Marco's POVSome of the marks were old scars, while others were clearly fresh."Why didn’t you tell me?" I asked."I’m telling you now, aren’t I? Marco, you’re seeing me at my worst. Pain... it’s the only thing that can bring me a moment of clarity."I searched her eyes in the dim light, unsure whether this was all part of some plan or if these were his real feelings slipping out."I don’t believe you, Harper."Her fingers slid beneath the hem of my shirt, and I felt the familiar spark of desire flare up inside me. It was almost impossible not to react, but I had to keep my focus. There was something more important than giving in to passion right now—I needed to be sure. I couldn’t afford to take any risks that might push her further away."I’ll make you believe," she whispered.And before I knew it, we were tangled together, our bodies moving in sync. Her warmth pressed against me, her breath hot on my skin. In the heat of the moment, she bit my chin, maybe in a clumsy attempt at pas
Harper's POVMy arm was now in his grasp, his large, warm hand enveloping my wrist. Under his control, my slender wrist felt fragile, like it could be snapped with just a bit of pressure. As he inspected the marks on my skin, his tense expression softened ever so slightly."Did he hurt you?" He asked, his voice low but filled with concern.I looked at him, mentally preparing myself, convincing myself I had to sell this act. Tears began to roll down my cheeks, each one falling with a calculated grace. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror behind him, and I could see the image I projected—vulnerable, delicate, and broken."I don’t know what’s happening. Father, in Detroit, he saved me. He said we were once together, but... I don’t remember." My voice trembled as I tugged at his clothes, feigning confusion and fear. "Then Elena appeared, and I was so scared. He pulled me away, and then…"I stopped, letting the implication hang in the air, hoping my act would convince him of my innoc
Elena’s POVTonight, I’m at the 46th beach.The wind is strong, and right before I set off, my heart skipped a beat, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. My godfather trusts me, and there are plenty of people following me, so I shouldn’t be this scared.This kind of fear felt like the night my family died. I struggled to breathe.“Elena?” Someone tapped my shoulder.“Hmm?” I snapped out of it and gave them a reassuring smile.I gripped the gun in my hand tightly, the night wind blowing the sweat off my back with the salty tang of the ocean.As darkness fell, headlights pierced through the silence, and that familiar face appeared in the light.My blood raced, and I could hear my own breathing. That face, the one that’s haunted my nightmares countless times, was now smiling at me.“Elena? I hear you’re the godfather’s most trusted lieutenant.”“Yes. Do you have the goods ready?”“Of course. And you got the money?”“It’s right here.”I gestured to the people beside me
Harper’s POVIt was my mom!She flung the door open and screamed, but she didn’t rush to me. Instead, I could clearly see the disgust in her eyes. It was almost funny.“Cough... cough...”Marco let go of me, and I glared at him. From my mom’s perspective, our relationship must’ve looked awful, especially since it seemed like Marco had almost strangled me.“Harper, are you okay?” She walked over, gently touching my neck. Her fingers grazed the red mark Marco had just left, and I winced, covering the sore spot.“I’m fine. I’ll take care of it myself.”I could feel Marco’s eyes on me the entire time as I left the room.“Harper.”“Ah!” I jumped. It was my stepfather. He looked oddly pleased. I figured it was because Marco had returned.“What happened to your neck?”“Nothing, Father.”I hurried off to get some ointment from one of the house staff. This time, I knew I couldn’t escape marrying Marco.But that’s exactly what we needed.Sure enough, before the mark on my neck had even faded, t
Harper’s POVHe held my waist firmly, thrusting up into me so hard that the fullness inside me made my entire body ache.“F.uck,” he gasped, his hips moving with a relentless rhythm. I couldn’t hold myself up anymore, collapsing onto him as he groaned, trapping me in his arms. Our body heat was overwhelming, making my head spin.“So hot...” I mumbled.He kept thrusting relentlessly, sweat forming a thin layer on my back. The heat made it hard to breathe, and I bit into his arm to try to stay conscious.He paused for a moment, then bent one leg to support us both, standing up while I clung tightly to his neck. His d.ick stayed buried deep inside me as he lifted me.“Relax a little,” he said, slapping my a.ss lightly.Then he started walking, every step pushing him deeper inside me.“Ugh... mmm...” I couldn’t help but clench my thighs as the sensation of his movements sent shocks through me. He was f.ucking me as he walked up the stairs.“Let go of me.”“Harper, you’re enjoying this.” H
Harper's POV“It's you who gave Matthew a lesson. You’re not jealous, are you?!”His reaction confirmed an answer I hadn’t even considered before.“Really?”I caught the slight redness in the tips of his ears, and I felt a warm rush inside me, suddenly unsure what to say. This realization seemed more important than anything else.“Let’s go.” Marco’s cool demeanor returned as he grabbed my hand and quickly led us out of the venue. I stole a glance at him from the side, finding him more attractive than ever.“Harper.”Just as we stepped into the garden, a voice called my name. I turned to see Joseph, standing there without his fiancée, Vivian. His eyes looked sorrowful, almost like a sad puppy.Joseph... I whispered the name to myself, tasting the bitterness of it.Suddenly, my arm was squeezed tight. I glanced up to see Marco’s clenched jaw, his possessiveness written all over his face. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. That simple gesture made both Joseph’s face fall and Mar
Marco’s POV"She wasn’t behaving?" The words hit me like déjà vu—wasn’t that exactly how I used to describe Harper? Now, thinking back, it feels shallow and ridiculous."So, you took her to get hypnotized? Wiped all her memories so she could be your brainless Barbie doll?""I didn’t do anything you hadn’t already done."Joseph threw a punch. I dodged and elbowed him in the gut, sending him sprawling to the ground in a second.His pride refused to let him give up. He pulled a knife from behind and lunged at my face. I blocked it, but not without my arm getting slashed. Tearing off the bottom of my shirt, I wrapped it around my arm and got up, twisting his arm back and pinning him with my knee.Joseph lay there, panting, still struggling. I couldn’t help but punch him in the face.“D.amn it.”I rubbed my bruised jaw, unsure how to deal with the mess. Just the thought of Harper seeing me like this made me hate Joseph even more for the trouble he caused today.Whatever.I barged into the
Harper's POVThe car ride felt like it took forever, but we finally arrived at a place I knew. David and a familiar woman were waiting for me."Come inside," Elena said as she led me into a warehouse."What’s going on?""I’ll explain," Elena seemed eager to jump in, but David motioned for her to calm down before turning to me."Joseph came to us first. He told us about the group that kidnapped you last time, and then he made a deal with Marco. So, your return from France was part of their plan, but Marco didn’t know about Joseph’s engagement. Things got complicated later when Joseph’s mother found out. Marco and I initially thought Joseph had leaked the information. After Joseph met with Marco, they found out that the Moretti family had been secretly working with that same kidnapping group. Actually, most of the powerful families in the world are connected to them in some way. Breaking off the Van family engagement was a huge blow to their power in France. And all the drama between yo
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