ELIZABETH'S POVThe irony could not have been better. I never imagined falling in love with my greatest enemy and the murderer of my parents. I couldn't imagine why I had allowed myself to fall deeply with someone that I came to revenge against. I sigh as I remember how he bath me earlier, holding me like I was a fragile glass.I stood up and shaked my body. If my revenge plans were to work, then I needed to focus. Any distraction was detrimental to my plans.I also needed to get in contact with Lance and tell him about my plans. I know he will be worried sick about me, but I allowed my pride get to me after he got me angry.***'Use the vanilla oil this time,' Lizzy said to the two maidens preparing my bath. 'Why vanilla?' I asked while removing my clothes to enter the tub.'It's an alluring scent mistress. Trust me. Your husband will go crazy,' she said with a mischievous grin and stiffled her laugh. The other maidens laughed quietly while preparing the bath. I couldn't understand w
Elizabeth’s POV“Adam,” I whispered, but he was far too gone to hear me.I swallowed hard, my heart pounding as I obeyed, turning my back towards him.His fingers brushed along my skin, arousing my thirst for him.“Hands behind you,” he ordered. I hesitated, and he reached out, pulling my hand behind me as I positioned myself.My ear caught on the sound of a clock, and I turned to peek. Adam had the leather cuffs out and smirked at me.He took his time fastening the cuff around my wrists and pulling them to make sure they were secured. I felt thrilled at the soft click of the lock.“Good girl,” he murmured, kissing my thighs, his warm breath teasing me.I closed my eyes as he placed a blindfold on me. The loss of sight heightened everything. I could hear the subtle shift of the mattress as he settled between my legs.Then, the first touch.A featherlight caress trailed down my back, making me arch into the sensation. But just as quickly, a sharp sting followed, the slap of a flogger a
Elizabeth's POV:My back straightened as I froze. I slowly turned, silently praying my expression didn't give me away.“I…ugh,” I stammered. “You scared me.”“Not my intention, but…” he said.Richard has a back for creeping me out.“You're awake,” I finally answered, smiling.“Yes, for a while,” he answered and I gulped.I breathes calmly getting my emotions in check.“I asked a question, Elizabeth,” he repeated.I smiled, thinking of a good lie. “I went out,” I answered.“Hmm,” he moaned and looked at me like he knew I was lying. “Is that so? That's not what I heard.”My heart pounded and my stomach twisted.I maintained my expression, pretending I didn't understand. “What do you mean?”He looked at his hands, then at me. I watched him shift in his bed, pushing himself slightly, and I became worried.Did he know? He couldn't possibly know I was with Adam all day.He coughed, and I rushed to him, pouring the water from the jug into the glass cup.I handed him the cup, watching him dri
Adam's POVWatching Richard trying to kiss Elizabeth made my skin crawl. I didn't want him anywhere near her. She was mine alone.I remained calm, holding the tray of food so as not to give away my feelings.Their eyes met mine and I walked forward, ignoring Elizabeth's silent pleading. “Hey,” my voice flowed as Richard’s eyes met mine.“I take it you came to see if I'm dead,” he replied, his face changing into a wicked smile.“That’s the doctor's job,” I answered and he caught the joke. He smiled and returned his gaze to Elizabeth.She tried to escape, moving back, but he held her face still with his fingers.“Where were we?” He asked. His voice taunting me.In every sense, I shouldn't feel different about it. But him being close to her made my temper rise. I hated the way he touched her. What was this feeling?My heart ached, but I remained still. Now wasn't the time to act.“Urgh…” Elizabeth groaned.“Do you see it, brother? My wife avoids my touch,” Richard said, not taking his
Elizabeth’s POVThe Coffee ShopLily sat at our usual table, fingers locked around a coffee cup, staring into it as if the answers to the universe swirled inside.A smile pushed its way onto my face, masking the unease clawing at my insides. My steps quickened toward her.“Lily,” I called, catching her attention and opening my arms for a hug.She flinched, rejecting me with a wave of her hand.Something was wrong. She had never acted like this before.My hands dropped and I frowned. “Lily, What's wrong?”She continued looking into her cup, not giving a response.“Are you going to talk?” I asked again, my fingers curled against the edge of the chair as I sat across from her. “Say something, will you?”She let out a sharp breath and lifted her gaze with a neutral look.“Why don’t you tell me?” She blurted.“Huh?” The words left my mouth before I could control them.“Lily, I didn't come all the way to answer riddles and guess your mind. I hate guessing games,” I confessed.She scoffed, s
Elizabeth’s POVShe pressed the stop button and smiled.“Lily, what are you doing?” I asked, my voice trembling.“Making sure I have deposits,” she answered.“This is insane,” I voiced and stood up to leave.“I wouldn't do that if I was you,” Lily warned, waving the phone. My eyes followed her movements, aiming for the right time to grab the phone.I sat waiting as she continued.“You help me into the house and get me to Adam, and then I'll think about deleting this,” Lily said.“You're supposed to be my friend,” I whispered, feeling betrayed.She shrugged, acting like I was an alien. “Are you going to do it or not?”The phone graced closer to my face, and I quickly reached for it. She moved it away in time.“You'll get your chance,” she mocked. “So? The time's ticking.”The seconds ran, and her fingers aimed at her screen.“Fine, I'll do it,” I answered.“Good girl,” she said, smiling.“Remember, I get close to Adam, and you stick with Richard.”“But…” I argued.“No, buts,” she cauti
