Aliya’s POV“Do you have her exact location, Mr. Wellington?” I asked the investigator, my voice low and calculating as my mind raced with hundreds of questions.“Yes, I do, and as a matter of fact, she stays in the next city. That should be like a six-hour drive.” He twitched a brow. “Are you planning on paying her a visit?”“Looks like I’d have to. I need to know why my dad is emptying his bank account for her,” I explained, and he nodded.I didn’t have much time, and I wanted to leave now because my curiosity was like the horny side of Nick. I pulled the chair and stood up immediately.“Thank you for your help, Mr. Wellington. I’ll be leaving now.” I smiled politely, but there was a bustling city inside of me—anger, resentment, doubts, and many other emotions I was yet to give a proper name to.“You’re welcome, Miss Aliya. I’ll keep you updated if anything more comes up.” He stood, sending out his hand for a handshake, and I took it. “Also, be careful. I’ve heard bad stories about
Aliya’s POVWe had been on the road now for two hours, and Nick hadn’t stopped trying to get under my skin. Taking a plane or the private jet would have been so much faster and easier, but I didn’t want Dad knowing about any of this, and Dano City didn’t have a terminal.“Are we there yet?” Nick pestered me, like he had been doing for hours.“You know, if you just shut your mouth, maybe we’ll get there faster,” I retorted.“Chill, baby.” He raised his hands in mock surrender. “You know I can take the wheel if you’re tired,” he offered. I wanted to say no so badly, but I was exhausted and sleepy.“Fine, I’ll pull over.” I relented and pulled over. We switched places and drove off once more.“You can sleep. I’ll just follow the GPS on my own,” Nick assured me, and for some weird reason, I trusted him. So, I closed my eyes and let sleep envelope me.…“Aliya, wake up.” A voice drifted into my consciousness as I struggled to peel my eyes open.When I finally did, I was met with Nick’s bea
Liam’s POVThe storm kept getting worse, and we had been out here for almost three hours. Worst of all, there wasn’t any signal to phone anyone. Classic Aliya—leaving the house unprepared. I mean, who moves without extra tires?“Fuck! I still can’t get to William or anyone!” Aliya yelled out of frustration, and honestly, I was becoming tired of her constant screaming.“Do you know we can save a lot of energy if we just stay quiet?” I remarked, turning my attention to her.“Nick, you do know you can be more helpful by trying to call someone for help, right? How do you expect me to stay calm when we’re stranded in my car, in the middle of nowhere, no signal, and a crazy storm?” She kept ranting, and my ears kept bleeding.“Can you just shut the hell up?” I snapped, startling her as her eyes widened. “Just stop talking, Aliya. Besides, I’m not the one who leaves for a journey without taking important things like a tire.”The car went silent, and the only sounds being heard now was the ra
Aliya’s POVNick Johnson being between my legs was never the plan, but I couldn’t stop myself anymore from what it wanted. We may have to face each other after this, and it’ll be so awkward, but right now, all that mattered was doing what we both wanted.Nick stuck his tongue in my vagina for the second time as I tilted my head back in pleasure, moaning loudly. The thought of Nick going down on another woman the way he did to me now was simply mind-draining.“Fuck, Aliya, you’re so wet!” Nick groaned, sliding his index finger inside me while licking and sucking on my clit. I grabbed his now-ruffled black hair and wiggled my ass against his face.He pulled my butt closer, devouring my juices like a dehydrated man who had just run a marathon.“Ahh, yeah, right there!” I wailed in pleasure as his free hand landed on my nipples. He flicked them slowly, lifting his head and meeting my gaze. His entire face and beard were covered in my juices.“You know, Nick, Philip has never done this to
Aliya’s POVThe morning cold embraced me as I squinted at the light slipping through the car window. I wrapped myself tightly in what looked like Nick’s jacket—at least, I supposed it was his. But when I looked around, he was nowhere to be found.“Where did he go?” I murmured, my breath visible in the chilly air.Sitting upright, I wiped the fog from the window, and that’s when I spotted him. He stood at a distance, staring into space, hands clasped behind his back like an inspector deep in thought.Then it hit me. Everything came rushing back—the events of last night flashing through my mind. I turned to the car’s mirror, my reflection staring back at me: ruffled hair and hickeys scattered across my neck.What happened between us wasn’t ordinary—I could feel it. Maybe Nick did like me after all, despite his cocky behavior.A blush crept onto my face as I straightened my clothes and made my way toward him, where he stood at the cliff’s edge.“Good morning.” My voice jolted him from hi
Liam’s POVI couldn’t understand what was happening to me anymore. One minute, I was enjoying a good time with Aliya, and the next… the next was history, I guess, because she hated my guts.Maybe it was for the best. I had lost focus on why I was with her in the first place, and—“Liam De Luca, son of Martin De Luca, can you fucking keep your head in the meeting?” Brooke’s sharp voice shook me out of my thoughts.“Sure, I’m here.” I turned to her with a smile and took a sip from my glass.“No, you’re not. If you were, then you’d have reacted when I said Dad had a breakdown while you were off on your honeymoon with Miss Perfect.” Her voice dripped with venom at the mention of Aliya.“How’s he now?” I asked, rubbing my temples. I wasn’t sure why my father’s breakdown didn’t make me move a muscle—probably because he had what, like five to ten of them a day.“Do you even love Dad anymore, Liam?” Brooke asked, her voice suddenly quieter and her eyes shining with unshed tears.“That’s a dum
