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ch.23

Author: essyshee12
last update Huling Na-update: 2025-02-21 21:33:53

Cassian's pov

I dial Leo's number again clutching the phone tighter each time he fails to answer. “I'm going to kill him,” I mutter under my breath.

I told him to give me hourly updates and it's been two since I got one from him.

“You okay?” Roxanne asks, her eyes sliding on my phone.

“Yeah just checking up on things.”

She nods the heat inside the car making me unbutton my shirt. “What did you marry Maya for?” She asks her eyes curious.

“Cause it's not love — men like you don't love,” she adds the words feeling like they slipped from my father's mouth.

“She was a compatible companion,” I answered.

She hums her eyes traveling outside the window. “And are you planning on ever settling down?”

“Not anytime soon, I am not planning on being a man's object,” she says, venom sipping from her voice.

“Sir we've arrived,” the driver says. I alight the car ready to open Roxanne's door but she refuses.

“I'm a big woman, I don't need a man to open my door.”

I nod, stepping away from her. The hous
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  • Mine To Claim   ch.24

    Maya's pov“Hey sleepy head,” Holden says standing over me. My eyes squint as the bright lights stab at my eye lids. I rub my face, my head throbbing.“What happened?” I ask looking around my room. He takes a seat beside me, the bed dipping in the process.“You got attacked,” he answers, touching my bandaged head. I grunt everything coming back in waves. “Leo! How is Leo?” I ask my heart racing.“He was trying to protect me,” I added, trying to sit up.“He is fine, Cassian got to him in time.”I touch my face letting out a slow breath. A year ago all I worried about was finishing a twelve-hour shift without collapsing. Now I'm dodging attacks like I'm some sort of criminal and getting tangled in contracts. How did this become my life?“I brought you something,” he says shifting on the bed. His tousled hair falls on his face as he hands me a brown bag.“What is this?” I ask, looking at it.“A little present for being so cool,” he says, a small smile gracing his lips.I take it out and

    Huling Na-update : 2025-02-22
  • Mine To Claim   ch.25

    Cassian's povMaya must be the most stubborn person on earth because hell — I push the thought down massaging my temples. Ever since she came here it has been chaos, no moment to breathe and now I'm wondering if it was even worth it.I take out the contract going through it, next to it is the treatment plan she created — the hail Mary to save my eyesight. I flip through the pages, the impending danger looming ahead clawing at my skin.Six months. That's all it will take. My stomach churns at the realization, and one month is down. Five to go.I rub my face, a strange feeling slumping my mood even more. Like tradition, I go to the garden and into the expanse of forests. My axe sits at my hand; it's worn and smooth from years of use. The logs of wood I had carved sit there and I take one placing it on top of a chopped tree.I move the axe over my head, the muscles in my arm tightening as I move it down. The sound of wood splintering shatters the quiet, the vibrations running up my arm a

    Huling Na-update : 2025-02-23
  • Mine To Claim   ch.26

    Maya's povThe monitor flatlines. “I'm starting compressions.”My hands find their way to his chest, each push a desperate attempt to pull him back. “Push epinephrine,” I scream, not letting another person die at my hand.The nurse injects, but still nothing. “Shock him now!”My heart pounds, adrenaline pulsing through my body. The paddles go over his chest, minutes stretching but still nothing.“He's flatlined,” someone murmurs. No. No. No.“No, we have to save him, it's our job,” I mutter, my words tangling in my throat. I climb on top of him ready for another round of compressions.“Call it,” the chief says from the doorway. I won't stop. “Dr. Sanchez,” he calls, making me stop. The weight of failure presses down on my ribs as I rip the gloves off my fingers.“Time of death. Five forty-two.”I storm out of the room, my vision blurry. “Hey, you couldn't have done anything,” Benta says.I barely glance at her as I maneuver through the bodies of injured people. The smell of antise

