LOGINShare
Chapter 48: Shadows of Deception
Last Updated:
2024-12-26 10:26:04Related chapters
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 49: The Ticking Clock
Rowan paced the length of his study, his movements sharp and deliberate. I sat on the couch, gripping my hands tightly as I tried to calm the storm of anxiety brewing inside me. The villa, usually calm and imposing, now felt like a cage. Every shadow seemed to stretch too far, and every creak of the floorboards made my heart race."We can't keep doing this," I said finally, breaking the silence. My voice sounded brittle, even to my ears. "We can't just tiptoe around her."Rowan stopped, turning to face me. His expression was grim. "You think I don’t know that? But if we make a wrong move, Lillian could destroy everything. She’s powerful and cunning—more than you realize.""Then we need to stop giving her the upper hand!" I stood, my frustration boiling over. "She’s already plotting against us. Waiting only gives her more time to act."Rowan approached, his intense gaze locking onto mine. "You’re asking me to risk everything on a single play, Pamela. If we confront her without concrete
Last Updated : 2024-12-26Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 50: Web of Deceit
Back at the villa, Rowan and I moved silently through the hallways, our earlier adrenaline rush ebbing into a tense quiet. The enormity of what we had overheard still weighed heavily between us. Lillian wasn’t just scheming; she was deep in dealings with remnants of Victor’s criminal network. And now, we were tangled in her web.I glanced at Rowan, whose jaw was set like stone. He was always so composed, but tonight, his mask was cracking."Rowan," I said softly as we reached the study.He turned sharply to face me. "What?""We can’t keep brushing this off," I said, my voice firm despite my nerves. "What if they figure out we were there? What if they come after us?"His expression softened, but only slightly. "They won’t. Not yet. Lillian doesn’t strike until she’s sure of her target.""And you’re sure of that because...?" I challenged, crossing my arms."Because I know how she operates," he replied, his voice steady but low. "She thrives on control. If she’s not certain who was in the
Last Updated : 2024-12-26Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 51: The Edge of Deception
The ride back to the villa was suffocating. Rowan’s grip on the steering wheel was ironclad, his knuckles white from tension. The stolen folder sat heavy in my lap, its contents burning in my mind like a guilty secret. Every bump in the road, every shadow outside the window felt like a harbinger of doom."Do you think they know?" I finally broke the silence, my voice barely above a whisper.Rowan’s eyes stayed fixed on the road, but his jaw clenched. "Not yet. But they’ll figure it out soon enough."I wanted to press him further, to ask what we’d do if—or when—they did, but his guarded demeanor made me hesitate. Rowan was a fortress tonight, his focus impenetrable.When we arrived back at the villa, the house was eerily quiet. The usual staff seemed to have disappeared, leaving the grand hallways and towering ceilings feeling like an echo chamber. Rowan led the way to his study, motioning for me to follow.Once inside, he locked the door and pulled the curtains shut. "We need to go thr
Last Updated : 2024-12-26Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 52: The Ghost in the Room
Victor's sudden appearance left the room in stunned silence. Rowan’s jaw tightened, his hands clenched into fists as his gaze locked onto the man who had haunted us all. Lillian, for once, seemed genuinely caught off guard, her usually composed demeanor cracking ever so slightly.“Victor,” Rowan said coldly, breaking the silence. “You’re supposed to be dead.”Victor chuckled, the sound grating against my nerves. “You sound disappointed, Rowan. Did you miss me that much?”The board members, who had moments ago been debating Lillian’s guilt, now exchanged bewildered looks. Whispers broke out around the table, their confusion palpable.“Explain yourself,” one of the older board members demanded. “What is the meaning of this?”Victor stepped further into the room, his presence commanding as he addressed the room. “I’ve been... away. Cleaning up the mess left by others.” His eyes flicked to Rowan, then to me, a sinister glint in them that made my stomach churn. “But I’m back now, and I’m he
Last Updated : 2024-12-26Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 53: Threads of Deception
The photograph burned in my hands, its glossy surface mocking me with a possibility too outrageous to accept. My mother, alive? It defied everything I thought I knew. Rowan stood silently beside me, his jaw taut, while Rebecca paced the room in frantic circles.“She died, Pamela,” Rowan finally said, his voice low but steady. “I was there. I attended the funeral. There’s no way—”“But look at this!” I interrupted, shoving the photo toward him again. “That hospital gown, the IV drip. This picture isn’t years old, Rowan. Someone wants me to know she’s alive. Or they want me to believe it.”“Who sent it?” Rebecca interjected, grabbing the photo to inspect it more closely. “And why now, when everything is already spiraling out of c
