Nora P.O.V The dressing room was dimly lit, its walls lined with vanity mirrors surrounded by faded, yellowed bulbs. I leaned into one of the mirrors, smoothing the blush on my cheekbone with a flick of the brush, watching how the shadows played against my face. My reflection looked like a different person—long pink hair cascading down in waves, lips painted deep red, and golden eyeshadow making my eyes gleam beneath hazel brown contacts. The makeup was thick, almost theatrical, but it did its job of transforming me. I caught the strap of my lacey black bra and adjusted it slightly. It barely covered anything, hugging my curves tightly and pushing my chest up in a way that almost felt obscene. The matching skirt was a joke—so short it clung to my hips and left my legs bare, nothing more than an afterthought against my skin. The outfit was designed to catch attention, but it wasn’t mine they’d be focusing on tonight. A knock at the door made me pause. "Crystal, you’re up next!" ca
Nora P.O.VHidden in the darkness of the club ,far from the crowd we were two seconds away strangling each other's throats."You have been pushing too hard, Nora," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "He is not going to fall for it if he thinks you are onto him.”I glared at him, frustration bubbling beneath my cool exterior. "I know what I am doing, Layson. I do not need you to babysit me.”His jaw clenched slightly, and he lowered his voice even more. "This is not a solo operation. We are supposed to be working together, remember?”I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to keep my composure. "Fine," I snapped. "What is the plan then, partner?”Layson glanced around again, then leaned in slightly, his breath hot against my ear as he spoke quietly. "He is heading to the VIP section. I will keep an eye on him from the floor, but we need to be subtle. The man already has an eye on you.”I raised an eyebrow, feeling a little annoyed by his overly cautious approach but noddin
Nora P.O.V “Come here.” His voice was a low, demanding rumble that cut through the haze of smoke and the distant hum of music. I swayed my hips as I moved toward him, letting the curve of my body lead the way. The room seemed to darken around me, the dim pink light casting seductive shadows on my skin. My thong, discarded earlier near the stage, lay forgotten on the floor. I approached his chair, placing one hand delicately on the armrest. Slowly, I slid it along the worn leather, letting my fingers trace a path up to the top of the couch as I circled behind him. His eyes never left me, following every move. When I reached the other side of the chair, I leaned in, just enough to bring my lips close to his ear. My breath brushed against his skin as I smiled down at him, letting the moment linger. I stood up straight , about to walk away but before I could relish it, his hand shot up and grabbed mine, pulling me down onto his lap with one swift motion.His strength surprised me. M
Robert P.O.VI sat in my office, staring at the financial report spread across my desk. The numbers were not adding up. Not just by a little—there was a noticeable gap, money missing that could not be explained away as an accounting error. My irritation slowly grew into a simmering rage. I pinched the bridge of my nose. I felt the headache was starting to come back. I looked at the report before me, I felt like my pulses began to throb. I slammed the report shut, the sound echoing through the room. It was unacceptable. I had been in Italy for only a month, expanding business ties and securing partnerships that would further solidify my control. And now, the second I returned, I was faced with this mess.Just fucking great.I hit the intercom. “RICCARDO, GET IN HERE. NOW.” I barked . I need a drink.Riccardo, my second-in-command, entered a few moments later. He could tell by my expression this conversation was not going to end up good and he is thinking right. He straightened his pos
Nora P.O.VThe abandoned building was a husk of its former self, its windows shattered and walls covered in graffiti. Dust floated in the dim beams of moonlight that seeped through the cracks in the ceiling. My partner and our men dragged the unconscious dealer to the middle of the room, his body slumping lifelessly between us. The effects of the drug were still lingering in his system. I had changed and was standing in the shadow They dropped him into a battered metal chair in the centre of the room. His head slumped forward, chin resting against his chest. I walked out of the shadow. One of our men handed Layson a water bottle. Opening the cap of the bottle he splashed the content on the dealer’s face.The man jerked awake, blinking rapidly as confusion clouded his face. His eyes darted around the room, trying to make sense of where he was, but the drug still fogged his brain. He tried to move but realised his hands were bound tightly behind him. “W-What...?" he muttered, trying
Nora P.O.VAs the SUV roared to life, speeding through the empty streets, I kept pressure on his wound.My mind raced, everything was pre-planned, someone knew we were after the drug dealer and we were going to bring him to the adorned building for invitations. We had no intention of killing that man.But just because he was not ours does not means he was not thorn in someone else's path.A painful groan brought me out of my thoughts. “Stay with me, Layson,” I murmured, leaning closer to him. “You are not dying on me now, soldier.”He blinked, his gaze trying to focus on me, but his strength was waning. “I’m… fine,” he muttered weakly, though the grimace on his face said otherwise.“Ssh ,do not talk. Save your energy” Just as I said his eyes rolled back, his eyes falled close and his body went limp on the car seat. “Layson!” I began to pat his left cheek. “Layson wake up. Layson!” He did not respond. My eyes were wide in fear roam over him. “Drive fast!!”The car sped through the city,