Richard's POVA sharp beep cut through the silence.I exhaled slowly, blinking at my phone as it vibrated on the nightstand. An unknown number.My gut tightened.I reached for it, swiping the screen open, and a single audio file appeared. No message. No sender name. Just the recording.I hesitated for a second before pressing play.The moment the voices filled the room, my grip on the phone tightened.“Adam Mich killed my parents. I was eighteen and had just paid them a visit in a long time. Then it happened. My dad got a call, and it wasn't looking nice. Then he hid me in the closet, and somehow, I must have pressed a button and got out through the back door…”I knew that voice. That sounded exactly like…Elizabeth.“I heard the gunshots, Lily.”“I'm so sorry,” another voice followed.“The police couldn't do anything. By the time I found Lance, as my dad had said, The house was in flames. They found my dad's body, but my mom's…”“Hey,” the other lady spoke.“I'm fine. I'm just a littl
Richard’s POVI glared at Lance, my eyes boring into him, daring him to say something stupid. He didn’t. Smart choice.With a snap of my fingers, my bodyguards moved instantly. One opened the car door while another shielded me, scanning the surroundings like good little soldiers. I slid into the backseat smoothly, the familiar scent of leather and my cologne wrapping around me.I left the door open.Lance stood there like a lost dog, his hands buried in his pockets, hesitating.I exhaled sharply. “Get in and stop looking like an idiot.”He blinked, then climbed inside, shutting the door behind him.The car remained still, the streetlights outside flickering against the tinted windows, casting shadows over Lance’s tense face. I didn’t look at him.I sighed, controlling my temper and removed my phone from my coat pocket and tossed it on his lap."Why are you giving me this?" He asked.I looked at him and shook my head. "The recording. I need to know who sent it."Lance glanced at the un
Adam’s POVI sat in the study room, tired from checking the business file and reached for the television's remote.I pressed a button and the television came on. I was watching the news and I returned to reading the documents.The second I heard the name Clayridge on the news ticker, I stopped breathing.I stood frozen, my eyes locked on the television screen like it held the keys to the next war.A riot. At Clayridge.I didn’t need to wait for confirmation.My gut knew before my brain did.Richard was gone."Confirmed reports that Mafia suspect Richard Mitch, elder brother to the notorious underworld figure Adam Mitch, escaped the facility early this morning along with six other inmates..."Notorious? Oh damn it.I never went above my own lane and I was making the news because of Richard.The voice of the news anchor turned to static in my ears. I saw the headline. I saw the flames. The chaos. The confusion on the guards’ faces. It all looked staged. Because it was.I’d know Richard’
Elizabeth’s POVThe first time I pressed the panic button in the elevator, I wasn’t panicking. I was just curious how long it would take for them to get to me.I counted slowly and when it got to none seconds, I got my answer.Eight men came charging into the hallway, guns drawn. One of them even barked my name like I was under attack.But I wasn’t.I just needed proof. Proof that this place had stopped being a house a long time ago.Now, it was a cage. Pretty curtains didn’t hide the bars. I wasn't locked up. I was free but I was sick and tired of staying put in this house.I didn’t bother apologizing. I just walked past the guards and headed toward the basement. Their footsteps followed, but I didn’t look back. I kept walking, down the staircase, past the secured corridor with fingerprint locks, straight to the cell where Corinth was held.She sat on the floor like a dead person with her head leaned back against the wall.Somehow I felt pity for her, but I was still mad she had trie
Lily's POVI didn’t talk to Lance during the whole flight. I didn’t have to. He didn’t expect me to.We sat in silence, an ocean between us despite sitting only one seat apart. In one hand he swirled a whiskey glass slowly. I had nothing. Not even sleep. I hated that I was in this position.When we landed in the States, I braced for the worst. I thought I would be taken directly to some basement then given a gun, a file and told to clean up someone else’s mess. Or even killed. But instead, Lance handed me a manila folder.Inside were fake credentials. It had given me a new name so I could not be easily tracked. New background. I was officially now Samantha Carson, federal corrections officer, Clayridge Maximum Security Prison.My stomach twisted."What is this?" I asked.Lance didn’t smile. "Your clean slate. Your one final task."I really didn't want to and I complained. "This isn’t what I do."Lance picked up and did not care. "You do now."I stared at the folder again. One of the d
