VICTOR’S POVI had won the battle.But at what cost?As I stood there, watching the video Damian had sent, a crushing weight settled on my chest. The pain was unbearable, like a blade slicing through my soul. My hands trembled, my breath came in ragged gasps, and my vision blurred with unshed tears.My grandfather was dead.Emma had lost her baby.The very people I had fought to protect had suffered because of me.I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was fighting for justice, for the truth. But now, standing in the wreckage of my choices, it felt like I had lost everything.A hollow laugh escaped my lips, but there was no humor in it. Just pain. Deep, consuming pain.I clenched my fists, my entire body shaking with rage. “I’m going to kill him,” I growled.Daniel, who had been standing beside me, grabbed my arm. “Victor, don’t.”I turned to him, my eyes burning with fury. “After everything he’s done, you expect me to just stand here and do nothing?”Daniel’s grip tight
VICTOR'S POVThe hospital felt like a prison. No, worse—it felt like a graveyard.I sat in the cold, sterile hallway, my hands gripping the edges of my chair as if letting go would send me spiraling into nothingness. The weight of everything crushed my chest. I had won the battle, but I had lost the war.My grandfather was gone.Emma had lost our baby.What kind of victory was this?I felt hollow, a walking corpse moving through the motions of arranging my grandfather’s body with the hospital staff. The doctor stood in front of me, speaking in a calm, professional tone, but his words barely registered.“We’ll need to finalize the paperwork for the body transfer, your grandfather the doctor said, his voice measured and sympathetic.I swallowed hard. “And then?” My voice was hoarse, barely recognizable even to myself.“We’ll arrange for the morgue to hold him until the funeral home takes over. Do you have any preferences for the arrangements?”Preferences? What kind of preference could
VICTOR’S POVThe moment the arrest warrant for Damian Lannister was issued, law enforcement officers were dispatched to his residence. However, when they arrived, he was nowhere to be found."Suspect is not at the residence. No sign of forced entry or rushed departure. Repeat, the suspect is not at home," a police officer’s voice crackled through Daniel’s radio.I was with Daniel when the report came in, and the moment we heard those words, we exchanged a knowing look. We didn’t need to say it aloud—we both understood exactly what this meant.Damian was trying to flee.“Damn it,” Daniel muttered under his breath. “He’s not going to face justice willingly.”My fists clenched as my mind raced through the possibilities. He had the money, the power, and the connections to disappear without a trace. If he got away now, we might never catch him.We needed to act. Fast.“We have to think like him,” I said urgently. “Where would he go? What’s his exit strategy?”Isla, who had been standing be
VICTOR'S POVAs I watched Damian being dragged away in cuffs, I thought I would feel something—relief, satisfaction, maybe even peace. After all, he was finally facing justice for everything he had done, for all the lives he had destroyed. But instead, I felt… nothing. There was no triumph in my heart, no sense of victory. Just an empty weight pressing down on me.I glanced at Isla, and I could tell she felt the same way. Her expression was unreadable, but the slight tension in her shoulders and the way she exhaled slowly told me she was struggling to process it all. She turned to me, her eyes filled with something unspoken, and then, without a word, she wrapped her arms around me.“At least he’s going away for a long time,” she murmured, her voice soft against my shoulder.I nodded, closing my eyes for a brief moment as I found a small measure of comfort in her embrace. Isla had been through so much—her father’s death, being manipulated by Damian, and now seeing justice finally serve
ISLA'S POVToday marked a year since Jason and I officially became a couple. It felt surreal; I had never been this serious about anyone. Jason was charming, attentive, and supportive— or so I thought. He owned a quaint café near my college, where I worked part-time to make ends meet. The café wasn’t just a workplace for me; it felt like a second home, mostly because Jason was there.To celebrate our anniversary, I decided to surprise him with a gift. After weeks of saving from my modest earnings, I finally bought him a watch that I thought he’d love. It wasn’t fancy, but it was meaningful— every time he checked the time, he’d think of me. At least, that’s what I hoped.The salesgirl behind the counter looked at me with a mixture of pity and amusement as I handed her my hard-earned cash. “You’re really buying this for someone?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.“Yes,” I said, feeling a bit self-conscious. “It’s for someone special.”She smirked, clearly unimpressed, and handed me the nea
ISLA’S POVWhen I got home, my legs felt heavy as I closed the door behind me. The silence of the apartment was deafening, amplifying the chaos in my mind. I dropped my bag on the floor and sank onto the couch. My hands trembled as I thought about the past year with Jason. How had I been so blind? Now that I had time to think, the signs were glaringly obvious. He was never truly mine.There were moments I’d brushed off— the late-night “work meetings,” the way he avoided introducing me to his friends, the lack of affection when we were alone. Deep down, I must have known something wasn’t right. But I ignored it, convincing myself that he was just stressed or distracted. After all, I loved him, didn’t I? And I thought he loved me too.I buried my face in my hands as tears streamed down my cheeks. It wasn’t just the betrayal that hurt; it was the humiliation of being used. He had played me for a fool, stringing me along while holding on to his feelings for someone else. I thought I knew
