Octavia’s POVMolly, the bitch took everything from me. How could I have known she would come into the picture? If I had known, I would have tried harder to win Vanni over, but now she has won Roger as well.Even though my son knew Vanni wasn't his biological father, he still clung to him. Together with Molly, they looked like a perfect family, the family that was meant to be mine.I blamed myself. If only I had cared for Roger and made him happy, maybe Vanni would have fallen in love with me. I always thought men didn't like women with attachments, but I was wrong.Vanni had changed completely from the last time I saw him at home and not even memories of Gael could make him accept my demands."Octavia, I didn't ask Gael to take the bullet for me. We weren't even close. It saddens me that he died because of it, but I won't let you manipulate me. If someone else had sabotaged Molly like you did, she would be dead. Be grateful you're still alive."Tears welled in my eyes, but I held the
Octavia’s POV“What do you mean Gael is still alive? Mom, we buried him. I was at his funeral," I explained, just in case she was mistaken, but the seriousness in her eyes indicated otherwise.Her gaze held a conviction, that sent a chill down my spine. "Mom, please elaborate on this,” I pleaded with her."Octavia, do you think I would let my son sacrifice himself for a stepchild?" she questioned, causing my eyes to widen with shock.Vanni may be ruthless, but this woman was the true villain. If Vanni knew about this, he would surely eliminate her. Despite Vanni cutting me off, revealing this woman's intentions to him might give me a chance in his life again, right?"Mom, please tell me you're joking. Gael is dead." I had moved on from Gael and shifted my affection to Vanni, so this revelation was unexpected, and I wasn't sure if I could love Gael the same way again."Gael is in London but will return in a few days. I provided him with a new identity."Her words weren't enough to conv
Octavia’s POV“Gael was raised by my best friend, but I felt it was time for him to understand the Dawson’s business. So, I introduced him to Gio’s father as a nephew, but I didn’t know he would get suspicious. Also, Gio didn’t like Gael."Now it made sense. Gael faked his death with a bullet, but one thing was still unclear.“Why did I come into the picture?”She laughed sarcastically, hinting that there was more to the whole situation. “Octavia, I needed a virgin for Gael, which is why I had him take care of you as a teenager after your parents died.”Tears welled up in my eyes as I began to question Gael’s supposed love for me. Also, Beatrix always preyed on orphans like me because it was the same with Nicole but as for Gael, “He never loved me.”“Oh, stop it, you fool. No one is expected to fall in love in this game. That’s why as soon as I heard Gio had a woman in college, I had to separate them, and that woman is Molly. We had to ensure you were pregnant with Gael’s child before
Molly’s POVWhen Gianni dropped me off at the studio after taking Roger, I was surprised to run into Christopher, my former producer. I had heard that his marriage was affected by the news, but after he betrayed me, I felt no sympathy for his troubles.Despite his refusal to believe my side of the story and blaming me for everything, his wife still left him.I tried to ignore him and walk past, but he grabbed my arm. "Molly, is that really you?" Before I could respond, Jace intervened, forcefully pushing Christopher away."If you lay a hand on her again, I'll make sure you regret," Jace threatened.Although Jace's protective instinct was evident, I knew I could handle Christopher on my own.He used to be someone I trusted, but things had changed. Christopher seemed confused and asked who Jace was. "Her bodyguard," Jace replied.Christopher was surprised that I had a bodyguard now, but given the circumstances that led to my downfall, it was a necessary precaution."After what happened,
Giovanni’s POVOctavia should know by now that I would never allow any harm to come close to Roger, so what exactly did she mean by that? About to speak, Molly beat me to it.“You know that I love Roger like my son.”“Then I won’t fight for custody, and I won’t disturb your lives if you promise to give me the protection I need,” she said. I was more confused.Because of her relationship with me, I always had enough bodyguards around her, though I tried as much as possible to keep her out of the limelight. Molly was the only woman I couldn’t keep secret even if I tried because of how much I love her. Keeping our relationship secret was suffocating.“Octavia, get to the point already. Don’t you have enough bodyguards, and I hope you were joking about Gael?” I really hoped she wasn’t, but her reply stunned me.“No, Vanni. Gael is alive. I spoke to him on FaceTime. He’s Beatrix’s only son.”Was it what I was thinking? After finding out she wasn’t my real mother, I couldn’t help thinking
Giovanni’s Pov“Why are you suddenly so quiet?" Hank asked, turning his head to catch a glimpse of the text message. Instantly, he looked away, but I needed his help, so I asked him,"Can you help me apprehend the suspect?"His expression was strange, and his response was peculiar. "I'm sorry. Something urgent just came up. I'll have to send someone to assist in training Octavia.""What? We had an agreement," I said firmly. If I wanted someone else, I wouldn't have asked for his help. Why did I feel like he was acting strangely?"I'm sorry, Gio, but you know how my work is. I just landed a contract that will keep me occupied for weeks."Hank had previously let go of a significant contract because he believed the person was innocent, which was why I trusted him. Despite my instincts wanting to suspect him, my heart and mind couldn't."Alright. I'll pay you double what this contract is offering." I knew he struggled with the guilt of his job, even though he claimed to enjoy it.Hank had
