FIVE YEARS AGO"Is that your house?" Gia pointed to the building in front of her, mouth agape.She knew Lonan was one of the sons of the Lindgren family, a European conglomerate with wealth so immense it had more than ten zeros. But seeing it first hand made Gia's knees suddenly weak. The Lonan she knew, the one who was always relaxed and down-to-earth, showed no signs of belonging to a place that looked more like a castle.If Lonan hadn't said it was his home, Gia would have guessed that the magnificent building was the Swedish king's palace or maybe the prime minister’s residence. The vast yard was bustling with rows of luxury cars belonging to the other party guests."Come on..."Lonan got out of the car ahead of her, then opened her door, extending his hand sweetly in front of Gia."Are you sure I should go in? Lonan, I feel like I don’t belong here." Gia, in a panic, checked the dress she was wearing. The gown was stunning; she almost cried when she saw it earlier that day.The
Caius didn't feel guilty and instead laughed at the innocent attitude displayed before him."Are you really Raven's girlfriend? He usually chooses women who are more mature. A kiss on the hand shouldn't surprise you."Gia felt warmth rising as she began to grow angry. "I'm not Raven's girlfriend!" she snapped."Oh? But..." Caius looked toward the room Gia had pointed out earlier. He misunderstood, assuming the 'boyfriend' Gia mentioned was Raven."Lonan? You're Lonan's girlfriend? Hmm... You’re more suited for Lonan. He’s always liked petite, innocent girls."Whoever Caius was, Gia hated him. She might be petite, but she was a grown woman, 24 years old. Yet Caius had guessed accurately, as Gia could indeed be considered innocent when it came to romance.At the age of twenty-four, Gia remained a virgin—not by choice, as her commitment to her studies and work left little time for relaxation.Even with Lonan, things hadn't gone further; they had only kissed and been affectionate. This wa
"Hold on a second. Breathe slowly..." Gia bent her patient's right leg, holding it for ten seconds before switching to the left leg."How is it, Beth? Does it still hurt?"Gia asked with a broad smile. Beth had made a lot of progress. She still couldn’t stand, but her leg movements were much smoother."No, it doesn’t. You’re an amazing therapist, Gia. Thank you." Beth lovingly stroked Gia’s cheek. She had been Gia’s patient for nearly three years. It was natural for them to be close despite their age difference—Gia was twenty-nine, while Beth was nearly seventy."Is Mr. Norad coming soon?" Gia pushed Beth's wheelchair out of the therapy room, heading toward the hospital waiting area."Yes. He's getting coffee in the cafeteria," Beth replied, glancing at a message from her husband on her phone, which she was holding at arm's length because she had forgotten her reading glasses."Why do you still call him Mr. Norad? He told you to call him Luke. You can call me Beth, so why not him?" B
"That's right. He's currently blind and paralyzed. In the process of recovery, too. A small blood clot in his head, caused by the impact during the accident, is affecting the nerves that control his vision."Gia once more seemed taken aback."Actually, surgery could quickly restore his eyesight. But the clot's location is extremely precarious. Even the slightest mistake could result in permanent blindness. The doctors are trying to dissolve the clot with medication. Hopefully, it works. But, like physical therapy, the results might take months to show."This explanation brought Gia a sense of relief. If Raven was blind, then he wouldn’t know who she was."Did you already send my details to Mr. Lindgren?" Gia asked carefully."Why would I? Raven doesn't have the right to choose who I send. He just has to accept whoever I send. I only need to send a photo and your name to his secretary to set up the payroll contract. Why?" Stefan asked, frowning in confusion."It's nothing. Just curious
"Oh… Dr. Stefan said yesterday that the Lindgren Mansion looked like a castle. And this isn’t a castle.” Gia was relieved she didn’t stutter as she spoke such a long lie. It showed just how strong her intention was to hide her identity.“Dr. Stefan seems like a unique person. Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to meet him yet." Jasper accepted the excuse.“Better that you two don’t meet!” Gia thought. Her lie would be easily exposed if that happened.“Come on… Mr. Lindgren is waiting on the second floor.” Jasper climbed the stairs ahead of her once they were inside.Gia’s heartbeat echoed in her ears as she climbed the stairs. She’d mentally prepared herself for this meeting long before, rehearsing an introduction to sound natural yet distant. But it felt useless. The words she had memorized seemed to scatter with each beat of her heart.Jasper led her to a spacious, luxurious office. But it was a different kind of luxury than what Gia had seen at the Lindgren Mansion. The
Gia checked her outfit once more, making sure everything was perfect. Her dark blue uniform, consisting of her shirt and pants, was immaculate. So were her hair and shoes. Her actions felt a bit silly, as it was clear Raven wouldn’t notice any of it. Plus, while on duty at the house, she wasn’t required to wear a uniform. But by wearing it, Gia wanted to emphasize that she was here in a professional capacity.The elevator in front of her buzzed, indicating that Raven had come down. This lift was specifically built to allow Raven to move easily between floors in this house.This luxurious house had three floors. Raven’s room was on the top floor. The entire third floor was his. The second floor housed the library, guest rooms, study, and rooms for Sophie, Jasper, and other staff members. Gia also occupied one of the rooms on the second floor. The ground floor contained the living room, relaxation room, dining room, and kitchen. Sophie explained all of this during dinner last night. T
But thats only because his leg loosing his tense. With precise skill, Gia's fingers explored his muscles, gently pressing into the tight to locate the nerve points.“That’s... nice,” Raven moan again.There was nothing wrong with Raven’s nerves, so he could fully feel Gia’s touch.“Quiet!” Unknowingly, Gia reprimanded him, her tone a touch harsh. It wasn't his fault but Gia felt like she was starting to lose her sanity if Raven kept moaning.Raven straightened up, surprised at her sharp tone. But Gia, having refocused, paid no attention to his reaction.Gia lifted Raven’s foot parallel to the water, bending his sole outward briefly. She repeated the motion several times to help his leg muscles get accustomed to movement. The second part of the session went more smoothly, as Raven had learned to keep quiet.Perhaps it was only Gia's own heart that lacked peace. With their position, she was 'forced' to look in Raven's direction, unable to avert her gaze.Gia tried to keep her eyes lower
Gia twisted the hem of her shirt as the elevator doors opened on the third floor. She had considered various scenarios for why Raven sounded angry, but none of it was helpful; all those guesses only added to her nervousness.Gia blinked rapidly when she entered the room, which turned out to be nearly pitch dark. However, her eyes quickly adjusted, and she spotted Raven's chair lying next to the large bed."Mr. Lindgren?"Gia approached cautiously, and as her gaze fell on the bed, a small gasp escaped her lips. Raven was groaning with his back arched, gripping his right thigh."Raven! What’s wrong?" Gia rushed to the bed without thinking."It hurts like hell!" Raven shouted, his eyes staring aimlessly."Wait, wait... I can't see! Why is this room so dark?!" Such a large room shouldn’t only have a dim bedside lamp.*CLAP!* Raven clapped his hands once, and the lights turned on brightly. The room's switch could be activated by a clap.Gia quickly released her grip on Raven's thigh due to
“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