Jade’s POV~I was done for.~“It's such a beautiful dress,” I muttered under my breath, standing in front of a full-sized mirror. Admiring the way the dress hugged my curves. Accentuating my broad hips and slim waist.The blush pink gown felt like it was made for me the moment I slipped it on. Even though I looked like an outdated Disney princess who had lost her prince charming on her way to Doomdooma. I was still grateful for a change of clothing. It was better than the bloodstained dress. My finger smoothed the delicate net fabric; it swirled around my legs. The softness of the texture almost mocked the uneasiness that grew in me.Did I deserve this?I could feel the imposter syndrome creeping in. like when I was offered a cup of coffee at the cafe. I almost felt like it was a mistake and he mistook me for another person. Of course, I didn’t choose to be given this gown. It was given to me out of Jackson's free will. It was laid on the bed as if it were some kind of peace offerin
Jackson’s POV~A new chance~Even if he manages to survive the coma. He will never be able to walk or speak again. The doctor's words echoed in my head as I made my way to the ward Eduardo was in.The white lights buzzed faintly, casting an eerie glow over the hall. I was excited about this news. Eduardo would live, but the life he’d have now wouldn't be much; it wouldn't be the same.He won't be able to harm anyone else, and I would finally be the leader of the Mafia, the don. This thought felt so heavy in my chest as I finally stepped into the ward where Lorenzo was waiting, still holding onto Eduardo's hand like a retard.When I locked the door softly behind me, Lorenzo looked up at me from where he was sitting at Eduardo's side. His eyes were red and swollen; I could tell he had been crying ever since. His eyes searched mine for answers. What a pathetic loser! Wasn't he tired of doing Eduardo's dirty job? I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, preparing myself for what I was ab
Jade’s POV~Sad night~If you aren't careful, you might end up like Don. Eloise's words rang like a church bell in my ears as I stood alone all by myself in the dim passage.She had advised me to be careful and tread cautiously and carefully. Was it as bad as she made it seem?Eduardo was dead, which was a good thing; I wouldn't have to be worried about getting raped by a man old enough to be my father. But was I going from the frying pan to the fire?Was Jackson any different from his father? He appeared nice and spoke to me nicely; he even defended me back there, but was he who he claimed to be?Eloise's warning only left me more unsettled. Perhaps she was right. I didn't need to be schooled or lectured about how dangerous Jackson was; after all, he tried to assassinate his father. No matter how terrible someone's actions are, only a person capable of murder can bring themselves to end another person's life. I saw the way the people grew quiet when he entered. His presence seemed
Jackson’s POVWho was looking for me?I barely even had visitors at all; Eduardo was the one with lots of rich friends who only thrived on people's sadness and pain. He was a wealthy socialite while I was his lapdog; at least that was what I pretended to be while I learnt things from him.The only good thing he gained from my mother was me, someone to inherit his properties because he wanted to preserve his family name. That was the kind of man he was.As I descended the stairs, Lorenzo followed me closely; I could hear the faint echo of our footsteps resounding in the hallway. The alluring aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, making my mouth water and teasing my senses—my stomach also growled with hunger.I hadn't eaten any solid meal since my father's accident; people needed to be convinced that I was truly sad about his attack and would do anything to find whoever did this to him. It was as though my father was specific about the maidens he brought into the mansio
Jade’s POV“I love you, Jade,” Jackson said softly, his dark eyes piercing mine as he kissed the back of my hand like a gentleman. I was shocked at this gesture; why would he be so sweet and soft toward me? What did he want from me? I had a lot of questions, but they were left unanswered. “I don't understand,” I said in a confused manner. I looked around to see myself in the back of a car wearing a red dress like I was on a date with Jackson, the son of my captor. “Why are you doing this? Would you ever let me go?”“What don't you understand, honey? I saved your life back there because I want you to be mine!” He whispered, his thumb rubbing my chin. “And I promise not to hurt you; I'll only give you an eternity of pleasures.”I was taken aback by his statement. “Really? So you want to inherit me from your father and the other maidens too? You and your father are sick fucks that need to be behind bars!”He burst into a loud laugh that sounded annoying to my ears. “Really? Do you thi