Last Updated : 2024-12-27Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 54: Fractured Alliances
The silence following the video was suffocating. My pulse thundered as I stared at the frozen frame of my mother on the screen, alive but a stranger to me now. Every piece of my world felt like it was fracturing under Victor’s manipulative hand, and yet, there was no time to process it.Rowan stood rigid, his eyes fixed on the laptop. “This changes everything,” he murmured, though his voice lacked conviction.Rebecca paced behind him, her sharp heels tapping against the floor. “It doesn’t just change everything—it dismantles it. If she’s alive, Victor’s holding all the cards. He’s practically inviting you to dance to his tune.”“Then we’ll rip the deck from his hands,” I said, my voice trembling but determined. “He doesn’t get
Last Updated : 2024-12-27Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 55: Shadows of Deception
The car ride back to the villa was quiet but filled with tension so thick it felt like the walls of the vehicle were closing in. Rowan’s grip on the steering wheel was tight, his knuckles white under the dim interior light. My mind raced, replaying Victor’s cryptic words over and over.“Sometimes, the villain wears the hero’s mask.”I glanced at Rowan, his jaw set as he stared ahead. Could Victor have been hinting at him? No. That didn’t make sense. Rowan had been by my side through all of this. Still, doubt, like an unwelcome guest, crept in.“What are you thinking?” I asked, breaking the silence.Rowan didn’t take his eyes off the road. “That Victor’s playing a game we’re not fully prepare
Last Updated : 2024-12-28Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 56: Into the Lion’s Den
Rowan’s study light flickered under the crack of the door as I passed it, my steps quiet but determined. My heart pounded as I descended the stairs, adrenaline fueling every movement. I clutched my phone tightly, the address Rebecca sent burned into my memory.As I approached the front door, a voice from behind froze me in place.“Going somewhere?” Rowan’s deep tone carried a mix of curiosity and suspicion.I turned slowly, schooling my expression into neutrality. “I needed some air.”“At this hour?” he asked, stepping closer. “You’ve been tense all evening, Pamela. Is there something you’re not telling me?”His piercing gaze made it hard to meet his eyes. Lying to Rowan wasn’t just difficult—it felt wrong. But I couldn’t risk him stopping me now.“I just need to clear my head,” I said, hoping my tone sounded convincing.Rowan crossed his arms, his presence commanding. “If you need to clear your head, we can go for a drive together. I’m not letting you wander around alone with Victor
Last Updated : 2024-12-29
Latest chapter
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 68: The Unfinished Chase
The air was thick with ash, the acrid smell of smoke stinging my nostrils as we stared at the silhouette emerging from the burning wreckage. James stood tall, his suit torn, his face streaked with soot and blood. He was like a specter of vengeance, his piercing eyes locked on us.Rowan shifted in front of me, positioning himself as a shield. Joana, trembling beside me, gripped my arm so tightly I could feel her nails digging into my skin.“You think you’ve escaped?” James’s voice cut through the roar of the flames, unnervingly steady despite the chaos around us. “You’ve merely postponed the inevitable.”“James,” Rowan said, his tone a dangerous growl. “Let this go. You’ve lost. Walk away before you destroy yourself.”James let out a harsh laugh. “Destroy myself? Oh, Rowan, you underestimate the depths of my resolve. You’re not leaving here alive.”From behind his back, James revealed a gun. The metal gleamed ominously in the flickering firelight, and my heart sank. Rowan tensed, his f
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 67: Beneath the Surface
lMy head throbbed as I woke in yet another dimly lit room. The taste of blood lingered on my tongue, and my wrists burned from the cuffs that once again held me captive. The last thing I remembered was Joana’s trembling hands and the deafening roar of her gunshot echoing in the narrow corridor. "Pamela," Rowan's voice was weak, distant but unmistakably alive. "Rowan?" I croaked, forcing my eyes open. He was slumped against a wall a few feet away, his hands bound behind his back, his face pale but determined. Relief flooded through me; at least we were still together.Before I could respond, the metallic groan of a door being pushed open interrupted us. James stepped inside, his usual smugness replaced by a dangerous calm. Behind him, Joana hovered, her expression a mixture of regret and fear. “Well, aren’t you two resilient?” James began, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I was starting to think you were indestructible. But even the strongest foundations have cracks, don’t they?”
