The mansion was unnervingly silent, the power outage hiding everything in a thick blanket of darkness. Olivia clung to Victor’s arm, her breath shallow as anxiety clawed at her chest. The crash they had heard moments earlier was threatening.Victor’s protective instinct kicked in immediately. His hand moved to his pocket, where he kept a weapon for emergencies like this. “Stay behind me,” he ordered.Olivia nodded; her grip tightens on his arm. She could feel his muscles coiled like a spring, ready to react to any threat. “What’s going on?” she whispered.“Could be nothing,” Victor lied, not wanting to alarm her further. But he knew better. Someone had broken their security.As they crept down the hallway, the light glow of a flashlight flickered in the distance. Victor’s sharp eyes caught the movement, and he quickly pulled Olivia into the nearest room. He pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay silent.“Stay here,” he whispered. “Don’t move until I come back.”“No!” Oliv
“Victor!” Olivia screamed, her voice cutting through the tension in the room.Victor didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Olivia, shielding her with his body as he moved out of the laser’s path. The stranger bent instinctively, pressing himself against the wall.The sound of shattering glass rang out as a bullet pierced the room, embedding itself into the far wall where Victor had stood moments before.“Sniper!” the stranger hissed, his calm posture cracking.Victor pulled Olivia to the ground, keeping her behind the sofa. His protective instincts flared to life, but his mind was calculating every possibility. The sniper was precise and bold…. this wasn’t a random attack.The stranger, still crouched, edged toward the window. “They’re here already. I told you they wouldn’t wait.”Victor stared at him. “You brought this to my house.”“I brought you a warning,” the man retorted, his voice sharp. “They’re the ones who escalated it.”Victor ignored him, focusing on Olivia. “Stay low. Don’t move,”
Victor’s blood ran cold as Olivia’s cry shatters the room’s tense silence. He turned sharply, his breath catching in his chest as he saw her clutching her belly, her face twisted in pain.“Olivia!” Victor rushed to her side, his heart hammering in his chest.Her trembling hand reached out, gripping his arm tightly. “Victor, something’s… wrong.”Victor scooped her up into his arms, his movements quick but gentle. “We’re going to the hospital,” he said, his voice steady, though panic roared inside him.The stranger steps forward. “Victor, you can’t leave the mansion now. They’ll be waiting for you.”Victor’s glare could have pierced steel. “If you think I’ll let anything happen to her and our baby, you’re delusional. I’ll burn the world before I let them hurt her.”Without another word, Victor carried Olivia to t
Victor stared at the message on his phone, his jaw tightens with barely contained rage. His free hand clenched into a fist as his mind raced. The courage of the Syndicate to target his unborn child was a declaration of war he could not ignore.“Victor?” Olivia’s soft voice broke through his storm of thoughts. She looked up at him, her expression concerned. “What’s wrong?”He forced himself to soften his expression, slipping the phone into his pocket as he sat back down beside her. “Nothing to worry about, love. Just some business matters.”Olivia frowned, clearly unconvinced, but exhaustion from the day’s events kept her from pressing further. “You’re hiding something,” she mumbled, her fingers brushed against his hand. “I can feel it.”Victor leaned forward, pressing a kiss on her lips. “You and our baby are the only things that matter to me right now. I’ll take care of everything else.”Though she was still worried, Olivia nodded, her trust in Victor unwavering.As Olivia goes into
Victor sat on the edge of the bed, the message still glowing on his phone screen. His jaw clenched as his mind worked rapidly, dissecting the message. "We know where she is." It wasn’t just a threat anymore.He glanced back at Olivia, who lay peacefully asleep. The soft rise and fall of her chest and the glow of the moonlight on her skin made her seem untouchable.Determined not to disturb her rest, he slipped out of the room, his movements as silent as a shadow. He entered his study, locking the door behind him.“Marcus,” he said into the phone as soon as the line connected.“Yes, sir?”“Trace the number that just messaged me. I want its location within the hour.”“Yes, sir. I’ll handle it personally.”Victor hung up and poured himself a glass of whiskey. The burn of the alcohol did little to suppress the fire burning inside him. If the Syndicate wanted a war, he would give them one. But he would make sure they regretted every step they took towards Olivia.The next morning, Olivia w
Victor’s calm words echoes through the warehouse, his confidence unnerved the Syndicate members. Victor’s men stood ready, their weapons drawn and their loyalty unshakable.“Drop your weapons,” barked one of the Syndicate leaders, moving forward. He was a tall, scarred man with cold eyes. “Or your entire team dies.”Victor gave a smirk, his eyes sharp. “Do you really think I came here unprepared?”Before the leader could respond, a sudden explosion rocked the warehouse, shattering windows and sending fragments flying. The Syndicate members ducked for cover as Victor’s men took advantage of the chaos, engaging in a fierce firefight.Victor moved like a predator, taking down enemies with calculated precision. Every shot he fired was deadly accurate, his movements were smooth and efficient. Despite the danger, his mind was focused on one thing: protecting Olivia.Back at the mansion, Olivia paced the living room, her anxiety growing with each passing minute. She couldn’t shake the feelin
