Chapter Seven : Under Bianca's RuleThe ride to Bianca's mansion was punishment. I sat in the back seat, quietly, my hands clasped tightly together, my stomach twisting in knots. Bianca sat up front, her laughter cutting through the air as she chatted on the phone. Every now and then, she'd glance at me through the rear view, her eyes full of disdain.When we finally arrived, the mansion loomed before me through the windows of my carriage, a predator ready to pounce. Immense in size, so cold, inhospitable. The towering gates grudgingly creaked open; I was shown inside without any complimentary formalities.Bianca didn't waste any time. "Follow me," she snarled, the heels clattering loud on marble floor as she took me down a long hall. There were expensive paintings decorating the walls, the floors gleamed, and every corner just seemed to scream wealth. Yet there was no warmth here, only this suffocating atmosphere of dominance.She halted before a small door and pushed it open. "This
Chapter Eight: Trapped Heavy air, suffocating, as I crept down the dark corridors of the mansion, my bare feet making no sound on the cold marble floor. My heart was racing, pounding in my ears so loudly I just knew it would be heard. My breaths were shallow, fear clawing at my throat, but I pressed on.I couldn't stay here anymore. I didn't know where I'd go or what would happen to me, but anywhere was better than this place-better than putting up with Bianca's cruelty and Damian's indifference.I reached the front door, the large ornate handle glinting in the faint moonlight spilling through the high windows. Freedom was so near I could almost taste it. My shaking fingers reached out and skimmed the cold metal, when a gruff voice shattered my tenuous hope."And where do you think you're going?"My blood ran cold, and I was rooted to the spot. Slowly, I turned to find Bianca standing behind me. The silk robe was hanging loosely on her thin frame, her arms were crossed over her chest
Chapter Nine : The Weight Of Sillence The darkness in the room barely spread to the corners when I shut the door behind me. It was that harmless, almost not-heard click of the latch that sounded like the last nail hammered into a coffin. This room, small as it was, was my only pedestal to unravel myself. But here, too, the walls seemed to encroach on me, choking with reminders of my failure.I leaned against the door, sliding down until I sat on the cold floor. Knees tucked to chest, arms wrapping tightly about them, as if holding myself together could stop the ache inside. Hot, endless, tears started before I could stop them, carving silent trails down my cheeks.Why had I thought I could endure this?Every moment here reminded me of how helpless I felt. Seven years, seven long years-serving Damian, paying off the debt i owe- Being in Damian's cold mansion is far better than staying here. I thought I am there to serve Damain, how come serving his girlfriend too? It wasn't in the dea
Chapter Ten: Damian's Thought Damian's PovThe night was still, but my mind wasn't. I was sitting in my dimmed study; the amber glow of the desk lamp cast shadow patterns on the walls. The drink in my hand had remained untouched for hours, the ice melting in it, diluting the amber liquid.But nothing diluted the thoughts churning in my head.Her face just wouldn't leave me.Lena.I leaned back in the leather chair, my eyes fixed on the ceiling as her image flickered in my mind: those wide, frightened eyes, the way her slight frame seemed to shrink as Bianca stood over her, spitting cruel words even in my presence.I had watched it all, watched as Bianca stripped her of what little dignity she had left.And I had done nothing.No, it wasn't true. I'd done something. I'd let Bianca take her away even when I knew deep down she doesn't have a good intention towards her.I squeezed my eyes shut, clenching the glass so hard it was in danger of shattering.It hadn't been my choice-not reall
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 Suctu : Betrayal within the Ranks(Damian's POV)The weight of what I had just discovered felt like a knife against my ribs, suffocating me. Bianca was dangerous, but I had underestimated her desperation. She was not acting alone—she had powerful allies, ones that had been hiding in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.I clenched my fists as I scanned the documents laid out before me. The evidence was undeniable. A series of encrypted emails between Bianca and an unknown contact, and transaction records—hundreds of thousands of dollars funneled through offshore accounts. But what ran cold was the final page. A signature.The signature at the bottom gave me the chills.Carlos.My right hand. My most faithful lieutenant. The one I'd had since war, since betrayal, since bloodshed. The man to whom I'd entrusted my life.For what seemed like forever, I just stood there, not wanting to accept it. No, this was some kind of mistake. Someone had signed his name, or pe
Chapter Fifty Nine: Whispers Of BetrayalLena's POVSilence had been her most merciless friend.Lena sat in the dark room, her arms wrapped around her knees as she fought to calm the hurricane brewing within her. Every breath was leaden, every second stretched out endlessly. She was trapped—not physically but also mentally, emotionally. Bianca's ultimatum was a noose around her neck.Either she would have to push Damian aside and shatter his heart, or she would be responsible for his ruin.She shut her eyes, exhaustion gnawing at her. She had not been sleeping well in days. How could she? Every time she allowed herself to close her eyes, she could see Damian's face—the way he regarded her in love, in unbreakable dedication. And now they wanted her to betray that?She swallowed hard. No. She couldn't.But what else could she do?Marcus and Bianca had been methodical in their intimidation, with no way out for her. The only thing they hadn't banked on was the depth of her love for Damian