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 66: Shadows of Deception
I woke to darkness. My head throbbed, and the metallic taste of blood lingered in my mouth. For a moment, I wasn’t sure if I was alive or dead. My arms were restrained behind me, the cold bite of metal cuffs cutting into my wrists. A faint glow from a single flickering bulb overhead cast eerie shadows on the walls."Pamela?" Rowan's voice, hoarse and laced with concern, cut through the haze of my thoughts. "I'm here," I croaked, trying to adjust my eyes to the dim light. "Are you okay?""Just barely," he said with a bitter chuckle. "They hit me pretty hard, but I’m in one piece."We were in what looked like an underground chamber. The walls were damp, the air thick with the smell of mildew and rust. My heart sank as I realized we had been captured. The escape tunnel had been a trap all along.A heavy door creaked open, and the sound of boots echoed against the stone floor. My stomach churned as James walked in, his silhouette framed by the blinding light of the corridor behind him. H
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 65: The Edge of Darkness
I could barely hear anything over the pounding of my heart. The world around me was a blur, the sounds of cracking walls and shifting debris filled my ears, mixing with the frantic gasps of breath from everyone in the room. My hand was still gripped tightly by Rowan’s, and I felt him pulling me forward, but the ground beneath us was shifting, slipping away with each passing second.“Rowan—what’s happening?!” I gasped, trying to make sense of the chaos that surrounded us.“We’re running out of time!” His voice was strained, barely audible over the noise. His grip tightened around my wrist as he pulled me along, his steps quick and purposeful. “We need to get out of here, now!”The entire villa felt as if it was crumbling around us. The walls groaned, the floor beneath us shaking violently, and I could feel the vibration of the tremors in the air, the oppressive weight of fear pressing down on my chest.I stumbled as we made our way through the darkened hallway, my legs trembling, my he
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 64: In the Shadows
The darkness enveloped us, pressing in from all sides. My heart raced, my breath shallow, and I could hear the rapid beat of my pulse in my ears. Rowan’s grip tightened around me, his body still shielding mine from whatever danger lurked in the shadows. The air was thick with tension, each breath I took feeling heavier than the last.“What the hell did you do?” Rowan’s voice broke through the silence, low and dangerous, as he reached out, clearly searching for something, anything to help us understand the sudden blackout. I could hear him moving, his footsteps slow and cautious, but I couldn’t see a thing.“I’m just getting started,” James’s voice echoed through the room, colder than I had ever heard it. His voice had always been calculated, but now there was a darkness in it that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “You’ve had your chance, Rowan. Now, it’s my turn to take control.”“James…” Rowan’s voice was tight with frustration, his hand gripping mine harder, tryin
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 63: The Point of No Return
The room fell silent as Lillian’s words hung in the air. The shock on everyone’s faces was palpable, and I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. My eyes snapped from Lillian to Rowan, searching for any sign of what she meant. Was this part of the plan? Or had something gone terribly wrong?“We need to go, now!” Lillian urged again, her eyes wide with fear. She looked at me, as if somehow knowing that I was the one who would understand. “They’ve found us.”“Who?” Rowan’s voice was low, tense, but there was a flicker of panic behind his cold eyes. He was always so controlled, always so sure of himself. But now, for the first time since I had known him, I saw doubt in his expression. He was just as confused, just as trapped, as I felt.“The Syndicate,” Lillian answered, her voice shaking. “They’ve come for us. They’ve been watching, waiting, and now… they’re here.”The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. The Syndicate. The same group that had controlled my life, that had manip
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 62: The Unraveling Thread
I felt the blood drain from my face as Lyka Stones entered the room, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. She stood there, poised and confident, her eyes briefly flicking to my father, who had yet to utter a word, and then to Rowan, who was now visibly tense, his hands clenched into fists. I couldn’t figure out whether her presence here was a coincidence or part of something far more dangerous.Lyka’s gaze landed on the journal in my hand, and I could almost feel the weight of her thoughts. She knew what was inside, or at least, she had an idea.“Pamela,” she greeted me with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It’s been a while.”“What are you doing here, Lyka?” My voice was sharper than I intended, a mix of confusion and growing suspicion. Her sudden appearance made my heart race. Was she part of whatever was going on with my father? Was she working with the Syndicate? Had she been playing me from the start?“Isn’t it obvious?” she said coolly, her lips curving
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 61: The Unseen Hand
The air seemed to freeze the moment my father stepped into the room, his figure casting a long shadow over the dimly lit space. My heart raced, the blood pounding in my ears as Rowan instinctively took a step forward, his hand brushing the gun beneath his jacket. I had never seen my father like this before. There was a coldness in his eyes, a weight in his posture that I couldn’t ignore.“Pamela,” he said, his voice smooth, almost too calm. “Joana. I see you’ve found something important.”The weight of his words hung in the air, suffocating me. For the first time, I wasn’t sure if I should be relieved to see him or terrified. The look in his eyes, the way he had entered without any warning—something wasn’t right.I tightened my grip on the journal, my fingers trembling. “What do you want, Father?” I asked, my voice a little sharper than I intended.He took a step closer, and I instinctively moved back, placing myself between Joana and him. Rowan remained vigilant behind me, his presen
Her Demand, His Desire Chapter 60: The Breaking Point
The night air was thick with tension as Rowan, Joana, and I hurried out of the safe house, our footsteps echoing off the cold, stone floors. Every sound seemed amplified, every shadow a threat. My father had insisted on staying behind, claiming it would be too dangerous for him to accompany us, though I couldn’t help but wonder if his true motives lay in keeping us as far from his involvement as possible.Joana, despite her usual calm demeanor, was clearly shaken. Her hands trembled as she clutched a small, worn envelope in her palm. The letter inside was the key—at least that’s what she believed. It was something our mother had left behind, a final message, a piece of the puzzle that might unravel everything. But what if it was too late? What if the Syndicate had already found us?“Are you sure this is where you found it?” Rowan’s voice cut through the silence as he glanced around the darkened streets.“Yes,” Joana replied, her voice steady but strained. “It was in the box of Mom’s t
