Artemis POV “Fine, I respect whatever decision you make,” Kane said calmly, close to my ears. “ I will give you more time to love me,” he added. I could see the anger written all over Kane's face as he walked away; I was sure he wouldn't want me to notice that, but I did. ‘ I don't mean to hurt your feelings,” I whispered silently to myself as I watched you leave. I went back to my room without the glass of water I came to take downstairs. Rolling from one side of the bed to another, I couldn't get myself to sleep because the thought of what happened between myself and Kane flooded my head. A few hours later, I slept off. The next morning, I woke up to the sound of a bird chipping at my window. “What in the world is this damn bird doing at my window,” sleep still shivering all over my voice and my head banging like it was going to explode. I was feeling so weak and tired like I worked all through the night in my dreams. I summon the strength to pick up my phone on the side ta
Artemis POV “You look stunning and amazing,” Kane said as he grabbed my waist and moved me closer to himself. “Thank you,” I replied as I stylishly pushed him away. I grabbed my purse and we left for the car. Kane opened the passenger seat door for me to hop in as a gentleman would do. We drove to the party in silence, the tension between us was high. We got to the party a few minutes into driving, and Kane got down from the car and opened the other side of the car for me to get down. As soon as we entered the party, I saw Aiden at the other end of the room. He was sitting gently, sipping from the glass of wine he was holding. “ Care for a glass of wine?”Kane asked me. “Sure I do.” I quickly get myself together so Kane won't notice I am staring at Aiden. Kane got me a glass of wine and also got himself one. “Let's dance,” Kane said silently to my ear, pulling me closer to himself. I looked back at Aiden, who was now looking at me and Kane as we danced. Aiden continues loo
Artemis POV Before I knew what was going on, Aiden pulled me into a bathroom beside where we were. I wanted to compose and let him know he was not in the position to do what he was doing, but he covered my lips with a deep kiss which, deep down, I wanted so badly. I soon began to kiss him back. I was almost losing it when I remembered how he hurt me even at the party. I tried pushing him away, but his grip was so tight that I couldn't escape. “What in the world do you think you're doing right now?” I asked frowning and looking up at him to get a clearer picture of his face. Aiden didn't say a word, but instead, he wanted more of my lips, and he kissed me more. “Who did you think you are to think you can do anything you like to me whenever you want?” “I'm sorry, Artemis,” Aiden said out of his breath, his eyes looking all over my body like he was ready to devour me at any available chance he got. “ Did you just say you're sorry, Aiden?” I asked angrily with my eyes wide open. “
Artemis POV I stood there frozen as the sound of the slammed door echoed in my ear. I couldn't believe what happened. I wasn't surprised anyway; that's the great Aiden we all know. I adjusted my dress well, brushed my hair, brought out lipstick from my purse, and applied some on my lips. As I entered the party, I spotted Aiden dancing and flirting with every lady in sight like he was doing it on purpose. “This must be a joke!” I whispered to myself. Done Aiden was giving the ladies the chance, all of them saw it as an opportunity to flirt with him the way they have always wanted. I watched as Aiden spank one of the lady's asses, my eyes narrowed, and I saw him laughing and the woman he spanked grinning from ear to ear. A spark of jealousy rose within me, and my face heated up. “Why are you reacting like this, Artemis?” I asked myself. “I thought you said you were with this guy” I was confused as to the reason why I was having this feeling of jealousy inside me. I shook off t
Artemis POV “Do you even love Aiden?” Daymon asked a very deep question that I had to ponder for some minutes before answering. I remember the first day I met Aiden. I felt nothing for him, but as time went on, I began to fall for him. He was the first man I would ever love to the heart; with him by my side, it looked like I had the whole wide world to myself. I took a deep breath, my eyes drifted away from Daymon’s. Memories of Aiden and I occupied my mind. I wish we could go back to the old days, the smiles, the tears, the laughter, the passionate time we spent together and all. “Yes, I love him,” I said, my voice barely available. “I do love him with all my heart” “And why do you love Aiden ?” Daymon asked, trying to understand. I hesitated, trying to look for the right word to use; I was short of words. “Aiden was the first person to make me feel like a real woman; he loved me heatedly and gave me the kind of affection everyone would want; he is the best thing every woman w
Chapter 33: trapped in danger Artemis POV I decided to wake him up to go sleep in his room for comfort, but I needed to get myself some water to drink before going to wake him up. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a cup from the cabinet to drink some water. After I was done, I went back to the sitting room to wake Kane up as planned. I was about to tap him when I saw a white envelope sliding down his pocket. “What's this I asked myself?’ I felt the urge to check the content of the letter. I tiptoed towards him and slowly removed the envelope from his pocket. I opened It, and it contained a letter. “Should I just drop it or proceed to check the content?” I asked myself silently. I went ahead to open the letter and the content was driving me crazy… “I will transfer your balance to you tomorrow; you impressed me the last time I gave you a job but this time around, and I want you to do more. I want you to look for a way to sleep with him, if possible, rape him and make her catc
