Hazel's expression grew stern for a moment at Francisco's words, but she quickly masked it. Francisco leaned closer, his eyes searching hers. Hazel pressed her lips together, not having expected him to say something like that.Making herself appear more composed, Hazel asked, "Family...?""Yes," Hazel hesitated, "but don't you think we need to know each other a bit more first?"She touched Francisco's chest and looked up at him. Family? The idea had never crossed her mind; it was something she had never envisioned for herself.Francisco locked his gaze on her for a few minutes, then a slight smile appeared on his face. He touched her cheek and traced his thumb gently across her soft, reddish skin. With a powerful yet tender voice, he said, "As you wish."Hazel smiled back at him, her initial sternness melting away. Francisco pulled her closer, pressing her head against his chest. Hazel buried her face there, feeling the warmth and strength of his embrace.Francisco did not attend the
Francisco threatened everyone, even the opposite gang leaders. He did not care about anyone and showed the consequences if they opposed him.Francisco got out of the car, and Max did the same. He was mad at Francisco, saying, "Francisco, what is wrong with you?"Francisco unbuttoned his coat as he turned back. "Max, I am not in the mood to talk about it.""Then when?" Max suddenly became agitated. "Why are you playing with your life, Francisco?""Max!" Francisco said in a calm tone. "Let's drop it here. I did it because they needed that.""Oh really," Max shut the car door hastily and moved toward Francisco. "You are doing it because of her.""I know it.""And I am telling you, you are doing wrong. Don't trust her, Francisco."Francisco arched his brows as he heard Max. He tightened his jaw and spoke in a stern voice, "Max, you are interrupting, so don't interrupt my life, never ever.""You know so well how much I hate it."Max took a deep breath, frustration evident in his eyes. "Fra
Max pressed his lips together, the weight of the truth bearing down on him. He had no strength to face it, but he knew he had to tell Diana everything. Leaving Francisco behind was not an option; the underworld activities were now an inseparable part of him, running through his veins like lifeblood.He remembered the promise he made to Diana, to leave this dangerous world behind. But every time he tried, something pulled him back. Francisco needed him, and Max couldn't abandon his friend, especially now.Max parted his lips, his voice trembling slightly. "Diana..." He lifted his eyes to meet hers, filled with pain and resignation. He shook his head slowly, unable to hide the truth any longer. "I can't let him be alone with that girl."Diana's face hardened as she understood the weight of his words. She turned her gaze away, swallowing hard as her emotions churned within her. "So, does it mean I can move on, right?" Her voice was tight, filled with hurt and determination.Max swallowed
Max stood there, the nurse's words echoing in his mind. He looked back at Diana, lying fragile in the hospital bed. "She will be okay, right?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper."Yes, sir," the nurse replied. "We washed her stomach. She’s stable now."Max took a deep breath and exited the room, feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt. Francisco was waiting in the hallway, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and disappointment. Max pressed his hand against the wall and leaned his forehead on it, trying to compose himself."I told you to take care of her," Francisco said, his tone stern but not unkind.Max exhaled heavily, the guilt etched deeply on his face. He couldn’t find the words to answer. Francisco had entrusted him with Diana's well-being, and he had failed. The weight of that failure was crushing.Francisco observed Max, recognizing the torment his friend was in. He tightened his expression, understanding the gravity of the situation but knowing he had to maintain a
"Yes!" Hazel said, her voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in her stomach."Everything is fine. I just thought about meeting him."Lily looked at her skeptically."No one will allow you to go out alone, so I am asking for your help," Hazel added quickly, her expression sincere and imploring.Hazel gave Lily a look that she hoped conveyed trustworthiness and sincerity. She knew that regaining their trust was crucial. After a moment’s hesitation, Lily nodded."Then let me call the boss.""No," Hazel said a bit too quickly, stopping Lily from reaching for the phone.Lily raised her eyebrows, looking at Hazel with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.Hazel pressed her lips together, trying to come up with a believable explanation."Actually, I wanted to give him a surprise. That's all."She forced a smile onto her face, hoping it looked more genuine than it felt. Lily studied her for a moment longer before finally nodding."Okay, girls, carry on," she said to the other maids."I will
Francisco gave Ben a sidelong look but quickly realized that Ben had no intention of leaving the room. Diana hadn't asked him to leave either, and Francisco knew she was doing this on purpose. She understood his preference for privacy at such moments, yet she chose to keep Ben there. Francisco turned back to Max and then looked at Diana again, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and concern."Why?" Francisco demanded, his tone stern."Why did you do that?"Diana, avoiding his gaze, looked down at her fingers, rubbing them together nervously."Francisco, it was nothing. I don't know why I did that."Francisco moved closer, his voice softening but still firm."I am not staying in the mansion. Why don't you go there?"Diana offered a slight, melancholic smile."Francisco, you're not there. If I go, it will be the same as living alone. Besides, you won't go there with Hazel, will you?"Francisco sighed, running a hand through his hair."I still need some time, but then I will go
