•Dominic•She walked towards me like she knew what was coming, an innocent little lamb ready for slaughter.I had no idea when or how it'd happened, but the bulge in my sweatpants was undeniable and pretending I couldn't feel it was almost impossible.I'd meant for this to be nothing but a sweet, cosy night of talking to her, figuring out what was going through her mind and possibly cuddling through the night with her, but how the hell was I supposed to stick to such innocent plans when she looked like that?Red silk had always had a magnetic appeal to me, but on her, it was something extraordinarily inexplicable; a scalding pull alien to my natural primal instincts.Maybe it was because she rarely ever showed skin crossing over the decency edge and now, she was in a dress covering only half her thighs, her entire collarbone and shoulders exposed. Ignoring the obvious trigger to my uncomfortable situation was unachievable.I'd personally taken off her bra and forced myself not to look
•Dominic•Kissing Sofia was like nothing I'd ever experienced before, a blissful level of sensual intimacy that transcended the physical.Our lips brushed delicately, a chaste and tender touch that ignited a raging inferno within me. It was a torturously hesitant exploration of what I felt was mine, a soft and gentle embrace that spoke volumes of the unexplored connection between us.I could feel the warmth of Sofia's breath on my skin, the feather-light touch of her fingertips caressing my neck, tracing and memorising the skin she'd leave marks on whenever and however she pleased.Emboldened by the fire that enveloped us like a scalding blanket, I deepened the kiss, my lips moulding against Sofia's in a fervent embrace. She moaned lightly against my lips the more I became greedy to taste her, feel her and elicit beautiful sensations within her.Fuck.I'd never felt lips so soft, so pliant and delicate I feared I'd break them with the blazing need manifesting itself in every caress of
•Sofia•As the gentle sound of raindrops hitting the windowpane serenaded me, I slowly awakened with a soft moan.Stirring beneath the soft, warm blanket, I peeled my eyes open, slowly adjusting them to the lighting. The room was extra cosy and dimly lit, with diffused light seeping through the thick, charcoal-grey curtains, casting a soothing hue in the air.With a soft yawn, I flipped myself over to my back, my head instantly sinking into a big, comfortable pillow. Momentarily, I fluttered my eyes closed, the soft melodies of rain creating a rhythm that lulled me into a tranquil state, tempting me to linger in bed.I stretched my hand to my right with an absent mind, a soft smile touching my lips. Feeling the empty spot next to me fully awakened me, pushing me to sit up straight with a swift brush of my tangled hair backwards with one hand."Dom?" I called out softly, glazing my eyes across the room.We'd certainly fallen asleep tangled up together in this bed. I clearly remembered
He nodded. "Of course."Dominic left right after we summed up our conversation. That went smoother than I feared and I felt proud of myself for behaving so well despite the liquid heat pooling between my legs.I finished up my coffee and headed straight to the bathroom to freshen up. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, pulling my hair into a cute, messy bun.That was when I noticed it in the mirror with my neck bare and exposed. A hickey red and imprinted onto my neck right above my collarbone like a claim and a mark that I belonged to him.Back then, I used to call myself delusional, but now that his words echoed in my mind that I was his and he was mine, I felt a major confidence boost and the more I looked at my neck, the more I wanted his marks all over my body.I could see my reflection through the mirror and envision him kissing my skin, sucking on it, biting and leaving his marks in places only we could find. I felt so dirty thinking of it and feeling arousal flood my bloods
•Sofia•Kissing orgasm.I stared at the two words boldly written on my phone from my Google search.After hours of trying to figure out what'd happened to me when Dominic and I kissed, I finally found something that made so much sense I couldn't help but reread it repeatedly and relate it to how I'd felt.Orgasm.I lightly threw my head back into the seat's headrest, my smile stretching into a tucked grin. I couldn't help but place my hand on my stomach, the fuzzy swirls of butterflies intensifying the more I recalled what had happened in the morning.I'd had my first orgasm and in the moment, I'd had no idea what it was or what it meant.Now that I knew, I couldn't stop thinking of every sensation I'd felt seeping through every pore on my skin from head to toe and eliciting shockwaves everywhere I felt excitement. The memory lingered long enough in my muscles for me to remember every twitch, contraction and spasm. I wanted to feel it again, this time fully aware and giving in. I ye
In this room, I'd made my initial discovery of Mom's sexual interactions with our biggest enemy and things had turned out pretty terribly after that. I could stomach the disgust for a couple of minutes and, hopefully, it would be worth it.Looking around, I figured this room wasn't as big as the rooms in the rest of the house and it barely had anything much to look into. Mom had probably gone through everything and removed or hidden whatever she didn't want us to get our hands on.There was no harm in trying though.I walked around the desk, plopping into the wheeled leather chair. The desk was tidy, with a few documents in a tray and a journal on top.I grabbed it naturally, hoping some journal entries could answer at least one of the questions I had. I flipped through the pages, the first a calendar with multiple marked dates.None made any sense to me no matter how much I tried putting things together. They could mean anything I didn't have to crack my head over them.I flipped thr
