid. Heat. Her hand came out covered in crimson. A flush of scarlet spread over her ribs. She gasped, gagged, coughed vermilion. “Annabel!” Raffaele bellowed, sweeping her into his arms. His voice broke—hysterical, hoarse. “Don’t go away. Don’t go away!” Her universe blurred. Pain thudded in waves. The shriek of the engine faded. Only his voice remained. “I’ve got you. You saved my sister. I won’t let you go.” His hand covered her wound, futile against the flood. Her lips parted. She tried to speak. Tried to curse him. Tried to say something. But only blackness came out. Her body went limp against him. The SUV careened through the gates of another compound. Men screamed, lights strobed, and Luca was already calling the on-call medic on the radio. But Raffaele waited not. Did not trust. Did not care. He cradled her in his arms, her blood spreading on his chest, his face contorted by a desperation his foes had never seen. “Don’t go,” he whispered, trembling. “Not you. Not now.” Annabel’s lashes had once danced, then rested motionless. And darkness fell.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “302708”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

“Congratulations, you’re pregnant!” I shook my hands, hugging the pregnancy test result to myself, the doctor’s words still echoing in my head. Three years of trying finally paid off. The thought of holding our child one day filled me with excitement, even as an old ache lingered. Frank’s emotional distance had been a constant, unspoken presence in our lives, but tonight, I hoped things would change. Maybe a child could be the bond that brought us closer together. Frank’s voice pulled me back to reality. “What’re you thinking about?” he asked, his hands busy unbuttoning his shirt. I stared at his chest, my cheeks flushing. Three years of marriage, and his looks still took my breath away—but not in the way they once did. Before I could respond, he stepped into the shower. The water hissed to life, and I waited until the steam blurred the bathroom door before pulling out the report. My smile faded. How would Frank react to this news? The shower turned off, and Frank emerged, water dripping from his hair. “Frank, I have to tell you something,” I said, taking a step forward. My heart raced. “After all these years, I’m finally—” His phone shrilled, cutting me off. He glanced at the screen, his jaw tightening. “Hold that thought,” he growled, stepping out onto the balcony. I lingered in the doorway, listening to his low, agitated voice. When he returned, his usually calm expression was gone, replaced by a tense set line on his face. “I gotta go,” he said, grabbing his keys. “Wait—Frank! It’s midnight. Can’t this wait?” I pleaded, the report crumpling in my hand. He didn’t look back. “Something came up,” he said, and the door shut behind him. I collapsed onto the couch, the paper slipping from my grip. Another “emergency” that didn’t involve me. My throat burned. How many nights had I stayed up waiting for him, only to be met with silence? How many times had I pushed aside my doubts, clinging to the hope that one day, he’d truly see me—not just his secretary or a convenience—but his wife? A vibration startled me. Bianca’s name flashed on my screen. “Hey, Lisa,” she said, her voice teasing. “You in a wheelchair now?” My brow furrowed. “What?” “I just saw Frank pushing some woman in a wheelchair into that fancy restaurant downtown. Thought you two were together.” The line went quiet. My stomach twisted. “Are you sure it was him?” “Pretty sure. But maybe I’m—” The call cut off before she finished. My thumb hovered over the home button as a news alert beeped. Dera Pete returns with mystery billionaire companion.*  Dera Pete. The name hit me like a punch. The photo was fuzzy, but there he was—Frank, grinning as he walked alongside a wheelchair-bound woman in a diamond-studded gown. The caption called them “the city’s most elegant couple.” Comments flooded the screen: “Her fiancé’s face is heavenly!” “When’s the wedding?” My vision blurred. So this was where he’d rushed off to—not for work, not for an emergency, but for her. The woman who’d hurt him years ago, the one he’d sworn he’d never speak of again. The pregnancy report lay forgotten on the floor. My baby, our future, meant nothing compared to the ghost of his past. A tear slid down my cheek. How long had this been going on? Dera’s laughter echoed from the screen, and Frank’s possessive hand rested on her shoulder. The knife in my chest twisted deeper. In the morning, I forced myself to get up and head to the company, even though I hadn’t slept a wink. The night’s events replayed in my mind, each detail sharper than the last. “Have you seen the news? Dera Pete has returned!” Manda kol, one of the employees at the Lanka group, remarked. She was talking to her friend while they waited for the elevator. Behind them, I stood quietly as they continued to talk about me as though I was invisible. “You mean that jewelry designer?” Lili Samuel asked. “Yeah, she’s not just an ordinary jewelry designer. She’s also the only girlfriend our boss has ever admitted to dating publicly. I heard she’s his first love.” “Wow, but isn’t it rumored that our boss and Ruth have some—?” “Of course not! She was just his mistress!” Tatiana said with a laugh. “Haha! What a failure. She thought sleeping her way to the top would make the boss fall in love with her. Now that the woman he loves has returned, I’m sure she’s not only going to lose her position as the mistress but also her job.” My hands clenched into fists. I gritted my teeth but stayed silent. After all, our marriage was a secret known only to Frank and his family. I was Frank’s personal assistant, but everyone assumed we were just close colleagues. Frank never corrected them, and I had no right to either. He made me promise to keep our marriage a secret. The elevator doors opened, and we all stepped inside. Tatiana and Lili exchanged a glance before continuing their conversation. “If I were her, I would resign. It’s clear the boss has someone he loves. It’s so degrading to cling to him like a desperate person,” Manda said, her words full of mockery. “Hey… chill. She can hear you,” Lili whispered, though she laughed as she said it. They seemed to be having a field day at my expense. They were among the many women who were jealous of my closeness with Frank. Now that his real woman had returned, they found an opportunity to ridicule me. “I’m just stating the truth. She’s a mistress who’s about to be abandoned now that the future Mrs. Lanka has returned to the city,” Manda declared. My hands tightened into fists at her words. Mistress? I was his legal wife! And yet, I couldn’t even declare that out loud. I pursed my lips, my heart aching. Frank hadn’t come home last night. He didn’t even have the decency to call and let me know where he was. I concluded he must have spent the night with his ex-girlfriend. The thought made my heart feel like it was being clawed by a cat. My colleagues’ mocking words echoed in my ears, and my throat went dry. I was his legal wife, but I couldn’t even defend my position. Could I even defend something that wasn’t truly mine to begin with? It didn’t take long for me to arrive at the CEO’s office. However, I wasn’t in the mood to work that day. So, I went to Frank’s office to ask for a day off. Sure enough, when I knocked and entered, I found him seated in his swivel chair, wearing different clothes from the ones he’d had on the previous night. “You’re late,” Frank said in a cold, deep voice. “Yes… I slept late. I’ve come to ask for a one-day leave,” I requested, trying hard to hold back my tears. He didn’t seem bothered by his absence. “Why? Are you sick?” Frank asked nonchalantly, his gray eyes studying me. “I’m not feeling well,” I replied, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. The truth was, I wanted to ask him where he’d spent the night, but I didn’t want to hear that he’d been with another woman. Knowing it and hearing it from him were two very different things. “Okay,” Frank said, and when I didn’t move, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “Anything else?” I shook my head. