I keep a smile plastered on my face as I slowly drag the zipper down the back of my dress, peeling it off my shoulders and letting it pool at my feet. I'm left standing in just my underwear, but that doesn't last long. With a few deft movements, I unclasp my bra, push the straps off, and toss it aside.The look of horror that washes over his face when he sees my once smooth, unblemished stomach now covered in scars is deeply satisfying. "Can you see?" I ask, my voice dripping with a mixture of anger and resignation. "This is what I've been hiding under my clothes. See these?"I turn around, exposing the angry red welts and lash marks across my back. "I got these when I willingly participated to be the sex slave of a wealthy psychopath. He doesn't sleep with the women, but he derives pleasure from their pain and the sight of their blood. All I had to do was take whips on my body and cry like there's no tomorrow, and I get the complete money to start Zayne's treatment."I point to a par
Rominic's viewpointI now truly understand the depths of Lavender's bitterness and pain. The scars that marred her body were a constant, physical reminder of the horrors she had endured, and the emotional and mental scars were even deeper, seared into her very consciousness. I felt a deep pang of guilt, knowing that my actions had been the catalyst for so much of her suffering.I desperately wanted to fix it, to make her forget the trauma and pain she had experienced. But I knew, deep down, that such a thing was impossible. The idea of using hypnosis or some kind of memory-wiping machine crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. That would be a selfish and greedy act, robbing her of her own experiences and freedom.No, if I truly wanted her forgiveness, I would have to earn it through patience and understanding, not through force or manipulation—but I knew it'll be impossible to fully control myself. The temptation to hunt down every single one of the men who had hurt her, to unlea
The greatest thing about acceptance is that the moment you embrace it, you feel an immense sense of relief, and the healing process begins. At least, that's how it was for me. I woke up with the most excruciating headache I'd experienced in ages — I couldn't recall the last time it had been this severe. Yet, the lightness and peace I felt in my heart made the pain seem like nothing.Granted, Rominic had panicked and ended up taking me to the hospital, but it was ultimately a good thing. Rominic was driving us back home, his expression quiet and concerned. I couldn't help but wonder if he was worried about me.I had decided to start accepting things as they were, determined to stop denying reality and simply deal with it. I had been slowly losing my grip, and it had terrified me. Rominic was right — we both needed psychological help, and I was considering getting some."Serenity came to me last night," Rominic said calmly. I turned my head to look at him, and I was struck by the grim e
I loathe that my children are my greatest weakness. What's worse is that Rominic, my not-so-greatest enemy, is fully aware of my vulnerabilities and has mastered the art of exploiting them for his own benefit.I mentally snorted at the thought. Is there anything this man doesn't know how to use against someone? Manipulation and scheming seem to be ingrained into the very fabric of his family. It's as if they were born with the innate power to be domineering, manipulative, silent as deadly snakes, and untreatable psychopaths. I've never encountered a family where madness is their second nature, but the Verlice clan has proven that it is indeed possible.To the outside world, they present themselves as cold, calculating billionaires, business tycoons, and intellectual giants. But only those who have experienced or witnessed their madness firsthand know the true nature of this family. Their dynamic is truly freakish, yet I still found myself falling in love with Rominic.I vividly rememb
I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I watched the interaction between Rominic and Zachary. Rominic was speaking to Zachary with a soft, affectionate tone — a stark contrast to the way he typically addressed me. It was obvious he was trying to cozy up to Zachary, but I couldn't help but smile at the thought of using this as a potential means of escape."So, what do you think of this one?" Rominic asked Zachary, his voice dripping with that uncharacteristic tenderness.Zachary considered the design for a moment before shaking his head. "The design is fabulous, really, but the idea, I'm not so sure. We are aiming for something simple yet unique, something that won't endanger children's lives. The idea is good, but the pressure of adding it to the construction of the board would be dangerous, as it could result in heat and explosion after a limited time. If we end up doing it, the team would have to come up with a way to limit it, and that won't be fun for those who would be buying it. We
I stared at the headline, a deep sense of dread slowly unfurling within me. Shock, confusion, and finally, curiosity warred for dominance as I tapped the link, opening the news page. Rominic's face was the first thing that greeted me, and the sight of it sent a jolt through my heart, a scornful sneer automatically curling my lips.Scrolling down, I began to read the article. Mercury Hot News was a well-known hub for celebrity gossip, their pages overflowing with salacious breaking news, whether positive or negative. I could only hope that this particular story would not fall into the latter category."We all know that over the past years, Rominic B. Verlice has remained unmarried and single ever since the death of his fiancée. A lot of questions have been asked about why he hasn't moved on, and no answers have been given from either him or those around him. Well, it's a shocking surprise that I discovered his secret coincidentally," the reporter wrote, their tone casual and conversati
