Author's POV âYes, Hera, I need your backup,â Kane replied her.Hera started ruminating; what could make a rich guy like him need her help or backup when he has a lot of able-bodied men around him to run errands or whatever for him?âCan you make me understand?â Hera asked after a minute of trying to figure out what it was that he needed help with but she couldn't comprehend.âGood question,â Kane said and sat down beside her, looking into her eyes. âNow I'm going to tell you my plans. On a norm, I'm not supposed to tell you about this because I don't know the kind of person you are but for the benefit of the doubt I will tell you, and hope you join hands with meâHera, who still doesn't understand what Kaneiss is trying to tell her, feels so curious that she has to ask questions. âI thought powerful and rich people believe disclosing their plans will only make their plans fail and we are not that close, we only met a few days ago, and I'm still curious why you want to tell me your p
Author's povAiden had been waiting for Hera's response for weeks, which was looking like a thousand and one years in his sight. The painful part of all was that she wasn't saying anything; he didn't know if she was ready to let go or if she still had something in mind.Aiden was willing to give her anything if she was ready to accept his offer. He has tried so many times to schedule a meeting with her by sending text messages to her and even calling her, but she wasn't responding to him.âShe might have found a better offer,â Aiden thought to himself, not knowing the better offer was the one destruction.Aiden was still finding it difficult to look for a solution.Aiden's eyes wandered around his office, his mind consumed by thoughts of Hera and the elusive Artemis. He had been searching for a way to find Artemis and Daymon for months, but every lead seemed to end in a dead end. He had tried all he could do to find them but all was to no avail.He even went to the extent of more men
Kane's pov I was in the relaxation spot in my mansion, thinking of ways to make my plans work out when the buzzing sound of my phone diverted my attention from the beautiful flowers I was watching. Kane picked up his phone and it was one of his men calling. âYes?ââWe gave good news, boss,â he answered, sounding so excited over the phone like he won a lottery ticket.âWhat good news?â I asked him, wondering what it might be that he had to say. The only good news he was expecting was them finding Artemis, not any other thing.âI and the boys worked harder like you asked us to, and now we have found the location of the lady you described to us and the guy.I stood up from where I was sitting. Is this a dream or what? It must be a dream.âIf you think you can joke this important issue away, then you're close to your death because I'm gonna kill you as planned and make your family pay for it,â I warned him so he wouldn't think this was the right time to mess with me.âWho am I to joke w
Author's POV.Not like Kane's men worked hard to find Artemis and Daymon, they just happened to be lucky to find them when one of them was wandering around the bush, looking for what was not lost. ****Artemis lay helpless on the floor, moving from one side of her stomach to another; it had not been an easy one for her. The month of menstrual cramps was not taken lightly. She tried all she could to keep it away from Daymon but it was too painful for her not to be unnoticed.âHow are you feeling now âDaymon, who could not help but watch me, asked me.âDon't worry about me, I will be fineâ I replied to him, groaning in the middle of my words.âAre you sure you will be fine?â Daymon asked her again.She was not in the mood to talk to anybody but Raymond kept asking questions upon questions.âI said I will be fine!â Artemis said out loud, trying her best not to sound rude and mean.Daymon distanced himself from Artemis when he knew what was going on, he could read the room.He began to
Author's POV Daymon made sure he put her to sleep before he went to fetch the herbs because he knew she was still going to be in pain even if she woke up.He was still worried even now that he had a solution; there was nothing to eat even if she wanted to take the herbs.Daymon wandered into the forest, using one of his hands to make a path for himself, and he walked through the bush.After a few minutes' walk, he found one of the herbs he was looking for, and in no time, he found the second; he was happy he found them easily without stress.After fetching the herbs for her, on his way back, he heard something silently making some sound in the bush; as he watched to check what it was, a big rabbit ran out of the bush, climbing Daymon's leg as he escaped. Scared, Daymon jumped up, thinking it was something else.â Damn, this little thing scared the hell out of me,â Daymon said. âI will make sure I use you for this morning's meal.â Daymon made sure he killed the bushmeat and carried it
Authorâs Pov The man waching Artemis and Daymonâs hideout from a hidden corner chose a tree. Sure, the tree could make a better hideout, and he just canât tell why heâd since chosen to lay by the shrubs as he atched and waited for ages for the promised backup.Hesure didnât know his boss to be so tardy, especially with the knowledge of the fortune theyâll make from delivering the two scurry birds in the hideout.He leaned to the tree and sucked air through the gap of his teeth. the two scurry birds hadnât shown up from the hideout. Theyâd been in there probably deciding their next move, maybe knowing fully well that no matter where they get their asses to, they canât flee from Kane; no one can!His phone buzzed in his pocket and he gripped his pocket like the phone will drop from it and shatter at the soft earth beneath the sole of his boots.âYou said you were sending backup,â he hushed as his placed the phone to his left ear. âHavenât seen any.âHis boss drew deep breath and clea
