♪♪ Lily - Alan Walker, K-391, Emelie Hollow ✿✿✿ Los Angeles, USA, 2019 NIGHTS are so peaceful but mysterious. People take the opportunity of killing, kidnapping, smuggling and doing so many illegal things at night because it's not tumultuous at all. Also people throw most of the parties and peaceful events at night. Every night holds a mystery because of its darkness and opaqueness. I love nights for its mysterious but so clam ambience. No tumultus, no noise, no yelling, no beating and no fear. It's just so tranquil. But when sudden stormy wind starts blowing and dark blue sky turns dark grey, the night never stays calm. It becomes dangerous and more subtle. I love it more because it's just like my life. I was staring at the unremitting elaspe of the dark clouds and the scratches made by the lightning on the thorax of the sky. There's a storm coming in the city. Thinking of a storm, my bedroom door bursts open like the storm hits directly on it. "Robbie!
♪♪ Espresso • by Sabrina Carpenter ✿✿✿ LILAH New York, USA, 2024 I expected the smell of coffee beans and fresh chocolate croissants as every evening, my mouth watering just at the thought of it. But the mixed smell of alcohol, weed and tobacco hit my olfactory nerves through the nostrils, making my head spin and face shirnk. It's been twenty fucking minutes. I'm forcefully staring at some prick for twenty fucking minutes and feeling his nasty irritating glare all over my body. The creature known as men, are so fucking annoying. They don't know how to keep their eyes and the thing into their pants where they belong to. They'd run toward you like dogs if you give them a single positive glance. So fucking ludicrous. But here everyone thinks women are fragile and weak. Trust me, a woman can bring a man to fall on his knees with a single glance whether he's dangerous, inhumane or vicious; from a mighty king to a relentless warrior. And history is its biggest testimon
♪♪ Cruel Summer • by Taylor Swift ✿✿✿ LILAH "What the fuck you think you're doing?" The half-dead body wakes up and growls in anger. "What a pleasurable surprise! Mummy's awake." I chirp out and grin. He tries to move but fails. His head snaps to where I tied him up as his eyes glimmer in rage. "Tell me one thing, dude. Do you brush your teeth regularly?" I cringe, thinking about the bad smell. "Of course you didn't tie me up for that." He grits his yellow teeth and blurts out. "Of course I didn't. You're very smart." I smile cheekily making his horrible face redden. "You disgusting slut! Untie me before I kill you." He booms and fusses menacingly. "If I were you, I wouldn't make a move while tied up in front of my predator." I laugh and pull out my dagger from the garter belt on my thigh. "You don't know whom you're messing with." He hisses with an angry glare. "Exactly! I want to know everything about you, your business and your motherfucking boss." I cli
♪♪ Demons • by Imagine Dragons ✿✿✿ LILAH These nightmares would never stop chasing after me. They're too vicious and glutinous to leave me alone. Every night whenever I fix my eyes close, I see demons chasing after me. They'd laugh at me because I'm so pathetic and unwieldy. I scream at them again and again that I'm not but they'd keep making fun of me. Sometimes I question myself, what I did to deserve this abhorrent life. I could've lived like other kids out there. I could've gotten very loving and careful parents who would nourish and protect us. But we got monsters. Who'd beat me and my brother to death instead of protecting us. They almost killed me for money but Robbie sacrificed himself and now they're liable for his evanescence. That night when Robbie left, I thought he'd come back. But the next morning, I came face-to-face with an angry dad who beat me with his belt because Robbie was gone and they won't get the money anymore for the opium and cocaine supply. B
♪♪ Prey • by EMO ✿✿✿ LILAH Silence. Unendurable headache. Coldness consuming my limp body. Where the fuck am I ? Groaning, I force my eyes open but meet with a pool of darkness. The last thing I remember is the bald dickhead hit me hard on the nut and I swooned. When I try to clutch my head, I can't move my hands and then I realize I'm sitting on a chair with hands and legs tied. When my eyes adjust the darkness, I descry faint ray coming in the dark room from the aperture of a ventilator. Lucy is placed in front of me, in the same position as mine, unconscious, head thrown aback and mouth hung open. "Lucy! Get the fuck up!" I call her, wiggling my hands and legs to get them free but all my attempt pass in vain. "C'mon bitch, we're trapped and you're snoring like a pig. Get up before I kick your indolent ass." I shout and keep wiggling in hope if the knots ever lose. Whoever tied us up was so proficient at his job that the ties don't bulge even after the stor
♪♪ Cinnamon Girl • Lana Del Rey ✿✿✿ LILAH Grabbing broken pieces of chair as weapons, we both stand beside the door, in anticipate of our enemies. A few minutes later, when the metallic door finally cracks open, we get alert by their presence until a tall and bulky guard enters the room with a gun in his hold. I give Lucy a nod as we both attack the man from behind and stab him on the back several time. The guard lands on the ground with a loud painful growl as the gun in his hold flies off in a corner. I grasp the convenience and quickly seize the gun from ground. The man arises and prepares a move toward me with an angry choleric rumble but Lucy impedes him by hammering his head with a metallic reed. Ouch. "You're sadistic. Where did you get that?" I laugh inwardly, shriveling my face. "You're so ungrateful. At least thank me wholeheartedly." She snarls, proudly standing before me angling the metallic reed on her shoulder like the Thor with his hammer ready for a fig
