Marco's POV"Why are you back?" My father greeted me with a smile, but I could tell Harper’s mother didn’t care much for me. The moment she saw me, she turned and left."She’s just worried about Harper. Don’t take it personally," my father said, patting me on the shoulder.I pulled my gaze back and replied, "It’s fine. I made mistakes too. But I came to ask you about the business deal with Mexico."My father put down his cup, looking at me sharply. "What’s the issue? Is the deal falling apart?"“No, it’s not that. But I want to know—why did you give such an important deal to Elena?”My father coughed a bit before turning to retrieve a file from his drawer. "You think it's something dramatic, like her being my illegitimate daughter?"He chuckled dryly and handed me the file. "She’s the child of an old friend. She’s got her own revenge to seek, and all I could do was equip her with the skills. The rest is up to her."“Is her enemy connected to this deal?”Even without an answer, I knew
Harper's POVThe boy standing in front of me was much taller than me, his presence filled with teenage energy. It was obvious what he was thinking, but I saw no need to call him out on it."Nice to meet you. I’m a friend of your sister's, just staying here for a while."I didn’t mention my purpose for being here. They’d figure it out soon enough. His friends, also teenagers, looked like they hadn’t eaten either. I politely declined Megan’s mother’s offer for more food, remembering my reason for coming here. I was determined to do whatever I could to help these kids have enough to eat.Marco’s POV"Are you really okay with leaving Mexico deal to Elena?" The man organizing my files on the plane asked me.I flipped through the folder. My father had shielded Elena from a lot, and I never imagined her background could be this complex. She was a mix of Russian and Mexican, though her Russian father’s genes clearly dominated her appearance.Few people knew the brutal truth about her father's
Harper's POV“How old are you?” I asked gently.“Seventeen,” she replied. Her baby-fat cheeks made her seem even younger, despite the heavy makeup she was wearing.I reached out and lightly pinched her cheek. “Don’t worry, your mom won’t find out.”“Then why are you giving us money?” Her wide eyes were full of suspicion, mixed with fear.“I want to help people around here, but I can’t help everyone. I want more people to see what life is really like here. By sharing your stories, maybe others will come forward to help too.”She didn’t fully understand, but the older woman in the group clearly did.“I’ll agree to talk, but you better make sure no one can identify us. No names, no pictures, nothing,” she warned.“Of course.”I booked a hotel room nearby, making sure it was clean and decent. When we checked in, the receptionist gave us a sleazy look. I pulled out my black card and slapped it on the counter. “Charge it.”His attitude shifted as soon as he saw the card. “Your room is on th
Harper's POV“Bang—” The gunshot rang out.Matthew, already hit once, stared wide-eyed in shock, just like the thugs, who all turned to the source of the sound.I stood there, hands trembling slightly as I held the gun. Smoke still wafted from the barrel, though I wasn't sure if it was from the cold air or something else entirely.Everyone scattered, leaving behind the man I’d shot. His eyes were wide open, a gaping hole in his forehead. Blood pooled beneath him on the cold pavement.Matthew, still clutching Megan, finally managed to stand up. The three of us exchanged a glance, and almost in unison, we all gagged from the horror of it."Do I call the police?" I asked, lowering the gun, trying to process what had just happened. Neither of them asked why I had a gun in the first place."We need to go," Megan muttered, bringing the car around. Matthew slumped into the passenger seat, and I collapsed into the back, trying to shut my eyes and forget everything.But it was useless. Every t
Marco's POVWith Harper's desperate screams echoing in my head, I couldn’t stand the thought of wasting any more time. My heart was pounding, and I was torn between fear for Harper’s safety and anger at myself for letting things get this far. I dialed my father.“I’ll send a team to help you, and we’ll locate Harper immediately,” he assured me in his usual calm, controlled tone, though I could hear a hint of worry creeping into his voice. He hung up before I could even respond, leaving me in the silence of my own panic.The regret was suffocating. I had thought letting Harper go was protecting her. Now, all I could think about was how much danger she was in—and how badly I wanted the car to go faster.Harper's POVI didn’t remember falling asleep, but I was jolted awake by loud voices downstairs. The noises weren’t right. The owner usually moved around in the kitchen quietly in the mornings, and this wasn’t it.Something was wrong. I slid off the bed, barefoot, and pressed my ear agai
Third person's POVMegan was desperate. She was just a woman, while these men—tall, brutal gangsters—had no qualms about violence. In her mind, Harper had already left Detroit, driven away by her brother. Who would come to save her now?“If her friend likes playing hero for w.hores, let’s give her a good show and film it all,” one of the men sneered as they began tearing at Megan’s clothes. She screamed until her voice went hoarse, her jacket already ripped open. She shut her eyes, bracing for the worst.Suddenly, there were screams—but not hers. Megan opened her eyes to see a tall figure approaching. Broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, his gaze was downcast, his presence filled with menace. He didn’t even look directly at her, but his presence alone was oppressive.One of the younger men standing beside him handed Megan a jacket, and she clutched it tightly around her torn clothes.“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.The man approached her, and Megan found herself