Daymon’s POV At this point, we need to do anything to survive and save Artemis, my boss's woman. I am more confused than a first-time mom who knows nothing about newborns. I steered at the lady beside me who was bleeding profusely like she was going to lose all the blood she had in her body. “I will do something now to save us,” I said to Artemis, who is now feeling so weak and tired. She nodded her head in response to what I said. I drove the car and parked the car beside the forest, almost going into the forest so nobody, not even Kane's men, would find out we were there. When I made sure the car was well hidden, I took my cell phone and some basic things we might need because we were going to hide inside the forest. Immediately after I was done packing, I tore a part of my shirt and brought out the small ointment I had in the car to help Artemis' wound stop bleeding. I succeeded after five minutes. “Hold my shoulder so you can walk well,” I offered Artemis. She wrapped he
Artemis POV The aroma of roasted meat filled the air. The small alone filled my stomach, and I let out a beautiful smile. I was so happy I was finally going to have some good food to eat, even if it was not the best at the moment, but it was okay. I sat up, my eyes fixed on the roasting meat. “You're a lifesaver, Daymon.” I smiled at him, and he smiled back. Immediately after the meat was done, he handed some portions to me and took some for himself. We eat in silence, enjoying the warmth And nourishment. After we finished eating, I let out a satisfied sigh. “That you, Daymon.” I appreciated him again and again. Daymon smiled “ Anytime Artemis, we have to stay strong and keep our strength” I nodded in agreement to what Daymon said In all the days I have known Daymon, I have never gotten a clear vision of him. He looked up, admiring the huge tree in which we were enjoying its shade; I got to see Daymon well. “He is handsome,” I said in my mind. I never thought Daymon was
(Artemis’ POV) I knew something was wrong the moment I tried to stand. Pain. Sharp, deep, and all-consuming. For weeks, I had ignored the discomfort, brushing off Aiden’s concerns, assuring everyone that I was fine. I had always been strong—had survived things that should’ve killed me. But this? This was different. I braced myself against the vanity, sucking in a sharp breath. Aiden was already watching me from across the room, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable—but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands flexed, ready to catch me if I fell. "You should rest today," he said, stepping toward me. I rolled my eyes. "I’ve rested enough." "Artemis." His voice was firm, a warning. I turned, meeting his gaze, ready to argue—when the pain struck again. It was like my bod
(Artemis’ POV)Pregnancy wasn’t supposed to feel like this.I had expected discomfort, sure. I had expected my body to change. But this… this was something else entirely.The exhaustion was unbearable.At first, I thought it was just the lingering effects of our honeymoon—late nights in Paris, stolen kisses in hidden alleyways, and mornings wrapped in silk sheets with Aiden refusing to let me leave the bed. But then the nausea started, and I knew something was wrong.I tried to push through it, keeping up with my work, but even Naomi noticed."Boss, you look like you’re about to pass out," she said, frowning as she set down a stack of files. "You should rest.""I'm fine," I muttered, waving her off, but the moment I stood, the room spun.I barely heard Naomi calling my name before strong arms caught me."Artemis."Aiden.His voice was tight, controlled—but his grip was anything but. He held me as if I’d shatter, his eyes scanning me for injuries."You’re not fine," he said. "We’re goi
I woke up sore.A deep, aching soreness that was both a reminder and a warning. Last night had been… intense. More than I expected. More than I could have imagined. My body felt like it had been claimed, worshipped, and thoroughly ruined, all at once.Aiden wasn’t in bed, but the warmth on his side hadn’t faded yet. I blinked up at the ceiling, barely able to move, and then I smelled it—coffee. The scent curled into the room, rich and inviting, followed by the quiet creak of the bedroom door."You're awake."I turned my head and found Aiden standing in the doorway, carrying a tray.My stomach flipped. He was shirtless, his sweatpants hanging dangerously low, his hair slightly tousled from sleep. But it was the look in his eyes—the satisfaction, the possessiveness—that made my breath catch.He set the tray down beside me. A glass of water. Coffee. Toast. Painkillers."I figured you'd need this."I huffed out a laugh. "You think?"Aiden smirked but didn’t argue. Instead, he sat on the e