♪♪ Enemy • Imagine Dragons × J.I.D ✿✿✿ LILAH I THRASH in the tight hold of the monsters. The monster I call Mom, keeps smacking my face with a vengeance, making me lament in agony. Robert is looking at me with teary eyes but neither he bulges nor does he speak as if he's pinned on his spot by some supernatural potency. But the anger inside him is diaphanous as quartz, fists and jaw clenched hard, eyes bloodshot with tears. "What the fuck are you waiting for? Go and bring money for us!" The monster I call Dad, yells, twisting my arm as I cry out in torment. "No, no! Robbie, don't leave me! They'll kill me!" I scream and try to approach him pushing my parents but my mother grabs a fistful of my hair and throws me on the couch. "But I have to go. I'll come back for you, I promise." Robbie's voice cracks like the way he's breaking from inside. "Go Robert! Or we'll kill her!" Mom shouts, tightening her hold on my neck and making me struggle to breathe. Tears spills from my a
He turns around with his emotionless handsome face and starts leaving the room, leaving me for a heart attack. "Wait! You can't just kill me! Of course, you need information. Like who I am and whom I work for." I quickly blurt out, swallowing the lump in my throat. "No." He stops walking, turns his head a bit so that I get a clear view of his wicked smirk. Ok, I'm not in a state for complementing. His cockiness, arrogance and I-don't-care look just ignites the rage inside me. I'm not gonna let some sexy arrogant prick kill me, not today. When he attempts to leave, I pull out the small dagger hidden inside one of my sneakers and in one swift motion I fly over him furiously to stab him on the back. But the Russian beauty is faster than me. He grabs my wrist without looking at me or moving from his spot and rotates me around within a blink. Now my back is pressed on his hard chest and the dagger in my hand is pressed on my neck where the artery is. I should fear the Russian pyt
Lilah's POV : The sun blazed high above, casting a golden glow over Aswan as we wandered through the lively, bustling markets. Stalls lined the narrow pathways, brimming with vibrant treasures—handwoven rugs in jewel-toned patterns, shimmering trinkets of silver and gold, and baskets overflowing with fragrant spices. The air was thick with the mingling scents of cumin, saffron, and burning incense, creating a heady atmosphere that seemed to hum with life. I stopped at nearly every stall, marveling at the craftsmanship and chatting with the vendors, my hands greedily picking out souvenirs. A small carved ankh, a delicate copper bracelet, and a brightly colored scarf soon found their way into my ever-growing collection of purchases. Behind me, Ivan followed silently, a bemused expression on his face as he balanced a tower of bags that I had thrust upon him. The sight of this tall, intimidating man carrying my colorful loot like some overburdened porter was almost too much to bear. “
Lilah's POV :The golden sun hovered low on the horizon, casting a fiery reflection across the Nile’s rippling surface. I leaned against the railing of the boat, letting the gentle breeze caress my skin and carry with it the earthy scent of the river. My fingers trailed lazily through the air, tracing invisible patterns as the tranquility of the moment wrapped around me like a warm embrace. It was a picture of serenity—palm trees swayed gracefully along the shoreline, distant minarets pierced the crimson sky, and the silhouettes of camels moved in slow, deliberate strides across the golden dunes. Yet, the calm outside couldn’t quiet the storm inside me.Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Ivan standing a few steps away, his tall, imposing figure softened by the amber glow of the setting sun. His profile was sharp, his ocean-blue eyes fixed on the horizon with an intensity that belied the peaceful scene. There was something unnervingly beautiful about the way he stood th
Lilah's POV :The morning starts like any other in Ivan Volkov’s world—calculated and efficient. But for me, Lilah Daniels, it feels anything but ordinary. Sitting in the lavish living room of Ivan’s penthouse, my fingers toy with the edge of my coffee mug, nervously glancing at Ivan. He leans back in his chair with that maddeningly calm expression, scrolling through his phone like a man with all the time in the world.“So,” I finally ask, my curiosity getting the better of me, “why did you call everyone over this early?”He glances up at me, his piercing gaze making my breath hitch. “Pack your bags. We’re leaving for Egypt tonight.”The words hang in the air like a thunderclap. Egypt? The idea feels surreal. It takes me a moment to register the excited chatter of our friends—Lucy and Maxime—who are just as taken aback by Ivan’s sudden announcement.“Wait, wait,” Lucy exclaims, “you’re serious? Egypt? Like, pyramids and camels and—oh my God!”Ivan’s lips twitch into a faint smirk. “Ye