Hazel sat down at one of the reading tables, pretending to be engrossed in a book.Meanwhile, Francisco's voice was a mix of anger and authority as he glared at Ben. "Diana, I don't want to hear anything about it. The thing is, I don't like this man," he said, indicating Ben with a dismissive gesture.Ben, feeling the sting of Francisco's words, pressed his lips together in frustration. He couldn't understand why Francisco had such disdain for him. He was a successful doctor, well-respected in his field. What more did Francisco want?"Mr. Francisco, why?"9865Ben finally spoke up, his voice tinged with a mixture of confusion and hurt."Why don't you like me?"Francisco turned back to him, his expression hardening. "I don't like to repeat my words," he said sternly.Then, addressing Diana again, "Diana!"He continued, "I will choose your partner."Francisco's words hung heavy in the air as he stepped forward to leave. Max, who had been standing silently by the door, exchanged a glance
Hazel gulped slowly as she looked at the man of seduction before her. She whispered under her breath, "I was missing you.""I hope it is okay for you."Francisco held his breath for a few seconds when he heard her. Suddenly, he took a deep breath and cursed, "Fuck!"From his voice, it was obvious that he was suppressing something inside his heart. Francisco touched her soft lips with his thumb, rubbing them slowly, ruining her lip gloss. He came close to her ear and said with a heavy breath, "You can miss me whenever you want, baby.""You can play with me if you want to."His hot breath touched her bare shoulder. Hazel slowly closed her eyes, feeling aroused by him. Though it wasn't her intention to be aroused, it was something she couldn't control, something she hated but also secretly enjoyed. She had come to love the feeling of being penetrated by him.Hazel took a deep breath and, with her shaky hands, grabbed his hair, saying, "If that's the case, then I hope you won't mind here.
“Will you be able to handle everything?” Francisco asked, his voice low as he and Max walked through the quiet garden under the night sky.“Do I have any other option?” Max replied, glancing at him.They both fell silent for a moment, only the sound of their footsteps on the gravel breaking the stillness.“So, you’ve really decided to go through with this?” Max asked, sensing something heavy on Francisco’s mind.“Yes,” Francisco replied, exhaling a puff of smoke into the cool air.“I have to do whatever it takes to protect her... and the child.”Max looked at him with concern.“Francisco, I don’t know… is it really worth it? All of this?”Francisco took a deep breath, then threw the cigarette to the ground, crushing it beneath his shoe.“Max,” he said firmly, “for me, she is everything.""And soon, she’ll give me the best gift I could ever have.”Max looked around the still garden, the silence pressing in.“I’ll pray for you,” he muttered, then let out a soft laugh.“Pray? When we’re
James took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and muttered, “Yeah, everything I do irritates you, but when it comes to Francisco—everything he does is just perfect, right?”Lilith narrowed her eyes, her patience clearly thinning.“James, just shut up.”He smirked, not bothering to hide the satisfaction in her irritation. “Fine, I’ll stop. But let’s not forget—you lost him too.”Lilith’s expression darkened. Her jaw clenched, and for a moment, it looked like she might speak, but she chose silence. Her cold stare said enough.Dimitri let out an audible sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Alright, enough. Let’s stay on topic.”Andrew leaned forward, glancing around the table. “We all know this won’t be easy. Francisco may be reckless, but he’s done a lot—things that kept the balance. We need to decide—do we support this internal power shift, or not?”Dimitri raised a brow and turned to Michele, Kai’s son. “Speaking of balance, Michele... I heard about the recent attack on Francisco.”Mic
The next morning, when Hazel woke up, something felt different. She looked around the room, her brows knitting together in confusion. The walls, once cast in shadows and a cold ambiance, now glowed with soft, natural light. The curtains were lighter, fresh flowers adorned the corners, and the overall atmosphere felt warm—inviting.No longer did the room feel like a prison.Hazel propped herself up on one elbow. “What is this…?”Just then, Lily entered with a bright smile and a large bouquet of fresh flowers in her arms. “Good morning, ma’am.”Hazel blinked in surprise. “Good morning… but what’s going on?”“Sir instructed us to redecorate the room,” Lily replied, arranging the flowers in a vase by the window. “He said it should feel brighter for you.”Hazel raised an eyebrow. “Why?”Lily smiled softly. “Because the doctor said it would help improve your mood.”Hazel pressed her lips into a thin line and said nothing. She simply stood and made her way to the washroom. After freshen
Enemies surrounded Francisco from all sides. He had built his empire on blood, and now the ghosts of his past were closing in.On him.On her.On their unborn child.Hazel studied him for a moment longer before shifting her gaze back to the book in her lap.Francisco’s voice cut through the silence."I didn’t mean to shock you."Hazel didn’t look up. Her tone was flat."It’s nothing new for me."Francisco clasped his palms together, his fingers pressing against each other in thought. He wanted to keep talking to her, to break through the walls she had built around herself, but Hazel was determined to end the conversation before it even began.He blinked slowly, exhaling through his nose.As he watched her, something stirred inside him—an overwhelming craving. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to hold her close, to feel the warmth of her body against his.He had heard that pregnant women experienced mood swings, that they craved more affection even as they pushed people away.Was th
“So the deal is more important to you than your child?” Arthur asked, his voice gentle yet firm.Hazel fell silent.Her heart pounded faster, but she forced herself to ignore it.Then, Arthur spoke again.“Will you really be able to live without your child, ma’am?”Hazel’s fingers tightened around the book she was holding. She had only been thinking about her freedom, about escaping the monster who had taken everything from her. But she hadn’t once stopped considering the child.Would she really leave her baby with him?Would the child grow up to be like Francisco—a ruthless mafia king?A deep frown creased Hazel’s forehead.No. She didn’t want to think about that. That wasn’t her concern.She was only supposed to care about herself.That was the plan.That was the deal.That was it.Taking a deep breath, she spoke, her voice steady but cold.“Arthur.”Arthur’s eyes remained on her, waiting.“Do you know your boss is monitoring me?” she asked, tilting her head slightly. “Every second.