VICTOR’S POV Today was Grandpa’s 70th birthday. For as long as I could remember, Grandpa had been my anchor, my guide, and my strength. He raised me after my parents passed away when I was just a baby. A man as serious and focused as he was, taking care of a helpless infant must have been a monumental challenge. Yet he did it, and he did it well. Lately, though, I’d been too caught up in work to visit him. Weeks turned into months, and the guilt lingered like a shadow. So, today, I cleared my schedule, canceled a meeting, and made sure nothing came between us. On my way home, I decided to pick up a gift. Grandpa deserved something special. As I stood at the counter in the store, browsing through options, I overheard a complaint from a young lady to the salesgirl. Her voice carried sharpness, but beneath it was an undercurrent of sadness that was impossible to ignore. It wasn’t just her tone that caught my attention—it was the weight of her words, each one laced with quiet frustrati
ISLA'S POV The day I got the job offer from Sterling Corporation felt like the first ray of sunlight after a storm. It was more than a job; it was my ticket to a better future, and save my mom's life.The first person I wanted to share the news with was Judith. I headed to the café where I used to work before everything fell apart.Walking into that place brought mixed emotions. Jason owned the café, and seeing him there was inevitable. Still, I had news worth celebrating, and I wouldn’t let anything dampen my spirits.Judith was behind the counter when I arrived. She spotted me and waved me over with a big smile. “Isla, what’s the occasion? You look like you’ve won the lottery!”I grinned, unable to hold back my excitement. “Judith, I got the job at Sterling Corporation!”Her eyes widened with delight, and she leaned over the counter to hug me. “I knew it! I knew they’d see how amazing you are. This calls for a celebration. Coffee’s on me!”Before I could reply, I heard a familiar v
VICTOR'S POVAs I watched Damian being dragged away in cuffs, I thought I would feel something—relief, satisfaction, maybe even peace. After all, he was finally facing justice for everything he had done, for all the lives he had destroyed. But instead, I felt… nothing. There was no triumph in my heart, no sense of victory. Just an empty weight pressing down on me.I glanced at Isla, and I could tell she felt the same way. Her expression was unreadable, but the slight tension in her shoulders and the way she exhaled slowly told me she was struggling to process it all. She turned to me, her eyes filled with something unspoken, and then, without a word, she wrapped her arms around me.“At least he’s going away for a long time,” she murmured, her voice soft against my shoulder.I nodded, closing my eyes for a brief moment as I found a small measure of comfort in her embrace. Isla had been through so much—her father’s death, being manipulated by Damian, and now seeing justice finally serve
VICTOR’S POVThe moment the arrest warrant for Damian Lannister was issued, law enforcement officers were dispatched to his residence. However, when they arrived, he was nowhere to be found."Suspect is not at the residence. No sign of forced entry or rushed departure. Repeat, the suspect is not at home," a police officer’s voice crackled through Daniel’s radio.I was with Daniel when the report came in, and the moment we heard those words, we exchanged a knowing look. We didn’t need to say it aloud—we both understood exactly what this meant.Damian was trying to flee.“Damn it,” Daniel muttered under his breath. “He’s not going to face justice willingly.”My fists clenched as my mind raced through the possibilities. He had the money, the power, and the connections to disappear without a trace. If he got away now, we might never catch him.We needed to act. Fast.“We have to think like him,” I said urgently. “Where would he go? What’s his exit strategy?”Isla, who had been standing be
VICTOR'S POVThe hospital felt like a prison. No, worse—it felt like a graveyard.I sat in the cold, sterile hallway, my hands gripping the edges of my chair as if letting go would send me spiraling into nothingness. The weight of everything crushed my chest. I had won the battle, but I had lost the war.My grandfather was gone.Emma had lost our baby.What kind of victory was this?I felt hollow, a walking corpse moving through the motions of arranging my grandfather’s body with the hospital staff. The doctor stood in front of me, speaking in a calm, professional tone, but his words barely registered.“We’ll need to finalize the paperwork for the body transfer, your grandfather the doctor said, his voice measured and sympathetic.I swallowed hard. “And then?” My voice was hoarse, barely recognizable even to myself.“We’ll arrange for the morgue to hold him until the funeral home takes over. Do you have any preferences for the arrangements?”Preferences? What kind of preference could