Ivan’s POV: (Past)The night is dark, the air thick with tension as Mia storms into my office, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floors. Her face is twisted with anger, the flush of fury painting her cheeks a bright red. She’s upset—no, more than upset. She’s furious.“Mia,” I begin, my voice flat, a warning in it, but she doesn’t seem to care. She’s already too far gone, too deep in her own rage to hear reason.“You’re a fucking bastard, Ivan!” she spits out, her eyes flashing with fire. “You make me look like a fool!”I stand from behind my desk, the chair scraping loudly against the floor, and look at her. She’s trembling, her hands shaking as she throws a stack of papers off the desk in a burst of anger. I don’t react—don’t flinch. I’ve seen her like this before, and I know exactly where this is going.“You think I don’t know what’s been going on?” Her voice rises, filling the room, but I’m already tired of hearing it. I don’t want to listen to her accusations, to her
Lilah's POV :I couldn't bring myself to look back at Ivan. His voice, that deep, commanding tone, sliced through the air, but I refused to acknowledge him. My feet moved quickly, carrying me away from him, away from the suffocating feeling that had begun to wrap around my chest the moment I’d met his eyes. I didn’t want to see him, didn’t want to hear his voice, didn’t want anything to do with him right now. The weight of his gaze still lingered, like a mark I couldn’t wash off.Lucy, always tuned into my moods, must’ve sensed it. She moved in step with me, her usual teasing smile replaced by a softer look. “Ignore him,” she whispered, though her tone was more of an understanding than an order. “You don’t owe him anything.”I exhaled, grateful for her presence. But my heart was a storm that I couldn’t escape, no matter how far I walked. Every step away from him felt like a battle, a slow pull toward some strange, uncharted space where I could try to forget him—if only for a few hours
Lilah’s POV :The hallway stretches endlessly ahead, dimly lit and eerily quiet except for the faint sound of my heels clicking against the polished floor. My heart feels lighter after talking to Lucy; her unwavering optimism has a way of grounding me. For the first time in days, I almost feel normal. Almost.But as I near Ivan’s bedroom, a soft, muffled sound reaches my ears. Laughter—low, sultry, and distinctly feminine. My steps falter. Mia.I shake my head, trying to dismiss the sinking feeling in my stomach. Maybe she’s just talking to him. Ivan wouldn’t... would he?With hesitant steps, I approach the slightly ajar door. The flicker of warm light spills out, illuminating the cold hallway in hues of amber. My breath hitches as I peek inside, and the sight hits me like a sledgehammer to the chest.There they are—Mia and Ivan—entangled in an intimate embrace. Her perfectly manicured fingers are tangled in his dark hair, and her lips press against his with a hunger that makes me fee
Lilah’s POV : The morning started with a mission: convincing Ivan Volkov, of all people, to let us leave the house. It had been days since Lucy and I had stepped outside, and the need to breathe fresh air and feel sunlight on my skin was overwhelming. Ivan, however, was a fortress of resistance. “You don’t need to go anywhere,” he said coolly, sipping his coffee at the breakfast table. “Ivan,” I argued, crossing my arms. “You can’t keep us locked up forever. We need normalcy. A simple shopping trip won’t kill anyone.” He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “It might, considering who we are.” Lucy chimed in, batting her lashes dramatically. “Oh, come on, Mr. Big Bad Mafia Boss. Don’t you want to see us happy? What’s a little retail therapy compared to the joy of seeing us smile?” Ivan stared at her like she’d grown another head, but I caught the tiniest twitch at the corner of his mouth. Damien and Andrey, standing nearby, exchanged amused glances. Maxi, always the cheerful one, join
Lilah’s POV :The moon hangs low in the sky, its silver glow spilling through the sheer curtains of the room. My heart races as I sit on the edge of the bed, my hands fidgeting in my lap. The air feels heavy, almost suffocating, with unspoken tension. Ivan stands by the window, his tall frame illuminated by the dim light. He’s shirtless, his muscular back taut with restrained energy, and I can’t tear my eyes away.“Why do you always make things so difficult, Lilah?” His voice is low, rough, and carries a weight that presses against my chest.“I’m not the one keeping secrets,” I shoot back, though my voice trembles.He turns to face me, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine, and in that moment, the room seems to shrink. His gaze is unreadable, a mix of frustration, longing, and something darker that makes my skin prickle.“You think you know everything, but you don’t,” he says, stepping closer. “You have no idea what I’ve been through, what I’ve sacrificed.”“Then tell me,” I whispe
Lilah's POV :“She did this?” he asked, his voice deceptively soft, yet carrying a dangerous edge that sent a shiver down my spine.I nodded, my voice barely a whisper. “It’s nothing, really. Lucy took care of it.”His thumb brushed close to the scratch, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw something that resembled concern flicker in his cold gray eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the steel mask I had come to associate with him.Ivan straightened, his imposing frame towering over me. “Mia will pay for this,” he said flatly, as though he were discussing a mundane business matter rather than a woman’s fury.I swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. Part of me wanted to demand an explanation—why he allowed someone like Mia to stay in his orbit, why I was even here in the first place—but the words refused to come out. His presence was suffocating, an invisible force that silenced me.“Stand up,” he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.I hesi