Artemisâs Pov My heart skipped as the throaty crackly of the hinge of the door slowly rotated under the pressure of a hand holding onto the door handle. I shot my eyes tight; maybe this is the time to take my last breath. Who knows, the world is full of scorpion and spiders and worst of them are outside our hideout, about to walk in and end us for real.âStand behind me,â Daymon whispered as the door slowly clicked open. My eyes were hurting really bad and breathing was becoming quite difficult, but I felt my feet move as I swung behind his broad back.I heard footstep. The person who just walked in seemed to walk on tiptoes, but something seemed to have betrayed him. dried grass, I guess.I could hear them crunching under his feet like corn flakes. I heard the crackle of metal, maybe the person had just cocked his gun, but then came a heavy jab that filled the passage and a grunt.âCome on, letâs hurry out of here,â I heard Daymonâs voice. It was no longer a whisper. I opened my e
Aidenâs PovI could remember dialing Damonâs line that fateful night.I had long given up on hoping that Artemis will return to me, but it nearly dawned on me when I heard her voice.Panic! Thatâs the best way to describe how her voice sounded through the phone.âDamon was shot!â***The room went silent as I ambled into it. It was a white room which aligned with the white apparel of the doctor and the nurse behind him.My eyes went straight to the bed. Artemisâmy Artemis was lain on the bed with a drip wire connected to the lower vein of her right hand.I canât remember the last time I met her in such condition but this was sure the last thing I will ever wish for her even though somehow, Kaden managed to rob me of her.âWe will excuse you,â doctor Twain, as he called himself earlier before now, said at the sight of me in the room, and left the room with the nurse, while I stood in silence.âAidenâĶâ she whispered sickly. The doctor told me sheâs doing good now and I could see her if
 (Artemisâ 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 Aidenâs concerns, assuring everyone that I was fine. I had always been strongâhad survived things that shouldâve 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 unreadableâbut 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. "Iâve rested enough." "Artemis." His voice was firm, a warning. I turned, meeting his gaze, ready to argueâwhen the pain struck again. It was like my bod
(Artemisâ POV)Pregnancy wasnât supposed to feel like this.I had expected discomfort, sure. I had expected my body to change. But thisâĶ this was something else entirely.The exhaustion was unbearable.At first, I thought it was just the lingering effects of our honeymoonâlate 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 youâre 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, controlledâbut his grip was anything but. He held me as if Iâd shatter, his eyes scanning me for injuries."Youâre not fine," he said. "Weâre goi
I woke up sore.A deep, aching soreness that was both a reminder and a warning. Last night had beenâĶ 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 wasnât in bed, but the warmth on his side hadnât faded yet. I blinked up at the ceiling, barely able to move, and then I smelled itâcoffee. 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 eyesâthe satisfaction, the possessivenessâthat 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 didnât argue. Instead, he sat on the e
Artemis' POVParis.The city of love, of whispered promises, of things that felt like forever. It wasnât the first time we had been here. The last time had been chaosâhigh-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 embellishmentsâjust 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.âWeâve done this b
Aidenâs POVI wasnât 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 todayâsomething about finalizing designs before her next trip. I hadnât asked for details, but I knew she was busy.I ran a hand down my face, exhaling.She was everywhere, even when she wasnât here.The coffee machine was still warm, the cup sheâd set aside for me untouched. A plate covered with foil sat on the kitchen counterâbreakfast sheâd made before she left, knowing I probably wouldnât eat if she didnât.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 freelyâto me, to the people she cared about.And IâI hadnât given her nearly enough.I leane
Aidenâs 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 wasnât 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 headâwhat if I ruled differently? What if I built something that wasnât 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 couldnât 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. Scarsâsome fresh, some oldâmarked 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 donât have to stay," he said, his tone measured, unreadable. "Youâve done enough."It wasnât a command. It wasnât even a suggestion. It was a defense mechanism. Aiden didnât push people away forcefullyâhe gave them an exit and waited for them to take it.I tilted my head, pretending to consider. "And if I donât want to leave?"His gaze flickered toward me, just for a moment, then away again. "Then youâre 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
Aidenâs POVThe study smelled of aged whiskey, leather, and cigar smokeâjust 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 fatherâDon Carloâsat behind his massive desk, his expression unreadable. The same man who had doubted me. The same man who had once called me weak."Youâve proven yourself," he finally said, voice heavy with reluctant acceptance. "The empire is yours."I didnât 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 Iâd
Aidenâs 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 canât do this to me!" she screeched, her voice raw. "Aiden, you think youâve won?! You think locking me away will change the truth?! Youâll regret thisâI 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 wasnât 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 vanâs 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 driverâs seat. With a low, mechanical hum, the vehicle roll