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.VI was sitting in the surveillance room, staring at the monitor as the interrogation unfolded. Robert DiFronzo sat across from the two detectives, he had a cool and calculating look in his eyes. He had not said a word since they brought him in. His hands were cuffed, but his posture was relaxed, like this was just another business meeting for him. We could hear what they were saying through the mic hidden in the corner of the room.The detectives were trying hard, throwing accusation after accusation at him, pushing for some kind of crack in his armour. But Robert was unfazed. He sat there, silently, like a rock in the storm. His expression gave away nothing, not even a flicker of fear or guilt.“He is toying with them,” I muttered under my breath.My senior, Detective Harrison, was sitting beside me. He’d been in the game for years, seen things that would make most people walk away from this job. But today, he looked as frustrated as I felt.“He knows we do not have any sol
Nora P.O.VI stopped my car just outside the mansion, its towering iron gates looming ahead. One of DiFronzo’s men with broad-shouldered, face concealed behind a pair of dark aviator glasses approached. I handed over the fake ID, my heart pounding beneath my calm exterior. Without a word, he took my ID and placed it on the scanner. A green light cast on the ID and moved down.“The ID is successfully matched,” a mechanical voice chimed from the gate’s scanner.I exhaled slowly as the gates began to creak open,their heavy iron frames creaking as they revealed the sprawling estate beyond. The DiFronzo mansion was more than just a home—it was a fortress. A long stretch of well-manicured gardens and stone paths led to the grand entrance, its sheer size and opulence unmistakable.I drove inside, gripping the steering wheel tightly. I looked down at the ID on the driving seat, my mind flashed back to Cyber’s word.“Take this,” Cyber had said, handing me the fake ID, passport, and driver’s lic
Nora P.O.VMy gaze landed on the table of weapons again. I needed to choose carefully for this round. The knife had served me well, but against their best, I would need something faster, something that would give me an edge. My fingers hovered over a pair of brass knuckles before I picked them up, the cold metal biting into my skin. This would work for me.As I strapped the knuckles onto my hands, I watched as the others armed themselves. Some chose heavier weapons but I knew that strength alone would not get me through this.“Begin,” Riccardo ordered, and chaos erupted.The first wave of attackers was swift. DiFronzo’s men, hulking masses of muscle and aggression, moved like well-trained wolves, picking their targets and attacking with precision. The room filled with the clang of steel, grunts of effort, and the occasional sharp crack of bones breaking. I ducked low, dodging a swing aimed at my head. The man who had targeted me was fast, but his aggression made him sloppy.He came at
Robert P.O.VI sat behind my desk, the dim light casting shadows across the room as I sifted through the files of the final five candidates.My men had done well. The candidates were battle-hardened, skilled, and ruthless. But there was something odd about Riccardo, my second-in-command today. He had been hovering near me all evening. His posture tense, his face a mask of uncertainty, but I could tell there was something on his mind. He was not one to hesitate, especially not with me.I closed the file I had been reading and looked up at him. “Spit it out, Riccardo.”He shifted, clearly weighing his words. “It is probably nothing but…”“But?” I urged him to continue.“It is one of the candidates.Her name is Patricia Walker.” I frowned. Her name was not particularly ringing for me. “She has lower experience compared to the others, but...” he hesitated, as if unsure how to explain what was troubling him. ““But what? Just say it.” I prompted, leaning back in my chair, curiosity piqued.
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