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Frank didn’t even attempt to explain where he’d been. He acted as if what he’d done was perfectly normal. With a heavy heart, I left the company and went to the parking lot. However, I bumped into someone in the underground parking area. It was none other than Dera Pete—the woman of Frank’s dreams. In her wheelchair, she looked incredibly vulnerable, evoking a protective instinct in everyone around her. She maneuvered her smart wheelchair and stopped in front of me, blocking my path. “So, you’re Ruth, Frank’s wife? I’m Dera. Nice to meet you,” Dera said. I turned pale. I hadn’t expected to meet Dera so soon. “Thank you for taking care of Frank these past three years,” Dera added with a smile. I internally scoffed! She made it sound like I was just a caretaker! Was she indirectly asking me to back off now that the owner had returned? “You don’t need to thank me for doing my duty as his wife,” I replied through gritted teeth. I felt sorry for her because she was in a wheelchair, but her words felt like a mockery of the real state of my relationship with Frank. Dera smiled gently. “Of course. See you around,” she said before beginning to wheel herself away. Just as she was leaving, her phone slipped from her lap and fell to the ground. Looking at me, she asked, “Can you help me pick up my phone? I can’t reach it as you can see.” I nodded and approached her. However, as I crouched down to pick up the phone, Dera suddenly fell to the ground and screamed. “What happened—” “Ouch! That hurt!” Dera cried, blood trickling down her face, horrifying me. “What the—” “DERA!” Frank’s deep voice boomed as he rushed toward us. My heart skipped a beat when I heard his familiar voice. It was my husband, and I’d never heard him sound so worried before. He hurried over and held Dera in his arms. Seeing the blood dripping from her forehead, his eyebrows furrowed in anger. He glared at me coldly, sending chills down my spine. Did he think I did this? My eyes widened in shock as I realized what was happening. I was being framed! “Frank! I swear, I didn’t push her—” “Get lost!” Frank yelled and pushed me, causing me to fall onto my backside. He carried Dera in a bridal style, his eyes filled with worry. He looked at her and whispered gently, “Don’t worry, I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“Yes, she’s no regular jewelry designer. She’s also the only girlfriend our boss ever publicly acknowledged dating. I heard that she’s his first love.” “Gosh, but isn’t it heard that our boss and Ruth have some—?” “Certainly not! She was only a mistress!” “Haha! What an idiot. She thought sleeping her way to success would get the boss’s heart.” I clenched my fists. My nails pressed into my palms, but I didn’t say a word. My marriage was known to Frank’s family and him only. No one had guessed the truth; everyone had assumed I was Frank’s mistress because we worked together so intimately. Frank never denied the rumors, and I never tried to refute them. When he insisted on having me promise we’d never confess our marriage, I complied without hesitation. The elevator doors opened, and we all entered. Manda and Lili glanced at each other before they went on talking. “If I were her, I would quit on my own. It looks like the boss has someone he likes. It is so shameful to hang around him like a starving chick,” Manda sneered. “Shh, be quiet. She can hear you,” Lili whispered, although her tone was playful. They reveled in my misery. For years, they’d envied my closeness to Frank Lanka. Now that his ex, Dera Pete, was back in town, they relished the chance to tear me down. “I’m just saying the truth. She’s a mistress who’s about to be abandoned now that the future Mrs. Lanka has returned to the city,” Manda declared. Mistress? I was his lawfully wedded wife. But the words stuck in my throat. Frank did not come home last night. He did not call. I imagined him with Dera, and the vision ate away at my heart like a saw-edged knife. When I got to Frank’s office, I couldn’t focus. I knocked and entered, and he was sitting behind his swivel chair in a suit I had never seen. “You’re late,” he snapped, his voice cold. “Yes. I overslept. I’m here to ask for a one-day leave,” I said, pushing the lump from my throat down. “Why? Are you sick?” he snarled, his gray eyes scanning me as if I was an annoyance. I’d rather have asked where he’d stayed. But it would shatter me to find out. To not know. “I’m awful,” I whispered. “Good,” he snapped. I stood there uncertainly, then he raised one eyebrow. “Anything else?” I nodded, my heart as heavy as lead. He did not care where he’d spent the night. To him, it was insignificant. I exited the office and out into the parking lot, vision blurry. Then I rounded a corner and bumped into somebody. It was Dera Pete. She curled in a glimmering wheelchair, her gaunt body framed by a taut smile. “So, you’re Frank’s wife, Ruth? I’m Dera. Nice to meet you,” she oozed, voice sugar-sweet with goodness. My blood froze. “Thanks for taking care of Frank the past three years,” she told me. I snorted in my mind. Taking care of him? Me, a professional nurse? Was that how she was attempting to threaten me away? “You don’t have to thank me for doing my duty as his wife,” I growled, the words trembling out of me. Dera’s smile grew wider. “See you around.” She wheeled off, but her phone fell off her lap. “Will you pick it up? I can’t reach it like you,” she said, dripping with condescension. I moved forward, but before I could crouch, she lunged forward, screamed, and fell on the concrete. “Ack! That hurts!” I yelled, a trickle of blood running from my cheek. “DERA!” Frank’s yell shook the garage. He rushed towards us, his face pale with rage. He scooped Dera up in his arms, his eyes blazing at me. “What did you do?!” “I didn’t push her!” I yelled, terror rising. But he shoved me aside, and I fell on the hard ground. He cradled Dera in his arms, his voice softening. “Don’t worry. I’ll take you to the hospital.” His words were to her, not to me. And as I saw their receding backs, I knew the truth: Frank Lanka had already chosen his past over his secret wife.

