The following day, Ashley found herself in the backseat of a sleek black car, her hands clenched tightly in her lap as the city blurred by outside the window. She had never been this far from the mansion without Adonis’s direct supervision, and the sense of freedom was almost dizzying, even though she knew it was an illusion.Sitting beside her was one of Adonis’s most trusted men, a burly enforcer named Rocco, whose presence made her uneasy. His expression was stern, and he had barely spoken a word since they had left the mansion, only giving her a curt nod when she had gotten into the car."Where are we going?" she finally asked, her voice breaking the tense silence.Rocco glanced at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You’ll see soon enough. Just keep quiet and do what you’re told."Ashley bit back a retort, reminding herself that this was all part of the plan. She had to play her role perfectly, had to show Adonis that she was willing to do whatever it took to prove her loyalty. Ev
The drive back to the mansion felt like a journey through the depths of hell. Ashley stared out the window, her reflection in the glass a ghostly image of the girl she used to be. The streets blurred into one another, but all she could see was the man’s face—the terror in his eyes, the sound of the gunshot, the lifeless body slumping in the chair.Rocco remained silent beside her, his eyes focused on the road. He seemed unaffected by what had transpired, as if it were just another day, another task checked off his list. But for Ashley, it was a turning point, a moment that would forever define who she was—and who she was becoming.By the time they arrived back at the mansion, the sun had set, casting long shadows across the grand estate. Ashley’s legs felt like they might give out as she stepped out of the car, but she forced herself to stand tall, to mask the turmoil raging inside her. She couldn’t afford to show weakness, not now, not ever.Rocco led her inside, the opulence of the
Chapter 39: The PlanThe next morning, Ashley awoke with a sense of determination that she hadn’t felt in weeks. The events of the previous day had shaken her to her core, but they had also given her a new sense of purpose. If she was going to survive this nightmare, she needed to be smarter, more calculating. She needed to find a way to turn the tables on Adonis, to bring him down once and for all.But she couldn’t do it alone. She needed allies, people who could help her in her quest for revenge. And there was only one person in the mansion who she could even begin to trust: Demon.She found him in the training room, working through a series of complex combat maneuvers. His movements were fluid, almost graceful, as he moved from one attack to the next. But there was a cold precision to his actions, a deadly efficiency that sent a chill down her spine."Demon," she called out, her voice hesitant.He paused, turning to look at her with those piercing eyes. For a moment, neither of the
The days bled into weeks as Ashley and Demon continued to lay the groundwork for their plan. The tension in the mansion was palpable, a constant undercurrent that everyone seemed to feel but no one dared to acknowledge. Adonis's men were on edge, their eyes always darting, their hands never far from their weapons. The air was thick with suspicion, and Ashley knew it was only a matter of time before something snapped.But despite the danger, Ashley felt a strange sense of clarity. The more she immersed herself in the plan, the more she began to understand the intricate web of power and control that Adonis had woven around them all. He ruled through fear, through manipulation, through the careful cultivation of loyalty—loyalty that was often born out of desperation rather than genuine allegiance.And it was that desperation that Ashley and Demon planned to exploit.One evening, as they were finalizing the details of their next move, Demon turned to Ashley with a question that had been l
The first shot rang out like a thunderclap, and chaos descended upon the room. Demon moved with lethal precision, his gun spitting fire as he took down two of Adonis's men before they could even react. Ashley, fueled by a cocktail of fear and adrenaline, followed suit. Her hands trembled, but she forced herself to stay steady, to focus on the faces of the men who would kill her without a second thought.Shots flew in every direction, the air thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder. Ashley ducked behind a column as bullets whizzed past her head, her heart pounding in her chest. This was it—the moment everything could go horribly wrong. But she couldn’t let fear paralyze her. She had to survive. For her sister. For her child.Demon barked orders, directing her to cover as he moved to flank the remaining men. They were outnumbered, but their desperation gave them an edge—Adonis's men were used to fear, but they weren’t prepared for the kind of reckless courage that comes when you have no
The cold night air bit into Ashley’s skin as they staggered away from the mansion, its oppressive walls now a distant silhouette against the darkened sky. Demon’s arm remained wrapped around her waist, his grip strong yet gentle, as he guided her through the dense underbrush that surrounded the estate. Each step was agonizing, but Ashley forced herself to push through the pain, her sister’s hand gripping her other arm for support.They had done it. Adonis was dead. Yet the victory felt hollow, the weight of everything they had endured pressing down on them with suffocating force."We need to find somewhere to stop," Demon said, his voice rough with concern. "She’s losing too much blood."Ashley could feel her strength waning, her vision blurring at the edges. The gunshot wound in her side burned like fire, each breath a struggle. She nodded weakly, unable to muster the energy for words.Her sister’s eyes were wide with fear as she looked at Demon. "There’s a safe house nearby," she sa
