Chapter Twenty-Five: Shifting LoyaltiesThe night after Alex's visit was a blur of restless pacing and whispered prayers. I couldn't shake the look in his eyes or the weight of his words. I'll come back for you. They echoed in my mind like a siren's call, pulling me into a sea of confusion and guilt.But there was no room for guilt in this house. Damian would sense it, just like he sensed every other crack in my armor. And when he did, there would be consequences.The morning sun brought no relief, only a growing sense of dread. I moved through my chores with mechanical precision, careful not to draw any attention to myself. Damian had left early, as he often did, but his presence lingered in the house like a storm cloud.By the time he came back in the afternoon, I was in the kitchen, scrubbing the counters like they would clean the chaos inside my head."Lena," his voice called from the hallway, sharp and commanding.I froze, the sponge falling from my hand. "Yes?" I called out, try
Chapter Twenty - Six : Bianca's DiscoveryEarly morning sun pierced the tall windows of Damian's estate, casting golden rays of light across the floors, now polished to a high shine. I was in the study, dusting the shelves — a chore I had taken to out of habit rather than obligation. Damian had left early that morning, and the house was unusually still, though I knew it wouldn't last.It wasn't until I heard the sharp click of heels on the marble floor that I tensed. Bianca. She had a way of filling any space with an oppressive air, her presence commanding attention whether you wanted it or not."Lena," her voice cut through the quiet like a blade. I turned slowly, already bracing myself for whatever venom she had prepared for me today."Yes, Bianca?" I replied as evenly as possible, laying the duster down.She crossed her arms, leaning against the doorway with that smirk that ran a chill down my spine. "You're awfully distracted these days. Something on your mind? Or should I say… so
Chapter Twenty - Seven: Confessions And ConfrontationsDamian's Point of ViewThe room was dark, the only light being that of the bedside lamp. Amber tones extended across the walls. I leaned against the bed edge, my phone pressed to my ear, and stared out into the moonlight filtering through heavy curtains. My voice was low, deliberate."You don't understand, Conrad," I said, pacing the length of the room. "Bianca's been getting bolder. She's using that sharp tongue of hers to stir up trouble, and now she's making threats. She claims I owe her something, and she's willing to do somethings down if I don't give it to her."On the other end of the line, Conrad exhaled, his tone as skeptical as ever. “Bianca has always been a wildcard, Damian. But if she’s threatening you, why keep her around? You’ve never tolerated this kind of nonsense before. We all know who you are, the cold Damian we all know, is that not same man I am talking to?”I paused, rubbing a hand across my jaw. "It's not t
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Colliding Ways(Lena's POV)Above, the moon hung low in the sky, her pale beams dancing across the garden outside my window. I sat at the edge of my bed, looking out at that soft shine now spilling into the room. My heart ached with a weight, the burden of Damian's words, which lay earlier on my heart.He would not let me work nor do anything for my freedom; he had kept me in this quaint, suffocating spot. I tried to be reasonable with him, pleading that he come to his senses, but he silenced me as one would to a child who knew nothing of her life.I was tired of it, of the control, of the uncertainty, of not knowing how to get away from it.The quiet night was oppressively suffocating. I longed for fresh air and space to think in a head-cleansing manner. I didn't give any afterthought to it. Slipping my shoes on, wrapping the shawl up over my shoulders, and off I went out into the night.The hallways were quiet, and my way was guided by the soft shine of wall la
Chapter Twenty Nine: Bianca's Bold MoveI sat at my desk, trying to focus on the pile of paperwork in front of me, but my thoughts kept wandering. The weight of the world felt heavier on my shoulders with each passing day. The deals I had been making, the power plays-all seemed to fall apart slowly. Pressure from all quarters beyond that which one could stand-a tightrope walk wherein one had to keep fighting to be in control.But in among all that chaos, one thing had remained consistent: Bianca. She'd been a nag, a thorn in my side for months now, yet her presence in my life had only managed to heighten. She had this way of making everything feel like some kind of game-and right about now, I couldn't help but think she might be playing me.I ran my hand through my hair and leaned back in my chair, my eyes traversing the room. All was quiet-quiet. And then, just when I was turning back to the pile of papers before me, the door of my office swung open violently, causing me to flinch.I
Chapter Thirty: Unspoken Truths(Damian's POV)The fire in the hearth crackled softly, the only sound breaking the heavy silence of my room. My thoughts spiralled, tangled mess of anger, betrayal and something else, something I could not quite name. Bianca's audacity shook me to the core. It wasn't the mere betrayal that disturbed me, it was the imminent threat she presented now. Alessandro. The man I'd spent years outmaneuvering was now being welcomed back into my life by someone I had trusted.I leaned into the edge of my desk, my fingers wrapping tightly around the surface. The wood bit into my palms, grounding me. This wasn't just a game anymore; it was personal. But no matter how much Bianca's betrayal consumed my thoughts, it wasn't the only thing weighing on me.Her.Lena.Her name whispered through my mind, soft but relentless. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face-those wide, expressive eyes, full of defiance and fear; her soft lips clamped into a determined line. She w