    Huling Na-update : 2025-02-24
  • Mine To Claim   ch.27

    Cassian's povI hear shuffling around before she finally speaks. “I'm done, you can go soldier somewhere else.”I turn around and she wears tiny bum shorts and an oversized blue shirt that hangs loosely on one shoulder. She looks like she stepped off a Sunday lazy morning but her legs — long and toned make up for it. My pulse quickens as I open the door. Even like this she still manages to take my breath away. “After you.”She walks ahead, her ass swaying in the process. I don't know if she does it intentionally but she is damn giving me a boner.We enter the kitchen and she puts a plate of cereal in a bowl and takes a seat on one of the barstools. “Don't tell me you're going to watch me eat?” She asks taking the spoon to her mouth.“Yes.”She rolls her eyes digging through the cereal. I watch her silently as some of the milk smudges over her lips. My thumb aches to wipe it off but I hesitate. “What?”She asks, glaring at me.I move towards her, wiping the smudge in time as her to

    Huling Na-update : 2025-02-24
  • Mine To Claim   ch.28

    Maya's pov“We're leaving for New York go pack your things,” he says. “Something small, it's only three days,” he continues.I blink. “No. Why? “He stops to glare at me.“Don't make me drag you to the jet. You have ten minutes to be in the car.”I sigh, sharp on my heels back to my room.I shove my things inside the suitcase not bothering to fold them. Of course I don't have a say in this, I'm being hauled to a new city and my opinion doesn't matter. It never does. The drive is silent broken by the occasional tap of Cassian's fingers on the screen. Every time I try to ask a question he dismisses it like I'm some sort of inconvenience. Like I don't deserve to have a say in all of this.The private airport stretches across a secluded expanse of land, its runway a sleek strip of asphalt illuminated by evenly spaced blue and white lights. A towering chain-link fence, topped with razor wire, surrounds the perimeter, with security cameras perched at every corner. The main terminal is a sle

    Huling Na-update : 2025-02-24
  • Mine To Claim   ch.29

    Maya's povThe elevator doors glide open and my breath catches. “How much money do you have?” I ask, looking around.The penthouse is vast, stretching out before me in a seamless flow of marble, glass, and soft, golden light. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the city skyline, the twinkling lights of New York spread out like a glittering ocean.The living room is a masterpiece of modern elegance—plush, cream-colored sofas arranged around a sleek, black marble fireplace, a glass coffee table holding nothing but a single crystal vase with fresh white orchids. A sculptural chandelier dangles from the impossibly high ceiling, casting a soft glow over the room. The air smells faintly of expensive leather and something floral, subtle but intoxicating.“Alot,” he finally answers, loosening his tie, and if this extravagance isn't enough he speaks. “Go freshen up, we have been invited to a gala.”I freeze mid-step.“What?”“Is this going to be like last time?”“No,” he says smoothly. “This time

    Huling Na-update : 2025-02-25
  • Mine To Claim   ch.30

    Cassian's povTime stops and all I see are Maya's lips, soft — shimmering against the overhead lights. I lick mine, my throat becoming dry with each second. God.She blinks rapidly moving away. “Sorry,” she mumbles, straightening her dress. “It's fine we should get going.”She nods, taking out a piece of cloth from her bag, running it over her face. The ride to the ballroom was short. My hand finds hers squeezing it just a little bit as the security guards run the metal detector over us. She forces a smile, her eyes distant as we make it inside.The grand ballroom gleams under the glow of chandeliers, their crystal pendants scattering light across the polished marble floor but all I can see is how the green dress clings to Maya's frame. It's dangerous and distracting. Gilded columns rise toward a ceiling adorned with intricate frescoes, while velvet drapes frame towering windows, revealing the city lights beyond.The air hums with laughter and conversation, punctuated by the clinking

    Huling Na-update : 2025-02-25
  • Mine To Claim   ch.31

    Cassian's povMaya blinks rapidly, her hand going to her head. “What did you just do?” She asks the words slurring a bit. The world swims out of focus as she tries to steady herself.She tries to move away from me but she trips over her legs. My hands go below her legs scooping her up to my chest. Her fingers dig at my jacket as if she's trying to fight me even in this state.“Stop fighting it,” I mutter. She shakes her head as she tries to speak. “It will be okay,” I add as her eyes screw shut.My hands firm on her body, I start moving towards the building. “Sir you can't be in here,” a guard says stopping me.“I just need somewhere to place her, she took too many glasses and passed out.”I force a smile as he looks around. “You can place her in that room,” he says pointing to a door marked thirty-three. “Only for a few minutes,” he adds.“That's all the time I need,” I say as he lets us through. The door creaks open to a dimly lit room, the air thick with the smell of liquor and Cu

