The hospital room was dimly lit with sunlight reflecting in through the blinds. Clarissa sat at the edge of her bed, her hand pressed lightly against her side where the bullet wound was healing. Kayla stood beside her, folding Rissa's clothes into a small bag with determined precision and focus.“I swear, you’ve been more of a nurse than the actual staff here,” Clarissa teased, her voice light but tinged with gratitude.Kayla rolled her eyes, smiling. “You’re lucky Its you, if not I would have charged a lot for this care"Before Clarissa could reply, the door opened, and Ethan walked in, his broad shoulders and easy smirk lighting up the room. “Hello ladies,” he greeted, warmly with his deep voice. He held a big bouquet of Roses in one hand and a box of chocolate in the other. “Thought you could use some love& support and sugar.”Clarissa’s cheeks flushed lightly. “Ethan, you didn’t have to—”“Oh, I had to,” he interrupted, stepping closer and placing the flowers on her nightstand. “C
Chapter 18: betrayal of the pastThe silence of Adrian’s mansion can be likened to that of a grave yard but this silence was interrupted by a heavy knock on the door. It was late, and way past visiting hours for him. Uninvited guests always brings trouble.Adrian, seated in his study with a glass of whiskey in hand, frowned at the interruption.His demeanor calm yet cold. He felt greatly irritated by this sudden interruption. A second knock, harder this timeHe set down his glass, rolled his shoulders, and moved toward the door with measured steps. When he pulled the door open, his heart froze.Standing before him, dressed in a sleek black dress that hugged her curves like a second skin, was ......Fiona.The air in the room shifted instantly, heavy with so many emotions.Adrian’s expression darkened, his jaw clenching as he looked at the woman who had once owned his heart—only to shatter it in the most brutal way possible.“Fiona,” he said, voice cold as ice. Quite some nerves you've
Adrian barely had time to regroup after the threat video before the storm hit.The study doors slammed open with a force that rattled the walls."Where is she?"Kayla’s father, Mr Marshall, stormed inside, his face twisted in rage. His usual controlled demeanor was nowhere to be found. His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging in his neck and forehead as he pointed an accusatory finger at Adrian."You arrogant, power-hungry , manipulating bastard! Where the hell is my daughter?"Adrian slowly looked up from his desk, his fingers tightening around the edge of his chair in anger. His patience was already getting to its limitd, and he had no time for misplaced accusations."You think I took her?" Adrian’s voice was low, dangerous. "Think before you speak, old man."Mr Marshall advanced, slamming his fists onto the polished mahogany desk. "Who else would do this? My daughter has been nothing but a pawn in your twisted games! You dragged her into this world—your world—and now she’s paying the
Fiona entered into her car and drives away. She so happy that she turned the music up. Confidence dripped from her with her every move. She had won. She had Adrian Lockwood right where she wanted him. And soon, he’d have no choice but to bend to her will and do her biddings.What she didn’t realize was that she was being followed.A car had been following her—silent, precise, always there but never noticed.But Fiona was oblivious.She reached her house, came down and joyfully headed straight for the hallway She reached the heavy steel door at the end of the hallway, punched in a code, and stepped inside the room where Kayla was being held hostage.Kayla's body was weak against the chair, her wrists hurting from the ropes. She was bruised but far from broken. The fire in her eyes burned as hot as ever when she saw Fiona enter.Fiona smirked. "Ah, look at you. A little battered, but still defiant. I admire that. Really, I do."Kayla glared. "Cut the theatrics, Fiona. You’re wasting yo
Adrian sat in his dimly lit study, fingers tapping rhythmically against the surface of his desk. The frustration was obvious on his face as his forehead tightened . It's not that he was scared about his safety, he is scared because of Kayla. They now know that she's his weak point and this is what he has been trying to avoid . Now Kayla is going to be used against him, making her vulnerable and not safe. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Without waiting for permission, Ethan stepped inside. His usual lovely smirk was absent, replaced by a very serious face. He closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall nearby just staring at Adrian. "We have a huge problem Ad," Ethan announced, cutting straight to the point without menacing words. Adrian sighed, rubbing his temples. "Tell me something I don't already know Ethan." Ethan walked over, tossing a file onto Adrian's desk. "Fiona and Victor signed an alliance. They are going to be helping each other from now on
" You know that you could have said something right?, Kayla said." Said something? I felt like you wouldn't understand even though I had spoken up." Adrian repliedAdrian leaned back in his chair and sighed, Kayla who is sitt6across from him, her eyes locked onto him. The room then fell silent but the silence was defeaning . Kayla exhales. "All these times, I thought you were just being mean and cold towards me. I thought you hated me and wanted nothing more than to punish me . Buy it was all to protect me?? Only if you had talked. She said feeling guilty.Adrian scoffed, And you would have listened and believed me? You detested me, thought I had ruined your life. Bring lovey doveywith you wouldn't have helped you in any way. I had to feign anger towards you to make you stronger. " I'm so sorry Adrian. I really am. I apologize for my stupid behaviors then. I was only trying to defend myself. " She says feeling sad and sorry."No baby girl. Don't be . Nobody can stand being manip