Artemis' POVParis.The city of love, of whispered promises, of things that felt like forever. It wasn’t the first time we had been here. The last time had been chaos—high-stakes deals, power plays, and the weight of a contract binding us together. But this time? This time was different.The garden where we stood was secluded, hidden away from the noise of the world. White roses lined the aisle, their scent mixing with the crisp autumn air. The Eiffel Tower loomed in the distance, its lights just beginning to flicker against the darkening sky.Aiden stood at the altar, watching me.No guards. No enemies. No ulterior motives.Just him. Just me. Just us.My dress was simpler than the first one I had worn. No heavy jewels, no extravagant embellishments—just clean, elegant lines that moved with me as I walked. But Aiden? Aiden still wore black, sharp and commanding, his presence impossible to ignore.As I reached him, he took my hands in his, his grip steady, grounding.“We’ve done this b
Aiden’s POVI wasn’t used to an empty house.The penthouse was quiet, the kind of silence that made me restless. Artemis had left early, slipping out before dawn, her scent lingering in the sheets beside me. She had a fitting today—something about finalizing designs before her next trip. I hadn’t asked for details, but I knew she was busy.I ran a hand down my face, exhaling.She was everywhere, even when she wasn’t here.The coffee machine was still warm, the cup she’d set aside for me untouched. A plate covered with foil sat on the kitchen counter—breakfast she’d made before she left, knowing I probably wouldn’t eat if she didn’t.In the closet, one of my suits was laid out, ironed, with a note tucked into the sleeve: Wear this one. You look good in navy.She did things like that. Little things. Thoughtful things.For someone who had grown up fighting for every scrap of control, she gave so freely—to me, to the people she cared about.And I—I hadn’t given her nearly enough.I leane
Aiden’s POVFor the first time in my life, there were no contracts. No lies. Just her.But peace was an unfamiliar thing.I still woke up before dawn, instinctively reaching for the gun that wasn’t under my pillow anymore. My body was trained to react before my mind even processed that there was no longer a war to fight. My enemies were either dead, exiled, or too afraid to make a move.Yet, I found myself restless.The empire was still mine. The city still ran on quiet threats and well-placed alliances. But Artemis had planted a dangerous thought in my head—what if I ruled differently? What if I built something that wasn’t always on the verge of burning to the ground?She was asleep beside me, her breathing steady, her body curled toward me like she belonged there. And she did.I ran a hand down my face and exhaled.I couldn’t just sit still. That had never been my nature.So, I got up.---The sun had barely risen when I walked into the warehouse where my men were gathered. Conversa
Artemis' POVThe battle was over, but the aftermath lingered. Scars—some fresh, some old—marked more than just skin. The weight of the past did not simply lift because the fighting had stopped.I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Aiden pace near the window. His reflection in the glass was sharp, rigid, like a man still expecting a knife in the dark. The empire was his now, but peace was foreign to him. Stillness felt unnatural."You don’t have to stay," he said, his tone measured, unreadable. "You’ve done enough."It wasn’t a command. It wasn’t even a suggestion. It was a defense mechanism. Aiden didn’t push people away forcefully—he gave them an exit and waited for them to take it.I tilted my head, pretending to consider. "And if I don’t want to leave?"His gaze flickered toward me, just for a moment, then away again. "Then you’re a fool."I rolled my eyes, standing. "That makes two of us."I closed the distance between us and pressed my palm against his chest, feeling the steady
Aiden’s POVThe study smelled of aged whiskey, leather, and cigar smoke—just as I remembered it from my childhood. Nothing had changed. The same books lined the shelves, the same decanter of bourbon sat untouched on the desk, and the same man occupied the chair at its head.I stood in front of Don Carlo, the weight of everything that had led to this moment pressing down on my chest. Kane was gone. Hera was locked away where she belonged. The war was over. And yet, the victory tasted bitter. It felt like exhaustion.My father—Don Carlo—sat behind his massive desk, his expression unreadable. The same man who had doubted me. The same man who had once called me weak."You’ve proven yourself," he finally said, voice heavy with reluctant acceptance. "The empire is yours."I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I studied him. The man who had shaped me, tested me, pushed me to the edge time and time again. And for what? To prove I was worthy of something I never truly wanted?"You thought I’d
Aiden’s POVHera screamed as the guards dragged her away, her shrieks cutting through the air like the wail of a banshee. She kicked and thrashed, her dark hair wild, her emerald-green eyes blazing with madness."You can’t do this to me!" she screeched, her voice raw. "Aiden, you think you’ve won?! You think locking me away will change the truth?! You’ll regret this—I swear it!"I stood motionless, watching as the woman I once knew was forced back into the nightmare she had clawed her way out of. My hands were clenched at my sides, my pulse steady, my face unreadable.The weight pressing against my chest wasn’t fear or anger. It was relief. A slow, settling kind of relief that came when a battle was finally over.There was no regret. No hesitation.She belonged there.The black van’s doors slammed shut, muffling the last of her wails. The driver exchanged a brief nod with the men guarding the facility before stepping into the driver’s seat. With a low, mechanical hum, the vehicle roll