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Last Updated:
2024-12-21 05:33:52
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All Because I Kissed a Stranger The Banquet
I wasn't sure how I should use the fact I knew about Carla Pucci's debauchery. Mentioning it certainly wouldn't grant me her trust or friendliness. If anything, it could mark me as a threat to her and send my name to the list of her permanent enemies. Nonetheless, I knew this piece of knowledge was a weapon, one that should be used with extreme caution.I spent the next two days studying, analyzing, and memorizing every detail about the banquet guests and their families' businesses. After I'd called Hunter, Rowan prepared and sent me a thorough report concerning each participant, and Gianna completed that report with hot gossip.Now, only a few hours before the banquet, I was still going through the guests' social media, trying to find something I could use. I wasn't an idiot. I knew I wouldn't be pleasantly welcomed. This was the test for the new Mrs. Thorne, and I was determined to pass.Marcello was oddly kind and agitated even since the invitation had arrived. I had a feeling he t
Last Updated : 2024-12-21All Because I Kissed a Stranger Fighting Back
I remained on my feet as the two members of the cleaning crew wiped the remains of the wine and shattered bottle. No one aside from me seemed to pay attention to them or was bothered by what had just happened.I tried to refrain my body from shaking as I wanted until I could return to my seat. Someone had just tried to hurt me or perhaps kill me, and they were prepared to do it in a place like this, with more than thirty people to witness it.“I almost feel sorry for the girl who dropped the bottle,” Alessia Faro muttered, a wicked smirk dancing on her lips. “She must have been so scared to stand beside the great and lethal Mrs. Thorne.” She gave me a mocking bow, and a wave of quiet snickers spread through the hall.“Catherine, I think you should run after her and apologize,” Portia called out from the end of the table. “You may also stay by her side. I'm sure you'll feel more comfortable with the staff than with all the glamorous ladies at this banquet.”Another wave of laughs echoe
Last Updated : 2024-12-22All Because I Kissed a Stranger The Poison Within the Estate
HUNTERLess than an hour passed from the moment Rowan and I had landed in New York. Immediately, I'd been greeted with the news that had turned my blood into molten lava. A part of me assumed someone might have tried to attack Catherine at the banquet, but never had I thought she would be betrayed by one living in the estate.I stormed through the long corridor, my eyes on Ferro and Remo standing at the end of it. “Where is she? Where is my wife?!” I demanded.Remo stepped forward, his hands raised in an attempt to stop me or calm me down. Not that anything would have worked on me right now. “She's in Lanaro's clinic.”My hands curled into fists. “Is she all right?”“She didn't drink the poison,” Ferro interjected. “Only Gianna took a sip. I was the one who took Gianna and Mrs. Thorne to the clinic.”I nodded, whirling around and heading to the door. Remo and Ferro followed me. “We secured the room and the cup. Enzo is checking the surveillance in the entire mansion,” Remo reported as
Last Updated : 2024-12-23All Because I Kissed a Stranger Planning Revenge
CATHERINEI was sitting by Gianna's bed in Doctor Lanaro's clinic. She was still pale and motionless. I watched the drug in the IV drip slide down the tube, hoping that a few more drops would finally make her open her eyes.“Why isn't she waking up?” I asked softly as Doctor Lanaro entered the room.He scratched his head and sighed. “It turns out the poison she consumed was more complex. Our toxicologist is still trying to give us a full list of ingredients.” Then he stepped closer and gave me a faint smile. “But she's getting better. She might sleep a little longer, but that's it.”I nodded slowly and stroked Gianna's cold cheek. All kinds of extreme emotions fought for dominance inside me. I felt rage, fear, and suffocating anxiety. But what I felt the most was the need for revenge. Then I rose to my feet and turned to Lanaro. “I'll need to get back to the mansion. Please let me know—"“I will call you right away if anything changes.” He gave me a curt bow before stepping toward the
Last Updated : 2024-12-24All Because I Kissed a Stranger My Scheme