Kayla paced across the room, her arms folded tightly across her chest. “He’s never going to stop, us he?"Adrian sat on the edge of the bed, watching her with amusement,“No, he isn't".Kayla turned to him sharply,her frustration threatening to overflow.“Then what do we do, Adrian? He walked in here asking for me like I'm some package, Like I’m some deal he’s cashing in on. I swear, I had the irresistible urge to slap that smirk off his face!!".Adrian’s jaw ticked. “You should have.”Her lips parted in surprise. “Really?”A sarcastic smile tugged at his lips. “Would’ve been fun to watch.”She scoffed. “You’re impossible, like how aren't you bothered by this.” But despite the tension in her body, she felt herself relax, just a little.Then Adrian’s smirk faded, replaced by a more serious expression.“Victor’s not backing down. I know him too well—he doesn’t take no for an answer neither does he know when to stop until he gets what he wants."Kayla swallowed. “So, what do you suggest we
Kayla could barely sleep. Even with Adrian’s reassurances and soft words, Victor’s visit lingers in her mind like a constant whisper. Anytime she closes her eyes, all she could see was his smug and stupid face.The next morning, she wakes up to find Adrian gone. A sharp spike of anxiety grips her chest. She rushes downstairs, almost bumping into Ethan.“Where’s Adrian?” she demands.Ethan’s face turns puzzled and surprised. “Handling business.”“Business?” she repeats. “He didn’t tell me he was going anywhere."Ethan exhales. “Look, Kayla, I know you’re worried, but Adrian’s always five steps ahead. Trust him.”Kayla clenches her fists. “Trust him? I'm really trying my best here . Victor came here yesterday and made it clear that he’s not backing down, and Adrian just—” She stops herself, exhaling sharply.Ethan watches her for a moment before speaking. “Victor has already infiltrated the company. That’s what Adrian’s handling.”Kayla’s eyes widen. “What?, I thought it's his supplie
Cipher stepped into the dimly lit chamber, seated there was a man dressed in leather behind the desk. Shadows clung to the corners of the room, swallowing every ounce of warmth. The boss didn’t even lift his eyes from the scotch glass in his hand.“Well?” the man’s voice came, calm but authoritative “It’s done,” Cipher replied firmly. “I planted the bomb underneath the building as planned. They are all dead.A slow nod followed. The boss swirled the amber liquid in his glass, his gaze distant, thoughtful.“No one survived?” he asked again, this time with a slight edge. “You’re absolutely sure?”Cipher hesitated a moment before straightening. “Yes. I made sure everything went according to plan. Kayla. Adrian. Victor. Ethan. Clarissa. They were all in the building when it blew.”The boss finally looked up, his steel-grey eyes pinning Cipher in place. “And you’re confident that no one saw you?"“No one,” Cipher responded obedientlyThe boss rose to his feet with the elegance of a lion
The message sent had been simple, cryptic, and said to be of utmost importance. No name. No sender. Just a location and time.Adrian read it twice, jaw tightening. His instincts buzzed with curiosity and doubt.Across the city, Ethan stared at the same message, eyebrows furrowed. “What the hell is this?” he muttered. Clarissa leaned over his shoulder. “Whats this supposed to mean.are you going to go"?“I don’t know. But I feel like I should.”Victor laughed coldly as he pocketed the message. “Nice try, bastards. Let’s see what you have planned. I know for a fact Adrian is doing this."Kayla clutched her phone nervously. “Adrian, did you get this?”He nodded. “We’re going. I’ll have men surrounding the area. Stay close to me and you'll be safe."By noon, the old industrial building sat like a waiting beast, rusting and silent. One by one, they arrived. First Adrian and Kayla, then Ethan and Clarissa. Victor arrived last, flanked by two guards, a smug smirk painted on his face.“You?, A
Fiona paced the dimly lit hotel room, her heartbeat thudding like a war drum in her chest. She had been on the run long enough, laying low, changing hotels, wearing wigs to flaw her appearance,But the anxiety never stopped. The fear only grew deeper. Adrian could find her. Victor could kill her. It was just a matter of who got to her first and either way, she's dead.She picked up the burner phone, the third one she’d used this week, and dialed a number she was told never to call unless she was desperate. She was. The call rang once.A voice answered. No pleasantries, no name. Just silence.“I need to meet with you,” Fiona said. “Tonight. In person. It’s urgent.”“Address,” the voice replied, cold and straight She gave them the hotel name and room number, then hung up. No time for pleasantries. She knew how this worked. She was dealing with an organization that specialized in making people disappear. An elite house of assassins. And she needed their best.Exactly twenty five minutes