The days that followed were a blur of recovery and planning. The cabin became their refuge, a place where they could regroup and gather their strength. Demon worked tirelessly, his focus on securing their safety and preparing for the inevitable fallout from Adonis’s death. Ashley’s sister, who had always been the more pragmatic of the two, took charge of their day-to-day needs, ensuring that Ashley had the rest and care she needed to heal.Ashley herself was caught in a limbo, her body weak but her mind racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. The reality of her situation began to sink in—the mafia world was not one that easily let go of its own. Even with Adonis gone, there were others who would come looking for them. Others who would want revenge.But more than that, Ashley grappled with the loss she had suffered. The child she had carried, the future she had envisioned, all of it had been ripped away in a moment of brutality. The pain of that loss gnawed at her, a wound that no amou
The days in the cabin were a mix of healing and planning, but beneath the surface of that fragile peace, a sense of impending danger lingered. Demon spent hours on the phone, speaking in low tones to his contacts, arranging for new identities, safehouses, and escape routes. Every detail was scrutinized, every possible threat anticipated.Ashley, though still recovering, took solace in the mundane tasks around the cabin. Cooking, cleaning, and caring for her sister provided a semblance of normalcy that she desperately needed. Her body was still weak, and the wound in her side throbbed with a dull ache, but she forced herself to stay active, knowing that every moment spent on her feet was a step toward regaining her strength.Her sister, too, seemed to be healing, though the haunted look in her eyes had not yet faded. She had been through so much—betrayed by Demon, held captive by Adonis, and nearly losing her sister. But she was resilient, and her presence was a constant source of comf
The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when Ashley awoke, her body stiff from the restless sleep. Amelia was still curled up beside her, sleeping deeply after the harrowing events of the night before. Demon was outside, sharpening a blade, his expression hard as he prepared for the inevitable confrontation with Adonis.Ashley sat up slowly, her mind still racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. The peace they had found in the small cabin felt fragile, like a thin veil stretched over a storm waiting to break. She knew it was only a matter of time before Adonis found them—and when he did, there would be no turning back.She quietly stepped outside, the crisp morning air biting at her skin. Demon glanced up from his work but said nothing as she approached him. His silence was heavy, but it wasn’t unfriendly. It was the quiet of a man who knew the weight of the fight that lay ahead.“We don’t have much time,” he finally said, his voice low and grave. “Adonis will come for us soon.”A
The silence that followed Adonis’s departure was thick, weighted with the echoes of the battle that had just transpired. Ashley stood frozen in place, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the shadows swallow Adonis whole. His dark words lingered in the air, like a storm cloud threatening to return.Amelia lowered the gun slowly, her hands shaking as the adrenaline that had fueled her courage began to fade. She had never held a weapon before, let alone pointed one at a man like Adonis. Her knees buckled slightly, but before she could fall, Ashley rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her sister.“It’s over,” Ashley whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She wanted to believe it, but deep down, she knew Adonis’s words carried a dangerous truth. This wasn’t over, not by a long shot.Amelia buried her face in Ashley’s shoulder, her body trembling from head to toe. “I didn’t know what else to do,” she admitted in a shaky breath. “I couldn’t let him hurt you.”“You did what
Demon and Adonis clashed like two opposing forces of nature, their bodies moving with deadly precision. Each blow was filled with years of unspoken rage, resentment, and betrayal. The sounds of their fists meeting skin echoed through the forest, and Ashley watched helplessly as her worst fears began to unfold before her eyes.Amelia clung to Ashley’s arm, shaking. "Ashley, we have to do something! They’re going to kill each other!" Her voice trembled, but Ashley’s mind was racing too fast for words. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from the violent whirlwind before her. Every fiber of her being wanted to scream, wanted to run between them and make them stop. But how?Adonis had always been an enigma, a man who dominated the world around him with cruelty, power, and an iron will. But now, seeing him like this—engaged in a primal, bloody fight with the only person he’d ever trusted—shattered something inside Ashley. She had once thought there was more to Adonis, a hidden vulnerability be