"I can't believe he has children," Giovanna remarked, the disbelief evident in her voice for what must have been the umpteenth time that week. The office had been abuzz with people discussing the news from every angle.Rominic, however, remained unfazed. He had already heard the news, but he simply didn't care. The only reason he had kept silent about them in the first place was because of me.Stacy, too, had not uttered a word on the matter, and many of the workers continued to ask me if the rumors were true, since I was Rominic's PA. But they were getting no information out of me."He's a man, what do you expect?" I replied dismissively.Giovanna shrugged, a crease of concern etching her brow. "I don't know, not having kids? I mean, I heard he was emotionally traumatized by his fiancée's death and the assassination schemes that followed. From what I know, she was assassinated and he blames himself for it. He hasn't been seen with women for years, and now suddenly he has children? He
"Wh-what a-are you doing?" I stammered, caught off guard by his unexpected actions."Thank you," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for bringing them into this world and keeping them alive. Thank you for raising them so well, thank you for letting me be part of their lives."It dawned on me again that Rominic knew me more than I wanted to accept. Did he know I'd feel like this after seeing the pictures? Did he do this knowing that it was all I needed to sweep the negative emotions under the rug? Or did he just do it because he genuinely felt that way?"Rominic, are you crying?" I asked, my brow furrowed with concern as I tried to catch a glimpse of his face, still half-buried against my shoulder.He pulled back, revealing a face flushed with emotion, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "I'm a proud father," he laughed, the sound mingling with a hint of something more primal. "And a horny husband."The initial shock of his embrace instantly wore off, replaced by a
Lavender stood in the dimly lit living room, her nerves fraying with every passing second. The soft glow of the overhead light bathed the space in warm hues, but it did little to soothe the tension crackling in the air. Rominic was pacing, his creamy blonde hair disheveled, winter-gray eyes stormy as they pinned her in place. He wasn't speaking yet, but his silence was worse than yelling. It was the kind of silence that suffocated, pressing down on her chest like an unseen weight.She laughed nervously, the sound brittle as it broke the stillness. "It's not what you're thinking," she said, her voice softer than she intended. "I swear, Rominic, it's not.”His eyes flickered, sharp and unyielding, and she could feel his temper bubbling just beneath the surface. The faint ticking of his wall clock was the only other sound in the room, an infuriating reminder of how slowly time seemed to move in moments like these.Lavender inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. Her cinnamon-brown hair
Apollo's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, sharp and unrelenting. "You alone could've prevented everything, but you chose not to. That's exactly why I despised you. None of you deserve him.""True," I whispered, my voice trembling but steady enough to hold the weight of my resolve. "I don't deserve him." I lifted my gaze to meet his, my expression calm despite the storm raging inside me. A soft, bitter smile curved my lips. "But neither does he deserve me."For a moment, Apollo's sneer faltered, his sharp retort caught in his throat. I turned away before he could recover, the silence between us broken only by the muffled sounds from outside and the deafening beat of my own heart.The room was still thick with the lingering stench of sweat and mildew, but somehow, the suffocating weight of the earlier confrontation had begun to lift. The muffled groans and rhythmic thumping from the other side of the door persisted, but I could almost tune them out now. Apollo leaned back agains
"Useless," I muttered, shaking my head and leaning further into the armrest of the sofa. The fabric felt damp, and I shifted again, trying to touch as little of it as possible.Apollo leaned back against the wall, his legs stretched out and his arms crossed over his chest. He looked as though he were perfectly comfortable, but I knew better. He thrived on tension, and this situation was no different. A heavy silence settled between us, but it was far from peaceful. The noises from outside—the cries, the moans, the unmistakable sound of a furniture slamming against a wall—filled the void like an unwelcome guest."You've changed," Apollo finally said, his voice cutting through the cacophony. I turned to him, my expression flat and unimpressed. "What?" "What you did out there…" he trailed off, his tone strangely contemplative, though the familiar edge of derision lingered."I don't see anything wrong with seducing my husband," I replied sharply, emphasizing the word ‘husband' with veno
