I stared at him, trying to make sense of his words. I should have refused the food? My stomach aches, not from the meal but from the weight of his smirk. The plate was empty. I had eaten it all. My palms grew clammy as I sat frozen, his gaze piercing through me. “What do you mean?” I managed to whisper. Harry leaned back casually, like he wasn’t the one making my world tilt. “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough.” His chuckle sent a chill racing down my spine. A sharp pain shot through my stomach, so intense it made me double over. I clutched at my abdomen, the ache twisting and burning like nothing I’d ever felt. It wasn’t the familiar discomfort of menstrual cramps—this was something worse and unnatural. “What did you do to me?” I gasped, barely able to get the words out. Harry stood there, watching me with that infuriating smile plastered across his face. His calmness only made the pain worse. “Hurts, doesn’t it?” he said softly, almost like he cared. But the gleam in his ey
Oh damn it, did I just say that? I hissed under my breath, cursing myself silently. He stopped mid-step, slowly turning back toward me. His eyes fixed on mine, sharp and curious. "Come again?" "I... mean... I said nothing," I stammered, my voice barely audible. His eyes locked onto mine, fierce and unyielding, cutting through whatever confidence I thought I had. "Nothing?" he repeated, his tone blended with warning, each word sinked into me like a threat. I nodded quickly, my heart hammering in my chest. The intensity of his stare made my knees weak, and I instinctively stepped back, wishing I could melt into the floor and disappear. He nodded, that unsettling smile still plastered on his face, then turned and walked out of the room. I let out a shaky breath, relief washing over me when I noticed he didn’t lock the door outside. Finally, a small shred of hope. I sank onto the bed, my chest rising and falling as I panted. "Oh my God… Ivy, what have you done?" I muttered
Harry's Pov "What truth?" she asked as I stepped in closer. I was about to speak when the door opened, revealing the butler. I turned toward the door. "Sir, your attention is needed in the sitting room downstairs," the butler said, turning back to leave. I raised an eyebrow. Who do we have here now? I turned back to Ivy, her face was pale and fear was etched all over it. "See you soon," I said with a smile, stepping out and closing the door behind me. As I walked downstairs I couldn't help but imagine who it was, I wasn’t expecting anyone. Who even visits me? Absolutely nobody. I made my way into the sitting room, curiosity winning this time. There sat my dad, confidently lounging on the couch, his walking stick resting in his hand. The sight of him so relaxed felt odd—like he was here for something important. "Didn't expect to see you here," I said, trying to mask the surprise in my voice. He smiled knowingly, his eyes glinting with that familiar hint of mischie
I hesitated before answering the call, my thumb hovering over the screen. Only God knows why she chose today to call—after all the times I’d tried to reach her and got nothing. I picked up, and her sweet, familiar voice, the one I’d grown so fond of in the past, came through the line. It was soft, almost hesitant, but it hit me like a wave of memories I thought I’d buried. "Hello," I said calmly, holding back the swirl of emotions threatening to rise. "Hello, Harry," she answered, with her soft, almost fragile voice. "So... you decided to talk to me today?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral, though my chest felt heavy. "Of course, Harry. I heard... or rather saw in the gossip magazines that you got married!" she said, her voice laced with something I couldn’t quite place curiosity or maybe guilt? "Yes, I did get married," I replied sharply. "Since you called off ours and decided to cut me off completely." "Oh, Harry, please..." "Harry, please what?" I snapped, my grip t
The butler handed me the keys, his hands trembling slightly. I snatched them from him without a word, my grip tight, my pace was already quickening. My mind was blurry, only one thought consumed me: I needed to get out. I stormed through the house, barely registering the polished floors beneath my feet, heading straight for the garage. My mind didn’t care about the luxury of the space—just the fact that I had options, and I needed to move. There were too many cars to choose from, but I didn’t care which one. I just needed to get away from here. I opened the nearest door and slammed it behind me, the roar of the engine making my blood pulse faster. The world outside faded as I hit the gas, the wheels screeching against the pavement. The anger still bubbled in me, but now, it had a direction. The gate swung open automatically without hesitation as I tore through, the sound of the tires on the gravel sharp in my ears. I didn’t care about the speed, the tight turns, or the gr
Ivy's POV Master Harry had been gone for hours, and though his absence should have felt freeing, it didn’t. It wasn’t worry that tugged at me though. The unsettling quiet of the mansion only reminded me how much heavier his presence made everything, yet somehow, I’d grown used to it. Maybe I was just more at peace knowing where he was. Or maybe I’d learned to breathe easier when his chaos wasn’t looming over me. Either way, the silence tonight felt wrong, like the calm before a storm. An idea struck me—he wasn’t home! Finally, the perfect chance to dig into his life. My heart raced at the thought. Time to uncover whatever was hidden behind his terrifying facade. I grabbed my laptop and settled on the edge of the bed, my fingers hovering over the keys. Researching him wasn’t just curiosity—it was survival. What kind of man was I really dealing with? What secrets did this house hold? I needed answers, and tonight, I was going to get them. After scrolling through the sam