My plan was far from perfect. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more doubts surfaced in my mind. I wasn't even sure I could do my part well enough to make it count. Not to mention that I didn't know if Carla Pucci would want to meet me after everything that had happened at the banquet.I should have been crafting my scheme until it was perfect, but despite all my will for vengeance, my mind was occupied by Gianna's condition. I spent the rest of the day either sitting by her bed or waiting for Doctor Lanaro's call. Finally, she woke up…“Gianna,” I breathed out while tears streamed down my cheeks.She blinked a few times, adjusting her sight to the light in the room. “Where... am I?” she croaked.“In the clinic,” I muttered, wiping the tears away. “The tea you drank was poisoned. Doctor Lanaro saved you.”Standing by my side, the doctor smiled proudly before leaning over his patient. “I'll have to do a few tests. You're still weak, and you'll need to stay in my clinic for two
Last Updated : 2024-12-24All Because I Kissed a Stranger Showtime
HUNTERI had never allowed those from outside my inner circle to enter my study. Tonight, however, I made an exception. Only two of the guests I invited knew the true purpose of this meeting. Three other Dons were nothing but necessary witnesses, while the final one… Well… that one WAS the entire reason why we were currently sitting here, drinking whiskey, and discussing quite irrelevant business matters.Luca Barbieri and Aurelio Rossi turned out to be surprisingly helpful in that last matter, eagerly telling everyone about their latest investments. The rest were more focused on drinking whiskey than listening, but it didn't matter. Luca's and Aurelio's stories were nothing but a way to stall for time, something I currently needed. It was necessary to confirm that Carla Pucci had said something useful before I could play it to the gathered audience…“Thorne, I never say no to good whiskey, but I'd rather know what the fuck we're doing here.” Alberto Rizzo gave me a meaningful look as
Last Updated : 2024-12-25All Because I Kissed a Stranger The Unwanted Answers
I stared numbly at the door of Emilio Pucci's cell, two guards flanking me, waiting for my command. He'd agreed to tell us everything we wanted. The man who had sent his soldiers to die without hesitation now cried at the thought of physical pain. Utterly pathetic but not that uncommon. Many older heads had gotten used to comfort and safety while allowing others to risk lives in their names.This should have been a moment of triumph. Thanks to Messino, Rizzo, and Falco witnessing the confession, the news had already spread, and every family head now knew that the Pucci family's business would soon cease to exist. That also meant I had free rein deciding what to do with the fucker. I could cut him into pieces, and not even his sworn allies could interfere, and if anyone tried to retaliate, we would freely decide on their fates, too.The sound of footsteps came from the opposite side of the corridor. I turned around and saw Rowan and Catherine walking toward me. I tensed and glared at R
Last Updated : 2024-12-25All Because I Kissed a Stranger The Confirmation
CATHERINEI looked at Hunter and felt the tension rolling out from him in waves. I watched the muscles of his jaw go taut and his hands curl into tight fists. He looked at Emilio, and the man's face turned from pale to ghostly transparent.Ignoring Rowan, Hunter locked his eyes on Emilio and said coldly, “I'll be more precise this time… Did you or did you not hear Greco Waldorf say his boss's first name?”“I… I…” Emilio's eyes flickered to Rowan as if he somehow sought his help.Rowan slowly shook his head, warning him, “Think carefully before you say another word.”Emilio's gaze dropped to the floor, his body rattling. He remained this way for a few breaths before muttering, “I only heard Fedorov… I've never heard the first name.”Rowan's mouth opened, but Hunter spoke first. “I will not ask Lazar any questions without anything to prove his involvement in this.” He fixed his eyes on his friend, and Rowan finally nodded.“I get that it's vague, but at least it puts the snake tattoo gu
Last Updated : 2024-12-26
Latest chapter
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Talk to Her