“What in the name of the devil is happening?” Frank demanded from Dera when the doctor had examined her. Guilt welled up as he gazed at the bandage on her forehead. “I’m sorry. I have no idea why Ruth changed. She was once so kind to me.” When he’d crashed into the parking lot, he’d been convinced he’d seen Ruth dragging Dera from the wheelchair. Fear had muddied his reasoning. But Dera’s legs—her strength already weakened due to her illness—had collapsed beneath him. He’d been the one to bring her down. “I hope you can forgive her. She doesn’t get angry very often,” Frank added, his tone grating. We were in a VIP hospital room, Dera sitting on the edge of the bed without her wheelchair. She smiled and grasped Frank’s hand. “Hey, don’t get this wrong. This isn’t Ruth’s fault. I fell on my own. My wheelchair must’ve had a malfunction.” Frank’s eyes opened wide. “Are you saying Ruth didn’t push you?” Dera shook her head, her lips trembling. “No, she didn’t push me. Don’t blame her for this. I don’t want the two of you fighting because of me.” Frank’s chest tightened. He remembered pushing me away carelessly, assuming the worst. How could he have been so blind? “I had no idea,” he whispered. Dera squeezed his hand. “You should go to her and clear things up.” Frank nodded, his face filled with guilt. “I’ll take you home first. I’ve already put an order in for a new wheelchair to replace the broken one.” “Okay. Don’t leave Ruth alone long enough,” Dera said in a low voice. “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to her,” Frank replied. Later, I bumped into my best friend Bianca at a cafe on my way back home. “What? Pregnant?” Bianca’s eyes popped open. “That’s great news!” A bitter smile twisted at my lips. “I don’t think so. You were right last night. That was Frank I saw. And the woman he’s been loving? The woman he always wanted to love? That was Dera.” Bianca’s jaw dropped. “Is he cheating on you with his ex?” “I don’t know. But it hurts to finally know the truth. Perhaps I should do what I’ve been resisting all along,” I said, my voice hollow. “Are you insane? Why would you leave your marriage—especially since you’re pregnant now? Being a single mother is pure hell, Ruth. You’re his lawful wife! If you can’t stand up to her, I will.” “And then what, Bee?” I shook my head. “You should have seen how fast he shoved me away when he believed I hurt her. He did not even hesitate. He did not inquire if I was okay. How am I to remain with a person who shelters her more than me?” Bianca’s fists were tight. “Try telling him about the baby. Perhaps that will wake him up from his insanity.” I rubbed my belly gently. “He pushed me without hesitation. He didn’t call to see how I was. Maybe he doesn’t want this child. Maybe he’d rather I just disappeared so he can be with Dera.” Bianca sighed. “If that’s what you’ve set your mind on, I’ll be with you. Just promise me you’ll do what will make you happy.” When Frank arrived, I sat in the lounge. As soon as he entered, guilt flickered across his face. “Ruth, about that back there, I’m—” “I have something to say to you,” I told him quietly. I handed him the papers I’d lugged all day. Frank frowned as he read the documents. “What’s this? Work? Can’t it wait until tomorrow morning? I wanted to talk—” “Those are divorce and resignation papers,” I told him. “Let’s end this, Frank. It’s been long enough.” Frank’s eyes sprang up, shock taking the place of guilt. “Ruth, wait—” “Let’s divorce,” I said again. “I’m no longer standing in the path of your happiness.”

Frank was taken aback. Hearing those words from my mouth wasn’t something he’d anticipated. He glanced down at the papers in his hands—yes, they were a divorce petition and my resignation notice. He glared at me and demanded, “You’re throwing a tantrum over what happened a while ago. That’s why you’re giving me these papers?” I shook my head. “It’s not that. I’ve been wanting to divorce for a long time now. Now that Dera’s back, you can openly be with the woman you love.” Frank laughed, a bitter, bitter laugh. He tore the papers in two, and I shrieked. “Why did you do that? You don’t love me, why won’t you divorce me?” I screamed. My voice was desperation-tinged, my heart thudded painfully in my chest. During the three years we were married, Frank never loved me. He’d held me at arm’s length, never once being affectionate. I’d loved him, thinking that if I dedicated myself to him and loved him unconditionally, he’d come to love me. But three years had passed, and Frank’s heart remained as cold as ice. As much as I tried, I couldn’t make him love me. “Frank, please. Let me go so you can be happy,” I pleaded, tears welling up in my eyes. “Never. Divorce? You think you can just wake up and ask me to divorce you? In your dreams, Ruth,” Frank taunted. “Why? Don’t you want to be with Dera? Isn’t that why you slept with her last night?” I couldn’t help but yell. “Ah, so this is what all this is about? No time for unnecessary jealousy, Ruth. I did nothing with her. Dera fell sick after her welcome party and I had to stay with her at the hospital. She was okay in the morning,” Frank explained. I clenched my fists. “I don’t want to listen to your excuses. There’s no love here. It’s better to dissolve this marriage.” Frank stepped closer and grabbed my chin, forcing my head backward to glare into my hazel eyes. “I’m the one who gets to decide when this marriage is over. I don’t ever want to hear you speak of divorce, do you understand?” “The woman you love is back and clearly, you will never love me. Why not a quick ending instead of dragging it out?” I begged, crying profusely. My heart ached, as though there was something cold and hard squeezing it. Frank didn’t love me, but he didn’t wish to lose me either. It was hard to say what he truly wanted. He wanted to be with Dera, didn’t he? That’s why he’d rush to her the moment she returned. Frank’s face relaxed when he noticed my tears. He cupped my face in his hands and wiped away the tears on my cheeks with his thumbs. “Nobody’s getting divorced. Nana loves you. Let’s not disturb him with petty problems.” I was about to respond when I caught a whiff of a powerful scent from Frank’s jacket. It was a woman’s perfume, one I recognized as belonging to Dera. The smell was overpowering, and I vomited, covering my face with my hand. I moved away from Frank and ran to the kitchen, which was the nearest place. Frank frowned and followed me, reaching my side as I vomited into the sink. “Are you alright?” he questioned, holding my hair back from my face as I retched. When I was done and had water splashed across my face, my heart was racing. I had no idea whether Frank suspected I was pregnant or not. “What is it? Why suddenly vomiting?” Frank asked again. “Uh, I ate some bad food today,” I fabricated. Frank watched me. “You’re always so mindful of what you eat, Ruth. Are you hiding something from me?” My heart was racing frantically, and my stomach was twisting with knots. Has he found out? I asked myself. Frank gazed at me for a few seconds. I knew he noticed that I was pale and gained a bit of weight. His eyebrows furrowed. “Wait, are you—” I sighed in relief as Frank’s phone rang, cutting off his sentence. Frank grunted and answered. “Hello—” “Mr. Lanka, Miss Pete is gone!” the voice on the other end said. Frank’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? I’m coming!” He did not even glance my way before rushing out the door, his face strained. I laughed at myself. And here I thought he wasn’t divorcing me because he had feelings for me. Turns out that was wishful thinking. When Frank found out something was wrong with Dera, he’d all but vanished from the mansion to go look for her. I couldn’t help but speculate about what Frank would have done if I were the one who was missing. I had walked out of the kitchen and was going upstairs to the master bedroom when I felt a burning pain at the back of my head. I was enveloped in darkness.

