Ethan stood in a dimly lit room, his body tense, wearing nothing but a blood-stained white singlet. His mask was securely in place, casting a shadow over his face, making him look even more terrifying. Before him, tied to a chair, was the imposter they had brought back from Romoto. The man’s face was swollen, blood dripping from his eyes and mouth as Ethan had spent the past hour relentlessly beating him.“Tell me who sent you,” Ethan growled, pacing in front of the man.The imposter remained silent, defiant, despite the pain. Ethan clenched his fists, his knuckles already bruised from the hits. He was desperate to take out his anger on someone, and this man was a perfect target.A voice in his head whispered, dark and persuasive, “Let me take control.”Ethan’s lips curled into a wicked grin as he began to laugh, a low, maniacal sound that sent a shiver down Rowan’s spine. Rowan, who stood at the corner of the room, looked at Ethan with understanding. He had seen this before—the switc
Sasha sat calmly in her living room, her fingers lightly drumming against the armrest of the couch. She knew the confrontation was coming—it was inevitable. The knock on the door came, followed by a familiar voice: her father’s. Charles Brooks had arrived, and with him, Amanda and Hue.“Let me let them in,” Sasha murmured to herself, her voice steady. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the showdown.As she unlocked her door, the door swung open, and Charles marched in first, his face set in a deep scowl. Amanda followed closely behind, her eyes filled with hatred, and Hue walked in last, sneering at Sasha as if she were beneath him.Charles was furious, pacing back and forth. “Why did you shoot Hue and Amanda? And what’s this I’m hearing about forcing Amanda to step down from the company? Have you completely lost your mind?” he demanded.Sasha looked at her father, her face calm and composed. “I didn’t shoot them, I gave them a warning shot,” she said coolly. “And Amanda st
Ethan stood in Sasha’s living room, staring at her. The room felt oddly quiet now that Charles, Amanda, and Hue had left, but the tension between him and Sasha was thick, almost suffocating. She stood across from him, her arms crossed, her face unreadable. He waited for her to say something, anything, but she remained silent.Finally, he broke the silence. "Are you really not going to say anything to me after what just happened?" His voice was calm, but underneath, he felt a storm brewing.Sasha’s eyes met his, cool and distant. After a moment, she simply said, "Thank you."That was it. A simple, emotionless thank you. Nothing more. Ethan’s jaw tightened as he waited for her to continue, but she didn’t. Instead, she glanced toward the door, signaling that she wanted him to leave."Is that all?" Ethan asked, his voice tinged with frustration. "You’re just going to thank me and kick me out of your house after I helped you deal with your family? After I saved you from Hue and Amanda?"Sa
Sasha sat in the secret office of the Vegas Casino, her black mask concealing her face. Her fingers drummed lightly on the polished wooden table, a display of calm confidence as she waited for the Russians to arrive. Ivy stood beside her, holding a folder with the legal documents that would seal the deal. Sasha had built this meeting meticulously, and now, as she felt the weight of her role as Nyx, the leader in the shadows, she was determined to expand her influence.The door opened, and Big Tom entered, ushering in the Russians, Berezhnykh, and Maksimenko, the leaders of the Russian Mob. They walked in with an air of arrogance, typical of men who believed they could control any situation. Sasha rose from her seat, the black fabric of her clothes swishing lightly. She motioned for them to sit.“Gentlemen,” she greeted them, her voice cool and authoritative. “Shall we begin?”They took their seats, eyeing her warily, their expressions unreadable beneath their stoic, calculating gazes.
