"What did I win?" Gia asked in surprise. But Raven didn't answer; he just shook his head and continued eating."You can't just say something confusing and then refuse to explain!" Gia huffed, annoyed. Raven clearly didn't want to explain further, but Gia was still curious. Her most notable trait was being overly curious.If she realized her curiosity was overstepping boundaries or intruding into someone else's personal affairs, she could control herself. Like when she restrained herself from digging into the odd relationship between Willow and Raven. Even though she was dying of curiosity, Gia managed to act maturely and keep quiet whenever her curiosity was sparked.But this situation felt a bit different. Raven was hiding something related to her."Are you angry?" Raven's sharp hearing caught Gia's quickened breath."Yes! You're hiding something about me!" Gia huffed.Raven chuckled. "So, is this your weakness? You're too curious. Be careful; that trait could bring you trouble if yo
Gia pulled her blanket closer as she felt the chill touch her hand. She turned over, searching for the warmth that had been radiating against her back."Hmmm..." She sighed in comfort, tightening her embrace around the pillow—though she frowned slightly, noticing it felt unusually large. Even with her eyes still closed, she could tell that the pillow was breathing.Taking a deeper breath, Gia was suddenly overwhelmed by a familiar scent she’d been trying to avoid.“I can hear your breathing getting quicker. There’s no use pretending you’re asleep.”Raven’s deep, husky voice sounded so close to her ear that Gia’s eyes flew open. She realized instantly that the warm “pillow” she was holding so tightly was Raven.“Aaagh!” Gia screamed, rolling away from Raven and sitting up, clutching her shirt tightly.“Why... why are you here? Shouldn’t you be in your own bed?” She demanded, pointing at him accusingly.“Bed? Are you really awake? Look around you first! Or have you suddenly gone blind?”
Gia was prepared to do anything to make Raven stop all the teasing that had tormented her all day.During their meal, Raven kept making sly remarks about wanting to change and become a better person. And during their training session, Raven intentionally showed a red mark on his neck every chance he got.He would burst into laughter at Gia's embarrassed reaction. Raven's joy resembled that of a homeless person experiencing a lottery win. Now, Gia was ready to seize the first opportunity Raven offered without thinking twice."I need to read this document, but I accidentally deleted Jasper’s recording. Could you read it to me?"Raven handed her a black recorder the size of a finger, then pushed a stack of documents toward the end of the table. There were two or three documents there."Deal!" Gia snatched the document."Are you sure? This document is full of numbers and diagrams. You’ll also have to read it again manually if I don’t catch your reading later."Gia glanced briefly at the d
As soon as Gia opened her eyes, just like yesterday, an unusual sight appeared right in front of her face. Gia blinked quickly, hoping that what she was seeing was just a dream.But the sound of Raven's breathing filled her ears, undeniably real. So yes, the taut muscles wrapped in brown skin in front of her eyes were indeed Raven’s body. More specifically, his abdomen.Gia racked her brain, trying to remember how this had happened again, especially since she definitely hadn’t touched any alcohol.“Stupid book!” Gia cursed inwardly.“Calm down, Gia. Now think about how to get out of this situation without waking up that black crow,” she told herself, trying to keep calm.Gia feared the ridicule she would face if Raven discovered her in that position when he woke up. Her mind raced, but this task was unbelievably challenging. Part of her brain—most of it, really—refused to cooperate, making it difficult to think straight and find an escape plan.Her thoughts were clouded by the intoxic
"We'll be fine, Sophie. We still have plenty of food," Gia explained as calmly as possible, trying not to make Sophie more anxious."Raven is fine, and our training is going well. You don’t need to worry about it. Just relax..." Gia stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Raven’s hand reaching out, asking for the phone she was holding to her ear."Sophie, stop worrying. If we run out of the food you left, I can always request a delivery from Noctis. They will be able to make it through the snowstorm. So don’t overdo it! Just enjoy this extra bit of holiday." Ignoring whatever objections Sophie was trying to voice, Raven handed the phone back to Gia."Hang up!" he said."Bye, Sophie!" Gia politely bids goodbye before ending the call."What’s the news saying?" Raven asked.Gia picked up the remote that usually lay untouched on Raven's table and pressed the power button.The flat-screen TV mounted on the wall opposite Gia’s bed came to life. She switched to a news channel and turned up the
"After this, we’ll start practicing walking with an aid. I think your legs are strong enough now."Gia presented a new challenge to Raven. The ten steps Raven had managed yesterday were still done with her hands leaning on a bar for support. Using a walker meant her legs would have to bear her entire body weight alone."Really?""Yes… First, we’ll try with a walker," Gia said."Walker?" Raven frowned, unfamiliar with the term."A walker, a mobility aid with four legs. There are two types of walkers: those with wheels and those without wheels. We’ll start with the non-wheeled version to ensure your legs are strong enough to stand and bear weight," Gia explained."Is it one of those walking aids older people use?""Oh… right. You do know what it is!" Gia was relieved she didn’t have to explain further."Can we just go straight to a regular cane?"Gia paused the massage, looking at Raven’s reluctant expression. "Are you worried you’ll look like an old person using it?"Raven didn’t answe