Octavia’s PovIf there was a way to just hide and avoid all this, I would have done so, but I knew I wouldn't receive the protection I needed without playing by Vanni’s rules.Beatrix had become a source of fear for me, and I tried to steer clear of her as much as possible. However, Gianni's plan involved confronting all those involved.Upon arriving at the old mansion, Beatrix appeared upset, slapping me and kicking me in the stomach.“You dare to betray me, you bitch,” she accused.“What are you talking about?” I tried to deny it, feeling the searing pain.“You dare to deny it?” She delivered another kick to my abdomen, sending me to the floor and rendering my training from Vanni and Molly useless because of all the bodyguards around.Struggling to focus, I saw the familiar faces of the bodyguards, many of whom had worked in Vanni’s mansion or office.It became clear that there were more than two spies feeding information from Vanni to Beatrix. It was a trap, and I needed to warn hi
Molly’s POVSomething didn't add up, and I could sense the tension in the air. Gianni was visibly disturbed and couldn't conceal it."I feel like I miscalculated. Hank isn't answering my calls, and I can't locate Roger," he lamented. We were already dressed, as Gianni was prepared for action, with his trusted bodyguards Zak and Jace by his side.Most of the Dawson's bodyguards had mysteriously resigned, leaving only those directly employed by Gianni."Are you afraid?" He asked, looking at me softly in the mirror."With you? No.""Even if Hank has betrayed me?" he inquired, and I hesitated, knowing Hank's strength. I had no idea what Hank did for a living, but I wasn't sure if Gianni could defeat him in a fight.They were both formidable opponents. "Have you ever fought him before?" I asked, and he chuckled. "You think he can take me down?"The question brought back memories of my training. Gianni seemed tougher. "Not a chance."A smile played on his lips, but his eyes remained fixed o
Roger’s POVCongratulations to our youngest graduate and Valedictorian, Roger Dawson," the MC announced as the sound of applause filled the air. I walked to the stage to collect my certificate.My schooling was different from most children my age as I received a lot of home tuition and skipped grades due to my exceptionally high IQ and my early interest in creating wealth.When I entered college at the age of twelve, I told my dad that I would graduate by fourteen, and he believed in me. My battle skills were strong, but so was my dedication to education and my career.My dad taught me that the quickest way to make money without physically going to an office was through hacking, but he was unsure if I could balance it with my studies.Driven by my determination to achieve financial success independently, I seized the opportunity at the age of five. By the time I was seven, I had gained a reputation in the cyber market, with my true identity concealed.My code name is 'Terror D2.' I ch
Octavia’s POVMy biggest mistake was rejecting Hank, and although I didn't intentionally send the assassin after Nora, I was saddened to lose Hank to her.Cage mistreated me, but I felt I deserved it. Everything was wrong from the start, but I blindly trusted him and felt relieved when Vanni had him killed.Hank had just gotten engaged, so I believed I still had a chance to win him back by showing him that our past connection was not over.To be close to Hank, I needed to be near Nora. If I stayed with her, I would have the opportunity to see Hank and make my move.Nora was thrilled to be engaged to Hank, and I understood why. Hank wouldn't have looked back if I had intentionally tried to harm her, but now all I wanted was him.Nora made a revealing statement, "I live with Hank, but if he agrees, I don't mind." I knew Hank wouldn't allow me to stay at his place.Perhaps it was the aftermath of the assassin's attack that led Hank to invite Nora to live with him. I needed to be near him
Nora’s POv“Molly, I'm done with Hank. He proposed last night, and we made out, but as soon as Octavia called, he left me," a tear slid down my cheek as I spoke to Molly on the phone.The emotions swirling through me were overwhelming because I had witnessed how Octavia stood by Cage and said hurtful things to Hank, so why would he still care about her?"Nora, you have to trust your man," Molly said calmly. I informed her, "I want to see you.""Okay, I'm home, but Gianni is going out, so I will have a driver pick you up."I didn't refuse the offer since I didn't have any of Hank's car keys. As soon as I reached Molly's mansion, I told her everything the moment I saw her, and she was excited."You are engaged, that's wonderful, but I think it's the reason Gianni left too. He never left me alone after that incident at the hospital," she said. My heart warmed at the fact that Hank was not alone with Octavia.I stayed with Molly and fell asleep until she received news from Gio that they w