Chapter Thirty-One: Dangerous Intrigues(Bianca's POV)The darkly lit bar was silent, save for the periodic clinking of glasses and the hum of hushed conversations. I sat in a secluded corner, my fingers tapping impatiently on the polished surface of the table. Across from me, Marcus leaned back in his chair, his steely eyes watching me with a calculating intensity."You've outdone yourself, Bianca," he said, the smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "I didn't think you had the guts to approach me directly. After everything that had happened, after how you had supported your Damian over me, so you can come to me?”I leaned forward, my voice low and deliberate. "This isn't about guts, Marcus. It's about strategy. Damian's gotten too soft, too distracted. If you want to bring him down, now is the time. You should know this world we are, one’s enemy can be one’s friend, so you don’t have to be surprised about this, I just brought up a stategy for you to grab, it’s all in your hands n
Chapter 32: The Betrayal Within(Damian's POV)The silence in my study was oppressive. Papers were scattered across my desk, the remnants of a frantic search for answers, but nothing felt right. My mind was a mess of worry and rage. Lena was gone, taken right from under my nose, and I knew exactly who was behind it.Bianca.I had underestimated her-no, I had underestimated the length she would go to hurt me. Since Lena's disappearance, my security tripled its efforts, but it was no more than a Band-Aid on a wound that refused to staunch bleeding. Bianca slithered her way back into my life again, like a snake, this time not alone. Marcus was her ally, as dangerous as he was cunning, and together they'd stolen what meant most to me.I sat brooding and thinking when, suddenly, my study door burst open. Two guards immediately stepped forward, hands on weapons, but I waved them off.And there she was. Bianca."How did you get in here?" I asked coldly, rising from my chair.She leaned again
LLena’s POVI held the photo in my hand for a long time.It was a picture of me… standing in the garden. Smiling. Peaceful. I had no idea someone was hiding nearby, taking pictures of me. Watching me.I felt sick.My heart pounded in my chest. My hands trembled as I slowly placed the photo on the table. Damian stood across from me, arms crossed, his jaw tight with anger. But he wasn’t just angry. He was scared. I could see it in his eyes.And that scared me even more.“She was close enough to take this,” I whispered. “That means… she could have hurt me anytime.”“She didn’t,” Damian said quickly, walking to me. “She didn’t, and she won’t. I won’t let her.”I nodded, but fear crawled up my spine like cold fingers. I turned my head toward the window. The garden looked peaceful. The sun was shining. But now it felt like a trap. Like eyes were hiding behind every tree.I looked at Damian. “What if she’s still watching?”“She’s not,” he said firmly. “We swept the grounds. She’s gone.”“Bu
.Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Six: The Hunt BeginsDamian’s POVI didn’t sleep.I sat in my office all night, the shadows long and heavy across the floor. The city outside my window was quiet, but inside my head, it was chaos. Bianca’s face kept flashing in my mind—smiling, cold, dangerous. I knew her well enough to understand one thing.She wasn’t done yet.Lena was still sleeping when I left. I didn’t want to wake her. Not because I didn’t trust her strength—but because I didn’t want her to see the war I was about to step into. I had promised to protect her. And now, I had to keep that promise with everything I had.Logan was already waiting downstairs.“She moved again,” he said, holding a file. “But we have something. A man named Nico—he used to work for Ricci. He wants to talk.”“Why?” I asked.“He says he has information. Claims he knows where Bianca is hiding.”I narrowed my eyes. “And what does he want in return?”“Money. And safety.”Of course. No one in this world gave an
Chapter 125Lena’s POV – Preparing for the StormThe soft hum of the safe house’s lights was the only sound that accompanied me as I paced back and forth across the room. The floor was cold beneath my bare feet, but I barely felt it. My mind was racing, a storm of thoughts that I couldn’t seem to quiet.Damian had gone into another room hours ago, speaking in hushed tones to Logan. The urgency in their voices had been undeniable, but I hadn’t been able to get close enough to hear the details. I hated being left out of the plan, hated feeling like a liability. I wasn’t the same vulnerable person I had been when I first walked into this world.But still, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the sense of helplessness that seemed to cling to me, suffocating me with every passing minute.I walked to the window, peering out into the darkness. The world beyond was eerily still, almost as if it was waiting for something to happen. I didn’t like how quiet it was. There was too much at