"After this, we’ll start practicing walking with an aid. I think your legs are strong enough now."Gia presented a new challenge to Raven. The ten steps Raven had managed yesterday were still done with her hands leaning on a bar for support. Using a walker meant her legs would have to bear her entire body weight alone."Really?""Yes… First, we’ll try with a walker," Gia said."Walker?" Raven frowned, unfamiliar with the term."A walker, a mobility aid with four legs. There are two types of walkers: those with wheels and those without wheels. We’ll start with the non-wheeled version to ensure your legs are strong enough to stand and bear weight," Gia explained."Is it one of those walking aids older people use?""Oh… right. You do know what it is!" Gia was relieved she didn’t have to explain further."Can we just go straight to a regular cane?"Gia paused the massage, looking at Raven’s reluctant expression. "Are you worried you’ll look like an old person using it?"Raven didn’t answe
They were complete opposites. Raven was like a snowy winter, while Caius was like a sunlit summer. Raven's laughter stemmed from the satisfaction of teasing Gia, while Caius brought out pure joy with his jokes.Although both were equally handsome, their physical features and clothing styles perfectly captured their contrasting personalities. Raven almost always dressed in black, while Caius, with his light brown hair and fair skin, often wore pastel colors.Raven was often silent and kept his thoughts to himself, except when he wanted to debate Gia. Caius, on the other hand, openly expressed whatever was on his mind.And Caius was serious. He openly pursued Gia.---"How are you? Do you think you can keep going? Five meters is quite a distance."Gia supported Raven's body. His progress was rapid. Within two days, his initial three steps had turned into five meters. Gia considered swapping his current walker for one with wheels. His legs seemed coordinated enough now.Raven wiped his s
“There’s been a slight change of plans. We cannot return to Norway today,” Raven said, accelerating the car after the traffic light turned green.“What about Al and Frey?!” Gia protested loudly. She had been holding back her longing for them, and Gia was sure Raven felt the same.“Don’t worry. Jasper has sent a plane there. I think they’ll arrive here tomorrow.”"Oh, that’s good.” Gia sighed in relief.“The problem we faced earlier isn’t as simple as I thought. It might take a month or two to resolve. You don’t mind staying here for a while, do you?” Raven knew Gia loved their cabin in Norway the most.Gia quickly shook her head. “I don’t mind being anywhere as long as they’re there and you’re with me.”Raven smiled gratefully, appreciating how easily Gia understood and accepted the situation without making many demands.“Then where will we stay?” Gia asked. Raven was now driving toward the city area.“We don’t need to hide anymore. So I think it is safe to return to my old home.”"Th
However, they immediately faced west. They didn’t notice Gia sitting behind them.Gia felt cornered, as she had no other space to hide or escape. The entrance to Raven’s office was far to the east.Reluctantly, Gia sat still, waiting for them to leave.“You’re not joking, are you?” one of them, a woman with wavy red hair, exclaimed in shock.“I saw it with my own eyes. Sia came out of the elevator with Mr. Lindgren. And you should have seen it. Mr. Lindgren was carrying a coat and a large box, even though he usually never carries anything in his hands when he’s with someone else.”Gia’s heart raced as she realized they were talking about her, making her nervous.The lengthy explanation came from the woman Gia had first seen welcoming Raven. Her short black hair swayed as she nodded enthusiastically.“Is she pretty?” another member of the group asked."Her face is decent. Not extraordinarily beautiful, but sweet and pleasant to look at.”As if she had just passed a challenging test, Gi
Gia’s face flushed with embarrassment. She remembered how nearly everyone had stared at her face and scrutinized her body earlier.“They were just staring; no one made any comments. The rule still stands, Haze. If any of them had commented about you, and I happened to know or hear it myself, I would send them to hell faster than you can blink,” Raven asserted.“Bad comments, you mean,” Gia corrected.Gia didn’t support Raven’s habit of firing or punishing employees, but there wasn’t much she could do when Raven was so determined. Besides, it wasn’t like she could keep track of every employee Raven had let go.Gia made a slight correction, hoping the number of employees fired would be fewer. She also hoped no one would comment negatively about her, so no one would have to lose their job.***“Come in,” Raven said as they arrived in front of a large wooden door engraved with the name ‘Raven Corbin Lindgren’ in gold ink.Raven’s office was located in the most strategic corner of the floo
