Chapter 15 Lucian's POV:I leaned back in my chair, staring at the faint reflection of her back in the glass wall of my office. My mind wasn’t on the legal documents scattered across my desk, nor on the dozens of phone calls I’d ignored this morning. It was on her. River Anderson—or whatever her real name was.Her reaction earlier kept replaying in my head. The way her face paled and her lips parted slightly when she saw Marielle. Shock, confusion, and something I couldn’t quite place—it was all there, written all over her face.I expected boldness when she stormed into my office, but I didn’t expect her composure to falter like that. The thought made me smirk. Married to Marielle? Even in the depths of my ruthlessness, I couldn’t have orchestrated that nightmare for myself. Yet River believed it. She intrigued me, and that was dangerous.I turned in my chair, letting my gaze wander towards her. She carried herself with confidence, but her eyes darted around the room, taking in eve
Chapter 16Lyla's POV:The heels of my shoes clicked against the polished marble floors as I hurried toward the elevator, my mind drifting elsewhere.Working for Lucian meant two things: First, Marielle and I were bound to cross paths more times than I cared to imagine. Second, there was a very real chance I could end up dead—whether at his hands or those of his enemies.For now, all I could do was tread carefully and hope it would be enough.The elevator came into view, and I quickened my pace. Suddenly, I felt the jarring impact of another body against mine. “Damn it!” I hissed, my hand instinctively flying to my shoulder. Pain radiated where we'd collided, but more than that, my anger boiled over. “Watch where you’re—”I whipped my head up, my words ready to scorch whoever had the audacity to block my path. But the moment my gaze locked onto his, I froze. My breath caught in my throat, and I stumbled backward, trying to regain composure. The man didn’t move, didn’t utter a word.
Chapter 17Lyla's POV:Mona?Why on earth is she calling me now?Mona was a stripper I’d crossed paths with at four different nightclubs during my relentless search for the Ruthless Knight. Back then, I’d given her my number, hoping she might come across information about him. But she never called—not once.Even when I tried reaching out, my calls went unanswered. Frustrated, I retraced my steps, visiting every nightclub where she performed, only to be told the same thing: She was “unreachable.”And now, after all this time, here she is, calling me?Clearing my throat, I answered the call, my voice steady despite my confusion. “Hello?” I said, stepping outside the building into the crisp evening air.“River? Is that you?” Her voice was soft but had an edge of fear, making me grip my phone a little tighter.“Yes, it’s me,” I replied cautiously.“I’m sorry for being out of touch,” She began. “But I really need your help. Can we meet up?”Her words threw me off. Why now, after disappeari
Chapter 18Lucian's POV:“Listen,” I began softly, locking eyes with her. “I wanted to find him because I needed his help. There are powerful people who’ve hurt me, and I thought he could help me take them down.” I continued. “If you’ve been hurt by someone powerful, I’ll help you too. But I need to know what I’m getting myself into first. You need to tell me what’s really going on.”For a moment, she didn’t respond. Then, as if a dam had broken, Mona burst into tears. She clutched at my hand tightly, her body shaking as she wailed loud enough to draw a few curious glances from nearby tables.I leaned in closer, squeezing her hands reassuringly. “Mona,” I said softly but firmly, “Why do you need to find the Ruthless Knight?”Her voice was shaky, each word coming out between sobs. “To turn him in myself,” She stammered. “Since the police… the police are useless.”I froze.Turn him in?My mind raced, trying to make sense of her statement. Why would she want to turn Lucian in?I kept my
Chapter 19Lyla's POV:She continued. “ Other than those Photos, and messages, there is a witness. Someone who saw him being taken.”I frowned. “A witness? And they didn’t go to the police?”She scoffed bitterly. “The police? They don’t care. They probably wouldn’t last a day if they went after someone like the Ruthless Knight.”She had a point. I knew firsthand how law enforcement operated in this world—half of them were bought, the other half too scared to act. Still, something about this didn’t sit right with me.“Mona,” I said, my tone softer now. “Why come to me? Why not... I don’t know, leave the city? Start fresh somewhere else?”Her eyes met mine, and for the first time since she sat down, I saw a flicker of determination. “Because I can’t. I can’t just let my brother’s death go unanswered. I have to do something. And you...” She paused, biting her lip. “You’ve been looking for him, haven’t you?” She asked. “I want Justice, Lyla.”Justice?Once again, the word tasted bitter on
Chapter 20Lucian's POV:“I can’t believe I had to be at the brink of death before I heard you call me your family.”My head shot up. Justin’s eyes were open, and he was grinning weakly. “Really, Lyla? Was all of that for me, or were you just practicing for some melodramatic soap opera?”My tears dried up instantly, replaced by a wide smile. “Justin!” I exclaimed, hitting his arm lightly.“Ouch!” He shrieked, though I could tell he was exaggerating.“Don’t you ‘Ouch’ me! You scared me half to death!” I scolded, though my voice wavered between anger and laughter.He chuckled softly, but it turned into a wince. “Okay, okay, I surrender. No hitting the injured guy.”I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face. “You’re impossible.”“You’re just mad because I caught you crying,” He teased, his grin widening.“Justin!” I snapped, but there was no malice in my tone.We both burst into laughter, the kind that felt too loud for a hospital room but was too freeing to s