Even after insisting she didn't have to do that, that was a habit of hers she couldn't let go of whenever she got the chance to. The least I could do was be polite.Before I even got into the car, I could smell Dominic's manly signature scent and feel it flood my senses dominantly. I'd never felt butterflies this much in a row in my entire life, especially when he turned to look at me, our eyes instantly meeting.He was on the phone, talking to someone I figured had to be from work considering his tone. Still, the second I was in his sight, his eyes couldn't leave mine, his arm extended as if to guide me forward.I got into the car, heat crawling up my neck and stinging my cheeks when Dominic hooked his hand around my waist the second I sat, grasping me firmly and pulling me close to himself.My body collided with his lightly, our hips and shoulders touching. I looked up at him, my lips slightly parted as his hand travelled from my waist to cover my stomach.I looked away from him, ca
•Sofia•The drive to Dominic's condo took us nearly twenty minutes, and now, we stood by the door, patiently waiting for Greta to open it. Everything felt real now that I could hear footsteps approaching from inside, and I was beginning to overthink and overanalyse things.My socialising skills had improved, but they still sucked, especially since it was Dominic's little sister and I wanted to form a meaningful relationship with her but still feared she didn't like me. The feeling was something I couldn't describe, but one thing was for sure. My palms felt sweaty, and I was nervous.I looked up at Dominic, smiling politely to shield my nervousness. "Maybe I should wait for you downstairs in the car while you two talk things through," I suggested.Dominic reached for my hand and laced our fingers, gazing at me softly. "Don't be nervous, Sofia. I'll be there and nothing could go wrong. What better way to get to know each other than this?"I could name a thousand things that could go w
•Sofia•The room was cold and sterile, the bleak atmosphere giving me chills.I had prepared myself for this moment, or at least I thought I had, but the moment I saw her sitting on the other side of the glass, wearing that orange jumpsuit, her hair tied back in a simple ponytail, my heart ached in a way I hadn't expected.It wasn't just the sight of her in that uniform, stripped of her elegance and pride—it was the realisation that, in some twisted way, Teodoro had won.He had not only taken part of my life, Natalie's independence, and Dominic's peace, but he had also claimed my mother, robbing her of the life she once had.I took a deep breath and forced my feet to move, walking to the chair opposite her.She didn't look sad, or even ashamed. She looked calm, almost resigned, as if this was where she was meant to be all along. That calmness unsettled me."You finally decided to visit," she said as I sat down, her tone casual, as though we were meeting for coffee instead of a convers
She was right.I squeezed her hand before standing. "Rest up, Ava. I'll go find him."Dominic hadn't been the same since that night. The weight of everything that had happened bore down on him, and it was evident in the way his shoulders sagged, the distant look in his eyes, and the way he seemed to retreat into himself more with each passing day.The depression was understandable, even inevitable, given the circumstances.He was caught in the crossfire of public scrutiny, family collapse, and his own unresolved emotions. The media hounded him for statements he didn't have, and at work, there was constant pressure to clean up the mess left in the wake of his father's actions.To make matters worse, people looked to him to explain decisions and actions he hadn't even been privy to, let alone part of.Every time I tried to approach the topic, he would give me a faint, practiced smile and tell me, "I'm fine, Sofia. I've got this under control." But I knew better. His voice lacked convic
I didn't look back, but her words stayed with me as I pushed through the crowd, my heart pounding with a singular, unrelenting purpose.I'm going to end this.The moment I saw Liam weaving through the chaotic crowd toward me, I knew he had something. His face was tight with urgency, his steps quick."We found the location," he said without preamble, his voice low but steady. "The live stream—it's still coming from inside the building. Last floor."I felt a jolt of adrenaline surge through me. "Send me the location," I barked, already turning toward the elevators.Liam quickly complied, his fingers flying over his phone. "Be careful, Sir. He's—""I know," I cut him off, my focus razor-sharp.I didn't wait to hear the rest. The moment the notification buzzed on my phone, I took off. My shoes pounded against the polished floors, drawing startled glances from guests who had no idea what was unfolding.The elevator was taking too long, each second dragging like an eternity. I slammed my fi