I awoke to find myself tied to a chair. The cold of the damp air in the old warehouse seeped into my bones and I shivered helplessly. I could sense my heart pounding as I remembered the blow to the head and loss of consciousness. Was I kidnapped? I screamed, “Where am I? Help! Help me!” “Relax, Ruth. Shouting isn’t going to benefit you. I tried it myself, I swear,” a voice I recognized rang in my ears. I glanced to the right and noticed Dera bound into a chair similar to mine. My eyes bulged with horror. “What is it? Why were both of us kidnapped?” I asked, my chest pounding in terror. At the very back of my mind, I feared for the welfare of the child I carried within me. In case anything should happen to me, I would lose my baby.”. “Good question,” a low male voice boomed somewhere in the warehouse. I spun back toward the voice and my heart ran wild when I saw four goons coming our way. The leader of the group, a bald man with yellow-stained teeth, had a pungent smell of alcohol on him. “Don’t worry, Ruth. Frank will rescue us,” Dera said with determination. I felt a glimmer of hope. Frank, my husband. But then I remembered how he had rushed out the instant Dera disappeared. He would rescue Dera. I mean nothing to him compared to her. It did not take long before Frank arrived at the warehouse. He walked in and did not move when he saw the two of us tied up. He clenched his fists and glared at the goons. “Untie them! It is I who have an issue with. Leave the women alone.” “Rapido. These two ladies are obviously very close to you,” said the leader, spinning a knife around his fingers. “Let them go immediately,” Frank commanded again. “No can do. Because they are so special to you, they are in this trouble,” the thug replied. “I’ll let you keep one of them. The other one will remain with us as a hostage.” “You’re kidding, right?” Frank growled. “You save one or none at all,” the thug sneered. “Oh, Frank Lanka, I should like to see whom you will choose. I had just come to a mind to have a little sport, but now I have a wish to know whom you love most of the two.” Frank’s fists were clenched. He ground his teeth as he glanced at the two of us, both frightened and helpless. “Frank, choose Ruth. She is your wife! Do not listen to me,” Dera looked up at Frank with watery eyes. She was pale and weak, but so kind, treating me with every care. Frank’s conscience was overwhelmed with shame. His fists were clenched, ready to spill blood on his hands. “Go, Frank. You can save one woman. The time is escaping.” Frank snarled, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of us. My heart pounded in my chest when I saw his eyes darting back and forth between Dera and me. Frank looked at me only once before he spoke to the thug, “Let Dera go.” My heart fell. He had picked her. I should have realized this was the inevitable, but I had hoped secretly that Frank would pick me. I was his rightful wife, for goodness’ sake. It hurt me to see him pick another woman and leave me to be the thug’s hostage more than I ever thought I would. Frank. Was I not important to you? I wept like an idiot. “Frank, you look as cold as is rumored,” the thug snarled with a revulsion-filled smile. “Are you at ease leaving the other woman in our hands?” “Let Dera go,” Frank commanded icily. The thug grinned wickedly and undid the rope from Dera’s waist. Frank stepped up and wrapped his arms around Dera, holding her against his chest as if she were one of those delicate porcelain dolls that would break if set down. “Frank, you must take Ruth. I’m a cripple and will be in a wheelchair for the remainder of my life. I’m of no use to you,” Dera breathed. “Don’t worry, I’ll rescue you from here,” Frank promised while pulling her out of the warehouse. I couldn’t utter anything. My heart was broken into a million pieces. The only thing that frightened me was my innocent child, who would be killed because of my stupid love for Frank. If I were to go back in time, I would never give my heart to such a heartless man. “Because Frank has made a choice, I have no use for you to live,” the thug declared, playing with his knife as he glared at me. “Proceed. What are you waiting for?” I spat back as I glared at the thug. “I was waiting for you to beg for your life. I would not have let you go either,” the thug laughed. He ordered his henchmen to fill the place with gasoline. “But boss, is this to be done?” one of them asked. “She wants her out,” the thug answered. I heard that but could not even begin to take in what he was saying. My heart ached. To the very last, I never came first for Frank. Why was I doing this? Why was I allowing Frank to treat me so poorly? I knew I was having my last moments and there were just so many things that I was regretting. “Hey, Miss, last words?” the thug grinned at me. My eyes were closed, accepting fate. Boom! A huge explosion rocked the ground. Frank, who had run back to the warehouse, was blown back by the explosion. He looked in terror at the warehouse, now engulfed in flames, burning the whole building to the ground. I, his wife, stayed in the warehouse. “Ruth!!” “NO!!!” Frank’s anguished cry filled the air.

years later The top-class events facility in Charles State buzzed with activity. Josephs & Co, owners of the biggest jewelry company, had returned to the country to introduce their long-lost daughter to the world. Jack Josephs, a renowned jewelry craftsman, was a force to be reckoned with who had taken his family’s jewelry company and made himself wealthy. He had always been at the front of the fashion parade in the jewelry industry. Everyone was always complimenting the jewels he made. But he left the country with his wife several years ago. All of them wished that they never had the chance to develop relations with the Josephs family. The Josephs family eventually came back. Most of the number one men and women in Charles State yearned to greet their hands with Jack Josephs, MD of Josephs & Co. They arrived in limousines and brought expensive gifts in an attempt to capture the hearts of the family. A reporter from KB Entertainment made a live appearance on television as they covered the event live. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have come to the largest event of the year where Josephs & Co.’s MD is going to present his only daughter to the world. Everyone is waiting with bated breath to see Miss Josephs, including Charles State’s most eligible bachelor, Frank Lanka, who has also brought with him his fiancée, Dera Pete. It appears that the dignified MD also wants to meet the missing daughter of the Josephs family.” Continuing repeating himself, a handsome tall man strode by the door wearing a suit made to measure and proceeded into the hallway. The reporter’s remark angered him and provoked him to jest. He was not ‘interested’ in greeting the missing daughter. He only wished to put forth an offer of union with Jack Josephs in behalf of his impending jewelry venture. The guy was none other than Lanka CULT CEO Frank Lanka. Tall dark-haired guy with a sharp angular jaw that could cut through a diamond. He had a trimmed, well-groomed beard that made him a hunky, macho-looking dude. “Frank, over here!” A voice barely above a whisper whispered on one side of the hall. Frank turned his head to glance at Dera Pete. He smiled and approached her, inquiring, “Have you talked to Mr. Josephs yet?” Dera laughed nervously. She had tried to venture out earlier to see Mr. Josephs but was driven away by his security guards. Anyone who wished to see the man would have to wait until the event. The fact that she knew him from her father did not work in her favor. “I just sat here waiting for him. Don’t you worry, Frank. I will get you a partnership with Mr. Josephs. He is my father’s friend, so he owes me some face,” Dera said. Frank shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded. He had no other choice but to turn to Dera since his own efforts to reach Jack Josephs were an exercise in futility. It seems the man is deliberately avoiding him for one reason or another. Before long, the MC had called out that Mr. Josephs had arrived and all were standing by the door waiting. One minute went by, and in walked a man in his late fifties with a gorgeous woman. He was his wife, Freya Josephs, a famous jewelry designer. “There he is, let’s go and meet him. I’ll introduce him to you,” Dera declared in confidence. Frank nodded and rolled Dera’s wheelchair forward. They inched up to Jack Josephs and his wife when they stopped to greet some other partygoers. Dera smiled and said, “Uncle Josephs!” Jack Josephs turned at the sound of his name. He frowned when he saw it was Dera. “Remember me? I’m the daughter of—” “Good evening,” Jack Josephs brushed Dera aside with a greeting and moved on without glancing back at Frank. Dera’s face turned red like a tomato. She did not expect Jack Josephs to cold-shoulder her in front of all these people. “I thought you said you were family friends?” Frank asked, surprised that Jack cold-shouldered Dera who claimed to know him on a personal level. “Perhaps he does not know me. Because I’m a cripple now,” Dera gasped, and Frank scowled at her statement. “Let him be. I’ll take care of him afterwards,” Frank had said softly. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Jack Josephs stood up on the platform and grasped the microphone. “Welcome.” The party crowd were immediately hushed and all of them looked over at the Josephs couple on stage. “Thank you for your support. Josephs LIFTX is moving its business centre back out to the countryside today,” Jack announced. The crowd applauded thunderously. Everyone was aware of the news once they received the invitation, but no one was hesitant to show their happiness. “Alright, let me introduce to you my long-lost daughter. Welcome on stage, Lydia Josephs!” There was a commotion at the entrance. A lady walked in and everyone’s attention was focused towards her at once. She was wearing a fashionably dressed outfit. Her complexion was light and she wore her dark brown hair in an up styled updo. She had on an open back, sapphire blue formal dress with light makeup on her face accentuating her stunning features. Frank also turned to see what everybody else was staring at. But when he saw the woman entering the room, his jaw dropped and eyes widened. “Ruth?” he thought to himself. Was he dreaming? The woman looked so much like his deceased wife, Ruth. Frank was also shocked, just like Dera. She looked pale and whispered, “Is it Ruth? How is this possible? She died!” But Frank didn’t utter a single word. He was staring at the goddess-like lady who was similar to his wife. The heart of Dera sank when she realized that Frank’s eyes were diverted to the mysterious lady. She clinched her fists into tight balls as fear started creeping onto her. Who was the lady and why did she look so much like Ruth? The crowd lost it as Lydia Josephs descended onto the stage elegantly. She proceeded to her dad with a smile on her face. She took the microphone from her hand and smiled at the audience and proclaimed, “Hello everyone, I am Lydia Josephs. I’m back and I will be occupying the office of the MD of Josephs & Co. Jewelry Company from here on.”

