Chapter Eleven : Taking What's MineDamian's PovI couldn't sit still anymore.From my clenched fists to the heat rising in my chest, my entire body screamed for action. I knew exactly what I needed to do, and I had no longer a doubt left. I had allowed her to suffer enough, and now it was time to fix this.I got into the car, my heart pounding in my chest as the tires screeched against the road, slicing through the night like a knife. Bianca's house was far enough from mine that the ride gave me ample time to think, but my thoughts were more like a haze, really.Anger. Frustration. Guilt.What had I done?She had begged me, pleaded with me, and I had just let her go. I had allowed Bianca to drag her into this nightmare. I had stood by and told myself I didn’t care.But now, the thought of Lena in that house, enduring Bianca’s cruelty, made my blood boil. I didn’t know how I had let this go on for so long.I had to stop this.It came into view, and the mansion sat coldly in the distan
Chapter Twelve: A Glimmer of HopeLena's PovThe hum of the car engine filled the silence, but it did little to drown out the pounding of my heart. I sat stiffly, my hands gripping my skirt so tightly my knuckles turned white. Damian sat beside me, his profile sharp under the dim light from passing streetlamps. His jaw was clenched, his hands gripping the wheel with tension that made me wonder if it might snap under the strain.I wanted to speak, to ask him why he'd come for me, why he'd stormed into Bianca's house like a raging storm and pulled me out of that hellhole without a word. But the words were trapped in my throat, tangled with the fear and confusion that had consumed me since the moment he appeared at Bianca's door.I stole a glance at him, but his face didn't give anything away. His gaze was fixed on the road, his brows furrowed as if wrestling some invisible demon.Why? The question screamed inside my head, louder than the roar of my own heartbeat. Why would he care?The
Chapter Thirteen: "Promises in the Dark"Lena's POVThe house was quiet, far too quiet. The kind of silence that seemed to press against the walls, lingering in the shadows like a secret no one was willing to speak. It had been hours since Damian left for his usual business, and though I should've felt relief, all I could feel was the weight of the loneliness that came in his absence.I couldn't remember the last time I had time to myself, to just breathe and think. The weight of Damian's power and intensity constantly smothering me, but I knew that wouldn't last long. Damian always came back, he always commanded attention. I wouldn't have long before he did again, and I wasn't sure what I would do with that.It was then that I heard it-footsteps at my door. Not heavy, powerful steps like Damian's but light and cautious.I got up from the bed, heart racing. Could it be him? No. He would've called first. He always did. Yet, this presence that lay beyond my door felt different. I approa
Chapter Fourteen: Whispers of DefianceLena's POVThe morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, a stark contrast to the storm that had raged within me throughout the night. Sleep had evaded me entirely, my mind replaying Alex’s visit over and over again. His voice still lingered in my ears, his promise echoing in the hollow chambers of my heart."I will come back for you."I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor as if the answers I sought could be found there. My chest was heavy, weighed down by the memory of his touch, the gentleness in his eyes, and the warmth of his voice. For the first time in years, I'd felt something other than despair.Hope.But hope was dangerous.It had been years since I'd let myself hope for anything, especially freedom. This life, Damian's world, it had stolen every fragment of me that once had dared to dream of a better tomorrow. And now, Alex had dared to hand that hope back to me, lighting a spark I wasn't sure I was strong enough to nur
Chapter Fifteen: Fractured ChainsLena's POVThe house was quiet, an eerie silence wrapping itself around every corner like a heavy fog. Damian had left earlier in the day, and I should have felt relief in his absence. But instead, I felt this weird heaviness-a mix of confusion and resentment.I sat cross-legged on the plush rug in the center of my room, staring at the locked door to my balcony. I wasn't allowed out there. In fact, Damian didn't let me do much of anything. For all it mattered, the world outside these walls was another planet, unreachable and forbidden.But why?That was the question that bothered me constantly. Sometimes Damian acted like he cared, like I was something fragile he needed protection from. Other times, he was cold and detached, his words cutting through me like shards of glass. It was as if he couldn't decide whether I was his prisoner or something more.My fingers absently traced the embroidery along the edge of the rug, my mind floating to the instance