Olivia’s breath stuck in her throat; her body frozen as the figure stepped closer.“Who are you?” Olivia asked, her voice trembling but resolute. Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach, a protective gesture for the child growing within her.The figure chuckled, the sound low and mocking. “You’re braver than I expected. No wonder Victor is so obsessed with you.”At the mention of Victor’s name, Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “If you think you can scare me into submission, you don’t know me at all.”The stranger tilt their head, interested by her defiance. “Oh, I don’t need to scare you. I’m just here to deliver a message.”Before Olivia could respond, the figure tossed a small envelope onto the table in front of her. It landed with a soft thud, the weight of its contents hinting at something ominous.“What is this?” Olivia asked, not moving to pick it up.“Open it when you’re alone,” the stranger said, their voice dripping with amusement. “But be careful, Ms. Olivia. The truth has a way
The room was filled with the gentle cries of a newborn as Olivia lay on the hospital bed, her hair damp with sweat and tears flooding down her face. Victor stood beside her, his eyes wide with awe and emotion as he held their baby girl for the first time.“She’s cute,” Victor whispered, his voice trembling. He gently placed the baby in Olivia’s arms.Olivia eyes down at the tiny bundle, her heart swelling with love and relief. “Ava,” she murmured. “Our little Ava.”Victor leaned down, kissing Olivia’s forehead tenderly. “Thank you,” he said, his voice full with emotion. “For giving me this. For giving us this.”The days that followed were full of sleepless nights and quiet joy. Victor had never imagined himself as a father, but now, with Ava cradled in his arms, he couldn’t imagine life any other way.Olivia watched him with a soft smile as he gently rocked Ava to sleep. “You’re a natural,” she said, her voice filled with admiration.Victor chuckled softly. “I’ve handled boardrooms fu
Olivia wasn’t sure what drew her downstairs that evening. Perhaps it was the eerie quiet that settles over the house, a rare moment where Victor wasn’t around her, watching her like a hawk. Or maybe it was the lingering taste of their last encounter, the way his words haunted her.I don’t want you to be my prisoner. I want you to be mine.She shook her head as she stepped into the hallway. She didn’t want to think about him.But she froze at the sound of low laughter coming from the study.Victor’s laughter.Curiosity got the best of her. Slowly, she crept closer, peeking through the slightly open door.Inside, Victor was leaning against his desk, a rare and genuine smile on his face as he talked to a small boy no older than seven. Olivia’s breath caught. She had never seen this side of him… relaxed, almost gentle.The boy grinned up at him, clutching a toy car in his hands. “Uncle Victor, did you see me drive it super-fast?”Victor chuckled, ruffling the boy’s hair. “Yeah, you nearly
Steam frizzed in the air as warm water flowed down Olivia’s bare skin. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows along the marble walls, illuminating the massive bathtub Victor had insisted she use.His hands moved over her body with slow and deliberate care, dragging a soapy cloth along her back before dipping lower. The heat of his touch entered into her skin, but it wasn’t just the temperature of the water making her breath hitch…. it was him. The way his fingers lingered, the way he watched her with that unreadable intensity, as if she were something fragile and precious yet wholly his to break.“I can do it myself,” she mumbled, her voice whisper.Victor chuckled, low and deep. “You could. But I like taking care of you.”His tone was possessive, his words laced with something darker. Olivia flinched, gripping the edge of the tub. Every time she thought she had a grasp on him, he shattered her expectations. One moment, he was cruel, a man who held her life in his hands without
Olivia’s heart pounded in her ears as the weight of the truth settled over her. Her father was alive. Victor had known. He had lied to her. Manipulated her. And now, as she stood before him, her entire body was shaking with anger.Victor took a slow step forward, his expression carefully guarded. “Olivia….”“Don’t.” Her voice falters between anger and desperation. “Don’t you dare say my name like that.”His jaw tightened. “You’re overreacting.”“Overreacting?” she choked out a bitter laugh. “You let me believe my father was dead, Victor! You let me grieve for him while you sat there….” She gestured wildly, her hands trembling. “… acting like I belonged to you, like you could just erase my past and replace it with yourself!”Victor sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I never said he was dead.”Olivia clenched her fists. “But you let me believe it! You let me suffer, knowing the truth all along!”His eyes darkened. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d react exactly like this.”