I was stunned. There was the woman on stage who looked like my late wife. Her face, her shape, her voice—there was a striking similarity between the two women. I scowled as I listened to Lydia Josephs give her speech. “Ruth, is that you?” I asked myself, a look of confusion on my face. Lydia Josephs finished speaking and stepped down from the podium. The MC then told her that she would have to share the dance floor with her partner, Dean Anderson, a new mysterious young man who appeared to be a debonair new face in Charles State. He was tall and lean and had sandy brown hair and brown eyes. The guy, in a three-piece gray suit, grinned at Lydia and walked up to her. In front of everyone, he took Lydia’s hand and asked, “May I have this dance, Lydia?” Lydia smiled and took his hand. They stepped onto the dance floor and moved to the beat. Dean glanced at Lydia as they danced. He grinned and said, “Congratulations, boss lady.” Lydia grinned and said, “Thank you, Dean.” “I’m the happiest man in the room now, and I bet the men who are looking on are jealous of me,” Dean explained, staring into Lydia’s eyes. “Oh Dean, you’ll always be so flirtatious,” Lydia pleasantly said. “As the youngest female MD of Charles State and the mysterious daughter of the Josephs clan, it’s all enough to make all the men go crazy about you,” Dean continued. “Dean, you’re on stage as well. You’re the mysterious new MD who’s just moved to Charles State. Honestly, I’ve known you for so many years now, and you’re still as mysterious,” Lydia teased her friend. My teeth were locked into a scowl of frustration. Witnessing the woman who so closely resembled Ruth dance so intimately with another man kindled an unidentifiable spark of jealousy in my heart. I knew that she would not be my wife. So why was I so angry and disturbed noticing this unfamiliar woman with another guy? My eyes constricted and I felt as if someone was squeezing my heart. I could only try to stop myself from walking out onto that dance floor and tearing them apart. From the corner of my eye, Dera happened to catch a glimpse at my face when I gazed at Lydia Josephs. She clenched her fists into tight balls as bitterness crept into the corners of her heart. “Do you still carry that bitch in your heart?” she asked herself. Eight years had passed and I still hadn’t married her. Was it perhaps because I couldn’t let go of Ruth? Dera glared at Lydia Josephs with ill will in her heart. No one was going to steal me from her! I belonged to her and her alone! “Frank. Do you actually think she resembles Ruth?” Dera surprised me by telling me to hear her. “I’ve thought of her every waking moment of all those eight years and blamed myself the entire time. If not for you rescuing me, Ruth would have been killed. But how can Lydia Josephs be Ruth? She’s not that one. How can she be from a wealthy family?” I came to my senses when I heard that. Of course, Ruth was an orphan and had no relatives. There was no chance she was Jack Josephs’ daughter. I glanced at the woman dancing on the dance floor and saw how she danced gracefully. Ruth could not dance and she did not enjoy attending such gatherings. “Right. There’s no chance that she’s Ruth. I saw her body myself,” I told myself. “Yes. Ruth is dead,” I grumbled, but I sounded as though I was trying to convince myself. But I could not shake the tightening in my chest. I felt like I was something short. Within a few minutes, Lydia had just greeted and been introduced to most of the older guests. Dean departed Lydia alone after offering an apology for leaving to answer a call. Noticing that she was by herself, I got up from beside Dera to greet her. “Good evening, Miss Josephs,” I replied softly with a velvety voice. Lydia swiveled around to catch sight of me since she heard the sound of the man’s voice. My heart skipped a beat as eyes met. Those hazel eyes. Up close, she was more Ruth Bennett-like. Wasn’t she her? “Good evening,” Lydia’s soft voice came to my ears. She was being courteous, but I could sense there was no recognition in her response to me. I raised an eyebrow. I smiled and said to her, “I’ve wanted to get a chance to talk to you. I’d like to make an offer of partnership— “Neither is it the time nor the place, Sir. First of all, shouldn’t you introduce yourself? You can’t skip introducing yourself to talk business,” Lydia said. My heart fell like a stone as reality hit me. This lady was not my wife. My wife would have recognized me. How could someone resemble a dead individual so much? Even their eyes were the same. “Sir?” I shouted, my face twisted in confusion. “I’m Frank Lanka, Managing Director of the Lanka CULT,” I stated, though bitter on my tongue. Why was it so inappropriate to be strangers with the lady before me? “Alright, Mr. Lanka. You can have your assistant deal with whatever business-related things,” Lydia said. She smiled and went on, “Excuse me.” “Hold on.” I couldn’t help but hold her back. I looked into Lydia’s eyes and I had this feeling of an unspeakable emotion coursing through me at the moment. Although I was aware that the woman standing in front of me was not Ruth, it was great to look into the face of a woman who bore some resemblance to her. It had been eight years since my wife passed away and yet, I couldn’t help but think of her. “Mr. Lanka, what’s that? And why do you stare at me like you do?” Lydia replied, not even a wisp of emotion on her face. Racing heart. I swallowed the suddenly formed lump in my throat and then said, “Lydia Josephs, you’re so familiar. Are you Ruth?”

