Carmela’s heart pounded as she stared at Damion, his hand still firm on her waist. The loud bass of the music vibrated through the air, but all she could focus on was the storm brewing in his gray eyes.Without hesitation, she pushed his hands off her, stepping back with a glare. “What the hell are you doing here?”Damion smirked, his head tilting slightly. “Isn’t it obvious?”“No, it’s not,” she snapped, crossing her arms. “And why were you grabbing me?”His gaze flickered down to her waist before meeting her eyes again. “You looked lost.”Carmela scoffed. “I was not lost. And that doesn’t answer my question.”Damion leaned in slightly, his voice low. “A better question would be—aren’t you happy to see me?”She let out a short laugh, shaking her head. “Not even remotely.”Without waiting for a response, she turned toward the bar and grabbed the drink the bartender had just placed in front of her. Before she could take a sip, Damion’s hand shot out, stopping her.His grip was gentle b
The mansion was eerily quiet after Leonard left, leaving Damion standing in the dimly lit bedroom, watching over the woman sleeping soundly in his bed.Carmela’s face was peaceful, her chest rising and falling with each steady breath. The only indication of her earlier ordeal was the slight furrow in her brows, as if even in sleep, she was uneasy.Damion exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face. Tonight had shaken him more than he cared to admit. Someone had drugged her drink. Someone had targeted her.And it made his blood boil.But before he could process anything further, Carmela stirred.Her lashes fluttered as she shifted, her breathing turning uneven. Then, without warning, she jolted up, her hand flying to her mouth.Damion immediately tensed.Carmela barely registered where she was before she stumbled off the bed, rushing toward the bathroom.It took Damion less than a second to react. He was already behind her, following as she pushed the bathroom door open and dropped t
Carmela slammed the bathroom door shut behind her, pressing her back against it as she tried to calm her racing heart.Her face was burning, and her fingers still tingled from touching Damion’s skin.She groaned, covering her face with both hands. What the hell was I thinking?She had woken up beside him. In his bed.And she had been touching his face like some love-struck fool.The worst part? He caught her.His teasing voice still rang in her ears. Enjoying the view?Carmela clenched her fists. “I swear I’ll kill him,” she muttered to herself, though she knew full well that she was more embarrassed than angry.Taking a deep breath, she turned toward the sink, splashing cold water on her face.Focus.She wasn’t supposed to be here. She wasn’t supposed to still be in this house.And yet, she had fallen asleep in his bed, again.How did things keep spiraling out of her control?A soft knock on the door made her tense.“Are you planning to stay in there forever?” Damion’s amused voice d
Carmela sat on the edge of the bed, gripping her phone tightly. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the message.Come get me.She hesitated, glancing toward the bedroom door. Damion had made it clear—she wasn’t allowed to leave. But she wasn’t his prisoner. She wouldn’t be.Before she could second-guess herself, she hit send.A moment later, the screen lit up.Lucas: On my way. Stay where you are.Relief flooded her.She quickly grabbed a hoodie from the closet and slipped it over her head. If she could just sneak out before anyone noticed—A knock at the door made her freeze.“Carmela.” Damion’s deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.She turned, swallowing hard. “What?”There was a pause before he spoke again. “I’ll be out for a few hours. Stay inside.”Her fingers curled into fists. “You don’t control me, Damion.”Silence. Then, in a lower voice, he said, “Don’t do anything stupid.”Her pulse spiked. Did he know?The sound of his foo
Carmela stood frozen by the window, her breath shallow as she watched the two men below.Damion. Lucas.Both waiting. Both watching.And both expecting her to choose.Her heart pounded against her ribs as her fingers gripped the windowsill.Lucas had come for her. He had answered her text without hesitation. And yet, now that he was here, standing his ground against Damion, a sick feeling churned in her stomach.She had started this.And she had no idea how to end it.Steeling herself, she turned away from the window, inhaling deeply before walking toward the bedroom door.One step at a time.Her legs felt like lead as she descended the grand staircase, her hands balled into fists at her sides.With every step, her mind screamed at her to stop.But her feet kept moving.By the time she reached the front door, her entire body was trembling.She pushed it open.The crisp evening air hit her immediately, cooling the sweat forming on her skin.Lucas and Damion both turned their heads at t
The silence inside the mansion was suffocating.Carmela had barely stepped through the front door when she heard the heavy click of it locking behind her.She didn’t need to turn around to know Damion was standing close, his presence like a shadow pressing against her.The tension between them was thick, electric.She had chosen to stay.Yet, she could feel the storm brewing behind Damion’s gaze.Taking a slow breath, she forced herself to move forward, but before she could take another step—“Why did you text him?”His voice was calm. Too calm.Carmela turned slowly, meeting his piercing gray eyes.There was no warmth in them, only cold calculation.She swallowed hard. “What?”Damion took a step closer. “You heard me.”She clenched her fingers into fists. “I—”But before she could even come up with an excuse, he was already stepping closer, his tall frame looming over her.“You wanted to leave,” he murmured, his voice lower now. “You called Lucas because you thought I’d never let you
