“BOSS! The Queen is calling out your name!” The man spoke urgently, fingers brushing the earpiece behind his ear as his sharp gaze swept the surroundings. He had been present at the auction, watching, waiting, and anticipating any move from their enemies.Across the dimly lit room, the one they called boss slowly lifted his gaze. His steel-gray eyes, cold and unyielding, gleamed like sharpened blades in the dark.“Kill everyone inside that goddamn house,” he ordered, his voice like ice. “I’m bringing my Queen back to our palace—without a single scar.”“Roger, Boss!” his men responded through the earpiece, their voices filled with unwavering loyalty.The mafia boss, his expression unreadable, took a slow, deliberate glance around, his blood boiling with rage within. How dare they? They had taken his Queen—his atonement, his salvation—from him. She belonged at his side—safe, untouched, and revered. Yet these fools had dared to lay their filthy hands on her.Unforgivable.“Boss! They’r
Khione Louelita Silay. That was the name given to her by one of the nuns at the orphanage where she grew up. It was a name that carried no ties to a family, no connection to a past she could return to—only the identity of a girl who had learned to survive on her own. Now, seated in her small yet comfortable townhouse, Khione let out a deep sigh of relief. “Three months of pleading, begging, and finally...” She clenched her fists in excitement. “They let me work from home!”She nearly wanted to collapse in joy. It was the best thing that had happened to her since joining the National Bureau of Investigation’s Counter Intelligence Department. The NBI had recruited her three months ago because of her exceptional skills in computer information technology. However, what the government didn’t officially acknowledge was that she was also one of the most skilled hackers they had ever encountered. Her job required absolute secrecy. Her identity had to remain protected at all costs. Th
“Boss, they’ve arrived.”The voice of Erza Slain Velleoti’s right-hand man was low, cautious, as if uttering those words too loudly might summon something dangerous. Ezra took a slow drag from his cigarette, the ember at the tip burning bright in the dimly lit room. He exhaled a plume of smoke, watching it curl lazily toward the ceiling before dissipating. He didn't even acknowledge the announcement with a nod or a glance. His men were used to this. Ezra never wasted words unless necessary. Before him, on a lavishly designed stage, women danced in near-nothing attire, their bodies moving in sensual waves under the flashing neon lights. Their gazes, hopeful yet hollow, sought the attention of the wealthy and powerful men scattered throughout the club. Ezra was among them, but unlike the others, he remained detached, unaffected. These women were nothing more than background noise to him. Their attempts to seduce him and capture his interest were wasted efforts. They could bare their
"Why the hell do I have to get involved in this mess?" Louelita muttered under her breath, frustration lacing every word as she hurriedly gathered supplies in the supermarket. She had tried to put off going outside for as long as possible, but her food stock had finally run out. She had even considered ordering a delivery, but something-or someone-seemed determined to make sure she left the house. Dressed in a black hooded jacket, brown baggy pants, and low-cut shoes, she tried her best to blend in. Her long hair, usually tied back, was loose around her shoulders, and she kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone around her. The last thing she wanted was attention. For an entire week, she had been immersed in her case, tirelessly digging through files and hacking into hidden servers to uncover the sickening crimes of powerful politicians. And what she found made her stomach churn. They weren't just corrupt-they were monsters. Human trafficking. Drug smuggling. Sexual e
Louelita’s screams echoed through the car, raw with desperation as she fought against the iron grip of the man trying to drag her out. His rough hands yanked at her mercilessly, his breath reeking of smoke and sweat as he snarled in frustration.“You’re really making this difficult for me, huh?!” he barked, jerking her shoulder violently.Louelita tried to twist away, her instincts screaming at her to get to the driver’s seat—to find some way to escape—but before she could, the man grabbed her ankle and pulled her back with brute force. Her body lurched forward, and with a sickening impact, her face slammed into the hard plastic of the dashboard.Pain exploded in her mouth. A metallic taste flooded her tongue, and she felt something warm trickling from her lips. Her vision blurred from the force of the hit, but she forced herself to stay conscious.The man didn’t care.As long as she was breathing, he would keep going until he fulfilled his job—killing her.“You little b*tch,” he spat
Ezra Velleoti had always sought solace in the sea. It was the only place that gave him a sense of peace, a refuge from the suffocating demands of his work. As the leader of the Velleoti Mafia, his life was a relentless cycle of violence, deception, and power plays. But out here, away from the chaos of the city and the bloodstained dealings of the underworld, he could breathe.The sound of the waves, whether calm or raging, was a melody to him. The endless horizon stretching before him reminded him of freedom—something he rarely experienced. Sitting on the deck of his yacht, he sipped his vodka, allowing the alcohol to burn his throat as he gazed at the vast expanse of blue. The sun was high in the sky, its golden rays bathing his skin in warmth. His black sunglasses shielded his eyes, and he leaned back, letting the tranquility of the moment seep into his bones.He enjoyed these brief escapes, venturing out to sea for three to five days at a time. No one knew of his private beach ho