    Huling Na-update : 2025-02-26

Pinakabagong kabanata

  • Mine To Claim   Ch.50

    My heart pounds in my ears as I check the clock. Five-forty-two. This surgery shouldn't take longer than twelve hours — it's a routine procedure. I adjust the magnifying glass over my eyes, my hands shaking slightly. This has to be perfect, there is no margin for error. Leo follows my movements closely, his presence a bitter reminder of what lies at stake. I lower the operating microscope looking at the tumour.I make the first incision — a millimeter-wide opening through the pars plana, the safest entry point. The vitrector hums as I remove the vitreous humor, clearing my view.“There it is,” I murmur. The tumor is vascular — too many blood vessels weaving through it.The lights bounce off the surgical items as I take the micro-scissors trying to separate them from the blood vessels. Bit by bit I excise the tumour, the tension in the room palpable as Leo watches with unwavering eyes.Halfway through. A vessel bursts.Damn it.“Where's all this blood coming from?” “Do something,” h

  • Mine To Claim   Ch.49

    Cassian's povI pick my shirt back up and take the envelope. I stop by where she stands but she won't look at me. I hold her chin, forcing her to do it.“You're too good for me,” I whisper my eyes trailing her face. “I don't want to be,” she says, her lips partly open. Maya is like a drug every time you have a little you just want more and right now I want her in a way that's not holy. “You should,” I force myself to say but my body is betraying me.My hand cups her cheeks, my body pressed against hers. Heat crawls to my groin and I just want to push her against the wall and have a piece of her.“Why?” She asks, looking completely innocent.“Because you find out every day that I'm terrible and that's not even the worst of it.”She sucks in a breath, tears brimming her eyes. “Is that why you won't let me near you?”The inches between us decrease and our breaths start to mingle. My throat goes dry, my lips itching for her taste.“Yes.”“But you will let Roxanne,” she counters.“She is

  • Mine To Claim   Ch.48

    Maya's povI flip the envelope in my hand ready to open it just to piss him off. He just keeps on getting worse and if that's not enough he even sends Holden after a girl.How could he?My fingers slide under the seal tearing the top off not caring about the consequences. The paper rustles as I take it out of the envelope. Names of people are boldly written in black and the first three are marked off with a big red line.A wave of nausea hits me as I look at the photos. A woman smiles boldly in all the photos, one going to work, school another one with her kids —Is he having her followed?My eyes travel to the first paper and I recognize the name. Oscar Wright. The man he drugged me to kill.As if he couldn't get any worse I'm proved wrong. He is going around killing people, the papers slide from my lap flowing to the floor just as the door flies open.My heart lurches to my throat, my throat coming out in slow gasps. He stands there, his wide eyes mirroring mine. “Maya,” he calls p

  • Mine To Claim   Ch.47

    Cassian's povHer eyes darken, her breathing coming out in short, ragged gasps as she tries to come down from the high. She buttons her shirt with practiced ease fixing her brassiere. She smooths down her skirt, a satisfied grin curling on her lips. The dim office light flickers casting shadows over the desk we just sprawled over. She takes a step back her legs wobbling slightly, but she recovers slightly like someone who has done this a million times.“You really know what you're doing.”I zip up my pants, my movements swift, detached. Grabbing a wipe, I clean my hands but the sensation of her touch lingers — the way her hips bucked when my fingers digged into them, her breath hot against my ear.“Did you need anything else?” I ask, barely meeting her eyes.She clears her throat. “Uh no, I got what I wanted,” she says, opening the door. “For now.”The words make my skin crawl. Having sex with her is like giving a child candy every time they cry — they always throw tantrums to get mor

  • Mine To Claim   Ch.46

    Maya's pov“Are you still mad at me?” I ask stepping in front of Holden blocking his view from the screen. He doesn't move but shifts his grip on the controller his knuckles whitening.The bluish glow from the TV flickers across his face, highlighting the angle of his jaw. His doe eyes flick up to meet mine, but his expression is unreadable.“I'm not mad at you,” he says but his tone says otherwise. I jump next to him. “Yes you are, you have barely talked to me.”“You want me to talk to you?”I look away. “Yeah, you're my friend.”I look back just in time to see him smile. “Well, you don't act like I'm your friend.”My stomach churns. “I told you, I can't tell you what's wrong with Cassian,” I mumble, touching his thigh. “But I can tell you, I'm taking care of him and I won't let anything happen to him.”Something crosses his face. “Cool.”Silence takes over and the tension is suffocating. “Do you want me to teach you how to play?”I light up. “Yeah.”He takes another game controller