Aliya’s POVI stood before the mirror, fixing the hem of my red strapless million-dollar gown, but no matter how much I adjusted it, it still looked crooked to me.Was I still hurting from Nick’s behavior? Yes, I was. But was I planning to let that get the better of me? That was a question I had no answer to.One thing was certain tonight—it may not be between Nick and me, but Philip would finally know who he was dealing with, and I would strip him of every penny I made him have.“Oh my God.”I stared at Brooke through the mirror. She stood by my room’s door, mouth agape and in awe.I had invited her over earlier. I figured it would be nice to have someone around before the gala other than Nick.“You look so beautiful, Aliya,” Brooke remarked as she approached me.I turned to look at her with a grin. “And you look amazing, Brooke.”“Oh, stop it. I only put on this dress because of you. I’m not really into this Cinderella stuff,” Brooke commented, making me chuckle lightly.“I’m sure N
Aliya’s POV“Dear, what’s the matter?” William inquired as he approached us.“Your security here doesn’t know who I am, and I don’t blame him,” I smirked, folding my arms. Ron flinched at the sight of William but remained still.“Mr. William, this woman has no invitation, and I can’t let her in,” Ron stated casually, pointing in my direction.William chuckled lightly before his expression turned cold. “This woman is Miss AVA—the reason you have a job. Get out of the way.”“I—I’m so sorry, Miss AVA! I had no idea. Please forgive me,” Ron stammered, causing Nick to smirk at his trembling body.I offered no more words as William led us into the grand hall where the ceremony was taking place.“Dear, I have to take care of something now. See you later,” he murmured before turning away, leaving me with Nick.“So, Miss AVA, how does it feel running a mega-company while keeping your identity hidden for so long?” Nick questioned as we observed the crowd of elegant men and women.“I love a priv
Aliya’s POVMy eyes fluttered open as the brightness of the morning light and a familiar scent enveloped me. A smile tugged at my lips as I turned to the other side of the bed to find my boyfriend—yes, my boyfriend—with that perfect grin on his face.“Good morning,” Nick greeted, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me in for a kiss.“Good morning, Nick,” I replied, breaking free from our kiss.Last night had been absolute chaos. Dad had shown up with his dumb revelation about Camille being his daughter and tried to force me to get her out.But Nick had wiped away that memory completely when he buried his head between my legs and explored my insides with his tongue.Whatever they had going on in that family was no longer an Aliya’s problem. If Dad wanted to claim someone else as his daughter, then they could have the title. Besides I’d already given it up without an ounce of regret.“You’re so beautiful,” Nick murmured as he tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear. “I can’t
Third Person’s POVVinichi sped off to the prison cell after receiving the text message about Camille’s release. He had received some help, and only now did he begin to wonder who the mysterious person was.He stood in the waiting area, running a hand through his sleek white hair and gently tapping his leg in anticipation, while his mind spiraled with thoughts of how he was going to tell Camille who he was.“Fuck!” he muttered, stopping the tapping and letting out a dry laugh. “Who am I kidding? Any girl her age would run at the opportunity of becoming a Van Alen overnight. This shouldn’t be too difficult.”He raised his hand and checked his watch before heading abruptly to the counter where a bald-headed policeman stood.“I’ve been here for almost five minutes,” Vinichi snapped, startling the man. “How long does it take to get her out of there?!”“I’m so sorry, Mr. Van Alen,” the officer stammered, trembling at the mere sight of a man who apparently had nothing on him anymore, yet st
Third Person’s POV “Damn that Aliya!” Vinichi growled as he stepped into his home, startling his wife, Maria, and daughter, Nala. “Jeez!” Maria rose lazily from the couch. “What’s all the fuss about?” “Yeah, Dad, what did she do this time?” Nala added. Vinichi paced the living room for a while before slumping into a seat. His body burned with the memory of what had just happened. “Where are the damn maids?” he bellowed. “Someone get me a bag of ice.” “Oh my God!” Maria gasped. “I didn’t even realize how battered your jaw was. Who did that to you?” The maid hurried back with a bag of ice on a tray, shakily placed it on the table, and scurried away, trying to avoid Vinichi’s wrath. “Dad, who did this?” Nala prodded, her expression filled with concern as she picked up the bag of ice and gently pressed it against Vinichi’s cheek. “Aliya’s weakling of a husband,” he grumbled, wincing as pain radiated from his swollen jaw. “And she just stood there and did nothing?” Ma