Jackson’s POV~Doomsday is near.~May she remain safe while I'm away. The door to Jade's room cracked open as I stepped out. I glanced back briefly, my hands relaxing on the door frame. She sat peacefully by the window, staring out at the pool, lost in thoughts. What could she be thinking about? Was she troubled by the incident that happened earlier today?Her pale skin stood out against the dimness of the room, and for a moment I thought she was an angel from above. I wanted to go in to assure her that everything would be okay, but I would look too emotional and head over heels for her.I turned to the maid who was carrying a tray a few feet away. “Hey, come here.” I motioned for her to come closer.“Yes, master,” she said, bowing her hands and dropping the tray on a table as she folded her hands neatly in front of her. “I want you to make sure Jade doesn't leave her room and no one except you goes in,” I instructed, my voice laced with authority. “And also see to it that she is w
Jade’s POV~Trust no one at all.~Jackson had just left, and all of a sudden the room felt suffocating and heavy today. So I stood at the window side admiring the blueness of the pool.All of a sudden I felt at peace. This view reminded me that I had a chance to live normally without being worried about people trying to murder me.I was getting tired of standing, so I sat on the armchair, curling my knees to my chest as I continued to gaze at the pool. The flowers at the side and the way they swayed in the breeze.When would I be free like these flowers? Unaware of the darkness that threatened to take me away?For how long would I be safe here? How long would Jackson continue to protect me from the evil clawing at my door?I had no answers to those rhetorical questions. Maybe someday, I will have an answer. I bit my lower lip trying to keep my mind from racing.Maybe one day they would find me. And when they did, Jackson might not be able to save me. Because he made a mistake by makin
Jackson’s POV~Death toll~“He is stable now, Mr. Jackson; you can take him home.” The doctor's words played like a broken record in my ears as I wheeled my motionless father, who kept mute. This was the first time he was ever quiet when I was around him. If he was boasting about how his business empire, which was allegedly built on mafia tactics, he was constantly ranting about how rival families were trying to take him down.He never allowed me to speak, so it wasn't like a conversation; it was as though I was his human diary. He is always telling me the details of how his day went because he only trusted me with such information.The ones I will never forget were how he complained about having numerous enemies and his things weren't working out the way he wanted them to.Yet despite all these supposed challenges he faces, he continues to engage in so many shady things, hurting people for personal gain, extorting money from people, and taking their livelihood from them.You surely
Jade’s POV“Let me go!” I managed to say it, but the words barely escaped my lips. I didn't know how long I had been down here, but it seemed like decades.My cheek still throbbed with a fiery sting, a painful reminder of the punch I had received from those rascals. My nose was probably broken by now.They kept asking me to tell them things about Jackson, but I knew nothing. Even if I knew anything, I wouldn't betray Jackson; he has done nothing but be good to me.I ignored the gnawing hunger in my stomach; all I could think of was a way to escape this place. My wrists ached from the tightness of the drops and the way they dug into my delicate skin.And my head pounded from whatever they had used to knock me out earlier at the ballroom. The damp basement smelled of decay and rust, it was pitch black now, and the only light came from the tiny opening of the door. Shadows danced along the walls, indicating that I wasn't alone. These men weren't finished with me. This strange woman, who
Jackson’s POVJade was missing; they had taken her, and it was too late for me—I couldn’t save her. I had spent almost an hour searching every nook and cranny of the room, but there was no sight of her.I decided to step out of the ballroom, thinking that whoever took her must have transported her to another location for reasons only known to them.But the moment I walked out, I knew something was wrong. It was unusually quiet, and I could still hear the faint music from inside the ballroom, accompanied by rich laughter echoing off the walls. But none of it mattered to me. I needed to find Jade, and I won't rest until I do. Since Jade disappeared, it felt like a piece of me had left too. She was my better half, and now I know that I was foolish to let her out of my sight, especially after losing her. As I passed a certain route, people tried to stop me, shake hands with me.And I exchanged fake pleasantries pretending like they cared about anything that happened in my life when I wa
Jade’s POVI rubbed my aching shoulders, rolling them subconsciously, trying to regulate the pain, but I couldn't massage it properly because my wrist was attached to a rope.The pain I felt at the back of my head was unbearable; it was like I was knocked out by someone so they could take me to this isolated underground prison.What did I do to these people? Why do they despise me so much? I felt it again, the sharp, throbbing pain pulsing at the back of my head. Had they used a hammer to knock me out? Was I bleeding because it seemed like it? I tried to yank out of the ropes binding me, but it appeared a little tighter than it looked.Whoever did this wanted me here; this was no mistake! Someone hated the fact that I was living. Was it my father or Stormy? He had seen me at the ballroom earlier, and the expression on his face was shocking. Like he had just seen a ghost or a zombie out of an apocalypse. I sneezed twice, the latter louder than the former. The air was dusty and damp.