Chapter Title: The Price of Betrayal(Lena’s POV)The room was silent, yet it felt suffocating. My breath came in slow, measured exhales as I sat on the cold stone floor, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees. My body ached, my wrists raw from the hours of being tied up, and the shadows in the corners of the dimly lit room seemed to shift with an eerie presence. Time had lost all meaning. How long had I been here? A day? Two? More?Hunger clawed at my insides, my throat dry from lack of water, but I refused to break. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me beg. Not Bianca. Not Marcus. No one. The memory of how I got here replayed in my mind like a cruel joke. I had trusted too easily, believed too much, and now, I was paying the price.A loud creak echoed through the room, making me flinch. My eyes darted to the heavy metal door as it swung open, revealing the last person I wanted to see—Bianca.She stepped in, her heels clicking against the stone floor, her expression a
.Chapter Title: The Betrayal UnfoldsDamian’s POVI could feel the weight of the world bearing down on me, more than ever before. The absence of Lena from my life had left a vacuum, an emptiness of a gulf that echoed in the darkest corners of my mind. And now, in the shadows of my own kingdom, I realized something worse—something I never imagined possible—had happened.There was treachery in plain sight.I had always counted on others. I had always taken loyalty for granted, in bonds created through years of adversity and common goals. But here, in my office, I had a new understanding. A bitter realization consumed me, and it sickened me. One of the people I thought I could trust was implicated. One of them had betrayed me—and more importantly—betrayed Lena.The clue had been given by an unexpected source: a missing report I had found secretly stashed in a drawer that should have been empty. The papers had been neatly folded, carefully hidden between folders I knew I'd sorted through
Bianca's New PlanLena's POVDark clouds gathered over the city as if the sky itself sensed the brewing storm. I sat at the window of Damian's mansion, staring out over the horizon, my mind disturbed. It had been days since Bianca's last threat, and no matter what Damian tried to tell me, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the calm before the storm.Bianca wasn't a woman to give up. No, she was a woman who smiled while whetting her blade.And she was planning something. I knew it.Damian ramped up the security, having double the amount of guards posted at the house. Every doorway was monitored and no one came or left without being searched. It should have made me more comfortable, but it didn't. Bianca had means, connections—she wasn't the kind of woman who had to play by rules.She was unpredictable.And then, as if the world had it in for reliving my worst nightmares, Damian stormed into the room, his phone clutched in his hand.His face was unreadable, but the tension
Lena’s POVThe house was colder than ever. It wasn't the chill of the air, but the chill that seeped into my bones and made me hollow inside. I had been saved, rescued from the hell Bianca and Marcus had subjected me to, but I wasn't free yet. Not yet.Because the moment Damian had enveloped me in his arms, telling me I was safe, I had felt it—fear.Fear of what came next.Fear of what he needed.Fear that I would never be normal again.I sat beside the window in the darkened bedroom where Damian had brought me back. My fingers traced imaginary patterns on the glass, my mind replaying every detail of what had happened. The chains. The black room. Marcus's sneer. Alex's willingness to sacrifice himself for my liberty.And Bianca…She wasn't done. I knew it.I took a deep breath, misting the glass with my exhalation. The door thudded shut, and I bristled at once. My heart pounded as I shifted my head infinitesimally, to discover Damian standing there.He towered there, his face impassiv
Chapter Title: The Truth RevealedLena's POVThe fury boiling inside of me was something new for me. My heart pounding in my chest, I stormed into Damian's office, my hand clutching the proof so tightly that it turned white from the grip. I had been humiliated, abandoned, and made to endure because of Bianca's deceptions. But now, I had evidence—undeniable evidence—that I had been framed.Damian sat behind his desk, sorting through some documents, but his entire body stiffened the instant I entered. His black eyes snapped up to meet mine, and for a brief moment, I saw something there—guilt, doubt, maybe even remorse.I didn't care.I slammed the folder onto his desk with emphasis. The papers scattered everywhere across the polished surface, some falling on the floor."See it," I insisted, my voice firm and uncompromising. "See it and say that you did not make an error."Damian exhaled deeply, sitting back in his seat, his expression neutral. "Lena, if you've come here to—""Don't," I
Chapter Fifty Four: The Truth Beneath the LiesLena's POVThe air in my room was suffocating, pressing down on me like a weight I couldn't tolerate. My hands trembled at my sides as I paced back and forth, my mind reeling with everything that had just happened. Damian had looked at me with suspicion in his eyes—suspicion that hurt more than any wound.How could he ever think I would betray him?I tightened my fists, breathless. Bianca did this. I was certain of it. But she had played her cards too perfectly this time, leaving evidence so incriminating that even Damian had paused before me. The video footage… the alleged proof of my "betrayal."I needed to clear my name.I swallowed my pride and made myself think logically. If I allowed emotions to rule my head, I would be where Bianca had wanted me to be—broken and defenseless. But I was not about to let her win.Step one: go through everything that had occurred.I was on the edge of my bed, eyes shut while I replayed each detail in m
Unraveling Sanity(Lena’s POV)The first time it happened, I thought I was imagining things.A simple change—my jewelry box sitting on the opposite side of the vanity, my closet door slightly open when I knew I had shut it before bed. I chalked it up to exhaustion, the lingering aftereffects of the nightmare I’d been living through. But when it kept happening, again and again, I could no longer deny it.Someone had been in my space.I stood in the middle of my bedroom, my pulse thrumming under my skin. There was a weird cologne on the air-a scent no one else would catch at all-but strong enough to make my stomach chum. I checked the lock on my door-it remained intact. No signs of forced entry. Yet, I wasn't losing my mind. It was as if my mind knew that I had tucked my diary under my pillow the previous night. It was now on the desk, opened to some random page.A chill all over my spine.Was someone trying to play foul with me?I tried to push the paralyzing sense of paranoia creeping