Carmela stood in the center of the grand bedroom, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she stared at Damion in defiance.“You’re insane if you think I’m moving back here,” she stated firmly.Damion exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose before leveling her with a glare. “You don’t have a choice.”Carmela scoffed, throwing her hands up. “Oh, I don’t have a choice? Right, because you’re the almighty Damion Blackwood, and I’m just supposed to nod my head and obey.”Damion’s jaw ticked. “This isn’t about control, Carmela. It’s about survival.”She took a step closer, meeting his cold stare. “Whose survival? Because last time I checked, I’m not the one who has enemies.”Damion clenched his fists, his patience thinning. “You think my enemies won’t use you to get to me?” His voice was low, deadly.Carmela stiffened slightly but kept her expression unreadable.“I can take care of myself,” she muttered, though even she didn’t fully believe it.Damion let out a bitter chuckle, his g
Carmela had woken up to pain. She had slept over at Lily’s apartment so that the next day, she would return back to Damion’s with her luggages. A dull, twisting ache in her lower abdomen. At first, she had dismissed it, assuming it was the lingering aftereffects of the night at the bar. But then she saw the blood.Dark red stains on the sheets.Her heart had stopped.For a moment, she just stared, her mind refusing to process what she was seeing.Then, a sharp wave of panic crashed over her.“Lily!” Her voice came out hoarse, almost desperate.Within seconds, Lily burst into the room, her hair a mess, her eyes still heavy with sleep. “What? What’s wrong?”Carmela couldn’t speak. She just lifted the blanket slightly, exposing the stained sheets.Lily’s breath hitched.Then—“Get up. Now.”Carmela barely registered Lily throwing a coat over her before they rushed out of the house. The drive to the hospital was a blur of panic and dread.She didn’t even realize she was crying until she
Elena adjusted the silk robe around her as she made her way down the stairs, still groggy from barely sleeping the night before. The moment she reached the bottom, a knock sounded at the door.Her heart skipped.She hadn’t been expecting anyone.Swallowing the nerves threatening to creep in, she smoothed a hand over her hair before unlocking the door.And there he was.Damion Blackwood.Dressed in a crisp black coat, hands shoved into his pockets, his cold gray eyes locked onto her with that unreadable expression she had always hated.“Damion,” she greeted, quickly masking her unease with a smile. “What a surprise.”His gaze flickered over her appearance before meeting her eyes again. “Heard the news. Thought I’d check in.”Elena blinked. “News?”Damion studied her reaction for a moment. “Didn’t you hear? A man went missing last night.”Elena’s blood ran cold.Damion tilted his head. “Turns out, he was last seen here.”Her breath caught. She wasn’t going to show any sign of weakness.
The silence in Elena’s house was suffocating.She sat on the edge of her bed, her hands clasped so tightly in her lap that her knuckles turned white. The events of the night replayed in her head like a broken record—the sickening thud of his body hitting the glass table, the pool of blood spreading across her floor, Lucas’s firm grip on her wrist as he told her to calm the hell down.Her stomach twisted.It was done.The body was buried.And yet, the feeling of dread hadn’t left her.She reached for the wine glass on her bedside table, her fingers trembling as she brought it to her lips. The alcohol burned her throat, but it did little to soothe the panic clawing at her insides.A sudden vibration jolted her, making her nearly drop the glass.Her phone.She grabbed it quickly, her heart racing when she saw the name on the screen.Lucas.Her thumb hovered over the answer button for a second before she finally swiped. “Hello?”“You still panicking?”His voice was calm, smooth—as if they
Lucas’s car screeched to a halt outside Elena’s house. Rushing quickly. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel as he exhaled sharply, trying to steady his thoughts.Elena had sounded frantic on the phone—terrified in a way he had never heard before. And that alone unsettled him.He had known Elena for years. She was cunning, manipulative, and never the type to lose her composure.For her to be this panicked… something had gone terribly wrong. Really wrong. Shoving open the door, he strode toward the entrance, barely knocking before pushing inside.The house was eerily silent.Then—“Lucas.”Her voice was barely a whisper.His gaze snapped to the living room, where she stood frozen, her face pale.And at her feet—Blood.His breath hitched for half a second before his eyes trailed to the man lying motionless on the shattered remains of the coffee table.He moved before his thoughts could catch up, kneeling beside the body and pressing two fingers to the man’s neck.Nothing.