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After being diagnosed with pregnancy at the military base hospital, I, Sarah Robinson, heard the heartbeat of the baby inside me. Coincidentally, my brother Cooper Robinson came to visit me. I was about to share the good news of my pregnancy with him. But the baby inside me cried and stopped me. The baby inside me said, “Mom, please don’t tell Uncle Cooper. His wife is also pregnant. Uncle Cooper is afraid that after you have me, you won’t help their family anymore, so he will force you to abort me.” So, I contacted the security department and asked them not to let Cooper in. But the next day, I heard the news that Cooper was brutally tortured and killed by his enemies, and his body was thrown into the river. It was then I realized he wasn’t here to visit but to seek help after provoking his enemies. Cooper’s wife, Bella Robinson, cried bitterly and accused me of causing Cooper’s death. When I was in so much pain that I didn’t want to live anymore, my husband, Henry Ross, supported and encouraged me to pull myself together. But the baby inside me reminded me again. The baby inside me said, “Dad is kissing Aunt Bella. He’s being nice to you only because he feels guilty about cheating on you.” By the time I realized it, I had already rushed into the military base to find them. But an important combat meeting was being held at the military base, and Henry was demoted because of it. He was very disappointed and wanted to file for divorce with me. The baby inside me said, “If you take a tough stance, Dad will definitely resist. Mom, as long as you agree to the divorce, Dad will beg to remarry you within three days because he’s just that kind of man who loves his wife.” I signed the divorce agreement and waited for three months, only to see him publicly remarry a woman who resembled me by seventy percent. I rushed to the wedding venue but was dragged into an alley by drunk thugs and gang-raped to death. My child, however, was clapping happily. I couldn’t understand why my child wanted to harm me, even until my death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I found out I was pregnant. ***** The doctor said, “Sarah, congratulations. After trying for so long, you’re finally pregnant this time. Just in time, Cooper is here to see you. You can share this good news with him.” Hearing the doctor’s words, I realized I had truly been reborn. My hand trembled as it touched my lower abdomen, and the familiar inner voice came through again. The child in my belly said, “Mom, please don’t meet Uncle Cooper. His wife is also pregnant. Uncle Cooper is afraid that after having me, you won’t help their family and will definitely force you to abort me. I don’t want to leave you.” I pretended not to hear and quickly shouted to the doctor, “Let Cooper in right away.” In my previous life, it was because I believed my child’s inner voice that I didn’t let Cooper see me. As a result, he, targeted by thugs, didn’t seek help from my husband Henry in time. In the end, his body was brutally mutilated. Bella held Cooper’s body, crying in deep sorrow, accusing me of being the murderer. I was in so much pain that I didn’t want to live anymore. It was Henry who brought Bella to our home to settle her. Afterward, he patiently stayed by my side. But just as I recovered from the guilt, I heard the voice of the child in my belly again. The child in my belly said, “Mom, actually, Dad is only being nice to you because he feels guilty about cheating and wants to make up for it. If you go to the military base now, you’ll see Dad kissing Aunt Bella.” My mind went blank, and by the time I realized it, I had already rushed into the military base to find them. But an important combat meeting was taking place inside. My sudden intrusion caused Henry to be demoted. He disappointedly dragged me to the Courthouse to file for divorce. I didn’t know what to do and felt very flustered. My child’s words became my support at this moment. The child in my belly said, “If you’re too firm, Dad will definitely resist. Threatening not to divorce will only completely sever your relationship with him. It’s better to let go and calm down. “Mom, as long as you agree to the divorce, Dad will beg to remarry you within three days. He’s just that kind of man who loves his wife.” I believed my child’s words. Then, I signed the divorce agreement. But after three months, Henry still didn’t come to me. When I went back to him, I saw him proudly showing off a marriage certificate with a woman who resembled me by seventy percent, while accusing me of heartlessly abandoning my husband and child. I wanted to confront Henry for an explanation, but a group of thugs dragged me into an alley and gang-raped me to death. Now, living again, I will never repeat the mistakes of the past.

Cooper came to my hospital room. After hearing the news of my pregnancy, he smiled. He said, “Congratulations, Sarah, you’re finally pregnant.” But I noticed Cooper’s smile was a bit forced. I grabbed his hand directly and asked, “Cooper, what’s going on with you?” After my repeated questioning, Cooper revealed the reason. “Last time, I angered a gang by helping someone. They threatened to harm Bella. “Henry is in the military. I think he should have a way to handle it.” Thinking of Cooper’s tragic death in the previous life, I wanted to completely eliminate these vicious people. But I didn’t have the ability to do it. I said, “Henry went on an urgent mission, he won’t be back today.” I saw a trace of guilt flash in Cooper’s eyes. I understood he was afraid of causing me trouble. So, I quickly said, “Cooper, I’ll call a few guards to escort you back first. That should scare them off.” “When Henry comes back, I’ll have them arrest that group immediately to ensure the safety of you and Bella.” Cooper grabbed my hand and said a heavy “thank you.” Watching him leave under the escort of the guards, my tense heart finally relaxed. However, early the next morning, the police said they had found Cooper’s body. The police said, “When Cooper was pulled from the river today, his body was covered in slash wounds.” I said in shock, “How is that possible?” I already met Cooper and even arranged for guards to escort him. How could those thugs make a move? I still haven’t accepted this reality. Immediately, Bella rushed in with swollen red eyes and grabbed me by the neck. “Sarah, Cooper came to you for help because he was in danger. Is this how you brushed him off?” “You killed him, leaving me a widow. The baby in my belly will be born without a father.” She let go halfway through her words, crouched on the ground, and burst into tears. I collapsed weakly onto the bed, overwhelmed by a suffocating sense of panic. I panicked, thinking, “I clearly didn’t follow the voice of the child in my belly, so why did Cooper still die?” Henry rushed over upon hearing the news and pulled me into his arms, comforting me, “Sarah, this is the killer’s fault. You don’t need to blame yourself.” “Right now, the most important thing is to take care of you and Bella. Both of you are carrying children.” I held him tightly, as if clinging to my only support. I said, “Okay.” I held back my tears, knowing the dead can’t come back to life, and I couldn’t stay negative any longer. After that, Henry was always very considerate to me and also brought Bella to our home to take care of her. Our lives gradually got back on track. But at this moment, my child’s voice broke the silence. The child in my belly said, “Mom, Dad is being so nice to you only because his guilt from cheating is making him compensate.” “If you go to the army base now, you’ll see Dad and Aunt Bella kissing.” I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. In my previous life, I saw Henry as my only support. So, when I heard someone was interfering in our marriage, and that person was Bella, I stormed in angrily. As a result, the price was Henry being demoted. This time, I asked Henry in advance. He said there was a confidential meeting today. So, I absolutely can’t disturb him again. So, I pretended not to hear and continued ironing Henry’s uniform. When Henry came home, he hugged me and said, “During the meeting today, a subordinate’s wife actually wanted to take him home for dinner. “The general was so angry that he directly demoted him three ranks.” He gave me a kiss and continued, “Honey, luckily you never cause me trouble. Having a wife like you, I’m truly lucky.”

