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-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 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: 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 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 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-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-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 102Lena's POVPain.That was the initial sensation that hit me when I opened my eyes. Hurting in my shoulders and wrists, my muscles stiff from having been locked up for much too long. My head was throbbing, my eyes spinning as I blinked through the dim light blazing overhead.Where am I?I tried to move, but I was held back. Rope. Taut, rough, cutting into the skin of my wrists as they were bound behind the chair. My ankles were bound too, pinning me in place to the cold, unforgiving floor beneath me.Panic seared in my chest, but I forced myself to breathe slowly, steadily. I had to stay calm. I had to think.The last thing I remember was being in my room, talking to Damian. And then. nothing.I must have been kidnapped while sleeping.I lifted my head and took a look around the room. It was small, more of a storage room. The walls were made of shattered concrete, and the air smelled of dampness and dust. There was only one door, thick and metal, with no windows.I was a ca
Chapter 101Chapter 101: Unfolds, The Betrayal Damian's POVI didn't waste any time. I instructed Lena to stay back, then sped off with Logan, my mind racing a mile a minute. Bianca had sided with Antonio Ricci, and now nothing was the same.Ricci was no ordinary criminal. He was a tactician, a man who existed for dominance. If Bianca had gone to him, it meant she was desperate—or she was planning something much greater than I'd imagined.We drove in silence, the weight of the moment resting heavily on us. Logan sat next to me in the front seat, his jaw set as he read over the contents of the folder he'd given me before."We have one lead," he finally broke the silence. "There's a guy named Marco. He works for Ricci, but he's been feeding information to us for months.".I clenched my fists around the steering wheel. "Does he know Bianca's going to turn him in?""He says he does."That was enough to hear.We arrived at a deserted warehouse on the outskirts of the city fifteen minutes
Chapter Hundred : Uncovering the TruthDamian's POVI sat at my desk in my office, staring at the papers scattered around. My mind was a mess of thoughts, each one more dangerous than the last. Bianca had been playing a game, one that I hadn't seen coming until it was almost too late. Now I needed to figure out her final move before she could utilize it.I tapped my fingers against the wooden desk, my patience running out. All of my leads so far had pointed to the same thing—Bianca was planning something bigger, something worse than she'd ever tried before.There was a knock at the door, and I was pulled from my thoughts."Enter," I snapped.The door opened and Logan, my most trusted right-hand man, entered. His face was tense, his jaw tight. That was never a good sign."We found something," he said, placing a folder before me.I opened it without hesitation, my eyes scanning the contents. There were photographs, timestamps, and detailed reports. Bianca had been meeting with someone—s
Chapter Ninety Nine: The Final GambitDamian's POVThe room was still except for the metronomic tick of the ancient clock on the wall. My shoulder ached from the gunshot wound, the ache a dull reminder Lucas had fired the shot.He had shot me.Not Bianca. Not one of her brainless mercenaries. Lucas. My own brother.Rafael sat across from me, arms crossed over his chest, annoyance etched into his posture. He had not said a word since we returned to the safe house, but now his temper was flared."We have to talk about this," he stated.I didn't say anything."You hesitated," he pressed on, his voice a little harsher this time. "You had a chance to take him down, and you didn't do it."My jaw was set hard. "He's not the enemy."Rafael laughed. "He shot you, Damian."I knew that. I felt that. But something in Lucas' eyes that moment—right as he took the shot—gave me the assurance that there was still something left of him. Something of himself that wasn't taken away entirely by Bianca's