Francisco and Hazel arrived at the mansion after the dangerous chaos. The ride had been silent, but the weight of what had happened lingered between them like an unspoken storm.Hazel’s face was gloomy, her expression distant. She wasn’t naive—she knew this was only the beginning.There would be more.More blood. More danger.More reasons to fear for the life growing inside her.Her hand instinctively rested on her belly.At first, she didn’t care much about the child. The idea of carrying Francisco’s baby had been unbearable. But now, an unfamiliar feeling twisted inside her—something more than just obligation. A strange, indefinable bond.Francisco, watching her closely, noticed the way her fingers pressed lightly against her stomach. He didn’t say anything, but he understood.She was shaken.She hadn’t expected an attack so soon.He clenched his jaw. From now on, he had to be more careful.Whatever he had been before—ruthless, reckless, untouchable—it didn’t matter anymore. Now, he
Francisco glanced at his bodyguard, his tone sharp and commanding.“Take her from here. I’ll handle this.”The bodyguard hesitated, his grip tightening on his weapon.“Boss, it’s too risky. How can I leave you alone?”Francisco’s gaze snapped at him, cold and unwavering.“Do you need me to shoot you right now?”That was enough.The bodyguard stiffened, lowering his head in obedience.“Understood.”He turned toward Hazel.“Ma’am.”But Hazel wasn’t moving.Her eyes were locked on Francisco as he fired at the advancing enemies, drawing their attention toward himself.Each shot echoed with deadly precision, but Hazel saw it clearly—he was outnumbered, and he was bleeding.Still, he didn’t hesitate.Didn’t falter.The bodyguard reached for her arm, his grip firm, almost forceful.“We need to move.”Hazel barely registered his words. She was staring at Francisco, unwilling to leave.As they shifted to retreat, a sudden bullet shattered the glass near them with a sharp crack.Hazel ducked in
Max’s phone rang as he worked through a stack of files. Without thinking, he glanced at the screen.Diana.He hesitated, a flicker of agitation crossing his face. For a moment, he considered ignoring it.But he couldn’t.With a sigh, he answered."Yes?"There was silence at the other end. Then, after a brief pause, Diana’s voice came through, quieter than usual."Francisco came here.""I know," Max replied flatly, his tone robotic.Diana took a deep breath, trying to steady herself."Max… I’m not feeling good about this. Francisco… he’s messing everything up. I don’t know what to do."Max slowly set the file down, his jaw tightening. He knew exactly what she meant.But he also knew there was no turning Francisco back now.A faint, bitter smile tugged at the corner of his lips.Sarcastic.Resigned.Francisco loved Hazel so much. So much that, if anyone stood in his way, Francisco wouldn’t hesitate to ruin everything.And the dangerous part? People wanted that kind of devotion."Diana,"
"Hazel."Francisco gently guided her to sit beside him, closer than before. He didn’t wait for her response."Our baby will play like them, right?" His voice was soft, almost hopeful.Hazel remained silent.Then, suddenly, she felt a touch on her belly.She froze.Francisco's large palm traced over her stomach, slow and deliberate. Her heartbeat quickened."I wonder how much he or she has developed inside you," he murmured. His words echoed in her mind, stirring something deep within her.When Hazel first learned she was pregnant, her immediate thought was to end it. She didn’t want to carry the child of a man who had turned her life into a nightmare. A mafia king—a ruthless, heartless man.And yet… she couldn’t.Francisco was right. Their child would play one day.She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, and slowly raised her eyes.The moment she did, she met his gaze.Francisco was leaning in closer, watching her intently.A wave of discomfort washed over her. She didn’t wan