Chapter Sixteen: A Growing Unease The house was silent when Damian stepped through the front door. He set his travel bag down and took a deep breath, letting the familiar scent of home calm the tension in his body. The trip had been long, and exhaustion weighed heavily on him, but there was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind-one he couldn't shake. "Damian!" Bianca's voice greeted him before he saw her. She emerged from the living room in a shower of smiles and elegance, her arms extended as though this was the moment she had been waiting for all day. "Bianca," he said, managing a feeble smile. Then she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. He patted her back, stiffly, his mind already being pulled elsewhere. "You're finally back," she said, pulling away just enough to look into his eyes. "I thought I'd surprise you. I know how hard you've been working lately." He nodded absentmindedly, his gaze flicking toward the stairs. His chest tightened, and he didn't kn
Chapter Seventeen: No Proof Damian stood on the hospital corridor, staring at the sterile white walls, his heart racing with anger that he hadn't felt in years. The doctor's words echoed in his head, shards of glass cutting into his soul."She was raped."Lena's shattered expression flashed before his eyes. Her trembling hands. Her tear-streaked face. The silent plea in her gaze, begging for safety, for comfort.And then there was Bianca: the smirk she'd tried to conceal earlier in the day, the wave of her hand, in which she dismissed Lena as though she were an inconvenience. Damian tightened his fists until his knuckles turned white.He didn't need proof. He knew it was her. Bianca had always been vindictive, jealous, and manipulative. But this? This was a new low, even for her.Without a word to anyone, he turned and strode out of the hospital, his long strides purposeful and filled with rage.The drive to his house was a blur. He hardly noticed the car horns honking or the streaki
Chapter Eighteen: Lena's TearsLena's PovPain.That was the first thing Lena felt as her consciousness began to return. It started as a dull ache in her body, spreading like a storm cloud until it pressed down on her chest, suffocating and unrelenting. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she winced at the harsh light of the hospital room. Everything smelled sterile—too clean, too cold.It took a moment for her eyes to focus, but when they did, the first thing she saw was Damian. He sat by her bedside, his large frame hunched forward, elbows on his knees, hands clasped tightly. His head was bowed and his dark hair fell into his face. He looked. tired. Broken, almost."Damian," she croaked, low and dry and raw.His head shot up immediately, his sharp eyes locking onto hers. Relief washed over his face, softening his usual hard expression. “Lena,” he said, his voice gentle but strained. “You’re awake.”Tears sprang to her eyes, unbidden and unstoppable. She turned her face away, biting her
Chapter Thirty-Six: Lena's Despair and Strength(Lena's POV)I woke to the sound of dripping water. My head throbbed, and every muscle of my body ached like I'd been run over by a freight train. I tried to move, and the cold, hard floor beneath me bit into my skin, its dampness seeping through my clothes.The room was pitch black, except for the faint, flickering light spilling in from a crack under the heavy steel door. The air was thick and stale, with the metallic tang of rust and blood.Where am I?My memories came back in flashes-being dragged from Damian's estate, my futile attempts to fight back, the cold, mocking laughter of Marcus's men. My chest began to tighten as reality set in-I was Marcus's prisoner."Damian," I whispered, hardly above a whisper. Did he know what had happened? Was he coming for me?I pulled myself upright, wincing at the pain shooting across my ribs. My stomach growled, a pained reminder that I hadn't eaten in what felt like days. Other than the rusted b
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Desperation's Edge(Damian's POV)My blood ran cold the moment the report from my most trusted informant came in. Alex had offered himself to Marcus in exchange for Lena's freedom. It was not the self-sacrifice that had rendered me speechless; it was the audacity of the move.Alex had always been loyal, a man who knew the delicate web of power and strategy we worked within. But this-this was madness. Throwing himself as collateral to Marcus, a man who lived to torment, was a choice I couldn't understand.I slammed my fist against the edge of my desk, the sharp pain barely registering through the cloud of anger and frustration. My men stood at attention, awaiting my orders, but I couldn't speak yet. My mind was a storm of questions, all circling back to one undeniable truth: Marcus was winning."Find out where they're keeping Alex and Lena," I barked. My voice came out cold as steel. "I want eyes on that place within the hour. And if Marcus tries to pull another s