Chapter Ninety EightThe Hunt BeginsDamian's POVThe air stank of smoke and blood. The safe house was still, save the steady hum of the city beyond. I stood in the window, gripping the hem of the curtain as I leaned into the darkness. Each shadow, each waver of motion seemed a possible threat.Bianca had crossed the line this time.Lucas… I did not know if he had survived the explosion. And if he did, I was certain of one thing—he would not stop until he had my head. Bianca had done her work to him, poisoned his mind, and now he was just another enemy I had to get rid of.A forceful rap on the door broke my train of thought."It's me."I recognized the voice immediately—Rafael, my most trusted right-hand man. I opened the door wide enough to let him in before closing it behind him. He was dressed in black, his expression grim."We discovered something," he said, handing me the folder. "You're not going to like it."I opened it up, looking over the photographs inside. The first was a
Chapter Ninety Seven: BetrayalDamian’s POVThe moment Lucas pulled the trigger, everything exploded into chaos.I barely dodged the bullet, rolling behind a metal crate as gunfire erupted across the control room. My men stormed in, firing at Lucas’s guards, while Lena took cover beside me, reloading her gun.Lucas had made his choice.I wouldn’t hesitate anymore.I checked the crate, gun pointed at him, but he'd already taken cover behind a steel pillar. No sign of Bianca—she'd vanished in the chaos, snake that she was.Coward."Damian!" Lena yelled, her voice authoritative. "We need to move forward!"I nodded, motioning to Nikolai. He tossed a smoke grenade into the room, and within seconds, thick gray smoke choked the air.Lucas's men started to cough, confused.It was my chance.I raced forward, dodging wild shots, until I was mere feet from him. I wanted answers. I wanted to know why my own brother had betrayed me.I tackled him to the ground.We crashed onto the hard floor, punc
Chapter Ninety Six: The First StrikeDamian's POVThe second those words left Nikolai's lips—"Your brother is behind this"—something inside me snapped.For years, I'd kept the past secret, convinced myself that he was dead, that the betrayal he'd committed was the last I'd ever have from him. I'd moved on. I'd built my empire without him.And now he was here. Not only here—plotting with Bianca to bring me down.I should have known better."Where is he?" I spoke in an icy, detached tone. That Damian of old—the one who would have restrained himself because of blood ties—no longer existed.Nikolai wiped the blood from his battered lip and exhaled. "He's been lurking in the shadows for years, Damian. He's been pulling strings as we've been distracted with Bianca. We underestimated him."I clenched my teeth, focusing. No rage allowed, no time to let this treachery sink in.We had to strike first."Bianca wants you to be reckless," Lena whispered. She was standing beside me, her eyes firm b
Chapter Ninety Five The Breaking PointLena’s POVThe tension in the room was suffocating.Damian was at the window, his shoulders rigid, his jaw so tight it appeared that it would crack. I could see the storm raging in his eyes—the conflict he waged in his mind. Bianca had offered him an option, but we both understood it was no option at all. It was a trap, a ruthless game designed to break him.Surrender to Bianca, and she triumphs. Stand up to her, and she might still win.I didn't believe it."I am not going to let you," I said firmly, though with terror ripping my chest asunder.Damian didn't look at me right away. His fists were tightly bunched at his waist, and when he finally looked at me, his dark eyes locked with mine in a fierceness that caused shivers along my spine."Lena, you don't understand," he said to her, his voice clenched. "If I don't stop her now, she'll destroy it all. She's already getting too close—to powerful. If I push her too hard, she'll manipulate you to
Chapter Ninety Fivee: The Ultimate BetrayalLena's POVThe room felt stifling.I could hear the muffled hum of conversation in the distance, a reminder that we were not alone. But in this cold, dingy room, it felt like the world had narrowed down to the two of us—me and Damian. Or me, Damian, and the traitor.Damian's face was unreadable. His jaw was set, his fists buried at his hips. But his eyes—those dark, black eyes—reflected an emotion I had never witnessed.Betrayal."You?" His voice was smooth, deadly almost, but I could sense the storm brewing beneath it.The man standing before us—**one that Damian had trusted, one with whom he'd been friends for years—**shifted awkwardly. But their eyes didn't show any remorse. No guilt. Just cold calculation."You shouldn't be surprised, Damian," said the traitor."This was always going to happen."My stomach tightened. I had witnessed Damian rage on numerous occasions previously, but this. this was different. It was the kind of silence tha