Chapter 98: A Trap of FateThe air crackled with tension as Adonis descended the hill, his cold, dark gaze locked on Ashley. There was something terrifying in his calmness, as though he had expected this chase to end here all along. Ashley’s breath hitched, her entire body frozen in place, despite Demon’s command to run. But where would she go? The forest was vast, but Adonis was always a step ahead, always finding her no matter how far she ran. “Move!” Demon growled through gritted teeth, his gun trained on Adonis. His voice snapped Ashley out of her shock. She grabbed Amelia’s hand, pulling her sister behind her as they tried to edge farther down the incline. “Run, Ashley!” Amelia urged, her voice trembling with fear, but it was Demon who answered, his voice low and dangerous. “He won’t stop unless you face him.”Ashley swallowed hard, her heart racing as she glanced back at Adonis. He had paused midway down the hill, his piercing gaze tracking their every movement. His lips curle
The tension in the cabin thickened as the three prepared to leave. The forest outside remained eerily quiet, the early morning light casting long shadows across the trees. The cold air bit at Ashley's skin, but the chill she felt wasn’t just from the temperature. Something felt off. The uneasy silence gnawed at her nerves, every second stretching painfully thin. Amelia had stayed quiet since their conversation, her face a mask of worry. Demon moved with purpose, checking their supplies and ensuring they left no trace behind. He was methodical, calm, but there was a storm brewing behind his dark eyes. Ashley couldn’t shake her sister’s warning from earlier—trust was a fragile thing, and in their world, it could shatter in an instant. She had seen Demon’s loyalty to Adonis firsthand, but she had also seen the cracks in his resolve. He had helped them this far, yet the lingering question remained: would he continue to protect them when faced with the full force of Adonis’s wrath?The c
The morning light filtered through the cracks in the old cabin’s walls, casting soft shadows on the floor. The air was cool and still, as if the woods themselves were holding their breath, waiting for the next move. Ashley lay awake, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts racing. She had barely slept, too haunted by everything that had happened.Next to her, Amelia stirred in her sleep, her face soft and peaceful for the first time in what felt like days. Ashley watched her sister for a moment, a surge of protectiveness welling up inside her. Amelia had been through so much—caught in a whirlwind of violence and betrayal that neither of them had asked for.And then there was the baby. Ashley’s hand instinctively moved to her stomach, her fingers gently pressing against the small swell. The baby was a part of her now, a tiny life growing inside her, a symbol of everything she wanted to protect. But it also tied her to Adonis in a way she couldn’t escape. No matter how far she ran, the con
The forest surrounding the clearing was eerily silent, the only sound being the crunch of leaves and twigs beneath their feet as Ashley, Amelia, and Demon hurried through the darkness. The adrenaline still coursed through Ashley’s veins, her body on high alert as she glanced behind her, half expecting more of Adonis’s men to appear out of the shadows.Demon moved quickly ahead of them, his gun drawn and eyes sharp as he navigated the dense trees. The tension in his body was palpable, and Ashley couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that lingered in the air. They had survived the attack, but the danger was far from over.Amelia’s hand tightened around Ashley’s arm, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she struggled to keep up. “How much longer?” she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.Demon’s voice cut through the silence. “Not far. There’s an old cabin deeper in the woods. We’ll be safe there for the night.”Ashley frowned, her mind racing. A cabin in the woods? It sounded too good
The drive away from the café was tense and silent, the only sound being the dull hum of the car engine and the occasional clicking of Demon’s fingers tapping the steering wheel. Ashley sat in the backseat with Amelia, her heart pounding in her chest, every muscle in her body wound tight with anxiety. They were speeding toward an unknown future, running from a man who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Ashley’s mind raced, trying to grasp the gravity of the situation. Demon had made a bold move by standing up to Anton, and now they were out of time. Anton had seen her, and he knew about the baby. Whether Demon believed Anton would keep quiet or not, Ashley knew better. Adonis would find out, and when he did, he’d come for her with everything he had.Amelia’s trembling hand squeezed Ashley’s, pulling her from her thoughts. “What if he already knows?” Amelia whispered, her voice laced with fear. “What if Anton told him?”“We don’t have time to think about that right now,” Ashl
Demon stood at the entrance of the café, his tall frame casting a dark shadow over the table where Ashley and Amelia sat. His expression was unreadable, his intense gaze fixed on Amelia. Ashley’s pulse quickened as tension built in the small space, the air thick with uncertainty and unease.Amelia’s eyes flickered with a mix of relief and fear as she locked eyes with Demon. There was no denying the love between them, but the danger that surrounded their relationship loomed like a dark cloud. Ashley could sense it too—an unspoken weight hanging between the three of them.Demon finally broke the silence, his voice low but steady. “We need to talk.”Ashley’s muscles tensed. She wasn’t sure if Demon was here as their protector or if he was still bound by his loyalty to Adonis. She didn’t trust him—not completely. But Amelia’s life, and now her own, was entangled with his.“What’s going on, Demon?” Amelia asked, her voice barely above a whisper, fear lacing every word.Demon took a step cl