Jack sat among the regional heads of Hell’s Gang, trying to keep his nerves under control. The room was filled with tension, and though the faces around him appeared calm, he knew many of them were just as nervous as he was. It wasn’t every day that Hades called a meeting like this. Jack could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his palms sweaty beneath the table. He kept telling himself to stay calm, but the fear was gnawing at him from the inside.He glanced around the table at the other regional leaders—men who had earned their positions through cunning, brutality, or both. They sat silently, waiting. No one knew what Hades wanted, but everyone sensed that something serious was coming. The air felt thick with anticipation.Finally, the door opened, and Hades walked in, his mask firmly in place. The room fell into immediate silence as they all stood to acknowledge his presence. Jack felt a chill run down his spine. Every time he saw Hades in that mask, it reminded him of just how
Sasha stood in the bustling airport hall, tapping her foot lightly as she glanced at her phone. Nicholas had called her at midnight, begging her to pick him up later in the day when his flight landed. She wasn’t entirely sure why she had agreed, especially since her mind was still reeling from everything that had happened the day before. After her tense meeting with the Russians, sleep had eluded her, and now, standing in the airport, she felt the weight of exhaustion hanging over her.As she scanned the crowd, she finally spotted Nicholas sprinting toward her, dragging a suitcase behind him. His face lit up when he saw her, and as soon as he reached her, he flashed her a grateful smile.“Thanks for coming, Sasha. I owe you one,” he said, slightly out of breath.“No worries,” Sasha replied with a shrug. She noticed the slight dark circles under his eyes and couldn’t help but smile. “Looks like you could use some rest too.”Nicholas chuckled and glanced at her with concern. “You look l
After a long day of work at Miller’s Company, Sasha walked towards her apartment building with Nicholas by her side. The taxi that had dropped them off had already driven away, and the cool night air felt refreshing against her skin. She turned to Nicholas and smiled gratefully.“Thank you for helping me out today, especially with Amanda trying to pull that stunt with the documents,” Sasha said, her tone sincere. She meant it. Amanda had tried to pull a fast one with the handover documents, but Nicholas had spotted the issue and helped rectify it. "I don't know what I would've done without you.". “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.” Nicholas grinned back and waved off her thanks with a casual smile.. “Don’t mention it. We’re friends, right? I don’t mind helping you. Besides, it’s kind of my job."Sasha nodded, feeling a warmth from his words. He was easy to be around, and today, he had saved her from a potential disaster with the company. She appreciated his presence.“St
Sasha sat across from Nicholas at a cozy little café. The air between them was thick with unspoken tension as they sipped their drinks. She had been rehearsing this conversation in her mind, but now, as the moment was here, it was harder than she thought. "Nicholas, I need to talk to you about something important," she stated, her voice steady but soft. Nicholas gave her an encouraging smile. "Go ahead. What’s on your mind?" Taking a deep breath, Sasha spoke quickly, wanting to get it out. "I can’t be your girlfriend. I know you asked me to think about it, but I’m in love with someone else." For a moment, Nicholas’s smile faltered, but he quickly recovered, nodding slowly. "I understand," he said, trying to keep his tone light. "I had a feeling you were seeing someone." "I am," Sasha confirmed, feeling a weight lift off her chest. But there was more to say, and she didn’t want to drag it out. "And because of that... we can’t be friends either." Nicholas’s brow furrowed in confus
The lights of Ethan's mansion shone dimly in the misty night as Sasha drove up the long driveway. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, her heart pounding as she replayed the events of the evening. Rico’s dying words echoed in her mind, haunting her with every breath. She could still feel the coldness of the gun in her hand, the heaviness of the glass she had forced him to drink. Her best friend, the person who had once shared her innocence, was gone, and it was by her own doing.Trembling, she stepped out of the car and approached the door. It was late, but Ethan had always told her that she was welcome at any hour. She barely noticed the warmth of his mansion as she stumbled through the doors, a shivering mess of guilt and sorrow. One of his guards led her to his study, where Ethan was waiting, his expression immediately darkening as he saw the tears streaking down her cheeks."Sasha," he said, standing up quickly, his voice filled with concern. "What happened?"She
The night was cold as Sasha drove down the empty streets, the city lights flickering in her rearview mirror like fading stars. She had always been careful, had always walked the line between who she once was and the life she’d been pulled into. But Rico was closing in, his relentless pursuit drawing closer to truths that could ruin everything she’d built with Ethan. And now, she was at a crossroads she never imagined she’d face: she would have to kill him.As she reached the Miller mansion, her mind was clear, cold as steel. She pulled on a pair of black gloves, knowing every step would need to be precise, leaving nothing behind. She climbed the stairs to her bedroom, opened the hidden compartment in her closet, and retrieved a small vial of poison. She had kept it for years, a tool she hoped she’d never need. But Rico had left her no choice.Her fingers grazed over the gun in the drawer. It felt heavy, both in weight and in purpose. Rico was her friend—a part of her past, her childh
The morning sun was filtering through the high windows of her office when Sasha’s phone buzzed on her desk. She reached for it, glancing at the unfamiliar number on the screen. Frowning, she answered. “Sasha Brooks.”“Miss Brooks,” the voice on the other end was firm and professional. “This is Agent Wyatt with the Secret Service. We need you to come down to our office for questioning.”Sasha felt a wave of unease wash over her. “Questioning?” she asked, forcing her voice to stay steady. “Can you tell me what this is about?”“I’m afraid we can’t discuss the details over the phone,” Agent Wyatt replied. “Please come in at your earliest convenience.”The line went dead before she could ask anything more. Sasha lowered the phone, her heart pounding. She’d known that Rico’s investigation wasn’t over, but she hadn’t expected him to summon her like this. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. If Rico wanted answers, she’d give them—but only what she wanted him to know.An hour later, Sas