Hank’s POVGio, please allow them to answer the question," I said, my voice trembling. Octavia responded, "I don’t know her identity because the assassin would not reveal it to me."It made sense that Octavia wouldn't intentionally target Nora, but I still needed to confirm my suspicions.Cage grinned. "They came for you, but do you think they would still save you if they knew the girl in question?"My heart sank. No wonder Carter didn't know their identities. That was how the transaction was meant to be.Cage likely provided the contract, and Octavia, wanting to keep her identity hidden, offered a better deal for the same target. Carter, in turn, would not disclose the target's identity because she hid it to protect herself.They orchestrated it this way to avoid being traced, even if Carter failed and got caught."Who is she?" I asked again. Cage smiled. "It's Nora, and this woman confessed that the job was done because the assassin told her he was already with her. He never misses
Hank’s POVI desired Nora so much that when she expressed a desire for intimacy, I took the opportunity to propose to her, and she accepted.My joy was overwhelming, and as we spent the night together, I couldn't help but envision her in a wedding gown. I was eager to solidify our relationship quickly, but I didn't want to appear desperate, so I decided to wait a week or two before discussing marriage.Having Nora in my life made everything worthwhile, even leaving my lucrative job. It allowed us the freedom to spend time together whenever we pleased. I looked forward to supporting her business and seeing it flourish beyond her dreams.However, our peaceful morning was unexpectedly disrupted by Octavia."Hank, Vanni has blacklisted me, and I'm in trouble. Cage and his gang are after me. He deceived me. I'm hiding in my basement because I'm injured. He nearly killed me, Hank," Octavia pleaded as I reassured her, "Stay put, I'm on my way."I could track Octavia using her GPS as long as
Nora’s POVThere was nothing creepier than watching Hank take down Carter. I had thought Carter would put up a fight, but it turns out he's only good at harming fragile women like me.Even after it was all over, I found it hard to accept that I had almost died.What if Hank hadn't received my message and tried to call me? I had resisted when he first asked me to move in with him or find another apartment, but not anymore.Clearly, experiences like this were why Molly had toughened up so much. One can't always rely on a savior, so I need to toughen up if I want to be with a man like Hank.No matter what, there would always be dangers surrounding him. When I reached his house, I showered again out of anxiety, hoping the water would wash away my fears.It helped, but seeing Hank in just shorts, his chest exposed and his damp hair, as if he had just showered, a different kind of anxiety took hold of me.Men often walked around shirtless, and it was clear that Hank was the type to sleep in
Hank’s POVAfter Nora refused to vacate her apartment, I discreetly kept an eye on her ever since I spotted Carter in the elevator.Despite the events at Molly and Gio’s wedding, where I respected Nora’s desire to take things slow, I refrained from inviting her to my place and instead ensured her safety in her own apartment.I had been monitoring Carter and confirmed his departure on the day we went to the Island, causing my surveillance on Nora to lapse.As I neared my house, I almost ignored the message beep from my phone but a strong feeling compelled me to check, suspecting it was Nora.However, the call abruptly ended after two rings, signaling a problem.Instinctively, I made a U-turn, realizing that Carter’s sudden presence and the phone going dead were red flags.I didn’t anticipate Carter causing trouble without a contract, ruling out the possibility of him being hired to target Nora. It dawned on me that his actions might be driven by his feelings for her.Upon reaching Nora
Nora’s POVGio, were they responsible for the threatening note?" Hank inquired. Gio nodded. "Yes, they targeted Molly and Roger. When they couldn't reach her due to the tight security, they exploited her health condition."He smiled bitterly and continued, "During our first antenatal visit after our honeymoon, Molly mentioned seeing this boy, but I dismissed it as a hallucination. They have been monitoring her for a long time without success."Now everything made sense, but why did they use Wade? "What about the boy? Why send him?" I asked, and Gio looked saddened."They manipulated him, poisoning his mind. Before I killed Wesley's father for murdering his wife, he hinted that there were more threats coming. I suspect his other two children," he explained.If this young boy could have murderous intentions towards Roger, then his siblings could be even more dangerous. They needed to be located.Gio gazed at Wade with concern evident in his eyes and voice. "I assure you, we will protect
Nora’s POVAfter the wedding, I finally understood why Molly loved Roger so much. He was disciplined, intelligent, and resilient.Inspired by him, I started training alongside himself and Hank every morning until Molly and Gio returned from their honey mon.Roger's dedication to learning also improved my relationship with Hank.For the first time, I felt like a mother figure, caring for a child who was independent and mature beyond his years.Molly then suggested another concert, and I eagerly agreed, putting my business on hold.The final day of the concert took a somber turn when Molly collapsed, but I stepped in to handle the situation, inadvertently gaining some unwanted attention.Despite the incident, Molly's connection with her fans deepened as they showed their support by gathering outside the hospital. Gio, as I now referred to him, helped manage the situation and dispersed the crowd.Although it felt strange to call him Gio, I knew I would eventually get used to it.Each day