Dysis’s heart stilled. "Are you inquiring about my true identity?" she whispered, just loud enough to be audible. Alexander paused, then gradually withdrew his hand, leaving a lingering warmth behind. His face was inscrutable, yet there was a glimmer in his eyes—something contained, something he had been suppressing."You've been looking for solutions," he said smoothly, getting up from the bed and walking toward the mahogany desk in the corner. The faint light from the chandelier created elongated shadows over his face, accentuating his already prominent features. "It’s time you began obtaining them." Her heartbeat roared in her ears. "What are you saying?" He did not respond right away. Instead, he opened a drawer, retrieving a smooth black folder. He paused for just a moment before facing her, his expression inscrutable. "Your father wasn't the sole one hiding things from you." A shiver coursed through Dysis’s body. She gulped nervously, her fingers pressing into the gentle m
The room is sparsely lit, filled with the soft hum from medical monitors. The mobility meter piano, along with the medical pads, kept Lucian alive. He braved the painful encounter that gave him a near-death experience. He lay on a bed, looking at a white ceiling, but deep down, he brooded over something that felt deeply broken.Dys liked to gaze down at the intricate designs imprinted on her engagement ring. Sometime in the past she had been able to accept that ring. However, did she think it was going to turn out to be a gift? “Give me that ring!” she asked impatiently. “I am ready to accept whatever you tell me. Just give that ring to me!” “I surrender” came a calm reply, but that required everyone to stop whatever it was they were doing. Otherwise every panel in the tower would burst.Lucian squeezed his eyes shut. He could still hear her voice. *"I’ll marry Max."* His breath hitched. He hadn’t seen it at first, but now he understood—Dysis had been willing to shackle herself to
What was unsaid was more menacing than actual words on the Levi estate. Even after cursing it, it settled into the bones like a powerful curse. Along came Adam Levi to Alexander’s estate, where the underlying resentment and the distance of years instantly cloaked him like a thick blanket.For the first time in years, Alexander had agreed to see his father. It was an uncharacteristic move, one that had even Milo raising an eyebrow when he escorted Adam into Alexander’s private office.Alexander stood behind his desk, a vision of control in his tailored black suit, his icy-blue eyes as unreadable as ever. Adam, in contrast, carried his age with an aura of power only a man who had ruled the underworld could possess. The father and son stood across from each other, two titans in the same bloodline, separated by years of mistakes.Adam was the first to break the silence. “You finally stopped running from me.”“I wasn’t running,” Alexander said flatly. “I was building something stronger tha
Alexander's office was a tense place, the smell of good whisky and smooth leather mingling with a chill—something dangerous. Shadows danced across the deep mahogany walls as a fire whispered quietly in the hearth. It was a room designed for power, a place where underworld kings made their decisions. And this evening, it would witness something much more sinister. Sofie stood by the desk, composed yet self-satisfied, her tailored red dress clinging to every contour, the pronounced V-neck highlighting the grace of her figure. Her golden locks were elegantly styled in smooth waves, and her crimson nails drummed continuously on the surface of her phone. She was ready. With a grin teasing her lips, she pushed the phone across the desk. The display remained vivid, casting light on the incriminating scene—Dysis and Lucian, just inches apart, his hand poised near her cheek, their eyes entwined in an undeniably intimate connection. Sofie leaned her head, observing Alexander, anticipati
The only sound came from the luxury car's faint hum of the engine. The dashboard was lighted by the golden sunlight as the background metropolis was whirling by. The car stayed frigid despite the nice illumination, which felt oppressive given all the unsaid emotions and sentiments. Dysis sat stiffly next to Alexander, her fingers holding the silky cloth of her dress. She needs to speak. She was about to say something. She felt that every single idea was focused on last night. Her thoughts kept playing on repeat the scorching sensation from his desperate kiss, the way his hands danced under her nightgown, and his harsh touch. Where he marked her still tingled and her body seemed to be on fire. He gave her a cursory look. Alexander was his normal self—expressionless and emotionally cold. Black tailored trousers matched a white button-down shirt that was not fully buttoned. He seemed to be effortlessly gripping the wheel. Hands lying naturally against his knee. His face and features
Long after Alexander left the corridor, the silence there persisted, but the weight of his presence persisted like a storm unwilling to pass. Lucian rolled his shoulders as if releasing the ghost of Alexander's hold, then exhaled gently. Not from fear but from something deeper—something raw, unresolved—his heart continued to pound. He had seen it, Alexander's eyes flickering with uncertainty, his body stiffening at those final words. “You worry she will love someone else.” Lucian intended not to say it. But the truth had a tendency to escape when most important. Turning towards the balcony, his hands closed into fists. The cool night air touched his skin, but it had no effect to quell the fire raging within of him. Dysis. Her response had combined shock with something else—hesitation. Ever thought about him that way? Alternatively had he waited far too long? Lucian shook his head at his own stupidity, then laughed dryly. At this point, it was irrelevant. Alexander