"What bad news?" I asked, my voice shaking. "You have to come to the hospital, Mrs. Hendrix," the nurse said before quickly cutting the line. I stared at the phone, confused and unsettled. The words "Mrs. Hendrix" felt foreign, uncomfortable. Why would they call me that? What could be so urgent? I stood there for a moment, my mind racing. Something wasn’t right. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the start of something I wasn't ready to face. I grabbed my coat, trying to steady my hands, and hurried toward the door. Whatever this was, I had to find out. The driver quickly pulled up to the entrance, and I wasted no time as I climbed into the backseat. I could feel the urgency in my chest, my heart pounding as I told him, “We need to hurry to the city hospital.” The car shot forward, the tires screeching against the road, the city lights blurring as we sped through. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, racing to make sense of everything. What was happening? I glanced
They burst into the hospital room, his mother rushing straight to Harry. He lay there in a hospital gown, his legs wrapped in thick bandages. I lingered behind them, my steps hesitant, my chest tightening as I took in the sight of him. “Sweetie, talk to me… how did this happen?” she murmured, her hands trembling as they cupped his pale face. She brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead with the gentleness of someone holding onto fragile hope. Her voice cracked, thick with emotion, as her eyes searched his for answers. I stayed rooted in place, swallowing the knot forming in my throat. Watching her pour her love into him so openly stirred something raw inside me. I felt a pang of longing so deep it made my chest ache. What would it have been like to have someone care for me like that? Someone to fuss over me, to hold me like I mattered? The thought twisted in my mind, making me feel more like an intruder in this moment than a witness. Harry stared blankly ahead,
Ivy slammed her glass down, making the ice rattle. Her patience was running thin."So tell me, Roberto!" she snapped, her eyes burning with frustration. "Why the hell are you so obsessed with destroying your own family?"Roberto exhaled slowly, the smirk on his face fading. He swirled his drink, staring into it as if the answer lay at the bottom of the glass."You want the truth?" he muttered. He leaned back, stretching an arm over the couch, his fingers lazily brushing against the blonde curled up beside him. She didn’t react—probably too drunk or high to care."I was supposed to be him," Roberto said bitterly. "Karl Hendrix. The golden boy. The heir. The one my father groomed to take over the empire." He scoffed, shaking his head. "But Karl? He was perfect. Clean. Calculated. And me?" He chuckled darkly. "Too wild too reckless as they had called me . A disappointment."Ivy watched him, arms crossed, waiting."My father gave Karl everything—everything that should’ve been mine. Power
The clanking of boots against the cold prison floor made Ivy tense. She knew what was coming."Time's up," the guard announced, his voice flat and uninterested.Ivy ignored him, her hands still resting on Harry’s, her fingers tracing the roughness of his knuckles. "I don’t want to go yet," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.Harry exhaled sharply, his eyes burning into hers. "You have to," he said, his jaw tightening. "You’ve done enough, Ivy. Don't wear yourself out for me."Her throat tightened. “You’re behind bars because of them. I’m not stopping till I get you out.”The guard shifted impatiently. “Miss, I said time’s—”Harry’s head snapped toward him, his voice a dangerous growl. “Don’t dare touch her. I don’t care if I’m behind bars.”The guard hesitated, taking a step back.Ivy turned back to Harry, her chest aching. "I’ll be back," she promised.Harry leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers through the bars. “Be careful, Ivy.” His voice was rough, filled with
Ivy spent the next twelve hours chasing ghosts.Agent after agent, office after office—each door she knocked on came with the same answer: No.First, it was a stiff-faced woman at the state security office, who barely looked up from her computer as she muttered, “We don’t issue access passes for criminal detainees without higher authorization.”Then, at the Department of Justice, a man with tired eyes and coffee-stained sleeves shook his head. “Sorry, Miss Ivy. Even as his lawyer, you need clearance from someone way above my pay grade.”By the time she reached her fourth contact—a private consultant who claimed he had “connections”—Ivy was already drained. But she still pulled out a thick envelope of cash, sliding it across the table.The man, a greasy-haired official with a nervous smile,eyed the money before exhaling. “Miss Ivy, I like money. But I also like breathing. And granting you this? That’s a one-way ticket to making powerful enemies.”She leaned in, lowering her voice. “I j
