I sat in the sunlit parlor of our old family home, the afternoon light casting a warm glow on the faded wallpaper. Aunt Lou was across from me, her knitting needles clicking rhythmically as she worked on yet another scarf. The serenity of the scene was a stark contrast to the turmoil churning inside me. The lawsuit against the Montefalcos weighed heavily on my mind, and I knew it was time to discuss it with Aunt Lou."Aunt Lou," I began, my voice barely above a whisper, "we need to talk about the lawsuit."She looked up from her knitting, her eyes softening with concern. Aunt Lou had always been my rock, my guiding star, especially since my parents had passed away. She set her knitting aside, giving me her full attention."Of course, dear. What's on your mind?"I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "It's been almost a year since we filed the lawsuit against the Montefalcos for illegally seizing our family inheritance. The legal battle has been draining, both emotionally and fin
The sunlight filtered through the garden leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. I sat on the wrought-iron bench, its intricate design cold against my skin despite the warmth of the afternoon. The garden was a sanctuary, a place of tranquility amidst the chaos that had been my life for the past few years. As I stared at the blooming roses, my mind wandered back to the memories I wished I could erase.Justin Montefalco. The name alone stirred a whirlwind of emotions—anger, betrayal, sadness. Our marriage had been anything but a fairy tale. I had walked down the aisle with hope in my heart, believing that Justin and I were destined for a lifetime of happiness. But reality had a cruel way of shattering illusions.It started with the late nights. Justin would come home well past midnight, reeking of alcohol and cheap perfume. At first, I believed his excuses about late meetings and business deals. But then, there were the phone calls, hushed conversations that abruptly ended when I
The evening had started beautifully. Leon and I had decided move from to treat ourselves to a meal at Le Jardin, a charming little French restaurant nestled in the heart of the city. The soft lighting and the gentle hum of conversation created an intimate atmosphere, making it the perfect escape from the troubles that had been weighing on my mind. Leon, with his easy smile and warm presence, made everything seem a little less daunting.We were halfway through our meal, savoring each bite and enjoying a glass of wine when Leon’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, a frown creasing his forehead. “I need to take this,” he said apologetically, rising from his seat. “It’s work. I’ll be right back.”I nodded, watching as he stepped outside, phone pressed to his ear. Left alone, I took another sip of my wine, letting the rich flavor linger on my tongue. I was lost in thought when a familiar, unwelcome voice broke through my reverie.“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Margarette.”I looked up
I felt the cold night air brush against my skin as Leon and I walked out of Le Jardin. The evening had turned out far from what I expected. Our dinner, meant to be a quiet and important affair where we could possibly begin to talk about our plan for the lawsuit, was ruined by the sudden intrusion of my former mother-in-law. I couldn’t help but feel a lingering tension between us as we made our way down the cobblestone street, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the quiet night.“Margarette,” Leon’s voice cut through the silence. “My place is just nearby. It’s just one of the random condo I own nearby. Why don’t we head there so you can change out of that dress? It’s…well, it’s a bit stained.” He offered a tentative smile, his usual confidence slightly dampened by the events of the evening.I didn’t know that Leon was this rich. However, I just simply couldn’t take the offer right away.However, as I glanced down at the dark spot on my dress where wine had spilled earlier, it made m
As I stepped into the quiet warmth of our home, the events of the night still played vividly in my mind. Leon’s kiss, the way it had caught me off guard, and how it had stirred feelings I wasn’t ready to confront. The thought of it sent a shiver down my spine, but I quickly shook it off as I made my way into the living room. And there, Aunt Lou sat comfortably on the couch, her favorite late-night talk show flickering on the screen.She looked up as I entered, her eyes full of curiosity. “Oh, Margarette, you’re home late. How was the dinner with Leon go?”I felt my heart skip a beat, the memory of our kiss flashing through my mind. I knew Aunt Lou would worry if she sensed something was off, and I didn’t want to burden her with my confusion. Plastering on a smile, I forced my voice to sound light and carefree. “Dinner was okay and we talked a lot about the plans, he said so much about trying move carefully and surely and there rest were more about trying to tell him what I want to w
The smell of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air as I sat by the window, watching the world pass by outside. The sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving a warm, orange glow that spread across the sky. Yet, the same questions that had haunted me since that day at Rosie's bakery continued to swirl in my mind. Why hadn't Leon contacted me? What did I say that might have caused this distance?My thoughts wandered back to our conversation at Rosie's. The way his eyes darkened when I told him we needed to stay neutral, that he shouldn't fall in love with me—it was as if a wall had suddenly sprung up between us. I only meant it as a way to protect us both, to keep things simple, but now I was starting to wonder if I had only made things more complicated.I sighed deeply, pressing my palms against my forehead. I had never been good at relationships, I guess and this was no exception. I mean look at my recently failed marriage, and now even a simple friendship with Leon seemed to h