Omar hesitated, gripping his phone tightly, his voice unsure as he spoke. “B-But, Boss—”Ezra's patience was extremely limited. He didn’t have time for objections. “Are you questioning my decisions, Omar?” His voice pierced the phone like a sharp instrument.Immediately, Omar shook his head, though his boss couldn’t see him. “No, boss. But what if our enemies track down your beach house? I’m just being cautious.”Ezra clenched his jaw, his grip on the phone tightening to the point where the device nearly cracked under the pressure. “Come here right away and bring that damn doctor! I don’t give a damn about my safety. Bring our men if that makes you feel better!” he barked, his fury barely contained.A sigh came from the other end of the line before Omar answered. “Understood, boss. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”Ezra didn’t wait for him to hang up. He had already ended the call, his focus shifting back to the unconscious woman lying on his bed.Her hands were ice-cold in his grasp, h
The sharp crack of Ezra’s furious voice echoed through the dimly lit bedroom.“What did you do?” he roared, his grip tightening around the doctor’s collar. The terrified physician gasped as Ezra yanked him closer, nearly lifting him off his feet.On the bed behind them, the woman convulsed violently, her body wracked with seizures. The doctor desperately wanted to help her, but Ezra’s rage had him paralyzed in place, his face flushed with unbridled fury.Omar, Ezra’s right-hand man, stepped forward, attempting to intervene.“Boss, let the doctor go,” he urged, his tone calm but firm. “How is he supposed to treat her if you’re holding him like that?”Ezra’s chest heaved with heavy breaths, his sharp gaze snapping to Omar. For a tense moment, it seemed like he might lash out at his subordinate as well. His fingers trembled with the force of his anger, knuckles white as they clutched the doctor’s collar.Finally, with a growl of frustration, he shoved the doctor backward. The older man s
Louelita stretched her limbs, her body feeling light and free. A soft smile formed on her lips as she stared at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts.She was grateful.Grateful that Ezra had saved her.Her life now was significantly better than before, when she had been all alone—drifting without direction, surviving rather than living. Now, she had a place where she felt safe, where she wasn’t constantly looking over her shoulder.Yesterday, they had just returned from Spain.Before coming home, they had traveled around, visiting different places. Their last stop had been La Concha, a breathtaking beach with golden sand stretching as far as the eye could see. They had dined at a restaurant overlooking the vast ocean, the waves shimmering under the afternoon sun.Louelita had been captivated by the view, her heart swelling with awe. She hadn’t been able to put into words how beautiful it was, so instead, she had done the next best thing—she had taken countless photos.She didn’t own a ph
Ezra carefully adjusted Louelita in the car seat, his firm hands steadying her as she bit her lower lip, her entire face burning with embarrassment. She turned away, hiding herself from his gaze.Who wouldn’t be mortified? The events of the previous night were still fresh in her mind, no matter how much she had tried to push them away. Even in her intoxicated state, she had been fully aware of what had transpired between them. And now, the worst part—she could barely walk. Every inch of her body ached, a constant reminder of her reckless surrender.Ezra, noticing her discomfort, let out a deep chuckle, his lips curling into an amused smirk. He gently guided her down into the seat, but as soon as she was settled, she immediately buried her face in his chest, as though she could hide from the world.“Don’t laugh at me! Such behavior is humiliating!” she mumbled, her voice muffled against his firm torso.Ezra’s laughter only deepened as he ran his fingers through her silky hair, enjoying
“Holy shit! What are you doing, Vita Mia?!” Ezra exclaimed in shock when the woman took off her dress while they were still in the car.Ezra was lucky because he was not with the Alessio siblings because they were in the other car.Instead of answering Ezra, the woman just laughed, as if Louelita was a child playing with a man, but Louelita was also intent on seducing Ezra.Ezra stopped driving the car and tried to put Louelita back on, but instead of following, she tried to take off Ezra’s shirt.“Fuck!” Ezra muttered harshly and tried to stop Louelita.He was holding back just enough to grab her attention. “It's hot!” The woman said, giggling at Ezra. The car's air conditioning was strong, but because the woman was drunk and acting clumsy now, Ezra struggled to keep her under control.He succumbs to Louelita’s innocence. ‘Damn! Where has my innocent Vita Mia gone?’ He pondered this as he gazed at the woman who was giggling uncontrollably.The man’s mouth dropped even more when he sa