HUNTERTen days had passed since Mrs. Lewis had woken up. Catherine had spent nearly every minute of the day by her side. I couldn't blame her. Their time together had been cruelly limited. I had seen Catherine's smiling face—the mask she had created for her mom. And then I'd seen her crying in some quiet corner of the hospital. I knew this situation had been taking a toll on her, and I could do almost nothing to help her…The renegades had gone silent. After everything that had gone down in my LA club, they had yet to make a move. While my wife sat at the hospital, I spent long hours analyzing and rewriting all our strategies, hoping to prepare my people for every possible attack. We might have known more than before about the renegades and their true power, but our knowledge was still insufficient, and slowly our common sense was giving way to the overwhelming frustration and anger.“Fuck this!” Remo growled, shoving a pile of paper folders off the table.“Would you calm the fuck do
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Accepting the Inevitable
The probability of Mom's operation succeeding was ten percent or less. Doctor Sinclair gave Mom a few hours to decide, but I already knew what her answer would be.Bitter laughter bubbled in my throat. How pathetic my bold declarations had been. I'd promised myself I would fight for her. I had been confident she would fight, too. But no victor would leave this battlefield. The choice she had was between likely dying within hours during the operation or simply waiting for the death to claim her…Unsurprisingly, my mom demanded Hunter stay out of her room. I couldn't blame her. If she were to accept him, it would require time… something we didn't have.As more time passed since she had woken up, her strength seemed to return. Superficially, she looked almost healthy. A gentle blush covered her cheeks, and her eyes shone as I remembered. She even moved and talked with more ease. But seeing every element of this façade only brought more pain…“I don't want to die on that table,” she final
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Waiting for the News
CATHERINEMom's words still rang in my head as I sat in the corridor, waiting for doctors to finish another series of her tests. I'd told her I would leave Hunter only if he hurt me. She had called me foolish and nearly kicked me out of her room.I knew she meant well, even if her methods were harsh. She was trying to protect me. She thought she needed to protect me from Hunter. I'd wanted to tell her I would always be safe with him, but as I'd started to speak, all my confidence had disappeared.I knew Hunter kept secrets from me. I'd known him long enough now to see the slight changes in his expression. It appeared each time he wasn't honest. I'd seen this change in Chicago after I'd asked about the meaning of the red-haired stranger's words.I was nearly certain he had lied to me then. Of course, I tried to tell myself that perhaps the stranger's words meant something insignificant, and he had said them to mess with my head, but a second later, my mind returned to his suggestion th
All Because I Kissed a Stranger The Ticking Clock
HUNTERI wondered if Catherine's mother had truly known my father or simply heard stories and all kinds of nasty rumors about him. I wouldn't have called him ruthless, but everyone had known he'd been a part of the Mafia world. I could understand Mrs. Lewis didn't want someone like Nicolas Thorne's son around her daughter. Too bad she didn't know that her daughter had already sunk into our world and she was becoming a part of it, too.Despite Mrs. Lewis's obvious lack of acceptance, I didn't want to leave the hospital. Catherine needed me around, even if her mother would never fully welcome my presence. Besides, we waited for the test results that would tell us more about Mrs. Lewis's condition…While Catherine and her mother talked, I found a conference room I could use and arranged my inner circle's emergency meeting. I had to know if the bugs we planted on Grasso were still working or if we had managed to get anything useful.We were running out of time. We needed answers, and we n
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Promise Me
CATHERINEI barely remembered the flight from Chicago to New York. I vaguely recalled Hunter holding my hand and repeating that it was going to be OK. I didn't know if I believed him or not. A frantic mass of thoughts swirled inside my mind, their weight slowly crushing my insides.“Breathe, firecracker,” I had heard him say several times, but the suffocating feeling remained.I felt guilty because I wasn't there. I hadn't been there to see her opening her eyes. I might have said it out loud since Hunter suddenly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.“Don't blame yourself. You couldn't be there all the time, and you'll see her soon,” he murmured, kissing the top of my head.I had remained in his embrace throughout most of the flight, as if I could have fallen apart if I hadn't. At one point, someone—probably Hunter—told me I should change my clothes and wipe off my makeup, so I did. I doubted I would have even thought about it otherwise.Once Hunter's private jet