Lily's POVJosh propped back on the couch, half-squinting, with sweat beaded on his brow.He took his phone from his pocket and texted someone before returning his gaze to me.“I asked you a question,” he said. His voice went deeper.“No, I didn't,” I said. He looked relieved.“So, he's blackmailing you. Why?” He asked.“Because I shot my friend. Yes, I shot Elizabeth and ran,” I confessed.“Lily,” Josh called in disbelief. “So, it was you?”“I don't know if she's dead. I checked the news. There's no record of her death. It was selfish of me, but I didn't kill her. I know that,” I said.It didn't make sense to me, but I didn't want to cry in front of him.He stared at me. None of us broke eye contact. Then the knock came.Josh sat up and pointed to the door. "That's him. Let him in."I opened it quickly to find a lanky man with a box of supplies tucked under one arm. His scruffy beard and bleary eyes belied the crispness of the white gloves he donned as he entered.“I can’t believe yo
Lily's POVThe gun didn’t move. It remained pointed toward Josh’s head.My heart raced as I leapt between them, my arms outstretched. My voice cracked, but I pushed the words out. "What do you want?"The man laughed and cocked his head, as if I’d just asked the dumbest question in the world. His lips curled slowly in a cruel smile. "It’s easy. You should have guessed it."I gulped.“You did better than I hoped bringing him here,” the man said.“You sent that message?” I asked, and he smiled.Josh sat up, and the man ticked his fingers warning him not to move.“Lily, what in the hell is happening?” Josh asked.“You'll know soon enough,” the man answered.The soft click from the black SUV behind the man caught our attention.My heart began to race. Its headlights blinked. The doors released with a muffled thump. I froze, a chill wrapping around my back.The driver's door opened.No. Please, God, no. Don't let it be him.But it was him. The first thing that hit my eye was his polished sh
Lily's POVMy scream was loud and sharp as the closet door flew open. I didn’t think. I just reacted. I shot my fist out and into a man’s face with a sickening thud. The figure reeled back, groaning."Ow! Lily, what the hell!"Josh’s voice pierced through my mind and I opened my eyes. My heart sank the second I saw who I hit."Josh?" I asked.He held his nose with his left hand, and rubbed the spot. "Yeah, it’s me. You throw one hell of a punch. What was that?"I stumbled out of the closet, still shaking. "Jesus. Don't scare me like that. I thought you were him. I heard him. He called my name. I swear he was here.”Josh glanced around the room, his face turning a bit red. He moved fast, checking the windows, every corner, under the bed, behind the door.“There's no one here now,” he said.He glanced at me then, the concern carved deep into his face. “That’s it. I’m done playing defense.”He pulled out his phone and called someone. In less than an hour, a locksmith came and changed eve
Lily's POVJosh’s eyes were wide open; He gazed at me. It was too late, yet I turned aside."What was that?" he inquired in a low but cordial tone.I quickly got up and stuffed the phone in my pocket. "Nothing. Just an old picture."He didn’t blink. “You looked nice. Almost like a whole different person.’With trembling palms, I backed toward the sink and pretended to be occupied with a cup of water. "You need to rest. You’re not supposed to think much.”Josh sat up slowly. He moved to the side and the machines beeped next to him. "Don’t do that. Don’t deflect.""I’m not," I muttered."You are. Talk to me."I spun around and gripped the edge of the counter. My voice shook. "I can’t. Not now."He sighed and reclined back into the pillow. "Then don’t bother."I glanced at him, and swallowed. "Josh..."Gently, he looked into my eyes. “If you're not prepared to discuss it, that's fine. I’ll wait. I just want to know you’re safe. For me."I felt my knees buckle a little and moved closer to
Lily's POV"Move! Get out of the way!" I yelled.I didn’t know my own voice as I yelled at the standstill traffic, weaving in and out of cars, blowing every light.I had my fingers locked on the steering wheel. Josh lay next to me, hunched over with blood from his scalp running onto his shirt. His breathing was shallow.“ Josh, you need to stay with me. Just keep breathing. Please,” I begged as I drove.He groaned softly. That sound gave me just enough hope to bury the throttle deeper. The hospital sign eventually appeared, glowing like a beacon through my haze of panic.I parked like a lunatic, half on the sidewalk, and jumped out of the car. "Help! Somebody, please, help me!"Two nurses and a doctor ran outside. They saw the blood and got a stretcher."Head trauma. I don’t know what else,” I said, my voice trembling. "He was attacked. Outside our apartment."They loaded him in. My heart was pounding in my ears, I staggered behind, trying to catch up.The emergency room was a disaste
Lily’s POVThe scream came out of me before I even knew what I was seeing.There he was at the window.That same hooded man, lingering outside in the shadows, staring at me. Just standing there. I could feel his eyes piercing through the glass and through me, even though his face was dark.Josh leaped off the sofa as if a defibrillator had struck him by accident. "Lily! What—"I pointed, my voice breaking. "The window! He's there! Look!"Josh sprinted toward me, looking at where I pointed. But when he turned, the man had disappeared from the window.“He was just standing there,” I gasped as I retreated. My legs trembled and my skin tingled all over.Josh looked around the street below. Then he noticed something. His brow furrowed as he leaned in closer. His fingers moved deliberately toward the windowpane. "Lily... there's a crack."I rushed to his side.And there it was.A narrow, ragged line had ripped its way across the glass. Right in the center.Then I saw the note.Stuck to the