  • Mine To Claim   Ch.45

    Cassian's pov“What's this I'm hearing about seducing Don Meyos daughter?” Holden asks a bored look on his face.I compose myself, but the nagging feeling of Maya leaving won't stop gnawing at me. I knew she wasn't going to stay forever so why am I feeling like I'm losing something more?“They appointed Roxanne as the new board member instead of her.”He nods. “And this concerns me how?”“We need to know why.”“I thought you liked her,” he says, raising a brow at me. “Hence taking her from Mexico to here.”“I was doing that to stop the Moretti's drug operation,” I answer. “And I did, but Don Hurio brought her here for some unknown reason.”“So you don't want her on the board.”I huff. “Yes.”“Because?”“There is something suspicious about it all," I answered taking a seat on the chair.He walks out and I let out a breath. I don't know if he believed me but that's all I have for now. I take the papers from the safe, going through them one by one. If there's something to know about the

  • Mine To Claim   Ch.44

    Maya's pov“What's wrong with you, this is good news?” I ask, he barely meets my eyes as he speaks.“Nothing, I just need to be alone for now,” he says, his voice barely audible.“Okay.” I take the papers leaving his room. Holden leans outside his door, his hands in his pocket. I swallow the lump in my throat, the guilt of slamming the door on him the other day resurfacing.“Uh, hi,” I mumble.He forces a smile. “Hey.”“Uhm I'm going back to the hospital.”He nods getting inside the room. I place the papers in my room running down the stairs.“Maya, where are you going?” Dimitri asks as I put on my jacket.“To the hospital.”He looks at his watch. “At this hour?”I stop narrowing my eyes at him. “Yeah, do you have a problem?”He sighs, picking up the car keys. “No.”I walk in front of him taking a seat at the back. The hum of the engine fills the silence, low and steady but my mind is still hung up on Cassian's behavior.Was he not pleased by the news? Dimitri clutches the steering w

  • Mine To Claim   Ch.43

    Cassian's pov“Sir ma'am Maya is not cooperating,” Dimitri complains, his face set in a frown.“She won't let me teach or let me anywhere near her,” he adds. I place my leg over the other slumping on the chair.“So you have come to tell me you're failing at your job,” I mumble. He remains stoic but I see the slight twitch in his jaw.“No sir, I just came —”I cut him off. “I don't care what you do or how you do it. Not a single hair on her head should be touched.”His lips form a thin line. ”But she won't.”“I don't care, like right now she is at the hospital and you're here,” I mumble checking my watch. The red dot has been there for three hours.“That only shows me how incompetent you are, leave my office before I do something I will regret.”He runs out and I hope he is going to the hospital because if anything happens to Maya I will slaughter him alive. Someone knocks on the door and I groan.“Who is it?” I ask.“It's Leo sir, may I come in.”“Yes.”He steps in, his silhouette sha

  • Mine To Claim   Ch.42

    Maya's povI finish sterilizing the surgical area and arranging the tools. After some hours of preparation and long tutorials on how to do it, I finally felt confident enough to go and ask him if I could poke into his eye with a giant needle.I trudge to his office thinking of ways to convince him when I very well know this shouldn't even be this difficult.A strong scented perfume lingers around his office and just when I'm about to knock the door swings open.Roxanne steps out with a wide grin on her face. She looks at me skeptically, pulling her bag to her elbow. “Evening Maya,” she says brushing past me.Cassian appears behind her and I freeze. She is back. “What do you want?” Cassian asks, looking to where Roxanne just walked past.“To do a Biopsy.”“Can it wait?”“Can your blindness wait?”He rolls his eyes. “Let's go.”“Have you eaten anything?” I ask as I scrub myself.“Not since last night.”I put on my mask standing next to him.“What is a Biopsy?”“It's a test to determine

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