All Because I Kissed a Stranger The Message
HUNTERFury hummed in my veins, awakening all the violent urges. I had made a mistake trusting that Augustin would handle all the issues concerning Nox Aurea. Surely, he had failed to notify me he hadn't been doing the job he had been fucking paid for, but I wasn't without guilt either. I should have seen the problem sooner and fired him.I had bought this place nearly six years ago. I had changed roughly everything about the old club and reopened it, turning it into a profitable business. Yet there had always been problems here and there, and some things—like the owner of the neighboring building—had been harder to fix than others.The alarms in the basement had been cut off. Why? Because Augustin—who would soon become the ex-manager—had ignored my order to replace the old system with the improved version. For that, I debated ripping him to shreds. That, unfortunately, had to wait…My eyes zeroed in on the fucker tied to a chair. He was dressed in a gray fitter's uniform with the nam
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Messing With My Head
Hunter released my hand and inched closer to Augustin. “Are you telling me there's a bomb in the club?”The manager winced. “Not quite… I mean, there might have been a bomb if the fucker armed it. One of the guards interrupted him, though.”I wasn't sure if I should feel relieved. The fact that someone entered the club with the explosives was terrifying enough.Hunter raked his fingers through his hair. “How did he enter the basement unnoticed?”“Well… you know we still have an issue with the owner of the neighboring building. Two weeks ago that fucker broke a hole in the wall on the basement level. We sealed it, but as we can see now, not well enough. Our wannabe bomber used that hole to get in,” Augustin explained, wincing.Hunter worked his jaw, processing his words. Then he asked, “Why didn't the alarms go off?”“We're still trying to figure that out,” Augustin muttered, rubbing the nape of his neck.Hunter muttered a curse. “Tell me you at least caught the bastard.”Augustin nodd
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Feverish
CATHERINEHad I crossed the line? Had I officially gone bad this time? I had let the wicked side of me take the lead and savored every second of the terror in Calvin's eyes. After Calvin and weeping Naomi had been dragged out of the club, I heard the crowd calling me the Red Queen, as if I were walking around the club, shouting, “Off with their heads!”I would have lied had I said it didn't make me nervous and uncomfortable. I began to second-guess my decision. Maybe I should have just ignored them and waited for some godlike powers to grant them the fate they deserved…No. Enough was enough. Calvin had not only been a cheating scum but also tried to harm me, sent Giulio to rape me… My hands fisted as I recalled those moments. A part of me wanted to tell Hunter I changed my mind and wanted someone to drag Calvin back and beat the crap out of him.My nervousness lasted a few more minutes and ended as I finished my second drink. The tension finally disappeared and my party mood slowly cr
All Because I Kissed a Stranger Her Payback
HUNTERI followed Catherine's line of sight. She was staring at one of the alcoves, her eyes locked on the two people sitting on the sofa. From where I stood, their faces were obscured by the shadows. Catherine, however, seemed to know exactly who they were.I stepped down from the dais and lined up with her. Only then did I understand what made her frown and clench her fists. That cunt, Calvin Rollins, was splayed on the sofa, drink in hand. A slim blonde in a slutty glitter-covered dress was sitting on his lap. I might have seen her in Thorn Club once or twice.I wrapped my arm around Catherine's waist, pulling her to my side. “Your shitty ex lost his wife somewhere, I see.”She gave me a wry smile. “Fifi told me Calvin is trying to divorce my sister.” Then she pointed at the blonde bimbo. “And that's Naomi, one of Portia's besties, or rather, an ex-bestie.”“Now I remember her.” My lips curved in disdain. “I saw her the night we met, right? She was that dumb bitch who came to me af