Robert P.O.VI walked into the kitchen and saw Lily, my little sister, kneading dough at the counter, her apron dusted with flour. She looked up and smiled when she saw me enter.“Hey, big brother,” she said, her tone playful.I leaned down, giving her a side hug and pressing a kiss to her temple. "What are you making this time?" I asked, peeking over her shoulder.“Just some bread for lunch. Thought I would try out a new recipe.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “Not that anyone here will complain about carbs.” My little sister has had us wrapped around her little finger since we were kids.I smirked, giving her a light squeeze before stepping back. “You know we will eat whatever you make. It is good to have you home, Lil.”She glanced at me, her eyes softening. “It is good to have you back too. But you look tired. Long day?”“Something like that,” I replied, brushing it off. I tucked the hair strand behind her ear that had fallen down.“Gonna take a shower before lunch.”With that, I
Robert P.O.VThe metal door to the interrogation room swung open with a sharp creak, and I was led inside by two officers, their hands gripping my arms. The room was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of stale coffee and cigarette smoke. They shoved me down into a cold, metal chair, my hands still bound by cuffs, clinking as they hit the table in front of me.I leaned forward slightly, resting my joined hands on the table, assessing the situation with calm detachment. Across from me, two detectives, Carter and Reynolds, sat down. Their eyes were sharp, eager, like vultures circling prey. I did not give them anything—my face remained impassive, unreadable.Carter started first, his voice low and calculated. “So, DiFronzo. You know why you are here. Why do not we make this easy and—”I said nothing, staring at him with the same coldness. I could see the frustration flicker behind his eyes, but he pressed on, leaning forward as if he was trying to intimidate me.“Let’s not play game
Nora P.O.V I ran my fingers down the fabric of my dress, smoothing out the silk as I gazed at my reflection in the full-length mirror. The black and red gown hugged my figure perfectly, the intricate floral lace carving delicate patterns over the sheer black overlay, while the royal red silk underneath added a touch of richness. The detachable black skirt trailed behind me like a shadow, enhancing my every step with an air of mystery. My dark waves cascaded over my shoulders, shining under the dim glow of the vanity lights like a river kissed by moonlight. I had returned to the DiFronzo estate this morning after completing the case, though formalities had dragged the process out longer than expected. I hadn’t spoken to Robert properly since I left a few days ago. Our last interaction had been brief, filled with unspoken words and unreadable expressions. Lily had barely given me a moment to settle in before dragging me off for dress shopping, her excitement contagious despite my exh
Nora P.O.V The room was steeped in darkness, the kind that felt suffocating, pressing in from all sides. The only source of illumination was a weak, flickering bulb hanging from the ceiling, its light barely reaching the corners of the space. The bulb swung slightly, creaking on its loose fixture, casting long, shifting shadows over the stacks of cardboard boxes piled against the walls. The air inside was thick with dust and the stale scent of sweat and old wood. Each breath I took felt heavy, tainted by something metallic smell. The distant echoes of gunfire and chaos outside barely reached this place, but even with all of that, nothing in this room disturbed me more than the sight before me. Layson’s arms and legs were tightly restrained with thick ropes, the fibers biting into his skin. His face was a mess of bruises, his right eye swollen, his lip split open, and a deep gash above his brow left a jagged streak of blood trailing down the side of his face. The blood had begun to d
Nora P.O.V The warehouse loomed ahead, its steel exterior bathed in the pale glow of the distant streetlights. A thick, eerie silence blanketed the area, broken only by the occasional rustle of the wind against the stacked shipping containers. The air was tense, charged with the weight of the mission ahead. Inside, Layson and his son were being held captive by the Cutlers, and there was no telling what condition they were in. Our van was parked a few yards away, tucked into the shadows, where Cyber and his team monitored the interior movements. The dim glow of their screens illuminated their faces, their fingers flying over keyboards as they fed us real-time updates through our Bluetooth devices. “Heat signatures confirm at least two dozen men inside,” Cyber’s voice crackled in my ear. “More might be deeper in. No sign of Layson or the child yet, but we are tracking.” I nodded, my grip tightening around my firearm as I surveyed the agents standing with me. I had already distribut