Chapter: Lena’s POV - The AftermathThe silence in the room was deafening. The kind of silence that fills your ears and makes every tiny sound seem amplified. It was the quiet after chaos. After the explosion, the gunfire, the running. After the moment when my life, and Damian’s, nearly slipped away in the blink of an eye.I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my hands, which were still shaking. The memory of the bomb—its deafening roar—was fresh in my mind, every detail still vivid. Damian’s urgent hands on my arm, pulling me into his protection, the heat of the blast, the smell of smoke and dust that had choked the air. The sound of the glass shattering, the metallic scent of blood in the air. I had never been so close to death, yet here I was, alive. But was I really living? I felt numb, detached from everything around me.Damian had ordered me to stay here, in this safe house, a place where I had never felt more like a prisoner. There were no windows, no doors to the outside wo
Chapter One Hundred and : The Final CountdownDamian's POVThe room was filled with the harsh beeping of the countdown on the bomb, the constant, remorseless intervals ringing out. 00:02:45. The evil red numerals on the device pulsed, a grim reminder that every second ticked us closer to disaster.Bianca leaned against the cold ground, her body shaking in weakness due to the wounds I had inflicted upon her before. Nonetheless, despite the pain, she smirked. Her deep, bloodshot eyes gleamed with twisted satisfaction. She thrived in such chaos. "You'll never be able to prevent it in time," she whispered, licking blood from her cut lip.I clenched my fists, my patience wearing perilously thin. My heart pounded in my ears, the rage within me kept barely under control by the fear of what was at risk."Shut up," Logan snarled, bent over the bomb. His hands flew across the wires, but even he couldn't hide the sweat at his temples. "This is not an ordinary bomb—it's encoded. If I cut the wro
Chapter 11”: The Trap Lena’s POV The silence in the room was suffocating. I stood frozen, my heart hammering against my ribs as I stared at Damian. His face was stone-cold, but his eyes burned with barely contained fury. Logan had just delivered the news—Bianca had taken someone. Someone close to me. I swallowed hard, my throat dry. My fingers curled into fists as I struggled to process it. “Who?” My voice came out hoarse. Logan hesitated, glancing at Damian before answering. “Mia.” A sharp pain shot through my chest. Mia. The only person who had ever been like a sister to me. The girl who had stayed by my side when no one else did. The thought of her in Bianca’s hands made my stomach churn. I took a shaky breath and turned to Damian. “We have to go. Now.” He didn’t answer immediately. His jaw was tight, his muscles tense as if he were barely restraining himself. “It’s not that simple,” he finally said. My eyes flashed with anger. “What do you mean? She has Mia! Are you ser
Chapter One Hundred and Twenty a one: A Perilous MissionLena's POVThe night was abnormally still as I crouched next to Logan behind a row of abandoned boxes outside the warehouse. The cold wind nipped my skin, but the surging adrenaline coursing through my veins prevented me from feeling it. This was it. Bianca's operation. One of her most important warehouses, where she had stored weapons, money, and intel that could be used against her. Blowing it up would eliminate a good chunk of her might.It wasn't just a matter of incinerating her resources, though. It was a matter of finding out what she had in store. Why she had allied herself with Antonio Ricci.Logan handed me an earpiece, his expression serious. "Stay close. No unnecessary risks. If something does go wrong, we leave right away."I grinned wryly. "Oh, you don't trust me?"He glared at me. "I trust you. I don't trust this place."He wasn't joking. The warehouse was heavily guarded. Security cameras were around every corner
Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Lena's ChoiceLena's POVI lay in bed beside Damian, my hands holding him tightly. His face was pale, breathing labored but slowed. Having him like this—so broken and open and vulnerable—was like having someone poking an icicle deep into my heart. I never saw him in this manner before. Damian was always standing, always directing everything. But now, he was hanging by a thread barely.And this is all Bianca's doing.I swallowed the lump in my throat, and fought to keep my cool. I didn't have time to lose it. I didn't have time to let fear get the best of me. Bianca wasn't finished yet. She had already demonstrated how far she would go. And if I just sat here, waiting for Damian to wake up, she would come after us again.I couldn't let that happen.I needed to do something.I needed to stop this.I breathed in deeply and looked over at Logan, standing by the door. His arms were crossed, his face inscrutable, but I could tell there was tension in his stanc
Chapter One Hundred and Nine: The Escape (Lena's POV)The sound of gunfire echoed through the air, my own heart pounding against my ribcage. There was madness inside the warehouse—shouting, running, bullets ripping through walls. I blinked through dust and smoke, but I did not have time for fear. Logan was beside me, firing at Bianca's men while I held onto Damian, trying to keep him awake.He was too white. Too quiet. His chest rose and fell shallowly, and blood trickled through the bandages I'd slapped across his wound."Stay with me," I breathed, jostling him lightly. His eyelids trembled, but he didn't move.Logan ducked behind a stack of crates, reloading his pistol. "We have to go now," he exclaimed, sounding frantic. "They're on top of us.".I swallowed and nodded. My body trembled, but I steadied myself against it. Now was not the time to be afraid."We can't get out the front," Logan said. "They're too numerous."I looked around for another way out. The warehouse was big, but