Chapter 46 Lucian's POV:“What’s in it for me?” Le Bronx asked, as he paced the room, his footsteps echoing off the wooden floor. His shoulders were tense, and his eyes were filled with suspicion as he glanced my way.I leaned back on the leather couch, casually swirling the champagne in my glass. Taking a slow and long sip, I let the silence stretch just long enough to get under his skin before replying. “Matteo is coming for all of us. He’s already taken down DeGrande. You’re next—then me.”“Me?” Le Bronx scoffed, halting his pacing to glare at me. “Last I checked, Matteo’s beef was with you, Kael, and DeGrande. I was never part of his little vendetta.”I arched a brow, smirking faintly. “Do you honestly think Matteo’s going through all this trouble over a petty disagreement we had two years ago?”Le Bronx frowned, his hand massaging his temple as he processed my words. “Then why would he want to take all of us down?” He paused, his voice dropping. “Don’t tell me…”“He wants to di
Chapter 45 Lucian's POV:“Wer bist du? - Who are you?” The guard demanded, in heavily accented German.River gasped loudly, instinctively running behind me and clutching the back of my coat. But I didn’t flinch, didn’t blink. Instead, I tilted my head slightly, a smile tugging at my lips. A wide, taunting smile that seemed to unnerve the man holding the gun.“Du musst neu hier sein - You must be new here.” I replied calmly, almost amused.The man frowned, his grip on the gun tightening. “Was? Bist du hier etwa ein Stammgast? - What? Are you some kind of regular here?”Before I could respond, the doors creaked open, and a familiar face emerged.“Halt deinen kleinen Schoßhund in Schach, sonst lasse ich Le Bronx sich um ihn kümmern - Keep your little lapdog in check, or I’ll have Le Bronx handle him.” I said, my smirk deepening as I met his gaze.The man, a middle aged enforcer named Markus, stepped forward with an irritated glare. He marched up to the guard and slapped the back of his
Chapter 46 Lucian's POV:“What’s in it for me?” Le Bronx asked, as he paced the room, his footsteps echoing off the wooden floor. His shoulders were tense, and his eyes were filled with suspicion as he glanced my way.I leaned back on the leather couch, casually swirling the champagne in my glass. Taking a slow and long sip, I let the silence stretch just long enough to get under his skin before replying. “Matteo is coming for all of us. He’s already taken down DeGrande. You’re next—then me.”“Me?” Le Bronx scoffed, halting his pacing to glare at me. “Last I checked, Matteo’s beef was with you, Kael, and DeGrande. I was never part of his little vendetta.”I arched a brow, smirking faintly. “Do you honestly think Matteo’s going through all this trouble over a petty disagreement we had two years ago?”Le Bronx frowned, his hand massaging his temple as he processed my words. “Then why would he want to take all of us down?” He paused, his voice dropping. “Don’t tell me…”“He wants to di
Chapter 47Lyla's POV:The rain was heavy, pounding against my skin as I ran down the empty street. My bare feet slapped against the cold, wet pavement, sending jolts of pain shooting up my legs with every step. But I couldn’t stop—not when he was chasing me.He was behind me, the figure in the black hoodie and face mask. The knife in his hand sent terror pulsing through my veins. The sound of his footsteps was steady, as if he knew there was no escape for me. I glanced over my shoulder and immediately regretted it. He was closer than before, his movements were surprisingly calm despite my fast pace.My breath came in short gasps. “Help!” I screamed. “Somebody, please!”Lights flickered ahead, the glimmer of car headlights cutting through the rain. Happiness surged through me, and I ran toward them, waving my arms. The first car sped past without even slowing down. Then the second. And the third.“Stop! Please!” I shouted, but no one cared. No one ever did.Then, I saw it—a familiar
Chapter 47Lyla's POV:The rain was heavy, pounding against my skin as I ran down the empty street. My bare feet slapped against the cold, wet pavement, sending jolts of pain shooting up my legs with every step. But I couldn’t stop—not when he was chasing me.He was behind me, the figure in the black hoodie and face mask. The knife in his hand sent terror pulsing through my veins. The sound of his footsteps was steady, as if he knew there was no escape for me. I glanced over my shoulder and immediately regretted it. He was closer than before, his movements were surprisingly calm despite my fast pace.My breath came in short gasps. “Help!” I screamed. “Somebody, please!”Lights flickered ahead, the glimmer of car headlights cutting through the rain. Happiness surged through me, and I ran toward them, waving my arms. The first car sped past without even slowing down. Then the second. And the third.“Stop! Please!” I shouted, but no one cared. No one ever did.Then, I saw it—a familiar
Chapter 49 Lyla's POV:The legs of my chair screeched against the tiled floor as I pushed it back abruptly. All eyes darted toward me, their questions halting mid-sentence. My heart pounded in my chest as I stood, feeling like I was on a stage I never signed up for."Excuse me." I started, forcing a calmness into my voice I didn’t feel. "Can I get directions to the bathroom?"The woman seated beside Le Bronx, a small figure with sharp features and piercing green eyes, offered a polite smile. "Of course. Follow me." Her voice was calm.I nodded and followed her. She led me through the sprawling beach house. The house itself was grand, its high ceilings adorned with chandeliers, and the walls were lined with artwork that likely cost more than my entire wardrobe. Every corner spoke of wealth and power.Finally, we arrived at a corridor. She gestured toward a door at the end of the hall. "There you go." She said, her smile lingering.“Thank you.” I replied, assuming she’d leave, but in
Chapter 50Lyla's POV:I blinked, stunned by the revelation. “A mask? Facial surgery? That’s... extreme.”She shrugged. “It’s effective. And that’s the kind of man Matteo is—always one step ahead, always protecting his secrets. That’s why Lucian hasn’t caught him. How do you catch someone who could look like anyone?”I stared at her, processing the information. Natalie seemed to know far more about these people than most, and I couldn’t ignore how casually she spoke about them.“You seem to know a lot about Lucian, Matteo and the orphanage.” I said, narrowing my eyes.“I do.” She admitted, a faint smile touching her lips. “I was one of Grandfather’s pupils at the orphanage. That’s where I met Le Bronx. We got married five years ago.”Her words made my heart skip a beat. She was Le Bronx’s wife? That explained her confidence and familiarity with everything.I hesitated. “The orphanage… the Ken ran by the Godfather, what was it called?” I asked, my voice quieter now.“St. Maria Kenston.
Chapter 51Lyla's POV:Pulling out my phone, I typed a quick message to Justin:“I found a lead on Matteo. It’s a rundown orphanage in Cabo San Lucas called St. Maria Kenston. I’m currently standing in front of the building, just wanting to notify you about my location in case anything happens.”I slipped the phone back into my pocket and pushed the heavy door open. The inside was no better than the exterior. Dust blanketed every surface, and the air reeked of mildew and decay. The faint sound of dripping water echoed through the desolate halls.At the center of the main room stood a weathered statue of the Virgin Mary. Around her, there were several hallways.My heart sank. If I picked the wrong hallway, I could wander aimlessly for hours. But as luck would have it, I spotted an old map mounted on the wall. Wiping away layers of grime, I found the storage room marked in faded ink.It didn’t take long to find the room, though the door protested loudly as I pushed it open. Inside, rows
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