Chapter 21Lyla's POV:Monday came by quickly, and during these past few days, I learned a few things. I discovered that Marielle’s antenatal checkups happened at the same hospital Justin was currently being treated at.I didn’t mention it to him because I didn’t want to get him all worked up.Secondly, I learned something even more unsettling. My ex-husband might be a cold-blooded murderer.When I told Justin about my meeting with Mona and how I still believed that Diego might be alive, he said. “Lucian Knight isn’t just a name, Lyla.” He began. “He’s the CEO of one of the most prestigious law firms around—a man who defends anyone, including murderers, as long as they can pay his price. He is also the Lycan King, someone who sentences people to death for breaching certain laws in his kingdom. Lastly, he runs a mafia organization that houses not only drug dealers but assassins who he assigns to do his bidding.”His words clung to me, weighing heavily on my mind. It dawned on me that w
Chapter 22Lyla's POV:Stepping out of Lucian's office, I let out a soft sigh of relief, even though the tension in my chest refused to completely dissolve. My heels clicked faintly against the marble floors as I headed toward the right wing.The hallway stretched endlessly, lined with cubicles that seemed oddly symmetrical. The air was heavy with silence, the kind that made you hyper-aware of every sound—papers flipping, fingers tapping rhythmically on keyboards, and the occasional faint sigh from someone lost in their work.I stopped beside the nearest cubicle and tapped the shoulder of the man seated there. He turned to me, offering a polite smile."Good morning." I began, trying to sound as composed as possible. "I was told to meet Mr. Kael, but I’m not sure where his cubicle is."He nodded, with a warm smile. "Keep walking down the hallway. You'll see four doors at the end. The last one on the left is his."“Thank you, sir.”As I continued walking, something dawned on me, a reali
Chapter 67Lyla's POV:My hands remained against his chest, my fingers twitching slightly as his face drew closer. He was about to kiss me—The door suddenly swung open.“Lucian—”I jolted at the sound of Marielle’s voice, my body reacting before my mind could catch up. I shoved Lucian away, hard enough that he staggered back a step, his grip on me breaking instantly.Marielle’s eyes flickered between us, her brows furrowing slightly as she took in the scene before her.For a moment, no one spoke.Then, as if shaking herself out of her thoughts, she straightened her shoulders and walked toward Lucian.I clenched my jaw, turning away, my hands fisting at my sides.I moved toward the bed, grabbing his black trench coat and carefully draped it over my arm. Then, I picked up his bow tie, smoothing the fabric between my fingers as I listened to the conversation behind me.“Why aren’t you dressed yet?” Marielle asked, stepping closer to him.Lucian let out a slow exhale. “I was getting re
Chapter 66Lyla's POV:I still couldn’t wrap my head around the staircase incident. No matter how many times I replayed it in my head, the answer remained the same—I didn't fall by accident. Someone had pushed me.But what made it worse were the threatening messages that started appearing shortly after.At first, they were vague. Simple warnings like: Stay away. You don’t belong here.I had brushed them off, thinking they were nothing more than the empty threats of someone who didn’t want me here. But as the days passed, the messages became more sinister and direct: You should’ve died on those stairs. Next time, you will.And then, I realized that it was Marielle.She was behind everything. The notes. The threats. The staircase incident.It made sense. She had the motive, the jealousy, the desperation. She was pregnant with Lucian’s child, and suddenly, he had brought another woman into his home. A woman who was constantly by his side, working closely with him, gaining his trust.To
Chapter 65Lyla's POV:Over the next few days, reality set in. I couldn’t leave. I had to keep working as Lucian’s personal assistant, and there were two reasons for that.First, Lucian wasn’t willing to let me out of his sight.Second, I needed to get my hands on those documents.At first, revenge was my main goal, but now… it was about keeping Justin safe. If I failed, he would pay the price. I couldn’t let that happen.Taking a deep breath, I slid Lucian’s black coffee across the glass table in his office. He barely looked up as he reached for it. I bowed my head and turned to leave, but his voice stopped me.“Lyla.”I froze, then turned slowly. “Yes, sir?”His sharp eyes lifted from the documents in front of him. “What’s wrong with you?”I swallowed hard. “What do you mean?”“You’ve been… off these past few days,” he said, his gaze analyzing me as if I were a puzzle missing a few pieces. “Looking down. Distracted.”I forced a smile, though my stomach churned. “I’m fine. Just been