I gave him a smile, feeling deeply grateful. Sure enough, trusting Henry was the right decision. This time, Henry wasn’t demoted, and I should be able to live peacefully with him. As long as we don’t divorce, he won’t look for another woman. The next day, I found a package for Bella in the mailbox. My child’s inner voice surfaced again, telling me earnestly. She said, “Mom, this is the evidence of Aunt Bella having an affair with Dad. Open it quickly and see.” However, I didn’t hesitate and handed the package to Bella. I thought I had defused another crisis, but just as I stepped out for a walk, Bella’s room exploded. I collapsed to the ground, watching the house engulfed in flames, my mind completely blank. I thought, “Where did the bomb come from? This never happened in my previous life.” Henry arrived quickly. I instinctively reached out for comfort, but he pushed me away. He said, “Sarah, as a military family member, don’t you know that unidentified packages must be sent to the bomb disposal unit for inspection?” “Cooper is dead, and I once swore to take care of Bella. Now, she’s been killed because of you. How am I supposed to face Cooper?” He was deeply grieved, his eyes filled with disappointment as he looked at me. Henry said, “Sarah, let’s get a divorce.” Hearing those words, my heart trembled violently. I thought, “Why did I always believe Henry didn’t cheat and didn’t ruin Henry’s career, yet still ended up with a divorce?” How could there suddenly be a bomb? “This never happened in my previous life.” I was utterly shocked, almost on the verge of breaking down. At that moment, a tender, comforting voice echoed in my mind. The child in my belly said, “Mom, please don’t resist Dad. He’s very angry right now. If you don’t divorce, it will only push him further away.” In my previous life, it was because I made a mistake and divorced Henry that those thugs who coveted me ended up assaulting me. In this life, I will never let such a thing happen again. I firmly said to Henry, “No, I don’t agree to the divorce.” The child in my belly said, “Mom, don’t do this. If you go against Dad, he’ll get even angrier.” I ignored the noisy voice in my head and held Henry’s hand. Then, I softened my tone and said, “Henry, I know you feel guilty. But divorce can’t bring the dead back to life. Can you give me a chance to go through this tough time with you?” “And besides, we have an unborn child. Don’t you want to raise her with me?” Henry’s furrowed brows gradually eased. As if calming down, he hugged me apologetically and said, “Sarah, I’m sorry. I was just too upset earlier.” “You’re right. The dead can’t come back, and the living must live well.” After that, he never brought up divorce again. So, have I changed that tragic fate? This discovery made me so happy I almost cried. Afterward, to make up for the negligence that caused Bella’s death, I worked hard to accommodate and care for everything about Henry, managing the household beautifully. My child is also growing safely in my belly. Just when everything was steadily improving, a sudden change occurred. Henry, while on a mission, carried an injured woman down the mountain but was maliciously slandered as harassing her and reported to the army. He said with deep guilt, “That family couldn’t bear the harassment of rumors and came to the military base to cause trouble. My superior gave me two options. The first is permanent suspension.” Without thinking, I asked, “What’s the second?” Henry said self-reproachfully, “We fake a divorce, and then I marry her.” I was stunned and thought, “Are we really going to divorce?”

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My son Jack Miller’s PTSD episodes are becoming more frequent. He’s getting irritable, quick to anger, and scared of fire and light. I was kicked by him again and spat blood. Everyone tells me that having a “Firefighting Hero” like Jack as my son is my good fortune. Until the fire brigade’s PR team came to my house, saying they wanted to do a “Firefighting Hero Family Documentary live streaming.” The PR person said to me, “Athena, we want to document Jack’s real life and let society remember the sacrifices of heroes.” Athena Miller is my name. I ran my hand over the coffee cup, avoiding his probing gaze. I replied, “Jack would feel uncomfortable in front of the camera.” He assured, “Athena, don’t worry. We aim for authenticity, and the live streaming will be very discreet.” I agreed. After the live streaming started, flowers and praise flooded toward Jack like a tide. Six years, and the deepest pain of this family is finally about to be uncovered by me. ***** The hidden camera has been installed. I clipped a tiny microphone inside my shirt, held the cake, and knocked on Jack’s door. My ribs ached faintly, the spot where he kicked me last week. I knocked on the door for a long time before Jack finally opened it. Burn scars covered his neck and half of his face. In the dim room, he looked like a monster. I trembled as I forced a smile, then lit the lighter in front of him to light the candles. I said to him, “Jack, today marks your sixth year as a Firefighting Hero. I specially bought a cake to celebrate.” When the flame leapt out, Jack’s eyes widened, and he took half a step back. At this moment, the live streaming comments started scrolling like crazy. [Jack is already burned like that, and she still lights a fire in front of him? Is she out of her mind?] [Celebrate? Didn’t her husband die in that fire?] [Please, just put out the fire. Can’t you see Jack is uncomfortable?] I forced myself to stay calm and held the cake up to Jack’s face. Jack’s breathing grew heavier. I closed my eyes, waiting for the familiar punches and kicks to come. Six years ago, Rowan spoiled me so much that I didn’t have to do any chores. But now, I’ve become a nanny skilled in handling all household tasks. I also became a punching bag for Jack to vent his emotions without restraint. That devastating fire took the life of my husband, Rowan Miller, and ruined my son, Jack. The father and son rushed into the fire seven times and saved thirty-two people. In the end, Jack shielded the trapped child with his body. And Rowan placed his fireproof mask over the child’s face, leaving the hope of survival to them. Later, Jack became a hero but developed severe PTSD. In these six years, anything slightly related to fire would instantly drive him crazy. One time, I just opened the oven to cook. The moment the flames flared up, Jack rushed over and pushed me to the ground. He roared, “You b****! Are you trying to burn me alive?” Jack’s scars twisted with anger, making him look terrifying. He shouted, “Do you know what it feels like when fire burns your skin?” He repeatedly kicked my abdomen. Coughing up blood, I explained to him, “Jack, I just wanted to cook a meal.” “Fire! It’s all fire!” Jack screamed. Then, he smashed everything in the kitchen he could. Since then, I never cooked again, only ate takeout and cold food. It took me a long time to accept this cruel reality. My son, my pride, had turned into a monster who didn’t even recognize his own family. But today, the violence I expected didn’t happen. Jack, with red eyes and a sorrowful voice, said, “I will never forget the screams when Dad was burned to death.” “Mom, are you celebrating so grandly on Dad’s death anniversary because you’ve forgotten him?” My hand trembled, and the cake almost fell to the ground. How could I forget? This is my beloved’s death anniversary. Rowan died, and took the old me with him. Now, all that’s left is Jack’s mother. I am the mother everyone calls great and lucky, who must wholeheartedly care for Jack without any selfishness. But years of domestic violence have left my body and soul utterly exhausted, almost unbearable. As long as netizens see what Jack has done, I can definitely send him to a professional place for treatment. That way, I can be free. Thinking of this, I gathered my courage and stepped closer. The flame flickered, seemingly about to touch the terrifying scar on Jack’s face the next second.