Marco's POV“You’ve always said you have things you want to do,” I reminded her.“So, the reason my video has such high views is because of you?” Harper’s chin lifted slightly, a hint of defiance creeping into her posture.“Yes,” I replied.“You know I don’t want you meddling in my life, right?”“I’m just trying to help you, Harper. Maybe you don’t understand yet, but even though I’m willing to set you free, that freedom will always have limits. I can’t handle losing you, but I can help you do anything you want to.”The conversation hit a dead end again. I couldn’t lie to her and say I could let her go completely. The Moretti family doesn’t deceive like that.“Fine. Thank you for your help. I’ll find a way to repay you. Can I leave this cursed party now?” she spat, downing a glass of wine in one gulp and setting the empty glass beside a statue before storming off without looking back.Harper's POVDamn it. I really thought Marco had changed, but his control and possessiveness are stil
Harper's POVWe returned to the stage and the girls seemed to enjoy the occasion. They saw themselves as objects to be sold.I know what I'm about to do will anger a lot of people, including these girls.But somebody's got to be the villain, right?I pulled a dagger out of my tight dress. Speaking of which, this thing has a long history, so tell it to my dear Marco if I get a chance.The party started and Marco took me to the second floor, which was a great place to watch and not be disturbed.I watched with interest the people downstairs, their bodies bare, and many of them began to sink into a sea of s.exual desire.“Marco, do you like girls like that?” I pointed to the popular girl and observed his reaction.Sadly, he didn't respond: “Honey, I don't react to all women. I'm not like them.”What's different?I laughed in my heart and stood up. “I'm going to change my clothes. It's too cold here.”Then I went straight down another corridor.There is a room at the end of the corridor.
Lydia did not sleep comfortably. In her dream, she felt that she was being watched by eyes all the time.Whether she was walking, eating or bathing, there was a pair of eyes watching her all the time, making her feel a hint of shame. Especially when she was taking a shower, those eyes were like big hands, their gaze caressing her body to the last detail, not sparing a single skin.Lydia couldn't keep her eyes open. In her dreams, she was naked, lying on the bed, feeling the gaze of those eyes. Slowly, a man came to the bed, hugged her from behind, and then caressed her while kissing her.This feeling ......Lydia squirmed restlessly, unable to tell if she was enjoying it or resisting it, as the man's body behind her grew hotter and hotter, and she knew what would happen next ......The clips of her lovemaking with Vince kept flashing into her mind: Vince's hot breath, the p.ennis stained with her bodily fluids, the shameful lovemaking positions, the shivering p.ussy, the ambiguous moa
The smell of alcohol from the hospital, the faint scent of jasmine in the room, mixed with Vince's hot breath and Lydia's scent, everything became misty.Vince's throat twitched, and he licked his lips, which were dry from the heat, and then kissed the lips of Lydia, whom he had been longing for.Lydia squirmed at first out of unease, and slowly, as Vince kissed her deeper and deeper, her breathing became unsteady, even whimpering like a cat.The two of them kissed passionately, and Lydia put both hands on Vince's shoulders, lying softly on the bed, close to him.Vince pushed her away slightly, leaving a palm's length, and quickly stripped her of her clothes.Vince reached out and pressed the curtain button. The curtains blocked out the light, and the room was dark, with only a few small lights emitting a dim, ambiguous glow. The "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door was lit up. No one would break in, and it was their time.Vince came out of the indulgent kiss in a ragged breath, looking
Lydia's eyes moistened as she recalled the events of the past on campus.God still favored her by allowing her to meet Vince again instead of letting her marry those hypocritical and lustful rich men.Although Vince is now a bit changed, tainted with some billionaire habits, such as arrogance and dominance, but his feelings for Lydia have not changed, nor has he become the kind of womanizer who indulges in one-night stands.More importantly, Lydia has always had feelings for him as well.Never mind, as long as they can live happily together, even if their second encounter is somewhat unhappy, so what?Lydia doesn't even care about that right now, she just prays that Vince will wake up.She took Vince's hand and put his hand on her face."Vince, you're a bad man. You said you'd be safe, and you broke your word.""Vince, you need to stop sleeping. I'll forgive you for what you did before if you wake up now.""If you wake up, I promise you. I will be your girlfriend, get married to you,