Chapter 64Lyla's POV:As soon as Lucian pulled out of the hospital’s driveway, I turned to him, arms crossed."Don’t get the wrong idea," I began, my voice firm. "I’m only doing this to protect my brother."He scoffed, not even sparing me a glance. "You’re the one overthinking, not me."I rolled my eyes and turned toward the window, watching the scenery blur past. A moment of silence passed before I spoke again."Do you really think Matteo is behind what happened?"Lucian’s fingers drummed lightly against the steering wheel. "Do you have someone else in mind?"I hesitated, my thoughts racing. "No, it’s just..." I trailed off, finishing the sentence in my mind. It felt familiar."It’s just what?" he pressed, glancing at me briefly.I turned to him, deciding to change the topic. "Do you think Marielle will be happy to see me?"Lucian let out a dry chuckle. "Of course not. You’re a threat to what she wants.""And what does she want?" I asked, though I already had a good idea. "You?""Th
Chapter 63Justin's POV:Three days had passed since Lyla’s accident, and I haven't been myself. No matter how much I tried to mask my fear and self-loathing, it was becoming harder each day, especially when I was around her at the hospital.She noticed. Of course, she did. “Why do you look so sad all the time?” She would ask. “Why do you seem so scared?”I always brushed it off, letting her believe it was because of the argument we had before the accident and her stupid decision to steal those files from Lucian’s safe.But that was a lie.The truth was, my fear came from two entirely different things. First, the terrifying thought that Lyla might face another attempt on her life. And second, the gut-wrenching reality that if she ever found out I was the one who told Marielle about her true identity, she would cut me out of her life without a second thought.And because of that, I kept my silence, but it gnawed at me constantly.Taking a deep breath, I folded the last shirt into her s
Chapter 62Justin's POV:Growing up, I was constantly bullied for being too feminine. It was tough, but over time, I learned how to change myself, or at least pretend to.Things only got worse when people found out I liked men. The taunts and harassment escalated, making life unbearable. But in those dark times, my escape was always Lyra. I loved being around her, playing together like we had no worries in the world.Whenever she saw me being bullied, she never hesitated to step in, even if it meant getting hurt in the process. She fought for me when no one else did.At some point, I fell for her. It didn’t make sense, not even to me, so I never said a word about it.Then she lost her parents. I begged mine to take her in, especially since my younger sister had been missing for two years by then. But they refused. They couldn’t bear the thought of replacing her.Instead, Lyra was sent to an orphanage, and after that, she disappeared. They told me she had found her real family—that the
Chapter 61Lucian's POV:Kael’s voice came through the phone, sharp and impatient. “Are you absolutely certain it was Matteo?”I sighed, rubbing my temple. “For the hundredth time, Kael, yes. It was him.”"We don't even know what the bastard fucking looks like anymore.” He snapped. "How can you be so sure?"I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my temper in check. "He sounded exactly like Matteo. And worse? I think he has his eyes on River."Kael fell silent for a moment before exhaling harshly. "And why is that the worst-case scenario? Listen, he saw a girl by your side and assumed she meant something to you. This isn’t the first time someone has targeted the people around you. So why are you so paranoid about her?"I swallowed, my grip on the phone tightening. "Because her life is in danger, Kael."He let out a scoff. "She knew what she was signing up for. Besides, weren’t you the one who pulled that whole ‘fiancée’ stunt in Mexico just to piss her off? Someone must have tipped Matteo o
Chapter 60Lucian's POV:The dimly lit warehouse reeked of blood and sweat. The sound of a leather whip slicing through the air followed by a cry of pain that echoed against the concrete walls.I leaned against the metal table, rolling my gun between my fingers, my jaw tightening as I watched the two men kneeling before me. Their faces were already battered, fresh cuts and swollen bruises marking their skin. But they still weren’t talking.Behind them, my men—two bulky men dressed in black holding whips. The whip cracked again, another scream filling the space."Start talking." I ordered. "Who the fuck sold off a box of R2 and three boxes of R3 to Galaxy XX without my approval?"One of the men, a rat-faced bastard named Gregor, spat blood onto the floor. "We didn’t do it, boss. I swear—”The second he denied it, I raised my gun and fired a single shot into the ground beside his knee. He flinched, but I noticed the way his hands clenched into fists.He was lying.I sighed, rubbing a ha
Chapter 59Lyla's POV:I rushed out of the house, the cold night air hitting my skin as I hailed a cab. A yellow taxi screeched to a stop in front of me, and I yanked the door open, sliding inside.“Red room.” I said, urgently.The driver gave me a quick glance through the rearview mirror before nodding and pulling into the street. My fingers tapped against my thigh as I stared out the window, my mind racing faster than the car.Then my phone rang.I frowned. The number was unknown.Hesitating for only a second, I picked up. “Hello?”Silence.Then a voice—began counting down."Five."My breath hitched."Four."A chill slithered down my spine."Three."I turned in my seat, scanning the street through the window. Nothing seemed out of place."Two."A strange, suffocating feeling coiled around my chest."One."Before I could react, the deafening blare of a horn shattered the night.My head whipped to the right.Blinding headlights.A monstrous trailer. Speeding straight for us.Everythin