Jackson’s POVTonight, the ballroom buzzed with powerful men and women dressed in expensive clothes laughing behind designers' glasses as deals were sealed. On a low, the place wasn't loud, and most people spoke in hushed tones. The light from the chandeliers reflected on the room, casting a glow of many colours on their gloomy faces. I cannot comprehend the sadness experienced by every successful person; do they truly lack everything they ever desired?Or were they not satisfied with what they had? Of course, we humans were naturally insatiable, and when one need ends, another begins, so I wouldn't blame them for wanting more, but none of it mattered.Jade wasn't here yet; that scared me. I looked around before glancing down at my watch, and a frown plastered on my worried face. She was too long in there; something wasn't right. I could feel it in my bones. My instincts never failed me, the same instincts that had kept me alone in this world of hate and betrayal. I had learnt to r
Jade’s POV“I want you to be my wife.”Those words sounded unreal; never have I ever imagined that one of the most powerful men in Rome would ask me to be his wife.I blinked at Jackson; my breath was shaky, his words still echoed in my mind, each syllable sounding too good to be true.Was it a good idea to marry him? For once I've never thought about the possibility of being his wife. Jackson was powerful, loving, and ruthless. His proposal—if I could even call it that—felt more like an order wrapped in a gift pack of velvet promise. The don always got what he wanted, so who was I to object?But then what I felt for him was complicated; I'm still a young girl trying to figure out a part for myself. I'm sorry, sir, she must have seen the unsure look in my eyes because he moved closer and leaned in.Pressing a soft kiss to my forehead like he always did, but this time it was intentional. It was different; it had more effect than his words, and I wanted to kiss him on the lips now.“I'
Jackson’s POV I sat behind the musty old desk; the smoke from the fat tobacco wrapped in between my index finger and third finger filled the air. Life was good when you had the right people around you.And once again, I was grateful I didn't lose Jade; that would have shattered me, and I would have killed Julia because she had no reason to live to suffer the consequences of her actions.Having Jade by my side, within my reach, made me realise how much I loved her. I melted the cigarette on the ashtray and took a sip from the half-empty glass of whisky on the table.I didn't want to get drunk today; I needed to be sober so I could keep my eyes on the happenings of the family. It was my duty to do that now. I leaned my back against the plush leather chair. The air felt heavier than usual, like some unforeseen circumstances were hovering in the atmosphere, something dark. I crossed my arms on my chest as I slowly dragged the cigarette.When I heard a light knock on the door, Scar peeke
Eloise’s POV“We can't do this, Lorenzo!” I said, looking into his eyes, my fist clenched; I was angry and misunderstood. No matter how hard it is to prove myself, I'll never be taken seriously.Lorenzo stood in front of me, his presence condescending, but I didn't care. His arms crossed on his chest, his grey eyes flickered onto his mind with anger.We hadn't been on good terms these past few days, and the fault was mine. He wasn't what I needed; he was merely a distraction. Now, I was getting bored of this game, and I needed to act fast.“Are you speaking to me in that manner?” he asked in a harsh tone. “I'm sick of you trying to control my life! Leave the hell alone, Enzo.”“I'm not trying to control your life; I'm just...” He pauses, and then his voice drops to a low tone. “You know what, just do what you want, Eloise; you are always fond of walking away from things; that's what you do.”“Think whatever you want, Enzo; I'm done with this conversation,” I snarled, breathing a littl
Jade’s POVI survived hell once again. The wind is blowing hard, and the atmosphere is cool; the perfect weather for a good sleep, but I can't seem to find sleep.Sleep was far from me. I lay on this bed, my body aching from my falling down the stairs. My room was bathed in warm red light, the perfect illumination I need right now. My head was pounding, and bright light would only intensify my pain. I swallowed hard, the stale air did nothing to help the nausea that was growing in my stomach. Was it because I had just survived death or was I simply hungry?Maybe it was the latter; I don't know. Every movement I made, even the slightest, a dull throb of pain erupted throughout my ribs, a reminder that I needed to get enough rest if I was ever going to surge the night.Maybe I should relax and allow my mind to wander. I initially hated that I easily trusted her; after all, she was the reason I was in this horrible condition. I loathed that I trusted anyone so readily. That was my flaw.
Jackson’s POV Julia began to scream like a psychopath, thrashing against the guard's grip, her desperate cries filling the room, making my stomach boil with rage. If she knew I only tried to control myself from breaking the door open, hoping to resolve this peacefully.She wouldn't be here saying trash. The only reason why I was being peaceful right now was because the doctor said the poison had a cure and only Julia was in control of it. She had everything calculated; during the early morning, she came to his quarter to take the last antidote so no one could harm Jade. Right now all I needed to do was to play smart and fast because Jade needed that antidote as soon as possible.“No, I understand that you hate me for punishing Jade, but you don't love her, Jackson; she jinxed you. You love me, remember that night at the dining, how you made sweet love to me.” She wailed, her voice cracking as she fought to free herself.I never imagined that this day would come. A maiden being obses