With Vince's handsome appearance and intelligence, even though he hid his family background, he was a hit on campus and was often courted by girls.He never wanted to fall in love because he thought women were a pain in the ass. And his mother was too strong a person, and he had a long way to go to pass the test to inherit the family fortune. During his college years, Vince was so full of how to become a stronger man that he didn't think about falling in love.Falling in love is a very troublesome thing, like a chewing gum which is being stuck on clothes. You remember what it tastes like, but it becomes a piece of junk that sticks to you.Vince is a cool guy. How can he be trapped by such a ridiculous thing?He didn't think that he would fall for this damn couple's activity. What pisses him off even more is that he was rejected!Vince, the heir of a famous American luxury hotel, a handsome man who was in the top 10 of the nation's golden bachelors at the age of 18, was rejected by a w
Lydia stayed in the room and did nothing but clean Vince's body and speak to him.Lydia wasn't sure if Vince could hear her. She was the only one in the room except Vince, and she either read Vince some interesting news or drew some strange patterns on his face to tease him. After all, Vince is at his best now. She won't have that opportunity when he wakes up."What are we talking about today?" Lydia sat next to Vince and held his hand to reminisce, "Do you remember when we were in college and you always liked to scare me when we were walking at night. You were such a badass sometimes, hiding behind big trees on purpose, waiting until I was so scared and about to cry before you showed up, or waiting for me to scream and jump into your arms."Lydia's voice is soft. The warm spring breeze blows the clean white curtains, and her thoughts are lost in the old days.Lydia and Vince's encounter was quite dramatic. When they first started college, they were at their most rebellious. In order
Lydia boarded a private plane arranged by Cecil in the early hours of the morning and finally arrived at Vince's hospital room just as the sun was rising.At the first sight of Vince, Lydia's heart skipped a beat from worry.Vince was lying in bed. His sleeping face was like an ancient Greek sculpture through time, calm and heavy. He was wearing these light gray pajamas, his lips were white and bloodless, adding a sense of brokenness to his cold face.He had various metal sensors strapped to his hands and arms, connected to different instruments through colorful tubes.In Lydia's memory, only those who were dying in the movie were connected to so many instruments."Why is this happening?" How is Vince doing?" Lydia tried desperately to control her trembling voice and turned to ask Cecil and Ulric.Cecil's attention was still on probing Lydia. He was very curious as to what kind of woman could make Vince go against the grain and turn from a love insulator to an infatuated man.Ulric ga
On the way to the hospital, Vince went about his business as usual, and even had a phone call with Vivian to handle some US work remotely. But when arriving at the hospital, Vince's body started to heat up and his will was a little unclear."How did this happen?" Ulric stood outside the emergency room with a frown and a serious expression.Cecil, meanwhile, paced back and forth in the hallway in a hurry. "If something bad had happened to Vince, I would have killed Derrick myself!"The incident today was indeed a surprise beyond their expectations. They had thought that the worst thing that could happen was a breakdown in negotiations, not realizing that the new mafia leader had abandoned the traditions that the mafia had upheld for years and started going rogue.Early in the morning, Cecil is just out at a cafe drinking coffee and flirting with a French beauty. He is not a shareholder in the business, so he has no intention of getting involved in the affair, nor does he want to expose
A conference room with a baroque style.Thick velvet curtains blocked the light from the windows. A long table made of precious wood is in the middle of the room, and several wide and comfortable black boss chairs are placed on each side of the table.Frescoes, candelabras and other decorations make this room look even less like a modern room and more like the council chambers of aristocrats centuries ago.Soft lighting adds a touch of mystery and obscurity to the room. Two groups of senior bodyguards with sunglasses stood on either side of the room.In the middle of the room, there are some men sitting in the boss's chair with their faces hidden in the shadows of the light, making the atmosphere more elusive."I have always appreciated some of the principles of your mafia, such as keeping your promises and treating your partners well, and that is why I chose to work with you. But I don't know why you, as the new mafia leader, would break these rules. I think we need an explanation."
In the Rolls-Royce car, Lydia leaned back in her seat with her head resting on the window.The car was running smoothly, the shock absorption design made it almost impossible to feel any shaking. The street lights reflected in the car windows, flashing Lydia's face as the car moved.The colorful lights lit up Lydia's face, and then the darkness swallowed her expression again.Vince sat quietly next to her and did not disturb her.Lydia felt more comfortable than ever. Her hand still hurt from hitting Bernice's face so hard.So this is the feeling of fighting back. In the old days, grievance, sadness, and powerlessness wrapped around her like an invisible thick cloth, leaving her with a feeling of suffocation. Her parents didn't care about her, forcing her to be a woman that rich men would like: meek, obedient, and easy to control. No one told Lydia she could say no to injustice, and no one stood behind her to help her fight back against her bullies. Tolerance was her only recourse bef