Real-time comments instantly filled with accusations against me. [Rowan is dead, Jack is injured like this. What is there for her to celebrate? Has she abandoned her humanity for money?] [I truly feel sorry for Jack. He lost his father and still has to endure such a neurotic mother.] [This is Jack, who saved countless families. How can she treat a hero like this?] Jack suddenly laughed, a laugh more grating than a cry. He said, “Mom, every time you say you love me and it’s for my own good, yet you insist on using fire to remind me again and again.” His voice was filled with despair. “I’m a failure. I saved so many people, but I couldn’t save my father.” Jack spoke with a heavy nasal tone, making my eyes sting too. He knocked the cake to the ground. The candle grazed my instep, bringing searing pain. I quickly said, “No, Jack, you’re not wrong.” I wanted to say he was just sick. I crouched down to clean up the mess on the ground. After the fire, I immediately took him to see every psychologist in the city, and he never stopped taking his medication. When first diagnosed with PTSD, Jack would hold me and cry with guilt. He said, “Mom, I didn’t mean to, I just can’t control myself.” But later, things escalated from verbal abuse to shoving, and eventually to punching and kicking. At its worst, I was beaten so badly that I couldn’t get out of bed for three days. I once showed the doctor the bruises on my body. But they frowned and told me it was just a rare case, and later they even stopped treating Jack. Not just doctors, even nurses and passersby tried to persuade me. Someone said, “He’s a Firefighting Hero. You’re his mom. You should think more about your child.” Some also said, “You’re his mother. You can’t be selfish at a time like this. You need to stay strong. It’s your responsibility.” Others said, “Even if not for yourself, for society, you must take good care of the hero.” I tried many ways, but none worked. But I didn’t give up. If this hospital doesn’t work, we’ll go to a better one. But Jack grabbed my neck and screamed, “If you mention going to the hospital again, I’ll kill you!” I once cried to his teammates who came to visit, saying Jack’s mental issues were too severe, and I couldn’t hold on any longer. His teammate patted my shoulder and said, “Athena, we know you’re going through a lot.” “Everyone says you’re amazing. “Jack is already pitiful. If you give up first, how will he survive?” The word “amazing” choked back everything I wanted to say. No one believes this hero would beat his mother until she vomited blood. I can only feed this monster devouring me day after day. But now, Jack’s unusual calmness scares me. Normally, he loses control at the sight of a spark, never accusing me with such clear logic like now. A terrifying thought crossed my mind. I thought, “Does he already know about the live streaming?” I instinctively touched the microphone under my collar, my heart pounding like a drum. That’s impossible. The PR staff assured me repeatedly that it was absolutely confidential. The camera was so well hidden, how could he possibly notice it? Jack suddenly stood up and walked toward me. I instinctively protected my head. But he just crouched down and took the cloth from my hand. He said, “Mom, let me tidy up.” Real-time comments started praising him. [Jack is so filial. Even though he feels so unwell, he still helps his mom clean up.] [I’ve seen his photos from before the accident. He was quite a handsome young man. It’s such a pity.] [He’s still quite handsome now. Does he have a girlfriend? I want to marry him.] I have a bad feeling in my heart. I thought in despair, “Why? Could it be that even after risking everything and betting all on this live streaming, I still can’t bring relief to Jack and myself?” If that’s really the case, then I can only disappear completely and go find his dad. At least in that world, someone cared about me. Jack’s back of the head swayed as he mopped the floor. Suddenly, I noticed a fresh wound behind his ear. That was accidentally scratched by me yesterday while struggling. But now, that wound is carefully covered with foundation.

I nervously thought, “Could he really know he’s live streaming now?” “Jack.” I tried to make my voice sound natural. I asked him, “Have you been in touch with your fire brigade teammates recently?” Jack looked up, a hint of confusion in his eyes. He replied, “No. Why are you suddenly asking this?” I forced a smile, trying to brush it off, but the weight in my heart felt even heavier. If he doesn’t know about the live streaming, then what made him so restrained today? I decided to test him again. After tidying up the cake, I pulled out an old photo album from the drawer. Those were old family photos. Inside were photos of Jack in uniform, looking handsome and strong, as well as a picture of him and his son standing side by side in front of a fire truck. “Jack, look at this one,” I said, pointing to one of the photos. That was taken after Jack’s first fire rescue. His face still had soot on it, but he was smiling brightly. I continued, “You were so proud back then.” Jack’s gaze lingered on the photo for a moment, his fingers trembling slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He said softly, “That’s all in the past now.” The live comments started criticizing me again. [What’s wrong with this woman? She’s always bringing up sad things.] [Jack is so strong, staying calm even after seeing all this.] [Does his mom have dementia? Why does she keep bringing up Jack’s sad memories?] This doesn’t seem like the Jack I know. I run my hand over the indented patterns on the heavy album backboard. The last time I took out the album, Jack roared at me, asking why I still kept these memories. He took the hard album and smashed it against my head until I passed out. I couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope, thinking, “Could Jack really be better?” “Could my six years of torment finally be coming to an end?” At lunch, I specifically ordered grilled fish that needed to be heated with a small candle. Jack took the initiative to help me clean the table. I stared at him intently. He naturally picked up the small candle, struck a match to light it, and placed it under the grill pan. Jack neither dodged my outburst nor forced my hand into the boiling soup. My heart was pounding. I didn’t know whether to feel sad or happy. I turned on the TV and switched to a channel reporting a fire. Flames soared in the footage as firefighters worked hard to extinguish the fire. “Turn it off,” Jack said in a low voice. I could almost feel an invisible pressure, instinctively tensing my muscles. I explained, “I’ll just watch for a bit. You firefighters really have it tough.” Time passed second by second. But nothing happened. I turned my head and saw Jack standing at the doorway, his back to the TV. He said, “Mom, please. I don’t want to watch this.” After speaking, Jack lowered his head, walked to his room, and closed the door. I stood there in a daze. The crackling sounds of the fire were still coming from the TV. A hope, hard to put into words, sprouted like a tender bud in spring. I couldn’t help but smile. Maybe the medication finally worked, or maybe time truly heals the deepest wounds. I gently touched the microphone under my collar and suddenly felt a wave of guilt. What am I doing? I actually wanted to expose Jack’s pain, to let the whole world see his most vulnerable side. Yet he was silently striving to get better. At that moment, the doorbell suddenly rang. I opened the door, and outside stood Jack’s girlfriend, Anna Scott. My heart sank suddenly, thinking, “Could Jack’s unusual behavior today be because Anna is coming?”

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