•Dominic•The room erupted in murmurs and whispers as Greta's words hung in the air like a thundercloud.All eyes scanned the crowd, searching for him—Teodoro, the man she had just called to the stage. My father. But he was nowhere to be seen.My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of dread and anticipation. This moment had been building for years, an inevitable confrontation that none of us could run from anymore.The murmuring grew louder, filling the silence left by Greta's challenge. I noticed some familiar faces—investors, socialites, and other attendees—shifting uncomfortably, stealing glances at me as though expecting some explanation, but I didn't have one and I never could.All I could do was clench my fists and watch Greta stand there, alone under the glaring spotlight, waiting.After a few minutes of silence, Greta exhaled audibly into the mic. She offered a wry smile, the kind of smile that came from years of enduring pain and disappointment."I suppose it's a little too much
But the murmurs weren't just for Ava. Greta's sleeveless gown, a stunning midnight-blue piece that swept elegantly to the floor, bared the scars etched across her arms and upper back. The jagged lines, a brutal history written in her skin, caught the light as she moved.It was brave. It was beautiful, and it was impossible to ignore.The weight of the crowd's stares hit me like a wave. I didn't hesitate. "Stay with Ava," I murmured to Sofia, before striding through the sea of whispers and glances toward them.Greta noticed me first. Her lips quirked in a soft, knowing smile, but before she could say anything, my hands were on her shoulders. I leaned in close, shielding her as best I could from the sea of prying eyes.The instinct to protect her was immediate, visceral, and unrelenting. My hands moved to remove my jacket, ready to drape it over her, but she stopped me."It's okay," she said softly, placing her hand on mine. Her voice was steady, but her eyes shimmered with unshed tears
The words struck like a slap, and for a fleeting moment, I saw it: the crack in his armour. His eyes widened slightly, and his lips parted as if to speak, but no words came. His hand trembled, hovering near his side, before he clenched it into a fist.His expression twisted—a storm of anger, disbelief, and, beneath it all, something else. Pain. Loss."You're a fool," he spat finally, his voice cold and sharp like a blade. "A naive, pathetic fool. You think you're winning? You think you're better than me? One day, you'll see the truth. Family is power, Dominic. And you've lost that. You've lost everything."His words were meant to cut, to wound, but I saw through them. Beneath the venom, I could see the man who had once been my father, who had once loved us. That man was buried now, consumed by his rage, his grief, his inability to let go of the past.I took a step back, my voice calm but firm. "No, Father. You've lost everything, and you have no one to blame but yourself."His eyes fl
•Dominic•Teodoro stood in the middle of the destruction he'd created, his frame imposing despite his slight sway from too much whiskey.The rage in his eyes was tempered only by the faintest glimmer of despair, the cracks of a man who had lost too much but refused to accept responsibility for any of it."Where are they, Dominic?" he demanded again, his voice slurred but no less venomous. "Where is my family? Where is my wife? My children? You think you can take them from me?"I stood a few feet away, the tension in the room so thick it was hard to breathe. I felt Sofia's lingering gaze from the stairway behind me, her worry anchoring me, but I didn't dare turn around.If she came down, she'd be walking straight into his line of fire, and things would definitely escalate and blow out of proportion. I knew I wouldn't be able to control myself if he tried to harm her in any way."They're not yours anymore," I said, my voice calm but firm, though my stomach churned. "They're not possessi
I stiffened, flipping through evidence of bank transactions. "Any connection to my father?""Not directly," Liam admitted. "But there's evidence of two large payments—one before the incident and one after. Both were transferred from Cayetana Martel's account."I froze, reading the name again. "Natalie's mother?"Liam nodded grimly. "Her contact details are all over his phone records, and surveillance footage shows her meeting him in person with a suspicious bag. An arrest warrant has been issued."It didn't make sense. How could Cayetana do this to her own daughter? I shook my head, trying to process the betrayal."Anything else?" I asked."Yes," Liam added. "You've received a formal invitation to a gala hosted by Olivia. It's three nights from now, and it's marked as compulsory attendance."I nodded slowly. Olivia's plan was still unfolding, and if she was gathering a crowd, it could only mean one thing: the endgame was near."Thanks, Liam," I said, patting his shoulder. "Keep me upd
"Please!" I begged, my voice rising, my breath coming in shallow, panicked gasps. "Just tell me where she is! My sister could be hurt, or alone, or worse, and I—I don't know if I can—"Just then, my mother's voice cut through the haze, sharp and unmistakably furious. "What's going on here?"I whirled around to see her standing in the hallway, her eyes dark with anger. She looked from me to the nurse, her brows knitting together as she took in the scene."Mom," I said, my voice filled with accusation. "How could you do this? How could you take Ava without telling me? You promised!"She stared at me, her mouth falling open in genuine shock. "What are you talking about? I didn't transfer Ava. I thought you would be here with her right now. They wouldn't let me see Natalie either. Was that your doing, Sofia?"The anger I'd felt toward her fizzled, quickly replaced by cold, numbing confusion. I blinked, trying to make sense of her words. "Wait—you didn't—?""No," she said firmly, her face