Aliya’s POV I froze, eyes wide, unable to utter another word as I stared at the man I called father—the man who had completely changed, almost as if he died and was reincarnated. And now he stood here, telling me I should release my sister? “You meant my ex-friend, right?” I asked, trying to convince myself I hadn’t heard him properly. “No, Aliya. Your sister—my daughter. Camille is a Van Alen. She shouldn’t be in that place for criminals,” he insisted, his face stern like he hadn’t just blurted out a shocking statement. “Well, then, I guess Beyoncé is my cousin, right?” I laughed, but his expression remained the same. I shook my head, turning to Nick, who had an unreadable expression. Then I let out a low laugh again. “Hold up. So you’re saying Camille—the woman who backstabbed me and posted horrible stuff—is my sister? And what you want is for me to let her go?” “My English is plain, Aliya,” he said. “I’m also here because you never showed up for the family dinner I in
Liam’s POV“Boss, are you certain this is how you want it to end?” Posh halted, cocking a brow. “You’ve planned for years.”“All I know is I can’t lose her—especially not to my desire for vengeance on her family,” I responded, placing the cutlery on the table.I had called Posh over to help me set up the house for a beautiful dinner. There was no doubt—I couldn’t breathe when Aliya resented me, so I had to make things right. This time, I would do everything the right way.“So you’ll tell her who you really are and what your actual purpose was in her life?” Posh asked. For the first time since he started questioning me that evening, I had nothing to say.I paused, my throat tightening as my mind ran in circles. Do I really have to tell her everything? I know I’m trying to make things right, but the last time I tried, we almost got into an accident. Maybe that was my sign—things would go horribly wrong if I blurted out the truth.“Boss?” Posh called, snapping me out of my reverie.I str
Aliya’s POVNick stared at me, ready to open his mouth when suddenly, a loud horn broke the silence. He stepped on the brakes, and we lurched forward.“Damn it!” Nick yelled, punching the steering wheel before turning to me.“Oh my goodness, Aliya, are you okay?” he asked, reaching out to me, but I pulled my hand away.“I’m fine, Nick. Just concentrate on driving so we don’t get into something worse,” I said, turning my attention back to the window.He quickly averted his gaze from his suspended hand and stepped on the gas again, driving slowly.“I still haven’t told you who I am,” Nick said.“Save it,” I muttered, keeping my eyes glued to the window.“But Aliya, you don’t understand, I’m…” he tried to say, but I turned, shooting daggers with my eyes.“There’s nothing to understand about you, Nick,” I growled. “The only thing I have in mind about you is that you don’t care about the people who love you. So whoever you are doesn’t matter. “Your character speaks for all that you are.”S
Aliya’s POV“Let go of me!” I screamed, struggling to break free from the closing darkness.“Stop screaming, Aliya. It’s just me,” a very familiar voice said, making my stomach twist even more in fear.I didn’t know if that was an attempt to make me struggle less, but if it was, then it was horrible as hell.Suddenly, the lights flickered on, and I was met with the stupid face of my lying, cheating, ungrateful bastard of an ex-boyfriend, Philip.My fear twisted into disgust and anger as I continued to struggle against his grip.“Of all the people who could think to kidnap me, it can’t be you. I’d rather be kidnapped by a deadly mafia gang than Philip Parker,” I snapped, glaring daggers at him as he slowly released his hold on me.“I’m sorry you feel that way, Aliya, but I didn’t come here to hurt you,” he muttered, straightening his rumpled hair.“So, the light mysteriously turned itself off, and you grabbed me by the arm. What else is that called if not an attempt to hurt someone?” I
Aliya’s POVI stood before my floor-length mirror, fastening the buttons of my blouse when my eyes drifted to my belly. Slowly, I placed my hand on it, rubbing gently as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I fought them back.The doctor’s words flashed through my mind for a split second. I was infertile, and never would I have a child to call my own. I had wanted to take my life, but instead, I took that of my innocent baby.I stared at the broken reflection before me, unsure whether to just sit back and give up fighting or continue as if nothing had happened. As I battled with my emotions, a knock on the door jolted me.“Aliya,” Nick said, closing the door slightly behind him as he stepped toward me.“Good morning,” I replied, not taking my eyes off the mirror.“You’re all dressed up,” he noted, scanning my body with a frown. “Going somewhere?”“Yes. I have a company to run, remember?” I responded.“But you’re not fine yet,” he argued.“Says who exactly?” I shot back, my gaz
Liam’s POVThe thought of having my own family one day had never crossed my mind. All I could think about my entire life was revenge on the Van Alen family for making my family’s life miserable, and it seemed like my quest for vengeance had taken a toll on me. I lost my unborn baby because of it and drove the woman I love into darkness.It had been two days since Aliya was finally released from the hospital, and it had been two days of long silence. She wouldn’t speak or eat, wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t leave her room. It hurt to see her this way, but what hurt the most was knowing I played a vital roll in her pain she went through.The bubbly sound of the soup pot pulled me from my reverie. Immediately, I turned off the stove and continued shredding some chicken. Once I was done, I poured the soup into a bowl, made some sandwiches, and arranged everything on the tray.My grip tightened around it as I made my way upstairs to Aliya’s bedroom. I exhaled deeply at the door before pushing it o