Victor’s men stood tall in the dark alley, their faces hidden behind hideous masks, their posture as stupid as they are. Ethan walked calmly toward them, a black leather briefcase in one hand and a composed expression masking the war that's going on inside of him.“This better be everything,” the tallest of Victor’s men growled, stretching out his hand.Ethan dropped the briefcase onto the car bonnet. “It’s all there. Every file, every password, every damn thing you asked for.”The man snapped it open, flipping through neatly arranged files, USB drives, and hard copies of encrypted accounts. Ethan had worked all night with Adrian’s tech team to make them look real. The level of detail was so precise, even an expert would be fooled—at least, for a while.“Now that you are satisfied, will you take me to her?,” Ethan demanded, voice cold and sharp like steel.“Master Victor will decide that,” the man replied and motioned for him to wait.A sleek black car pulled up beside them. Victor s
What!!?? Rissa is missing??!!”Kayla’s voice rang out like a siren screaming to free herself from a wicked fisherman's net ,slicing through the calm. Her hands trembled, Ethans phone clutched tightly as the message flashed on the screen. Ethan’s face was drained of color. Adrian turned immediately, eyes narrowing.“Wait—what did you just say?” he asked, stepping closer.Kayla’s lips quivered. “Cant you hear him, he said that my best friend is fucking missing." Adrian’s jaw tensed. “What the hell are you talking about? We were all together just hours ago.”Ethan stood frozen, his phone buzzing again in his pocket. Slowly, he pulled it out. One glance, and his stomach dropped.It read:"Come alone. We have your girl. You have 48 hours. Don’t tell Adrian. Or she dies.A chill swept down his spine. His throat dried as Adrian noticed the way Ethan’s fingers twitched around his phone.“What’s going on?” Adrian asked, stepping forward. “You just got a message too. Show me.”Ethan slipped th
The sun rose beautifully over the lockwood estate, making the environment look surreal.Kayla stretched beautifully under the silk sheets, her body still aching from the night before. Her skin tingled with the memory of Adrian’s touch, his kiss, the feeling of him inside her, the way he pleasured her in a way she couldn't imagine.“Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart,” Adrian’s deep voice broke through her thoughts. He leaned against the doorframe, his blue eyes soft, a beautiful smile plastered on his faceKayla sat up, smiling. “Is it Val's day already?"He walked to her, kissed her forehead, then murmured, “ Yes, it is. Now I need you to get dressed, I'm taking you somewhere special."She giggled. “Special? Where?”Adrian smirked. “How is it a surprise if I tell you"An hour later, Kayla stepped out of the mansion, looking so beautiful and speechless because she saw....Ethan stood by the car, grinning from ear to ear, while Clarissa waved excitedly, already seated inside. Adrian held
He leaned in and captured her lips in a kiss that was slow, intentional, raw and passionate. It deepened quickly, their mouths molding together in a hunger that had been restrained for long His hands cupped her face as if she were something fragile, yet his body pressed against hers with a desperate need and a burning desire.He backed her gently toward the bed, never breaking the kiss. When the back of her knees hit the edge of the bed,"Are you ready for this baby?""I've never wanted something so bad In my life. I WANT YOU ADRIAN""Really, I'm not promising you that I'd be gentle. I've been starved for a long time.""I want you Ady, take me"And that was all he needed to hearAdrian lifted her onto the bed, laying her down as if she were the most precious thing he’d ever touched. He climbed over her slowly, letting his weight settle on her just enough for her to feel the strength of his desire. Their kisses grew messier, deeper, more demanding. Hands roamed, exploring skin that bur
The weather today was so good and warm. The ray of morning sun peeked Into the room through the glass, casting golden shadows. Adrian laid on the bed, one arm tucked behind his head, while the other wrapped around Kayla's waist, keeping her as close as possible. She laid on his chest, her fingers tracing from his face to his chest, their legs tangled. No words were spoken, none was needed. Not today, not even in this sweet moment."You know, I wish we could stay like this forever." Kayla spoke softly against his chest.Adrian smiled, giving her a kiss on her forehead. " Then let's never move. Let's just stay like this forever and ever "I just wish we could just live a peaceful life, like going for walks in the park or something without watching our backs."she said sadly."Hey baby, don't even be like that. Sooner than later, we'd be able to do everything that you love. All I know is , at the very end, we'd be fine. A flush crept up her cheeks and she tried to look away but he hel
Ethan sat at the edge of the bed, rubbing his palm against his jeans as he stared with admiration at Clarissa who was fussing with her earrings in the mirror. She looked effortlessly beautiful even in silence, and the softness of her reflection is just a marvelous sight to behold. It made him feel so proud of himself.“Don't you ever stop to reason how we ended up here , together?" Ethan asked, his voice filled with love and sincerity.Clarissa turned, surprised by his tone. “Here? Like… here together?”He nodded slowly. “Yeah. With all the that gave way to our meeting , you’re still the one thing that feels right. You’re my very own calm in the storm,Rissa."Her lips curled into a small smile, and she walked over to him, sitting on his legs as her fingers ran through his hair. “You’re not that bad yourself. Even with that stubborn temper and your overprotective and hidden instincts."He let out a low laugh. “What can I say? I’d rather be hated for being overprotective than mourn the