Ethan sat in his car, parked outside Sasha’s apartment building. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, his mind racing as he waited for her. The night was quiet, but his thoughts were anything but. He couldn’t shake the weight of everything that had happened. Grace had pushed things too far, and now Sasha was caught in the middle of something much bigger. He had to make things right, at least in his own way.His phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen. It was Big Tom.“Yeah?” Ethan answered.“We’ve been trying to reach Sasha, but it’s not going through,” Big Tom said. There was a hint of concern in his voice, something rare for a man like him. “The Mob League is looking to Inaugurated her in and make her one of the top leaders of the underground world. Ivy’s been trying to contact her.”Ethan frowned. *The Mob League?* He had expected Sasha’s influence to grow, but he hadn’t anticipated this. It was a powerful and dangerous move. And now they wanted her in.“I’ll let her kn
Sasha stood in the middle of the vast, incomplete building, her heart pounding as she looked around. The text from the Mob League had been brief, directing her to this location with no further details. It was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made her uneasy. She adjusted her mask, making sure it was securely in place. The Mob League operated in the shadows, and she knew revealing her identity could mean disaster. She hadn’t had the chance to go back to the hospital after meeting with Ethan earlier that day. Her mind had been spinning ever since, but now, standing alone in this desolate place, she forced herself to focus. The wind howled through the skeletal structure of the building, sending chills down her spine as she scanned the empty floors.Suddenly, she felt a sharp prick on her neck, like the sting of a needle. She gasped, her vision blurring as darkness enveloped her. Her body went limp, and the world faded into nothingness.When Sasha awoke, her head was pounding, and s
Ethan walked over to where Sasha lay on the ground, exhausted but triumphant. Her body trembled slightly from the strain of crossing the rope, her face still pale from the adrenaline. He knew how much strength it took for her to complete that challenge, both physical and mental. Without a word, he scooped her up in his arms, cradling her gently against his chest."Hey, I can walk," Sasha murmured, her voice weak but stubborn."You can barely stand," Ethan said softly, looking down at her with a mixture of pride and concern. "Let me carry you."She sighed, leaning her head against his chest, clearly too tired to protest. "Thank you," she whispered, her breath warm against his neck. "I couldn’t get my legs to obey me... I thought I was going to fall.""But you didn’t," Ethan said, his tone firm. "You made it. I’m proud of you."Sasha looked up at him, her eyes filled with relief and something else—something softer. "I was terrified," she admitted, her voice shaking slightly. "But I need
Ethan walked over to where Sasha lay on the ground, exhausted but triumphant. Her body trembled slightly from the strain of crossing the rope, her face still pale from the adrenaline. He knew how much strength it took for her to complete that challenge, both physical and mental. Without a word, he scooped her up in his arms, cradling her gently against his chest. "Hey, I can walk," Sasha murmured, her voice weak but stubborn. "You can barely stand," Ethan said softly, looking down at her with a mixture of pride and concern. "Let me carry you." She sighed, leaning her head against his chest, clearly too tired to protest. "Thank you," she whispered, her breath warm against his neck. "I couldn’t get my legs to obey me... I thought I was going to fall." "But you didn’t," Ethan said, his tone firm. "You made it. I’m proud of you." Sasha looked up at him, her eyes filled with relief and something else—something softer. "I was terrified," she admitted, her voice shaking slightly. "B
As Jack left Amanda's hospital room, his mind raced. He couldn't shake the image of the black scorpion-head watch on Ethan's wrist. It was a rare design, one he had only seen once before. He remembered seeing the same watch a few weeks ago—on the wrist of Hades. The notorious leader of the Hell's Gang.Jack’s throat tightened as he thought about it. Could Ethan Leo, Sasha's lover, actually be Hades? He knew the Leo family was powerful, but this… this was something else entirely. If Ethan was truly Hades, then Sasha was in far deeper than she realized.The moment he reached his office, Jack sat down at his desk and opened his laptop. He immediately began searching for information about the black scorpion-head watch. He browsed through countless online jewelry stores, luxury watchmakers, and even collectors' sites, but nothing came up. It was becoming clear that the watch was custom-made, possibly even an heirloom passed down through generations.He leaned back in his chair, frustrated.
Jack couldn't sit still. His mind raced as he replayed the events of the last few hours. After the call with Rico, he had tried calling Sasha again, but she still wasn’t picking up. Frustration built inside him. He needed to warn her. He needed to tell her about his discovery—about Ethan Leo.Quickly, he typed out a message to her:“Sasha, Rico is out of the training camp, he wants us to meet at our normal hangout spot. But I need to see you first. I think your boyfriend Ethan is Hades, the leader of Hell's Gang. I'm leaving work now, come there now. We need to talk."After sending the message, Jack sat back in his chair, anxiously waiting for a reply. But before he could catch his breath, his phone rang. It was Carlos. Jack sighed, not in the mood for Carlos’ usual demands, but he answered anyway.“Jack, I need your help,” Carlos said, his voice as calm as ever, but with a hint of frustration. "I need you to find out more about this Nyx character."Jack frowned. Nyx—the mysterious ne
Sasha couldn’t stop her hands from shaking as she stood over Jack’s body. Blood pooled around him, staining the floor of the café where they had once shared so many memories. Jack lay there, his breathing shallow, eyes glazed over, struggling to hold on. Tears streamed down her face as she knelt beside him. She had never imagined it would come to this. Jack’s words echoed in her mind—his final moments filled with confusion and betrayal."Sasha..." Jack gasped, his voice weak, filled with disbelief and pain. His face twisted in agony as he looked up at her. "I had to protect him... I had to protect us..." Sasha whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I joined the Hell's Gang... to avenge my older brother..." Jack whispered, gasping for breath. "Hades... killed him... over lost drugs... worth billions..." Sasha sobbed, her hands trembling as she held his bloody hand. "Jack, I’m so sorry… I didn’t want this." Jack’s eyes flickered with fading life, his voice a strained rasp. "W
Sasha walked into her apartment, her body still trembling from what had happened at the café. She could still feel the weight of the gun in her hand, the sound of the shot ringing in her ears as Jack collapsed to the ground. His last words haunted her "Is Ethan worth killing me over?", repeating over and over in her mind. She had killed Jack—her friend, her brother. She walked straight to the bathroom, turning on the shower, hoping the hot water would wash away not just the blood, but also the guilt that weighed heavily on her. She scrubbed her skin, trying to rid herself of the feeling of Jack’s blood on her hands, but no matter how hard she tried, the memory stayed with her. As the water cascaded over her, Sasha closed her eyes, the weight of her decision crashing down on her. She had chosen Ethan, chosen to protect him, and in doing so, she had lost Jack forever. She leaned against the shower wall, her heart heavy with regret. Was Ethan worth it? Could she live with what she had
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