Few days later, Olivia sat frozen, her fingers clenched around the crumpled paper in her hand. The words written across it blurred her vision with disbelief and anger. Her father had been taken. Not missing, not on the run… but taken. And the name tied to his disappearance, the man responsible for ripping her world apart, was none other than Victor.Her breath hitched as she forced herself to read the letter again, its cruel truth clawing at her chest."Victor had him taken care of. No loose ends."No loose ends.Her heart twisted. She had trusted Victor, despite everything. She had let herself be consumed by his world, by his touch, by the possessiveness in his eyes. And all this time, he had been the one to destroy her life.Footsteps echoed down the hallway. Olivia's pulse spiked, her heartbeat thundering against her ribs. She shoved the paper into her pocket just as the door swung open, revealing the man who had so effortlessly bound her to him in ways she hadn’t realized until no
The ride back to the estate was silent, save for the soft sound of the rain showering against the tinted windows. Olivia sat rigidly in the leather seat of Victor’s car, her wrists still tingling from where the ropes had cut into her skin. Victor sat beside her, his broad frame tense, his fingers drumming lightly against his knee as if trying to cover the storm within him.She didn’t know what to say. A part of her wanted to thank him for rescuing her, but another part of her was drowning in unease. The blood on his hands, the way he had executed her captors without hesitation, it should have terrified her. And yet, what truly unsettled her was the way she felt safe in his presence, despite everything.Victor turned his head slightly, his sharp eyes landing on her.“You haven’t said a word.” His voice was low, steady, but there was an underlying tension to it.Olivia swallows hard. “What do you want me to say?”“That you understand.”She frowned. “Understand what?”Victor leaned close
The cold metal of the restraints bit into Olivia’s wrists as she sat in the dimly lit warehouse, her heart pounding like a drum. The reek of gasoline and sweat clung to the air, thick and suffocating.She had been taken.It happened so fast… one moment, she was within the supposed safety of Victor’s mansion, and the next, she was being dragged into an unmarked van, a cloth pressed over her nose and mouth until the world faded to black. Now, as she blinked away the haze of unconsciousness, reality settled in with brutal clarity.She was alone.A rough hand yanked her chin up, forcing her to meet the sharp and piercing eyes of a man she didn’t recognize. His face was rugged, scarred, and filled with something far more dangerous than mere hatred… he enjoyed this.“Victor’s little queen,” he drawled, his voice thick with amusement. “Never thought I’d get the chance to meet you up close.”Olivia swallows her fear, steadying her expression into something normal. She couldn’t let them see he
The moment Victor received the call, his world darkened.His grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles turning white as one of his men stumbled out the devastating news. Olivia had been taken. His men had failed.The sound of a glass shattering filled the air as Victor threw the crystal glass across the room. The expensive liquor dripped down the walls, a silent proof to his growing rage. His office, usually an oasis of control, now felt suffocating, his anger pressing against the walls like a caged beast ready to tear everything apart."Who?" His voice was quiet, but the deadly calm was more terrifying than any scream.Luca, one of his most trusted enforcers, stood stiff before him, his face was pale. "The rival mafia group. We suspect it’s Ricardo DeLuca’s men. They left no traces, but we intercepted radio chatter confirming Olivia is in their hands."A cold chill swept through the room, but it wasn’t fear… it was the promise of violence. Victor’s fists clenched so tightly, his nail
Olivia paced inside Victor’s study, the tension in the air so thick it was suffocating. She clenched the papers in her hand…. evidence that Victor had been tracking her every movement, monitoring her conversations, and keeping tabs on her through hidden cameras and his men.“You’ve been spying on me,” she accused, her voice shaking with anger. “Every second, every breath I take….. you’ve been watching?”Victor stood by the window; his frame cast shadows as he calmly sipped his whiskey. “It’s not spying,” he replied, his voice dangerously smooth. “It’s protection.”Olivia’s hands trembles as she threw the papers onto his desk. “Protection? This…. is control, Victor! You don’t trust me.”He turned, his cold blue eyes locking onto hers. “I do trust you,” he said, stepping closer. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll let you go.”She backed away, her heart pounding hardly. “You can’t keep me like this. I’m not your prisoner.”Victor chuckled darkly. “Aren’t you?” He moved so swiftly that Olivia ba
The air in Victor’s office was cold with tension. Olivia stood with her arms crossed, her eyes locked onto his. The argument had started over something trivial, but now, it had rose into something else.“You don’t own me, Victor!” Olivia spat; her voice laced with rage. “You can’t keep treating me like a possession.”Victor’s expression darkens, his jaw tightening as he took a step closer. “Then stop acting like you don’t belong here,” he countered, his voice dangerously low. “Every time you defy me, you put yourself in danger.”“I never asked for your protection,” she snapped, her pulse racing.Victor scoffed, his lips giving way to something between amusement and frustration. “You think you’d last a second out there without me?”The words sent a surge of anger through Olivia. She hated how he made her feel…. trapped, powerless, yet undeniably drawn to him. She hated how his presence consumed her thoughts, how his touch still lingers on her skin even when she tried to forget.“I’d ra