Chapter Thirty-Seven Shadows of Hope(Lena's POV)The cold seeped into my bones, an unforgiving reminder of how long I’d been in this wretched place. The room was nothing but stone walls and darkness, with no windows to mark the passage of time. Hunger gnawed at my insides, but the pain wasn’t just physical—it was the fear, the uncertainty, that truly weighed me down.I sat in the corner, knees to my chest, trying to breathe shallowly to remain calm. My wrists still ached from the rough ropes that had secured them only hours before. They'd left me alone since then, but the silence was worse than any threats. It let my mind wander to places I didn't want it to go.Damian.Was he looking for me? Would he even know where to start? I hated it, but a part of me wanted to believe he was out there, tearing the world apart, piece by piece, to find me. What if he wasn't? What if I was another mere pawn in some chess game, easily sacrificed?A sudden sound—the turning of the key in the lock—wre
Chapter Thirty Six: The Unthinkable Price(Damian's POV)The tension in the room was stifling, thick enough to choke on. Marcus stood across from me, leaning against his desk with a smug smile playing on his lips, his eyes glinting with the satisfaction of a predator toying with its prey. My fists were clenched so tightly at my sides that I could feel my nails digging into my palms, but I didn't care. My mind was consumed by one thing, and one thing alone-Lena."I'll give you one last chance, Marcus," I said, my voice low but laced with a warning. "Tell me where Lena is, and I'll consider letting you walk away from this unscathed."Marcus chuckled, a sharp, mocking sound. "Unscathed? Oh, Damian, you're still under the impression that you're in control here.I took a step closer, my glare unwavering. "You're playing with fire, Marcus. You know what I'm capable of.""And you know what I want," he countered, straightening up and crossing his arms. "This isn't about power, Damian. It's ab
Chapter: Shadows of Despair(Lena's POV)The room was dark and dank, the walls closing in on me like a silent, jeering prison. My wrists ached from the rough ropes that had earlier bound them, and though now they'd let me free to move, bruises remained to cruelly remind me. The cold floor beneath me, the faint sound of dripping water somewhere in the distance. Days had passed-I wasn't sure how many-since they'd taken me, but it felt like an eternity.No food, no warmth, nothing but the smothering silence that had become my companion.I curled up into the corner, wrapping my legs tight against my chest, and just let the darkness comfort me. My mind went back to Damian: his eyes fierce, his arms embracing protection, his voice with a strength on which I could always lean upon. Did he at least know where I was? Did he even care?But then, there was Alex. His face haunted me just as much as Damian's did now.Alex had been my safe harbor once, a quiet and steady presence in a chaotic world
Chapter Thirty Four : Desperate PursuitDamian's POVMy study was quiet except for the soft hum of a clock on the wall, the papers and maps strewn across the desk the result of hours of frantic planning and blind alleys. My chest was tight, as if the air around me had thickened beyond breathing. It had been more than twenty-four hours since Lena was taken, and each passing second seemed another nail hammered into my resolve.I ran a hand through my hair, disheveled and damp with sweat. The suit that had been immaculate now wrinkled, the tie flung somewhere onto the floor. The polished veneer that I'd kept in place was in a thousand pieces, much like my poise. Lena was out there somewhere, with a man whom I despised more than anything in this world. And I had no idea how to get her back.“Damian,” one of my guards spoke cautiously from the doorway, interrupting my spiraling thoughts.“What?” My voice came out harsher than intended.He stepped forward hesitantly. “We’ve received a tip a
Chapter Thirty-Three : A Deal of Sacrifice Lena's POV The darkness was oppressive. I had no idea how long I'd spent in this grimy room. The air was damp, the stone walls cold against my back, and the silence was only relieved by an intermittent shuffling of footsteps outside the door. My stomach growled in protest, but I had long stopped thinking about food. My lips were dry from thirst, and every inch of my body was bruised due to the rough handling by Marcus's men during the abduction. The worst wasn't the pain but the crippling fear, the uncertainty of what was to happen. I sat curled in the corner, legs to my chest, trying to draw some comfort from my body. Memories of Damian's voice, his touches, his kisses merely replayed constantly in my brain. Did he know where I was? Would he even come for me? I shook the thought away. Damian was strong and resourceful, but Marcus wasn't someone you crossed without consequences. What if Bianca had told him lies? What if he thought
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
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