"What was that?" Alexander tipped his head slightly, his icy-blue eye invisible. "a warning." Dysis scowled. " For his or for me?" Though he never saw it, a soft smile lingered on his lips. "both.”Dysis let out a frustrated breath. "This—whatever this is between you two—is not just about me?" Alexander moved forward and pushed her to raise her chin to meet his eye. His voice low, "you were the catalyst," he whispered, then "this was inevitable." Her gut turned around. She had seen it—that way Lucian and Alexander had stared at one another. This was more than just competition. It was something more profoundly ingrained. elderly. “Alexander—" There was buzz on his phone. Glancing at the television, his face darkened. He said, "I'll be right back," then turned and left without further word. Dysis watched him go, her chest constricting with discomfort. Not over was whatever had just happened between Alexander and Lucian. And right now another force was draggin
Dysis maintained her upright posture even as her gut tightened at the sight of Sofie seated across from Lili, drinking tea with the grace of someone who knew she belonged. Sofie's smile was slow, deliberate, like a cat that had just seen a mouse. “Oh, what a wonderful surprise this is.” Sofie set her cup down, her well manicured nails clicking against the porcelain. "Dysis, sweetheart, I never would have expected to find you here." Lili grinned, her look incomprehensible. "Dysis arrived for a fitting. Not bad, Sofie?”That is fantastic. Sofie's eyes glanced over Dysis's plain yellow dress, her smile growing. Great. Undoubtedly. I was simply wondering how much she may benefit from a small bit of refinement. Dysis turned away from the bait. She glanced at the older woman and added, "I appreciate the help, Lili," smoothly. "I want to see everything flawless." Lili examined her for a time, then gave a gradual nod of approval. "That's a healthy way of thinking. After
The sun had hardly risen beyond the horizon, leaving golden lines like spilled honey across the sea. A gentle breeze fluttered the white linen drapes of the villa and ruckled the palm leaves over the island. Barefoot, Dysis stood at the brink of the balcony, her honey-brown hair falling in loose waves down her back. The air smelt seawater and orchids, combining with the warmth of sun-kissed stone. Her eyes shining with mischief and sunset-colored wonder, she turned towards the sea.She’d found a red bikini tucked neatly inside a drawer packed by Alexander, though he’d claimed otherwise and without hesitation, slipped it on. Rich and strong on her soft, brilliant skin, it hugged her body as if it had been designed for her. Her contours shined like sun-lit polished pearls. Her hips swung softly as she strolled down to the shore, feet sliding into the warm, powdered sand. She laughed as she walked further into the sea; it lapped at her toes, chilly and mocking. There was no one else he
The private estate was cloaked in silence, the kind that warned of danger long before it arrived. Cormac Carter stood before the large fireplace, the flames low as shadows moved along the stone walls. Under his fitted suit, his broad shoulders were stiff; his silver-streaked hair slid back precisely. From his fingers, unbroken, a crystal glass of aged bourbon hung. One of his guys stopped at the threshold behind him and started to shift uneasily. “Say it again”, Cormac said, his voice low and icy, slanted with poison. The man swallowed. “Dysis Salmon... She's the heiress to the Everhart bloodline. Confirmed. The Levi heir married her. She’s with Alexander now.” Cormac turned slowly, his eyes glinting with restrained fury. “So,” he muttered, stepping toward the man, “the girl promised to my nephew… was stolen. Claimed. Not just by anyone but by Alexander Levi.” He crushed the glass in his palm, shards falling like ice. “And he killed Max.” The words hissed from his mouth like
Dysis lay curled into the curve of Alexander’s body, the steady thud of his heart on her cheek grounding her in a moment that felt much too delicate for the world they lived in. Her waist had slipped the blanket, and the silky sheets twisted around them while the storm outside murmured against the windows. Her voice broke the silence. Soft. Hesitant. “Where’s my mother?” Alexander’s fingers paused where they were threading gently through her hair. “I told her to leave,” he said calmly. Dysis pulled back just enough to look up at him, confusion flickering in her tired eyes. “What? Why?” “I thought you wouldn’t mind me sending her away,” Alexander said, watching her reaction closely. “She was the reason you passed out.” Her breath hitched. “But I just…” “Don’t cry again.” His voice became light-hearted, his lips curving slightly as he looked away from her. "I was only kidding." "I wasn't going to cry," She said, but her pink cheeks backstabbed her. He mocked, his tone lamp
