Novels by EphraStorm

Chapter 81: Luca RomanoI look straight at my sister in disbelief. Challenging for my position, the one that's mine by right - that's simply going too far. I am not quite sure what has suddenly gotten into her for her to even try this, but I am very angry with her now."How can you even-" I start, standing up to my feet and stomping on the ground in anger, but my dad is looking at me, his eyes firm now."Sit down," he said. My eyes widened in shock as I look at him, wondering if this is really it. I take a moment to contemplate my choices before I sit down finally, somehow having the feeling that this is going to be more than a mistake for me.I'm not quite sure if I should continue going along with what I have chosen, but when I think about it, I can't suddenly start changing my idea and what I have stood for just because of the consequences that await me. What would that make me? I wouldn't even feel like a man any longer if I suddenly started conforming because of the threat of los

Chapter 80: Luca RomanoIt is one thing to be defiant and say everything I want to say to every other person who questions what I choose to do. It is one thing to be myself, act free, and not care about what others think of my decisions. But it is another thing entirely to speak the same words to my father. And that is my situation now as I stare straight ahead at the man who holds my future in his hands somewhat and looks like he has a lot to say to me right now."I heard something about you refusing the marriage," someone says. I snap out of my thoughts and look at him boldly, deciding that it is best to face him man to man and tell him what I want. He keeps frowning hard at me. This is pretty much a family meeting now because everyone is here. Maybe he arranged it this way for this particular reason.If he thinks that because of all the people present and all the officials of the Romano mafia empire here, I won’t continue presenting my argument, then he is mistaken. He is the one w

Chapter 79Vanessa HollowayI couldn't help but feel like this was fated for the two of us to suddenly be sharing a meal with each other in a restaurant. Both of us, two parts of the same coin and facing the same situation of a forced marriage. I couldn't help but think that maybe we should just go along with it. After all, his eyes were very shocked when he noticed that it was me, but that was the same for me. I didn't know myself that he was the one that I was supposed to face. I had no idea whatsoever. And there was actually no way I could ever have known that it was.I was being prostituted. I knew that just as much as he was right now. With a sum of a higher class, they said, I was forced to drop my appearance as a journalist, to open up my ears and start calling myself my real name for just a while. But I told myself that the moment this was over, I would ensure that he would regret it if he decided to throw in his own blood with me and tried to be a thing with me.At his part,

Chapter 78: Luca Romano My sister comes to meet me and seems to want to have a long conversation, from the looks of how long she is spending and how she doesn't seem to be leaving anytime soon. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" I get questioned, frowning at her. She smiles at me slowly before she continues, her voice taking on a lighter tone."There's something else. You need to listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you," she informs. I look at her in surprise. What on earth does she have to tell me that is actually so important?"Speak," I start, but she is already talking, and she doesn't need me to prompt her."What has happened is going to give us more resources and also give us backup against the various. I have more power over the family farm and can tilt the scales in our favor," she tells me. I can hardly believe my ears."What?" I ask. She doesn't seem to be joking at all."I know how it is to you. I know what you feel about it," she tells me. "She wants her m

Chapter 77Luca Romano I don't know what to say about her, how she reacts. It's surprising, simply put, and also incredibly interesting. "What is it you know about her?" I ask her. She raises an eyebrow."Don't worry yourself," she says. "I can't think," I respond coldly, wondering what has suddenly gotten into her and also wondering why she would decide to treat me like this, or her husband. "Are we now leaving each other in the dark about important things?" I ask her slowly, my voice having a dangerous edge to it as I question her actions and how she treats me right now.She seems to be a little uncomfortable. Finally, she responds, "I've done my research and I found out about him. I also know that he's not someone we can play around with. He's a very powerful figure in the criminal underworld. And also, there has never been anybody he came across that managed to survive." She told me, sounding rather fearful, "How did you survive?"She asked me all of a sudden. I blink, refusing t

Chapter 76 - Luca RomanoI stare at the man in front of me. I know that negotiation isn't going to get me anywhere. I don't even need anyone to tell me - I'm really well aware of the fact that he's here to take me alive, and that nothing I would say ever would change that. I'm feeling rather crazy inside as I look at him and try to plan.My phone is in my pocket. My hands are not really where he can see them. They are in my pocket, so I can pull off a trick or two on him, if I'm lucky enough. I wonder silently whether it's a good plan at all because personally, it seems like it's only going to be futile in the end. I really don't see how he's not going to be aware of my little trick if I actually decided to try it out, and I knew that it's already a daunting task in the first place for me, even more so when I decide that I'm going to try to talk to him and use my phone at the same time while maintaining that I am giving him my full attention.I am taking a deep breath as I try to calm