Nora P.O.VThe conference room was silent except for the quiet hum of the projector as the video began playing. The large screen flickered to life, casting a dim glow across the dimly lit room. My seniors sat at the long table, their expressions grim, while Cyber stood near the laptop, ready to control the playback. A few other agents were scattered throughout the room, watching with keen eyes.The video was grainy, likely recorded from a hidden camera. It showed a weak, sickly child strapped to a chair inside a dark room. The only source of light was a dim bulb hanging overhead, casting eerie shadows across his frail body. The boy’s head drooped forward, exhaustion visible in the way his shoulders sagged. He barely moved, except for the occasional twitch, as if he lacked the strength to even lift his head properly.I clenched my jaw. This had to be Ryan, Layson’s son.Several figures stood around him, just beyond the reach of the weak light. Their faces were obscured, but their voice
Nora’s POV I adjusted my dress, smoothing out the wrinkles as Robert fixed his tie. The air inside his office was thick with the remnants of what just happened between us, but I refused to dwell on it. Instead, I reached for my blazer, but before I could slide it on, Robert pulled out his black credit card and handed it to me. "Get a dress and whatever else you need for next weekend’s ball." His tone was firm, almost dismissive, as if this was a mundane transaction."And whatever else you need for next weekend’s ball.” I took the card between my fingers, my brows furrowing. "Why?" I asked, looking up at him. "I can buy my own clothes. Working at DiFonzo's pays me well, and the party is next weekend. I have time." Robert straightened his cuffs, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Because you’re mine," he said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "And I take care of what’s mine." His words were effortless, like he was not aware of the weight they carried. I s
Nora P.O.VThe ride to DiFronzo Enterprises was tense, the air in the car thick with unspoken frustration. Robert had taken a call the moment we left the mansion, his voice low but sharp, each clipped word laced with irritation. I sat quietly beside him, watching through the side of my eye as his grip on the phone tightened, his jaw clenching harder with every passing second. Whatever was being discussed on the other end, it was clearly not good. When the call finally ended, he tossed his phone onto the seat beside him, exhaling through his nose in a way that told me he was barely holding onto his temper. His knuckles were white against his knee, his fingers twitching as if itching to break something. I did not say a word. I knew better than to try to pry when he was in this state. Instead, I simply observed, letting him simmer in silence. By the time we arrived, Robert did not wait for the driver to open his door ,he shoved it open himself and stepped out with a force that se
Nora P.O.V The sun cast a golden hue over the dining room, filtering through the sheer curtains that framed the tall windows. The table, grand and ornate, stretched the length of the room, covered with an array of breakfast dishes that screamed wealth, freshly baked croissants, glistening fruit platters, cured meats, and steaming pots of coffee. The clinking of cutlery against fine china was the only sound filling the room as the DiFronzo family began their morning ritual. I sat between one of DiFronzo’s men and Riccardo, an awkward position considering the unspoken tension that always hung over these gatherings. To my left, Riccardo leaned back in his chair, a picture of casual arrogance, his dark hair slicked back and his suit impeccably tailored even for breakfast. His tattoos were peering out from under his sleeves.He whispered something to Robert, who was seated beside him, just to the right of his father, Robert DiFronzo Sr., who occupied the head of the table like a king sur
Aldo P.O.V The heavy oak door to the DiFronzo mansion’s east wing creaked open, and I stepped into the lavish bedroom that was now mine. A slow smile spread across my face as my gaze swept the room. Gold-framed mirrors, antique furniture, and deep burgundy curtains. It was everything I expected from the family I despised,opulent, arrogant, and far too secure in their false sense of power. I ran a finger along the edge of the polished mahogany dresser, feigning admiration for the craftsmanship. In truth, I hated everything about this house. It was not the grandeur or the wealth that disgusted me; it was the memories tied to it. Memories of being cast out, belittled, and treated like I was nothing. Elinor DiFronzo did not bring me into the family out of kindness. She brought me to pay for my mother's sin. While his son was treated like a prince I was treated worse than a servant. No one came to save me when she beat me behind closed doors, not even my deadbeat father. For the world E
Nora P.O.V I moved carefully, each step light and deliberate as I made my way toward the living room. The tension was palpable even from the hallway. I did not want anyone to know I was there; the last thing I needed was to be dragged into whatever family chaos was unfolding. I pressed my back against the wall near the doorway, craning my neck just enough to get a glimpse of the room. Aldo Bianchi stood in the center, his posture as smug and self-assured as ever, surrounded by his men.The sight of them in the DiFronzo mansion was jarring, like seeing a fox in a henhouse. Robert was there, standing at the forefront with Dant and Riccardo flanking him. The other members of the family formed a tense semi-circle, their expressions ranging from anger to confusion. I edged closer, careful not to let the wooden floorboards creak underfoot. I did not need to see Robert’s face to know he was seething, his shoulders were rigid, his hands clasped behind his back in an effort to maintain contr