The evening air was cool as I stepped outside. My heart fluttered in my chest as I spotted Leon leaning casually against a sleek silver car parked in front of my house. It wasn’t the same car he had used before, but a different, more luxurious model that gleamed under the streetlights.I hesitated for a moment, feeling a strange mix of excitement and unease. Leon looked intently at me as I approached, a small smile playing on his lips, but there was something guarded in his expression. I wasn’t sure how to feel or what to expect from this night. The last time we spoke, things had been tense—my own words had put a distance between us that felt almost insurmountable.“Margarette,” Leon greeted me, his voice warm yet tinged with something I couldn’t quite place. He opened the car door for me, and I slid into the soft leather seat, feeling a bit out of place in such an extravagant setting.The silence between us was thick, and I struggled to find something to say. It wasn’t like me to
“Another day thinking about it again…” I whispered to myself as I stretched my body to begin the day.The days following my dinner with Leon seemed to stretch endlessly, as if time itself had decided to crawl at a snail’s pace just to torment me. Each hour felt heavier than the last, weighted with the unresolved tension between us and the unsaid words that lingered like a ghost in the room. I desperately needed a distraction, anything to keep my mind from wandering back to that night, to the conversation that had left me feeling more lost than ever. And so I buried myself in housework, trying to exhaust my body so that my mind would finally relent. The pantry, long overdue for a reorganization, became my first project. I spent hours sorting through spices and canned goods, aligning jars and containers with an almost obsessive precision. But no matter how perfectly I arranged the shelves, it did nothing to quell the gnawing ache deep in my chest. When the pantry no longer offered an
Nathan Calloway’s face twisted with rage as he realized the game was over. His men were dropping like flies, either taken down by Dorian’s gunfire or surrendering to the federal agents swarming the street. The blue and red flashes of FBI vehicles painted the alley in sharp, jagged streaks of light.He was cornered.I could see it in his stance—the way his fingers twitched toward his gun, his mind calculating, scrambling for a way out.There wasn’t one.Leon stood beside me, his gun still raised, but his grip relaxed. He had already decided Nathan wasn’t worth another bullet.But I wasn’t so sure.“Looks like you’re out of moves,” I said, stepping forward.Nathan’s sharp gaze cut to me, and for a moment, I saw something flicker in his eyes. Not fear. Not regret.Amusement.“You think this is over?” he muttered, shaking his head. Then, slowly, he smiled.A slow, deliberate, knowing smile.The kind that made my stomach clench.Then he turned to Elise.“Elise,” he said smoothly, like we w
Nathan Calloway had always exuded a quiet menace, the kind that made people instinctively lower their gaze and step aside. But today, he didn’t bother with subtlety. He stood in my path like a hunter savoring his victory, his dark suit crisp, his expression one of smug satisfaction.“Margarette,” he said smoothly, like we were old friends. “Going somewhere?”I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing myself to keep my expression neutral. My heart was pounding, but I couldn’t let him see my fear.“I was just leaving,” I said, stepping sideways.He moved with me, blocking my way. Behind him, two of his men stood by the black car, watching. Waiting.“Now, now,” Nathan murmured, tilting his head. “Let’s not make this difficult. We both know how this ends.”A cold rush of adrenaline flooded my veins. I could fight. I could run. But neither would get me far.Leon’s voice came through my earpiece, low and urgent. “Margarette, I’m coming. Stall.”I swallowed. “If you know everything, why are yo
Elise Grant was a woman born into privilege, but privilege came with its own kind of chains. She had spent her life learning how to play the game, but now she was realizing that the rules had changed—and I was the one rewriting them.I watched her disappear into the fog, but I knew she wouldn't be able to walk away from this. Not entirely. People like Elise didn’t just sit back and watch their world collapse—they fought, even when they didn’t know who the real enemy was yet.Leon let out a quiet sigh, his fingers flexing against his side. "She’s going to struggle with this."Dorian smirked. "Good. People make the best decisions when they think they don’t have any other choice."I pulled my coat tighter around me. The air was damp, the salty ocean breeze mixing with the lingering scent of gasoline from the fishing boats docked nearby. "She’s going to reach out again soon."Leon’s gaze flicked to me. "How can you be so sure?""Because she’s smart," I said simply. "And because she’s terr