Ethan was still savoring the aftermath of his election victory as he reclined on the leather sofa in his penthouse office. The city stretched out before him through the glass wall, lights glittering like stars. The high of winning still coursed through him, though Sasha’s words kept gnawing at the edges of his mind. But before he could dwell on her warning, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The number on the screen made him sit up instantly—one of his contacts at the SSS.He answered, keeping his voice low. “What’s going on?”The voice on the other end was brisk and to the point. “Mr. Leo, we just received word that Rico Morales obtained a warrant to search the Vegas Casino. He’s on his way there with his team.”Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. For a moment, he stared out the window, feeling a cold, creeping dread settle in. If Rico was coming after the Vegas Casino, it wasn’t a casual inspection. Rico had been investigating Jack and Carlos’s deaths for months, desperate to connect the dot
Rico leaned back in his office chair, rubbing his tired eyes. It had been over six months since he began his relentless pursuit of the shadows that haunted the city—the figures known only as Nyx and Hades. Six months of dead ends, sleepless nights, and watching blurry surveillance footage. Jack and Carlos were dead, their bodies leaving behind a silence that demanded justice. Yet every lead felt like sand slipping through his fingers.Jack had been his friend, someone he’d trusted. And Carlos, despite his flaws, had once been a key figure in the city’s underworld. Both men were gone now, and Rico knew that somewhere out there, someone was responsible. Someone powerful, calculating, and ruthless enough to cover their tracks perfectly.He switched on his laptop and resumed scrolling through the mountain of footage. Security footage from street corners, ATMs, storefronts—anything that might reveal even the faintest hint of Nyx or Hades. He was chasing ghosts, but his gut told him that pe
Ethan’s words hung in the air, a confession raw and vulnerable, stripped bare of any pretense. Sasha’s breath hitched, her mind racing to process what he had just said. She searched his face, seeing the weight of years of torment etched into his eyes.“Bipolar?” she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if saying it too loud would shatter the fragile honesty between them.Ethan nodded, looking away, unable to meet her gaze. “I didn’t know for a long time,” he admitted, his hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to steady himself. “There were… signs. But I didn’t want to believe it. I thought I was just… intense. Driven. I’ve always felt this… voice inside me, pushing me to take control, to act without thinking.” He paused, his voice trembling. “It’s not just a voice. It’s me. It’s a part of me that I can’t seem to silence.”Sasha felt her heart break for him, realizing how much he’d been struggling, even before they’d met. She wanted to reach out, to hold him, but she knew he n
Sasha leaned against her car, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she waited outside the police station. The last few hours had been a blur of emotions she could barely process—anger, sadness, and betrayal. Ethan’s confession replayed in her mind over and over, a loop that tightened her chest with every repetition. She wasn’t ready to face Chris. Not after what she’d learned about Ethan, about the accident that had torn her family apart without her even knowing it. But her brother needed her, and right now, he was all she had. She had promised him he wouldn’t be alone, and she intended to keep that promise. When Chris finally stepped out of the station, his expression softened as he saw her. For a moment, they just stood there, the weight of everything unspoken pressing down on them. Sasha took a shaky breath, then walked toward him, her eyes filling with tears she hadn’t even realized she was holding back. it felt good, it felt good to have him out of cell. She could not be
The world came back to Ethan slowly, like rising from the depths of a dark ocean. His eyelids felt heavy, and his entire body ached as if he’d been hit by a train. He blinked, trying to focus, and the sterile white walls of a hospital room gradually came into view. The dim light of early morning filtered through the blinds, casting soft shadows across the room. He turned his head, wincing as a sharp pain shot through him. But when he looked to his left, his heart softened. There, slumped over in a chair by his bedside, was Sasha. Her face was pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes, evidence of sleepless nights. She had one hand resting near his on the bed, as if she’d fallen asleep holding it but eventually drifted off from sheer exhaustion. He gently reached out, brushing his fingers against her hand, too weak to do more. Sasha stirred, blinking her eyes open as she processed what she was seeing. When she realized he was awake, her eyes went wide with relief and joy. “
Sasha stormed into the police station, her mind a storm of fear, fury, and confusion. She hadn’t even had time to process Ethan’s condition at the hospital before she found herself here, chasing the need for answers, for justice. She marched up to the front desk, trying to keep her voice steady.“I need to see the person you arrested for the hit-and-run on Ethan Leo,” she said, her tone as firm as steel.The officer behind the desk looked up, recognizing her from media appearances as well as from the sheer power of her name. He gave her a nod. “Right this way, Miss Brooks.”Sasha followed him through a dimly lit corridor, her heart pounding harder with every step. She felt an almost dizzying mix of dread and anger as she walked, but she pushed it down. She had to stay focused. Whoever this was… she needed to see them, to understand why they would do something so reckless, so cruel.When the officer finally stopped outside a cell, Sasha’s breath caught in her throat. Her whole world ti