VICTOR’S POVI had won the battle.But at what cost?As I stood there, watching the video Damian had sent, a crushing weight settled on my chest. The pain was unbearable, like a blade slicing through my soul. My hands trembled, my breath came in ragged gasps, and my vision blurred with unshed tears.My grandfather was dead.Emma had lost her baby.The very people I had fought to protect had suffered because of me.I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was fighting for justice, for the truth. But now, standing in the wreckage of my choices, it felt like I had lost everything.A hollow laugh escaped my lips, but there was no humor in it. Just pain. Deep, consuming pain.I clenched my fists, my entire body shaking with rage. “I’m going to kill him,” I growled.Daniel, who had been standing beside me, grabbed my arm. “Victor, don’t.”I turned to him, my eyes burning with fury. “After everything he’s done, you expect me to just stand here and do nothing?”Daniel’s grip tight
DAMIAN'S POV The event was a grand display of wealth and power—just the way I liked it. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the room filled with New York’s most influential businessmen, politicians, and socialites. Waiters dressed in black moved smoothly through the crowd, offering glasses of champagne on silver trays.I walked through the hall with my usual composed confidence, acknowledging familiar faces with nods and brief smiles. It was the same routine—handshakes, fake smiles, subtle power plays woven into casual conversation. These events were a necessary evil, a way to keep my business untouchable in the eyes of the public.But tonight was different.Because tonight, Isla was with me.She stood beside me, poised and elegant in a Red dress that hugged her figure in just the right way—not too revealing, but enough to draw attention. And attention she got. Men stole glances at her as we walked, their eyes lingering a little too long. It amused me.
VICTOR’S POVDamian’s house was bigger than I expected, but it wasn’t the fortress I had assumed it would be. I had imagined layers of security—armed guards patrolling every corner, motion detectors, hidden cameras in every inch of the place. But as we crept toward the house, staying in the shadows, I realized it was just like any other high-end home.There were cameras, of course, but nothing we couldn’t handle. The back entrance had a security panel, but Daniel worked fast, bypassing it in under a minute. The doors unlocked with a soft click, and we slipped inside, silent as ghosts.The interior was sleek and modern—dark wood, marble floors, and dim lighting that cast shadows across the expensive furniture. The house smelled of leather and faint cigar smoke, and for a second, I could almost hear Damian’s voice echoing in the space, giving orders like a king in his castle.We moved carefully, our footsteps barely making a sound. I led the way, knowing exactly where we were headed. Th
ISLA’S POV The first few days at Titan Holdings had been exhausting, not just because of the workload but because I had to constantly watch my every move. I had to be Isla—the talented designer, the ambitious woman looking for a fresh start—not Isla, the woman secretly plotting to bring down the very company that had hired her. And it wasn’t easy. Damian was testing me. Victor, Daniel, and I had expected this. Damian wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t just believe that I had joined his company because he had offered me a better job. He would suspect there was more to my presence, and that meant I had to be careful. Every word, every action had to seem natural. Still, I wasn’t here just to play it safe. I had a job to do. I had already made an impact—one of my designs had attracted a million-dollar contract, putting me in the spotlight. The executives had praised me, and even Damian had acknowledged my work. But none of that mattered. I was here for one reason—to take him down.
ISLA’S POVWalking into Titan Holdings felt surreal. The polished marble floors gleamed under the bright lights, and the scent of expensive cologne lingered in the air. It was a world of power and precision, where people in tailored suits moved with purpose, their gazes sharp, their expressions unreadable.I kept my posture straight, chin lifted, eyes scanning everything as subtly as possible. This wasn’t just another job.I was here for a reason.Despite my confidence, a part of me couldn’t shake the unease in my gut. The feeling of being watched.It wasn’t blatant, nothing obvious, but I knew I wasn’t imagining it. There were moments when I caught a shadow moving just beyond my line of sight, or a presence lingering too long in the hallway near my office. It could have been paranoia, but I doubted it.Damian wasn’t stupid. He knew people. He read them.And right now, I was the biggest mystery in his world.The first few days were an adjustment. Damian had placed me in the design d
DAMIAN'S POVI sat behind my desk, watching the city skyline stretch endlessly before me. The glass of whiskey in my hand remained untouched, the amber liquid catching the light. My mind, however, was far from the serene view.Isla had accepted my offer.I leaned back, tapping my fingers against the armrest of my chair. She wasn’t the type to make impulsive decisions. Which meant this was calculated. The question was—what was her angle?Victor had made his stance clear—he wasn’t backing down. I had anticipated him to put up a fight, but I didn’t expect Isla to step away from his side so easily. Unless, of course, something had happened between them. Something that pushed her straight into my hands.A slow smirk tugged at my lips. Whatever it was, I intended to find out.A soft knock came at the door before Samson stepped in. "She’s here."I downed the rest of my whiskey and stood, smoothing the sleeves of my suit. "Let’s not keep her waiting, then."Samson led the way to the executive