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
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
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
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
The front door slammed open with a deafening bang, echoing through the house like a gunshot. I flinched, clutching Rebecca closer as Rowan pulled me behind him. His gun was already raised, his stance steady and ready for whatever—or whoever—came through the doorway.Heavy boots pounded against the wooden floor, and then they appeared—four figures dressed in black, their faces obscured by masks. The lead figure held a gun, but his stance was relaxed, as though he didn’t see Rowan as a threat.“You’ve been busy, Mr. Hamilton,” the man said, his voice muffled but cold. “But it’s time to end the game.”Rowan didn’t flinch. “If you want to talk, put down your weapons. Otherwise, I suggest you leave while you can still walk.”The man chuckled, a low, menacing sound. “Always so confident. But tonight, your luck runs out.”Before Rowan could respond, another voice cut through the tension, one that sent chills down my spine.“Enough,” Victor said, stepping into the room from the shadows, his s
Rowan’s body tensed beside me as the figure stepped into the light, his face an unwelcome ghost from my past. My father’s cold gaze met mine, a smirk tugging at his lips."Pamela," he said, his tone chillingly casual, as though he hadn’t disappeared from my life without explanation.I stood frozen, my mind racing to piece together how this was possible. “You… you’re alive?” The words felt foreign in my mouth.Rowan moved in front of me, shielding me with his body. “Stay back,” he warned, his voice low and dangerous.My father chuckled, his eyes flicking to Rowan. “Still playing the hero, I see. How quaint.”“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice trembling with both anger and confusion. “Why are you with them?”He ignored my question, his gaze returning to me. “I see you’ve grown up, Pamela. A shame it took this long for us to reunite, though I’d hoped it would be under better circumstances.”“Better circumstances?” I repeated, my disbelief bubbling into anger. “You abandoned
The weight of the message on my phone lingered like a lead blanket over my thoughts as the car hurtled down the dark, winding road. Rowan sat beside me, his arms crossed and jaw tight, every muscle in his body coiled with tension. Across from us, my father maintained an eerie calm, his hands clasped in his lap.The silence between us was suffocating, the kind that begged to be broken but no one dared to touch. My thoughts raced, cycling between the message, my father’s sudden reappearance, and the danger we were barreling toward.Finally, Rowan’s patience snapped. “We’re not going to your damn safe house until you start talking,” he said, his voice low but sharp as a knife. “You’ve dropped a bombshell on Pamela, and you’re acting like she should just go along with it.”My father turned his gaze to Rowan, unflinching. “You think I don’t know how much I’ve put her through? But this isn’t about emotions. It’s about survival. Every minute we waste could cost us dearly.”“Convenient excuse
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
Pamela stood in the dimly lit corridor of the Hamilton estate, her heart hammering against her ribs as she tried to steady her breath. The soft glow of the chandelier above cast elongated shadows along the walls, mirroring the turbulence within her. She had spent so long running, so long trying to escape the chains that bound her to Rowan Hamilton, yet here she was—trapped once more in his world, but this time, not by force.Rowan’s voice was a low murmur behind her. “You’re trembling.”She swallowed hard, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. “No, I’m not.”He let out a quiet chuckle, stepping closer. The warmth of his presence was magnetic, drawing her in despite herself. She should resist—should put as much distance between them as possible—but she found herself standing still, waiting.“Pamela,” he murmured, his fingers brushing against her arm. The simple touch sent a jolt of electricity down her spine.She turned sharply, facing him. “What do you want, Rowan?” Her voice c
The tension between Rowan and Pamela crackled like a live wire, charged with unspoken words and undeniable longing. The moon hung high above them, casting silver light across the vast estate, making everything look surreal, as if time itself had slowed down just for them.Pamela stood by the grand window of Rowan’s study, her arms crossed over her chest as she tried to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside her. Rowan, seated in his chair, watched her with piercing eyes, the weight of unspoken confessions heavy between them.“Say something,” she finally broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper.Rowan ran a hand through his tousled hair, sighing. “What do you want me to say, Pamela? That I regret everything? That I should have fought harder for you?” His voice held a sharp edge, laced with frustration and something deeper—pain.Pamela turned, her gaze fierce. “I never asked you to fight for me, Rowan. But you walked away like I meant nothing. Like what we had was just
The dimly lit room seemed to shrink around them, filled only with the tension building between Rowan and Pamela as they stood there, their faces inches apart. For a moment, the world outside their bubble ceased to exist—no threats, no conspiracies, just the two of them bound together by something deeper than either had ever dared to acknowledge.“I don’t want to lose you,” Rowan murmured, his voice laced with desperation. His words hung in the air like a challenge, daring Pamela to let her guard down.Pamela swallowed the lump forming in her throat, her heart racing with each beat. She had fought so hard to keep her heart guarded, to resist the undeniable pull between them. But standing there, cocooned in his arms, resistance felt futile.“You won’t,” she whispered, her voice barely audible above a whisper. The words tumbled out of her mouth as if on their own, as if she was finally ready to admit to herself, to Rowan, that she couldn’t deny their connection any longer.A slow, deviou