Flashback – One Year AgoThe city skyline stretched endlessly in front of him, neon lights blinking against the dark canvas of the night. Lucas leaned against the balcony railing of the upscale lounge, his sharp eyes scanning the bustling crowd below.He had just returned to the city after years abroad, building his own fortune in silence, away from the suffocating expectations that came with his last name.He had no plans of getting tangled in old affairs.But then—“Elena.”She turned at the sound of her name, her red lips curling into a knowing smile the moment she saw him.“Well, well,” she purred, stepping closer. “Look who decided to crawl back.”Lucas chuckled, swirling the whiskey in his glass before taking a slow sip. “Miss me?”Elena tilted her head, her dark eyes glittering with mischief. “Should I have?”He smirked. “Depends.”She hummed, stepping beside him, resting her arms against the railing. “It’s been years, Lucas. I assumed you disappeared for good.”Lucas exhaled,
The estate was quiet when Carmela stepped inside, the grand foyer dimly lit by the soft glow of the chandelier above. The silence was a stark contrast to the storm inside her mind.She had spent the entire car ride thinking about Damion—about the way his voice had sounded over the phone, about the way he had left the restaurant so abruptly.Even now, she wasn’t sure if she had made a mistake by returning back home and obeying Damion’s wishes when asked her to come home.But then her eyes landed on him.Damion stood by the bar in the living area, pouring himself a drink, his broad shoulders tense. He had already changed out of his suit jacket, his white shirt slightly unbuttoned at the collar, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms.The sight of him stole her breath for a moment.He turned when he heard her footsteps, his gaze locking onto hers instantly.“You’re back,” he said, setting the glass down.“You are too,” she countered, her voice softer than she intended.He watched her clos
The tension still clung to Damion like a second skin as he stepped out of Adrian’s penthouse. The night air was crisp, but it did nothing to cool the simmering rage beneath his calm exterior.Adrian was playing a game—one he wasn’t fully revealing yet. And that unsettled Damion more than anything.Sliding into the backseat of his black Mercedes, he exhaled sharply before glancing at his driver. “Home,” he ordered.The car smoothly pulled away from the curb, the city lights casting fleeting reflections across the tinted windows. Damion loosened his tie slightly, his fingers brushing over his temple as he tried to piece together his brother’s true intentions.Adrian hadn’t denied anything. But he also hadn’t given him a straight answer.That meant he was waiting for something.And Damion had a feeling whatever it was—he wouldn’t like it.Meanwhile at a long distance in the night air, Carmela sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the untouched plate of food Lily had brought her earlier.
The soft clink of silverware against porcelain filled the intimate space of the restaurant. Candlelight flickered between them, casting a warm glow over their meal. For the first time in what felt like forever, Carmela felt a strange sense of normalcy—like they were just any other couple enjoying dinner together.But that illusion shattered when Damion’s phone buzzed against the table.His entire demeanor shifted.Carmela watched as he reached for the device, his expression unreadable as he glanced at the caller ID. Without a word, he answered, bringing the phone to his ear.“Speak.”The voice on the other end was muffled, but Carmela could hear the urgency in the tone. Damion’s jaw clenched slightly.“When?” he asked, his voice quieter now, but colder.A pause.“And he just left?”Carmela frowned, setting down her fork. The look on Damion’s face made it urgent. What was happening this time around?Another long silence stretched between them before Damion let out a slow breath, his fi
End of FlashBackThe echoes of the past refused to fade.After the door had clicked shut behind Adrian, the old woman—Blackwood matriarch and queen of a crumbling empire—remained frozen in her bed. Her thin fingers trembled as they clutched the silk sheets, her heart pounding so violently she thought it might tear through her chest.He was alive.And worse—he wanted the key.The very thing that had ignited this blood feud between her grandsons.For years, she had convinced herself that what she did was necessary. That she had saved the Blackwood name from Adrian’s recklessness. But tonight, as the shadow of her past stepped back into her world, she realized the truth.She had created a monster.And now, it was coming for her.Her hands shook as she reached for the burner phone hidden beneath her bedside table. With effort, she steadied herself, breathing through the cold panic clawing at her throat.The line rang once—twice—before a voice answered. Deep and professional. “Madam?”“He
The room was cold. Even with the heavy silk sheets pulled around her fragile frame, the chill settled deep into her bones. But it wasn’t the night air that made her tremble—it was the memory. The ghosts of her choices haunted her every waking moment.And now Adrian was back.Alive.Her heart pounded in her chest, a painful reminder that the past could never be buried. Not fully. Not when blood had been spilled to keep the Blackwood empire intact.She leaned back against the headboard, closing her eyes, and for a moment—just a moment—she allowed herself to return to where it all began.The day their father died. Her own son. Fifteen Years AgoThe Blackwood patriarch had been a cruel man. Powerful. Merciless. And utterly obsessed with legacy.When news of his death broke, the boardroom of Blackwood Enterprises became a battlefield.And at the center of it all stood Adrian.He was the eldest—by only a year—but the difference between him and Damion could not have been greater. Where Dami