“And I vow to end Harry.” Valeria’s lips stretched into a slow, wicked smile, her fingers twitching toward the stack of cash. “Now, may I have those?”She flinged her wrist, sending the crisp dollar bills scattering onto the dusty floor. “Knock yourself out,” she muttered, watching as Valeria lunged for the money like a starved dog.Four down.She turned on her heel, stepping over a stray bill as she walked out. There were still nine more names on her list.Her phone rang, breaking the silence. She pulled it out, glancing at the screen.A news notification flashed. She tapped it, and a live broadcast played—in a sleek newsroom, a stern-faced reporter held some stack of papers."Breaking news. The long-anticipated Hendrix trial has officially been scheduled for September 26th. After days of speculation, the court has confirmed the date for what is expected to be one of the most controversial cases in recent history..."Ivy’s grip on her phone tightened. September 26th.The countdown
Ivy let her lips part slightly, eyes lowering as if she were just another woman caught in Vincenzo Moretti’s web. But she wasn’t.She took a slow step forward, letting her fingers trail down the thin strap of her dress. “I heard you like obedience,” she murmured, voice honeyed and sultry. The glow of the chandelier shone against the expensive scotch in his glass.Moretti smirked, his gaze raking over her. “Obedience is good.” He took a sip, eyes darkening. “But submission is better.”She nearly gagged. Instead, she lowered herself onto the armrest of his chair, legs crossed deliberately. The scent of alcohol and cigars clung to him. She picked up his glass, swirling the liquid before pressing it to her lips—just enough to tease.“Tell me something,” she purred, tilting her head. “You’ve been around a long time, haven’t you? Longer than the Hendrix name.”Moretti’s smirk faltered for half a second. He leaned back, swirling his drink as if contemplating her words. Bingo.“You ask dan
Ivy picked up the heavy bottle of whiskey from the table, her fingers wrapping around its cool glass. She poured a generous amount into a glass, then lifted it to Damien’s lips, tilting it just enough for the liquid to slide past his lips.“Tell me, baby…” she whispered, her lips grazing his ear as she leaned in. “I need to know.”Damien chuckled, the deep rumble of his voice tinged with the sluggishness of alcohol settling in his system. He swallowed, his head tipping back against the couch, eyes half-lidded but still sharp. “You’re a dangerous woman,” he murmured. Ivy only smiled, running her nails lightly down his chest, keeping him exactly where she wanted him. “And you’re a man with secrets.”Damien exhaled, tapping his fingers against the glass. The whiskey had loosened his tongue, and Ivy saw the moment his restraint cracked.“Harry Hendrix…” he muttered, rolling the name over his tongue like a curse. His fingers curled tighter around the glass. “That bastard is my stepbrother
"Ivy, I think it’s time you leave," Adrian’s voice cut through the tension as he strode toward them. His eyes bore until hers. "You can’t just come here and boss my wife and I around."Sasha exhaled in relief, using the moment to slip away from Ivy’s piercing questions. She moved toward Adrian, subtly hiding behind him, as if he were her shield.Ivy twisted her jaw, her eyes jerking between the both of them. She already knew she had other things to handle—things more important than wasting time with people who refused to face their own demons.Without another word, she turned on her heels, throwing one last icy glance at Sasha before stepping out of the house.Her next target was Damian Francis—one of the names burned into the Kill Row image Harry had hidden in his basement.There were twelve more on the list, twelve more lives tangled in whatever twisted truth she was uncovering. But Ivy knew better than to rush.One step at a time.With all the evidence she had gathered, Damien Fra
Ivy knelt beside Sasha, her lawyer instincts momentarily giving way to simple human compassion. Sasha's cheek was already turning red from the slap, her eyes wide with shock and unshed tears.Before Ivy could say anything, Adrian grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet. His grasp was tight and his frustration was obvious."Face your own damn problems, Ivy," he hissed, lowly "Leave my wife and I out of whatever mess you and Harry have created."Ivy squared her shoulders, unfazed by Adrian’s towering presence. “I’m not here for you, Adrian. I need a word with Sasha. Can you move?” She said confidently not minding his daring disgusted eyes.Adrian let out a low chuckle, folding his arms across his chest. “Why won’t you just talk here?” His gaze snapped toward Sasha, whose face was streaked with tears, yet she still forced a weak, practiced smile—one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Or are you scared of something?”Ivy glanced at Sasha, reading the silent plea behind her trembling ma
Adrian’s MansionAdrian lounged on the velvet couch, one arm draped over the side, his fingers lazily tapping against the glass of whiskey in his hand. The glow of the TV flashed across his sharp features as the news played, the voice of the journalist cut through the quiet. "Fugitive billionaire heir Harry Hendrix has finally been captured..."A curled one lip tugged at Adrian’s lips. “About time,” he muttered, swirling the drink.Sasha slipped onto the couch beside him, her manicured nails brushing against his arm as she leaned in to watch. A satisfied smile curled on her lips. “Thank God I broke up with him when I did,” she sighed dramatically. “Can you imagine? If I stayed, maybe I’d be the one in trouble. He could’ve killed me, Adrian. Or worse… you.”Adrian’s grip on the glass tightened. His jaw tensed. Without warning, he turned to her, his eyes dark. “You think you’d be that important to him?” His voice was sharp, cutting through the fake concern in hers.Sasha flinched,