You know how sometimes things don't go as planned? Well, my situation was one of those.At first, everything seemed to be going perfectly. I had managed to get under Apollo's skin so effectively that he stormed off, his face tight with fury. Victory tasted sweet—at least for a fleeting moment. With him out of the picture, Rominic was mine, entirely mine. We flirted, trading sharp smiles and lingering glances that set my skin ablaze. We kissed, his hands firm yet teasing, and for a brief while, the club's chaotic energy seemed to fade into the background. Then, as if the universe couldn't let me revel for too long, Lilith and a group of men I'd pointed out started brawling. Rominic and Phineas stepped in, practically dragging them apart before things got bloody. They saved lives; I mostly tried not to get crushed.And somehow—still baffling to me—I ended up here. In the mixed-gender restroom. With Apollo.Let me clarify: calling it a “restroom” was a cruel joke. There wasn't a toilet i
The bass-heavy music from the club reverberated through the walls as I stepped inside, the heavy scent of alcohol, sweat, and expensive cologne hitting me instantly. The lights pulsed in rhythmic patterns, casting shadows that danced across the crowded floor. Bodies moved in sync with the music, a chaotic symphony of energy and decadence.Beside me, Lilith was in her element. Her barely-there silver dress sparkled under the strobe lights, the hem so short it was a miracle it managed to cover her at all. She sauntered forward, her electric-blue eyes scanning the room with the eagerness of a predator sizing up its prey."Isn't this fun?" she chirped, her voice loud enough to cut through the music.I smirked at her. "You're certainly having the time of your life, Mrs. Zǐmò." I say, intentionally reminding her about who's she married to and the possibility of him destroying this club if any man should lay their hands on her.Lilith shot me a wink—ignoring me—before sashaying ahead, her dy
I sat cross-legged on the bed, my laptop balanced precariously on my knees as the soft hum of its fan filled the room. The faint scent of sweet peas lingered in the air from the diffuser on the nightstand, mingling with the faint aroma of vanilla shampoo from Savia and Serenity's braiding session.Lilith sprawled on her stomach on the other end of the bed, her dyed pink hair spilling over her shoulders as she kicked her legs lazily in the air. Her electric blue eyes gleamed with mischief as she rambled on and on about her latest escapade in the digital world."So, there I was," Lilith began, her voice animated, "watching this idiot try to bypass a firewall that I set up in, like, ten seconds. And guess what? The guy thought using a brute-force algorithm would work. Can you believe that? Brute force! In this times! What is he, a caveman?"Zachary, seated on the floor beside the bed, leaned forward with an intrigued expression. "Wait, what kind of firewall? Was it encrypted with—""Trip
As she scurried away, still visibly dazed, Apollo watched her go with a satisfied grin. "Too easy," he murmured under his breath as he took a seat beside Phineas."You ever get tired?" I asked with irritation.Apollo shrugged, brushing his long hair over his shoulder. "Of what? Being this irresistible? Never."Phineas snorted, picking his phone back up.Apollo leaned back in his chair, the dim light catching the faint shimmer in his silver eyes. His smirk returned, sharper now, almost taunting. "You know," he said, his tone taking on a biting edge, "you're wasting your godly features on Lavender."My grip tightened around the glass in my hand, the faint creak of the strain barely audible over the music. "Careful," I said, my voice low and firm, each word deliberate. "Lavender is my wife, and you'll show her respect."His smirk faltered for just a moment, his eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite place—was it irritation? Jealousy? But just as quickly, he scoffed, looking away
Rominic's POVThe music hit me the moment I walked into the club, a pulsing bass that vibrated through my chest and resonated with the faint buzz of the conversations around us. Strobe lights flickered in neon greens and purples, casting fragmented shadows across the packed dance floor. The air smelled of a heady mix of alcohol, sweat, and the faint sweetness of spilled cocktails.Phineas was walking ahead of me, running his fingers through his recently dyed reddish-blonde hair. He looked back with a playful grin, his sky-blue eyes gleaming under the ever-changing lights."You could have warned me you were dragging me into this circus," I muttered, adjusting my cufflinks and glancing down at my wristwatch—a Patek Philippe with a sleek platinum finish and a blue enamel dial. A gift from Lavender."It's called spontaneity, Nic," Phineas replied, his voice cheerful over the thumping beat. "And we both know Apollo couldn't shut up about it. He wouldn't have let us off the hook."My gaze d
Lavender's POVI sat curled on the plush armchair in the living room, the soft hum of background music barely registering in my ears. My phone was in my hand, the screen glowing with an all-too-familiar face staring back at me. The article on Apollo was everywhere, plastered across every major news outlet.I scrolled through it begrudgingly, my thumb moving slower than I wanted it to. Why am I even reading this? I thought bitterly, glaring at his perfectly curated image.Apollo Dean Stine. Even his name sounded ridiculous. The man wore charm like armor, his bright silver eyes twinkling with a cheerfulness I could only describe as infuriating. They had a strange quality to them, shifting colors subtly with different lighting. People always gushed about how unique and mesmerizing they were, but to me, they were nothing short of absurd."Who in the world has stupid eyes like that?" I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.I scrolled further, my eyes catching on his recent look. He'd