Rowan’s grip on Pamela’s hand tightened as they stepped onto the balcony, the city lights shimmering like distant stars. The cool night breeze rustled her hair, and for a moment, she let herself be lost in his warmth. There was something different about him tonight—something softer, yet still as intense as ever.“Are you sure about this?” Pamela asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, unsure if it was from the cold or his proximity.Rowan turned to her, his dark eyes searching hers. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”She swallowed hard, the weight of their shared past pressing down on her. The tension between them had always been undeniable, but tonight, it felt like it was reaching a breaking point.Before she could speak, Rowan closed the distance between them. His fingers gently traced the outline of her jaw before tilting her face up to his. “I need you to understand something,” he murmured. “You’re not just an obligation
Pamela's heart pounded as she clutched Rowan’s hand, their fingers interlaced in a silent promise neither dared to break. The air was thick with tension, but beneath it all, an undeniable pull bound them together—one neither of them could ignore anymore.Rowan’s gaze flickered to Pamela’s lips before meeting her eyes again, his breath heavy with unspoken words. “Pamela,” he murmured, his voice both desperate and tender, “I don’t want to waste any more time. Whatever happens, I want to be by your side.”Pamela’s lips parted, her heart hammering against her ribs. She had spent so much time running—from him, from her feelings, from the life she thought she could never have. But looking at him now, she saw the truth in his eyes—undeniable, unwavering. He was hers, and she was his.The moment between them crackled like a live wire, but before she could respond, the distant echo of footsteps broke the spell. Pamela tensed, her instincts sharpening. Rowan’s jaw clenched, his hand tightening
Pamela’s heart pounded violently in her chest as the room fell into an eerie silence. The man standing before her, the embodiment of her darkest fears, smirked as if he had all the time in the world. Rowan’s grip on her wrist tightened, grounding her, reminding her she wasn’t alone anymore. But the fear clawing at her throat told a different story. She had spent years running from this nightmare, only to have it walk straight through the door, uninvited and unwelcome.Rowan took a step forward, shielding her completely. “You have five seconds to explain why the hell you’re here before I make you regret it.”The man let out a dark chuckle, his laughter echoing with a sense of menace. “Always so eager to resort to violence, aren’t you, Rowan?” He shifted his gaze and locked eyes with Pamela, a sly smile creeping across his face. “I expected a warmer welcome from you, Pamela. After all, we have a lot of catching up to do, don’t we?”Pamela felt her heart race as she clutched Rowan's slee
The silence between Rowan and Pamela was heavy with unspoken emotions. The dim light in the room cast long shadows, accentuating the tension that neither of them dared to break. Rowan stood close, his piercing gaze fixed on Pamela as she avoided looking at him. The air was thick with electricity, every moment stretching unbearably between them. “You should rest,” Rowan finally said, his voice softer than before. “You’ve been through too much already.” Pamela’s fingers curled into the fabric of her dress, gripping it tightly. “Resting won’t change anything,” she murmured. “It won’t take away the truth of what’s happening.” Rowan exhaled sharply, his patience wearing thin. “Then tell me what you want, Pamela. Do you want me to walk away?” Pamela’s heart pounded as she looked up at him, her emotions a storm raging within her. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “I don’t know what I want anymore.” In an instant, Rowan closed the distance between them. His hand cupped her cheek, tilti
Pamela's heart pounded against her chest as the night air curled around her like an invisible embrace. The moon hung heavy in the sky, its silver glow casting long shadows across the garden where she and Rowan stood, their faces inches apart. His fingers grazed her cheek, and for a moment, she forgot about the chaos that had defined their lives. The only thing that existed was him—the man who had upended her world, the man who now held her heart in his hands."You're shaking," Rowan murmured, his voice low and deep.Pamela swallowed hard. "I don't know if it's because of the cold or because of you."He let out a soft chuckle and pulled her closer, his warmth seeping into her skin. "Then let me be your warmth."She gazed up at him, her lips parting as he leaned in. Their lips met in a slow, tantalizing kiss that sent shivers down her spine. It was different this time—no longer a kiss of desperation but of something deeper, something that neither of them was willing to name just yet. Hi
The night air was thick with tension as Pamela sat in Rowan’s study, her fingers clenching the edges of the armchair. The flickering glow of the fireplace cast long shadows across his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jawline and the intensity in his eyes. He was standing near the window, his back turned to her, as if he was battling demons she could not see.“Rowan,” she called softly, her voice barely above a whisper, yet it was enough to make him turn. His gaze met hers, dark and unreadable, yet there was something beneath the surface—something raw and unspoken.“Why did you really bring me here?” she asked, swallowing the lump in her throat. She had been asking herself this question over and over, but now she needed to hear it from him.Rowan stepped closer, the tension between them a tangible force. He reached out, his fingers grazing her jaw before he cupped her face entirely, forcing her to look at him. “Because I can’t let you go,” he admitted, his voice hoarse. “Beca