Gia pressed her lips together as her mouth felt so dry.
“Ehhmm…” Gia cleared her throat, trying to produce saliva to ease the dryness.
“Haze? Are you awake?”
Gia sat up abruptly, making her head spin. She looked around in search of the voice’s source and saw the man who had turned her life upside down for months now.
He looked perfect, as always. He stood tall, handsomely dressed in a black shirt and blue trousers, his eyes shielded by clearly expensive sunglasses. Gia noticed his jacket, which he might have worn earlier, lying on the sofa.
She covered her face with her hands, trying to calm her racing heart, and the blood suddenly rushed warm through her body. Once again, Gia marveled at how Raven’s mere presence could make her so happy.
He was Gia’s greatest weakness. Despite Gia's limited experience with love, Raven clearly eclipsed all her past encounters.
“One moment... I hav
Gia's brain froze instantly. The realization that she'd just changed clothes in front of Raven didn’t settle easily in her mind.“You… You… But you…” Gia stammered, unable to process her embarrassment.“Yes. I can see, and I just saw you changing clothes. Twice, actually,” Raven repeated, holding up two fingers to emphasize.“You were still wearing sunglasses!” Gia exclaimed, pointing at Raven. The glasses made her think he was still blind.“Oh?” Raven took off his sunglasses and placed them on the table. His sharp black eyes now looked directly at her, not with the empty gaze of before. He could truly see her.“The doctor advised me to wear them often. In daylight, too much light strains my eyes and gives me headaches,” Raven added patiently.“WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING?” Gia shrieked, flinging herself onto the sofa and burying her face
The sudden downpour pounding against the window perfectly captured Gia’s unsettled mood. She didn’t know how to react to Raven’s statement.Then came the surprise, as Raven appeared calm. Gia had imagined Raven would at least be angry and lash out. Beyond that, she was curious—she wanted to know why Raven didn’t see this as a big deal, why he hadn’t brought it up at all before she asked.But above all, Gia felt relieved. She was relieved that she no longer needed to deceive Raven. The invisible weight that had been dragging on her heart for months vanished the moment she heard Raven’s words.Gia took a deep breath, steeling herself to accept the consequences of her deceit. She sat silently, clutching the edge of her skirt, awaiting Raven’s reaction. But as the minutes passed, neither spoke; both sat quietly, lost in thought.Gia glanced sideways, seeing Raven in his usual pose, head resting on his hand. Unab
"Rave? Answer me!" Gia demanded firmly.Raven exhaled deeply before finally replying. "They kidnapped you because they thought you were my wife," he murmured softly."WHAT?! What idiot would believe that I'm your wife?"Gia finally understood why the man in the hat had mentioned “not his type,” and the slick-faced one had said “his wife.” They doubted Gia's status as Raven's wife due to her stark differences from Raven's previous girlfriends."Well... someone believed the lie I told in Katastari and went looking for you." Raven looked down, clutching his phone."So you mean, they kidnapped me to get something from you?" Gia deduced.Raven nodded."Who ordered them to kidnap me?""The same person who once tried to kill me in the hospital.""That’s not an answer, Rave! I want a name!"Raven shook his head. "No! I can answer all your questions, but not that one. You’re better off n
"But... why? I have to work! What does "maybe a year" mean? I can’t just up and leave my life like that!" Of course, Gia couldn't accept it that way.Raven snorted dismissively. "Leave your life? Your life revolves around your apartment and the hospital! You call that a life? Pfft! Even my cat has a more exciting life than you do!" Raven mocked."You don't have a cat!" Gia snapped."I do. He's in Sweden. Want to see him?""NO! Come on, Rave, be serious for once. I... can't... just... leave... my... job... like that."Gia was furious that Raven was only responding casually to all her objections."Haze, you can't stay in London right now. The person who came after me is still alive and well. And now he knows for sure that you have a connection to me. Do you think he'll stop hunting you down after this? The first chance he gets, he’ll try to hurt you again, just to get me to comply with him."Gia fell silent immediately.
Gia buried herself completely under the blanket. But the damp, musty smell from the bed kept reminding her that her room wasn't much different from the front room.She had been lying there for about two hours, feeling only anxiety and fear. There was no drowsiness or fatigue.Gia now officially hates storms in general. If the snowstorms in Gothenburg were enough to keep her awake, the howling storm outside was even worse.The house's poor state amplified the sound. Wind seeped in through the gaps in the ventilation holes—which seemed untouched for decades—creating a roaring, hissing echo throughout her room. Gia was almost in tears after hearing the eerie howling for over two hours. She desperately wanted to go back to Raven's brightly lit room.Gia didn’t care about her pride anymore, but knowing that Raven's room was quite far and she’d have to cross what felt like a haunted house, she hesitated. She might die of fright on
Gia woke up quickly, sitting up straight without her usual sluggishness. She hoped Raven hadn't seen her messy sleeping face, but the space beside her was already empty. Raven was up.Gia didn't see the rumpled sheets and bed cover. Raven had indeed slept there, even if Gia hadn’t seen it. Following the events on the sofa, Gia slept restlessly. She didn’t know when Raven had fallen asleep.Gia hugged her knees and buried her face there, thinking about how strange her life had become these past few months. Nothing had gone according to plan. She only wanted an ordinary life—an ordinary job. Perhaps she would fall in love with an ordinary man, and if their fates aligned, she would marry him—a straightforward, everyday aspiration.Falling for someone else’s fiancé wasn’t normal. It was closer to foolish. But there was no turning back. Her heart resolutely wanted Raven.“Should I try flirting with him?” G
"I still feel like this is over the top," Gia said as she sat beside Raven."Seatbelt," Raven reminded her."Oh... forgot." Gia pulled the seatbelt from behind her back and fastened it."Whether overdone or not, you should be grateful to go out instead of complaining." Raven started the convertible, pulling it out of the old neighborhood.Gia glanced back, and as she expected, the house looked like a castle, even from the outside.She was sure she’d find a French noble’s name if she researched the previous owners before Raven.It no longer surprised Gia that they were now in rural France. Gia no longer found Raven's ability to relocate at any time to be astounding. They were in Eze, a small village in the southwest of France, facing the Mediterranean Sea. The creepy old castle gained some charm from being in such a beautiful area."It’s not that I’m ungrateful, but isn’t this excessive? You expect u
"Wow!"The crowd filling the terrace cheered and clapped politely as the band finished its song.After a delicious dinner, the place offered typical French music, led by the sounds of accordion, guitar, and melodica. The music left every visitor with a sense that they were truly experiencing France. A cheerful tune with gentle guitar strumming was next, and the wine and full bellies inspired some of the guests to get up and dance freely in front of the stage.This seemed to be a tradition, as soon as many chairs were left empty."Come on," Raven extended his hand.Gia quickly shook her head. "I can't dance!" she replied hastily."Can’t, or never tried?"
“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