“This is too much, Ez!” Louelita blurted out in frustration, her voice sharp with exasperation. She was gripping Ezra's wrist tightly, practically dragging him out of the luxurious restaurant’s entrance.Ezra, on the other hand, stood his ground. Despite the bandage still wrapped around his injured shoulder, he remained firm, refusing to be led away so easily. His determined stance contrasted with Louelita’s resistance as she kept tugging at him.“I said no! Why would I settle for cheap meals when my Vita Mia deserves the finest? Come on, let’s go inside!” Ezra countered, using his uninjured hand to gently but firmly hold her back.“But this fine dining place is too expensive! Do you realize how many starving children could be fed with the money you're about to waste on a single meal?” she argued, her tone laced with frustration and concern.Louelita was a tech-savvy nerd, and with that came knowledge of various high-end establishments. Sublimotion—one of the most expensive restaurant
“Boss! They’re not from our enemies!” Elio shouted into his earpiece as soon as he put it on. His team of hackers had just confirmed it—these attackers weren’t from the rival Mafia families they usually dealt with.Ezra gritted his teeth, his jaw tightening as his mind worked quickly. If these people weren’t sent by their Mafia enemies, then there was only one possible explanation—they were after Louelita.His expression darkened, and his sharp gaze immediately flicked toward the woman crouching near him. She had heard everything. Her wide eyes were locked on his, filled with shock and an undeniable trace of fear.“How the hell did they know Louelita was still alive?!” Ezra roared, his voice echoing amidst the chaos of gunfire.He turned fully toward her, his face softening slightly as he noticed the fear creeping onto her features. His protective instincts kicked in, overriding everything else.“Don’t worry, Vita Mia,” he reassured her in a firm yet gentle tone. “Just stay hidden. We
Louelita took a step back, her brows knitting together as she turned to look at Ezra with wide, incredulous eyes. “Wait… I thought we were going to the mall?” she asked, her voice laced with confusion.Ezra smirked, the corner of his lips curving into a teasing grin. “Yes, Vita Mia, we are going to a mall,” he said smoothly. “But I never said it would be in the Philippines.”Louelita’s jaw nearly dropped as she stared at him in shock. “What?!”Ezra had orchestrated everything down to the finest detail—not for himself, but for her. He wanted this moment to be perfect, something unforgettable. He knew that Louelita had never traveled internationally like this before. It wasn’t just about the shopping trip; there was also a minor business transaction waiting for him at their destination. Still, the real reason was hers.“But… I don’t even have a passport! And I never planned on getting one,” Louelita protested, her voice rising in frustration as she walked beside him.Ezra suddenly stopp
“Are you absolutely sure it’s safe for me to be out in public?” Louelita asked again, her voice laced with uncertainty as she fidgeted in her seat.Ezra, who had already reassured her several times, let out a soft chuckle. He understood her anxiety and had no intention of making her feel guilty about it. His grip tightened slightly on the steering wheel as he turned to glance at her.“Your disguise is flawless, Vita Mia. No one will recognize you, I promise,” he said with unwavering confidence.Louelita lowered her gaze to her lap, lightly tracing the fabric of the simple yet elegant dress she wore. Unlike her usual attire, today she had been completely transformed—her hair was tucked beneath a short wig, her natural eye color concealed by contact lenses, and a touch of professional makeup added just enough to alter her usual features. The effort Ezra had put into this was extensive. He had even hired a professional stylist and a makeup artist, both of whom were members of his Mafia.
Ezra Slain’s patience was already dwindling when he heard the familiar, almost playful voice of one of his men.“Boss, we called you about ten times after our plane landed. I’m guessing you were a little... preoccupied with the Lady, which is why you didn’t answer our calls.”It was Primo who spoke, his voice carrying a teasing lilt.Louelita, seated quietly beside Ezra, turned to look at the four men standing in front of them. This was the first time she’d truly paid attention to their faces, and now that she did, she couldn’t help but notice how eerily similar they looked. Their features, their expressions—everything about them screamed familiarity.They’re brothers, she thought. They have to be.Before she could dwell on it any further, Ezra’s sharp voice cut through the air like a blade.“I didn’t hear my phone ring. Don’t make me look like a fool—I’m not an idiot like you,” he snapped, leveling a cold glare at the four men, who merely shook their heads in feigned disbelief.Lolit
Louelita woke up to a strange, heavy sensation on her chest. Her lashes fluttered slightly before her eyes fully opened, adjusting to the dim, warm glow of the grand chandelier hanging above her. The opulence of the room was still something she wasn’t used to—luxury was a foreign concept to her. Even though she had spent some time here, the sheer elegance surrounding her still made her feel out of place.For a moment, she lay still, her body stiff, trying to gather her thoughts. But when she attempted to move, she realized she couldn’t. A warm weight was pressing against her chest, restricting her movements. Confused, she turned her head slightly, and that was when she saw him.Ezra.Her breath hitched in her throat, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. He was right beside her—close enough that she could feel the gentle rise and fall of his breathing.Why is he here?She wanted to say something—to call his name, to wake him up—but her voice refused to cooperate. Her lips part