Back to the Present For hours the rain had not ceased. From outside, the heavens softly wept against the windows, drops on glass-like fingers. The polished floor had a muted orange glow as the fire in the sitting room burned to embers. Dysis folded her legs under her and laid a blanket sloppily across her lap on the velvet chaise. She was not warmed by it. Not really. Her mind was too full, too heavy. Adam sat across from her. No longer the towering, untouchable patriarch. Just a man with tired eyes and a voice thick with regret. “So,” Dysis said quietly, almost afraid to say it aloud, “you knew Lili tried to have Alexander killed?” Adam’s eyes dropped to the rug. His jaw clenched. “Yes.” Dysis sat up straighter, her heart suddenly pounding. “And you did nothing?” “I confronted her,” Adam replied. His voice was hoarse, rough from unsaid things. “I let her know I was aware of her schemes. I spared her… for Silver and Giselle’s sake.” Dysis blinked. That was it? "That's all
The room still hadn’t moved. Not really.Time seemed to bend under the weight of what it signified as Adam Levi announced his second son the successor to the empire. As if the house had stopped to listen, dust particles floated slowly through a shaft of afternoon sunlight, and the crackle of the fire in the hearth got louder in the silence.But the true silence came from Lili.She had said nothing at all. Her fingers, coated in a frost-toned gloss, shook slightly on the stem of her crystal wine glass. It was still full. She hadn’t taken a single sip all evening.She couldn’t.Not with him in the room.Not with Alexander sitting there, one leg crossed over the other, draped in that black wool coat with silver stitching like it had been sewn by ghosts. The candlelight danced across the crest on his hand—the Levi sigil, glinting ominously with every breath he took.He didn’t speak.Didn’t gloat.Didn’t even flinch when Silver stormed out of the boardroom, his footsteps echoing like gunsh
Another year passed.And then another.Fourteen winters had clawed their way across the cliffs of the North before the gates opened again. The iron doors groaned like beasts roused from slumber, spilling out a silhouette wreathed in morning fog and silence.He walked like he owned the ground beneath him.Not like the boy who had entered.No—he was something else now.Alexander Levi’s hair had been trimmed close to the scalp, the inky black strands now neat, severe. His jawline cut clean, cheeks hollowed by years of discipline, hardship, and war. The softness of his childhood had been carved away, chiseled into something sharp. Lethal. Beautiful in a cold, brutal way.He wore a long black coat, the kind lined in silver thread at the collar, shoulders squared with the weight of command. His boots struck the earth like thunder. A ring glinted on his right hand—a crest of the North carved into it. The mark of survival.Not everyone earned it.But Alexander hadn’t just earned it.He’d owne
Adam Levi's office door creased as it swung open. The room was dark, only the orange glow of one desk lamp lighting it. From a half-burned cigar in a crystal ashtray, smoke coiled sloppily. Towering and loaded with ancient leather-bound volumes that smelt of dust, conflict, and tradition, bookshelves ran down the walls The air smelt strongly of cedarwood and ash, swallowing the faint winter trace coming from the window crevices. Silent Alexander entered, his bare feet soft against the smooth hardwood floor. He wore a big jumper that hung off one shoulder with sleeves engulfing his hands. He felt a breeze from the slightly ajar window, but he did not react. His experience with cold was one of adaptation. Adam turned his back on him. He stood behind his desk, wide back stiff under a dark suit. Under low light, the grey in his hair stood more clearly. With one hand he clutched a glass of bourbon, the ice clicking softly as he spun it. His other hand rested on a hefty, sealed, crimso
One Year Later The Levi estate stood silent, wrapped in fog and frost. The mansion, once alive with Rosie’s laughter and sunlight spilling through open windows, had grown cold—like something sacred had been buried inside its walls. A clock ticked softly somewhere in the distance. The fire in the parlor crackled, but it gave no warmth. Adam sat at the edge of his office desk. His hands were stained with oil and blood—both recent. Though the air was cold, his black shirt fit his back and hung with sweat. His tie disappeared from view on the floor next to a broken whisky tumbler. A long gash stretched across the side of his palm, still bleeding. He hadn’t spoken in hours. Not a word. The leather chair behind his desk remained untouched, like a throne he no longer deserved. He no longer ruled with strategy or calculation. He ruled with silence. With steel. With the kind of violence that didn’t end when justice was served—but hunted until it bled out everything. Every na
Six Years Later Alexander's sixth birthday started with laughter early in the morning. Like birdsong during a protracted storm, high-pitched and brilliant it rang through the Levi mansion's hallways. With his silk pyjama pants hanging around his legs and hair tangled and sticking out in a hundred ways, the lad went barefoot down the great staircase. His laughter echoed off gilded mirrors and marble columns, a sound so innocent it felt like a revolt in a house constructed on steel and shadows. “Alexander!” Rosie’s voice trailed behind him, laughing too. “Shoes! What did I say about running like a little wolf?” He darted behind the banister."Wolves do not wear shoes!" She grabbed him at the stair foot and gently raised him in her arms, kissing his warm, drowsy cheek. Like childhood, like everything good she had ever dared to wish for, he smelt of honeyed milk and sunshine. She said, "You're six now," softly moving his dark hair off his forehead. “That’s ancient.” “Ancient?” he