"Wait." Raven stopped Jasper from entering the elevator, then pressed the button for the top floor, marked P. The elevator doors closed.“If you want to change clothes before meeting the occupants of this building, you’ll have to do it here. Right now."That was the reason Raven had prevented Jasper from entering the elevator. She explained this before Gia could accuse her of being cruel for leaving Jasper behind.“Once these doors open, a room will be full of employees working under the board of directors. So, you need to change now.”That wasn’t a fabricated excuse, but Gia still had to think twice before doing something so bold. She would be undressing in a public space, even inside an elevator.At the moment, her outfit wasn’t appropriate for making a good impression. She had dressed casually, thinking today’s event was just about picking Raven up from prison—an occasion that didn’t require fancy attire."How about it?" Raven asked."What about you? You’re changing too." Gia point
"Take good care of her!""No need to tell me!" Raven snapped upon hearing Matteo's message.As they left the prison, Matteo expressed his desire to return to Italy again. He had urgent matters to attend to.Seeing no way to stop him, Gia finally gave up, trying to persuade him to stay. Raven kindly lent one of his planes to Matteo to take him to Italy.“Send my regards to Aria and Vero,” Gia said.Matteo nodded, briefly hugged Gia, and gently touched her face. “Take good care of yourself. Come visit as soon as you finish your business here.”“Sure,” Gia nodded confidently. Matteo then walked up the plane’s stairs, waved his hand, and the door closed behind him.“We need to take off soon, too,” Raven said, leading Gia toward another plane Jasper had prepared.But just as they were about to step forward, Raven’s phone vibrated. “What now?" Raven asked, answering the call with an annoyed expression.“What for? Isn’t it clear that I..."Raven paused momentarily, listening to what was undo
Yesterday, the political world of Sweden was shaken when Prime Minister Ronald Errikson suddenly resigned from his position. He cited health reasons, but three people in the car knew the reason.Gia was sure Caius knew since she had shared everything in that room with Jasper.“I hope Queen Silvia lets him go,” Gia muttered, shivering as she recalled Caius’s mother’s threats.“Don’t worry. My mother loves making threats, but considering her calculated moves so far, I think she’ll forgive him,” Caius replied confidently.Gia felt a bit sorry for Robert, who had also been manipulated by Willow. Yet, remembering what the two of them had done made Gia feel nauseous.“I met your brother. You two look alike,” Gia said, steering the conversation to a lighter topic.“I’m better looking, of course,” Caius smirked, refusing to back down.“Yeah… sure,” Gia conceded half-heartedly as Matteo snorted in disgust.That was all they said about Daniel. Gia fell silent, unable to comment further. She did
Gia stared at the building in wonder, then turned to Matteo, who was frowning as he tried to park the car neatly.The remaining parking space was narrow, requiring full concentration to fit their car in without grazing the vehicles on either side.“Are you sure we’re in the right place? We’re supposed to pick Raven up from prison. Why did you bring me here?" Gia protested as Matteo turned off the engine.“That building is Tabellen 4 Sollentuna, the highest-security prison in Stockholm,” Matteo explained.“Are you sure you didn’t mix up the address?” Gia asked, still doubtful."No, Gia. You can read the nameplate over there.”Gia wanted to argue again, but when she read the nameplate, she froze.She realized the tall building was indeed a prison. However, since the exterior was entirely covered in glass, it didn’t look like a typical prison but resembled a modern office building. From this angle, the sunlight reflecting off its surface made Gia squint slightly, even though it wasn’t ho
Matteo uttered the keyword “materialistic” and sparked an idea in Gia’s mind.King Gustaf greatly valued money if it served the nation’s interests. Taxes were the answer—essential to the country’s finances, with the funds allocated for the people’s welfare. He would never willingly lose that much money in an instant.Lindgren Corp likely contributed at least ten to fifteen per cent of the nation’s tax revenue. This is a small percentage, but in monetary terms, it was immense. The sum was roughly equivalent to the nation’s needs for two months. Losing it would disrupt the economy.Gia regretted not realizing this sooner, but it seemed Matteo had prepared it as a final negotiation card if all else failed. Still, she felt proud of herself for quickly deciphering Matteo’s brief hint.Once again, laughter erupted behind Gia. “I like your style, Gia. I really do…” Queen Silvia clapped in delight. She enjoyed the drama Gia brought and seemed thoroughly satisfied. “Someday, I’ll invite you
CRASH!As Queen Silvia finished her sentence, an ashtray flew through the air and slammed into the wall behind Ronald. King Gustaf had thrown it. He snatched the ashtray from the table and hurled it with all his strength in Ronald’s direction.His fury had reached its boiling point. Anyone could understand the implication behind Queen Silvia’s words about “spreading legs.” Imagining Willow doing such a thing with Ronald was enough to make Queen Silvia’s disgust apparent.Especially for King Gustaf. Though he found it hard to believe his wife’s words, Ronald’s increasingly bowed head confirmed the truth.Gia covered her mouth, trying to stifle her gasp. She hadn’t expected Willow to stoop so low to achieve her plans. Matteo, however, seemed utterly unbothered, the only one in the room unimpressed by the unfolding drama. He’d witnessed far more shocking events in the past.“I knew that girl was disgusting! But you are even more repulsive for accepting her. She’s the same age as your dau