The wind whipped through my hair as I watched Elise disappear into the night. A thrill ran through me, a mix of victory and anticipation. She had taken the bait, but we weren’t in the clear yet. Not by a long shot.Leon and Dorian flanked me, their expressions unreadable. The three of us stood in silence for a beat, the ocean waves crashing against the wooden pier below us.“She’s scared,” Dorian finally muttered, lighting a cigarette. The flame illuminated his sharp features for a moment before fading into the night. “Which is good. Fear makes people predictable.”Leon’s gaze remained fixed on the path Elise had taken. His jaw clenched, his thoughts miles ahead of us. “Fear also makes people desperate.”I turned to him. “You think she’ll run to her father?”He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he shifted his stance, slipping his hands into the pockets of his coat. “Not immediately. She’s smart enough to know that if she tips him off too soon, she’s collateral damage.”I nodded. “The
The moment Elise Grant’s fingers touched mine, I knew I had her attention. She was a woman who played in circles of power, who measured every interaction with precision. A single misstep could cost her everything.I held onto her hand for just a fraction longer than necessary, letting the weight of my words settle between us. Then, with a small, knowing smile, I withdrew, lifting my champagne flute to my lips.“Margarette,” Elise repeated, as if testing how my name felt on her tongue. “I don’t believe I’ve heard of you before.”I chuckled softly. “That’s the point, isn’t it?”Elise tilted her head, intrigued but guarded. “And what exactly do you do, Margarette?”I swirled the champagne in my glass, watching the golden bubbles rise to the surface. “I help people see things they’ve overlooked.” I lifted my eyes to hers. “Or things they’ve been kept from seeing.”Her smile didn’t waver, but something in her gaze sharpened. “That sounds dangerously close to a threat.”“Not a threat.” I to
The black SUV moved through the city under the cover of darkness, the tension inside as thick as the fog rolling in from the harbor. I sat in the passenger seat, my fingers drumming against my thigh, my gaze fixed on the glittering skyline ahead. Leon drove in silence, his grip tight on the wheel, while Dorian lounged in the backseat, casually checking his watch as if we weren’t about to walk into one of the most dangerous plays of our lives.“Elise Grant won’t be easy to approach,” Dorian mused, breaking the silence. “She’s got bodyguards, a strict schedule, and enough privilege to think she’s untouchable.”“That’s what makes her blind to threats,” Leon countered. “She’s never had a reason to look over her shoulder.”I exhaled slowly, my mind racing through the details of the plan. Elise would be attending a charity gala tonight, hosted at a high-end hotel owned by one of her father’s associates. It was the perfect opportunity to get close, to plant the seeds of doubt in her mind. Th
The cabin felt smaller now. Maybe it was the presence of this new stranger, or maybe it was the way my nerves coiled tighter with every passing second. Either way, the moment Dorian stepped inside, I felt it—the shift in the air.I gripped the revolver tighter, even as I pushed the door shut.Leon emerged from the hallway, still holding his phone, his dark eyes sharp as they flickered between me and Dorian. He didn’t look surprised. If anything, he looked… resigned."Dorian." Leon’s voice was clipped. "You took your time."The stranger—Dorian—chuckled, running a hand through his dark hair. "Traffic," he said, as if that explained everything. His green eyes met mine again, studying me with a mix of curiosity and something I couldn’t quite name.I didn’t trust him."You’re staring," I said flatly, not bothering to hide the irritation in my voice.Dorian grinned, unbothered. "Just making sure you’re as sharp as Leon said.""Flattery isn’t going to make me lower the gun."Leon exhaled, pi
The car ride was silent except for the occasional hum of the tires against the pavement. Lillian sat in the driver’s seat, her hands steady on the wheel, eyes flicking between the road ahead and the rearview mirror. Every so often, I followed her gaze, expecting to catch sight of a shadow trailing behind us.Nothing.Yet the unease in my chest refused to settle.Leon had sent one of his private drivers to pick us up outside of town, just past the tree-lined outskirts where the city lights faded into darkness. The safe house was in an undisclosed location—secluded, heavily secured, and supposedly impenetrable. But after everything that had happened, I wasn’t sure I could believe in impenetrable anymore.Aunt Lou had been hesitant to let me go, but she knew staying behind was too dangerous. Uncle George had slipped a small revolver into my bag before I left, whispering instructions in a firm voice I had never heard from him before."Use it if you have to. Don’t hesitate."Now, as the he
i sat in the dimly lit room, my fingers trembling slightly as I clutched the warm cup of tea Aunt Lou had prepared for me. The fragrant steam curled upward, but even the soothing aroma couldn’t quiet the storm raging in my mind.No matter how tightly I wrapped myself in the comfort of my aunt’s presence, my thoughts remained restless, tangled with fear and uncertainty. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the same thing—Leon, his jaw tight with determination, refusing to back down no matter the danger. His need to uncover the truth had set us on a treacherous path, and with Alexa hidden away for her safety, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.Sleep had been a distant dream for the past few nights. Every creak of the house, every gust of wind against the window, sent my heart racing. I knew I was being watched. Maybe not now, in this moment, but somewhere out there, someone’s eyes were on me.A soft knock at the door shattered my thoughts.Aunt Lou