Chapter 120: Fiona's POVDespite my determination, something had been eating away at the edges of my confidence. I wasn't scared of Mara. No, I had stared down danger before, had dealt with enemies trying to destroy me and my family, my pack. And I had always won out in the end. But this time… this time was different. This woman was not only powerful — she was primeval. Her magic felt like it infiltrated the soil beneath our feet, so that everything felt heavier, more oppressive.Tightening my fists as fiery rage pulsed in my veins, begging me to do something. I had to defend everything — my house, my family, people I loved. And then, just out of the corner of my eye, I saw him.My father.The patriarch of our family, Lucian Ashford, entered the courtyard. When I first saw him, my breath caught in my throat. He had this calming effect on me in the chaos, his presence an anchor in the storm. He was strong, he was powerful, and yet in that instant I was suddenly inundated with vulnerabi

Chapter 119: Author's POVMara cackled, her voice ricocheting off the cold, the courtyard as Fiona tried to fight through her magic. It was almost too hilarious — the belligerent young wolf, full of fire and fury, attempting to hold her ground. Mara had seen this all before — the resistance, the defiance, the faith that sheer will could do battle against centuries of power. But it was always the same. They never learned.“This is the best you can do little wolf? There was a note of mocking amusement in Mara’s voice. She watched Fiona struggle against the magic, and her age-old eyes sparkled with triumph. “Little flames of yours aren’t going to cut it. There is no fire that can kill me now."Fiona’s hands were still up, the flickering orange of fire dancing around her fingers, but Mara could feel the energy ebbing out of her. She was old—older than most of the men who crossed her path—but not old enough to beat Mara’s decades of practice. Fiona’s flames might roar for attention, but Ma

Chapter 118: Fiona's POV“She’s older than I thought,” I said, my voice steady in spite of the fear snaking up my spine. “Maybe 400 years or more. Her power is not merely about natural talent. It’s honed. Ancient.”Ethan’s gaze flickered to mine, the intensity in his eyes matching the weight of my words. “That’s how she’s been able to manipulate so much so quickly.” She has had time to hone it.”As the crowd began to disperse, the estate buzzing with uncomfortable whispers. My parents were still shaking, their faces looking pale, their eyes flicking to my direction, as if trying to comprehend what had just happened. I wanted to comfort them, but there was no time.But before I took another step, the very atmosphere around me changed. It was subtle at first — a ripple, a hum in the air that raised the hairs on the back of my neck.And then she was back.Mara’s shape coalesced in the center of the courtyard, dark and imposing. This time, she didn’t bother with illusions. The real her wa

Chapter 117: Fiona’s POVI wasn’t surprised.As soon as I arrived at the estate I felt her—dark, intrusive energy that didn’t belong. It made me creast, and boiled my blood that Mara walked through my house pretending to be me.It didn’t surprise me that Maeve, standing next to me, noticed the obvious: “She’s going to tell Ethan she’s the real you.”I grinned grimly, clenching the enchanted stone in my fist. “Let her try. Ethan will see through it.”Maeve arched an eyebrow, her faith in Ethan not as solid as mine. “You have a remarkably steady disposition if you’re being impersonated.”“Calm?” I scoffed. “I’m furious. But this is not the moment to hit the panic button. I have to catch her something that nobody can dispute.”Maeve crossed her arms with a twinkle in her eyes. “What’s the plan?”I raised my hand, allowing a small flame to dance on my palm. Waves come in, back out, suck it all back down for another run. “I will call upon elemental fire and bring her true face to light. Ma

Chapter 116: Mara’s POVI sat in her chambers — no, my chambers now. It was strange how quickly I’d settled into this space, how easily I’d commandeered everything that once belonged to her. My fingers rapped in measured time on the armrest of her chair. Servants moved about the estate, oblivious to the storm I was about to unleash on these walls. They believed I was her. Her parents were convinced, as was she. They had all accepted me, no questions asked, no doubts raised. They didn’t know the truth, nor did they need to.But then there was Ethan.Ethan was the problem.He was in the courtyard, pacing, as I had expected. He was never gone, always looking, always hoping for a slip, for something to tell him the truth. His suspicion had been building for days, ever since I had set foot on the property, and I felt it whenever his eyes landed on me, scrutinizing me, as if I were a problem he was determined to solve. It was maddening, but exhilarating. He was a challenge. And I always lik

Chapter 115: Fiona’s POVThe call with Ethan played in a loop in my brain, like a record that had skipped and wouldn’t stop skipping. The more I thought about it, the louder every word got. Someone was out there, wandering through my life, wearing my name, my face — living as me. It was not only unsettling; it sent a chill deep, deep into my bones. That thought clung to me like a second skin, cold and suffocating.Mara. She’d gone too far this time. Way too far.I sat by the fire, gazing into the dancing flames, but the heat did not comfort me. It was a jumble of hazy thoughts and fears I was afraid to voice. Next to me, Maeve quietly packed our things with an efficiency that was almost reassuring. She always knew what to do when the rest of the world seemed to be spinning out of control. Her calm steadiness kept me grounded when I felt like I was falling apart.“Maeve,” I said suddenly, shattering the leaden silence. My voice sounded odd even to me — hoarse and choppy, like it didn’t