Carmela sat in the back of a cab, her fingers trembling slightly as she pressed them against her temples. The weight of the confrontation with Damion still clung to her like an iron chain, dragging her down.She had told him she didn’t know if she could keep doing this.And he had walked away.Again. Without giving her a reply. The worst part was that she didn’t even know if she wanted him to chase after her.Would it have changed anything?Would it have made him love her?She let out a slow breath, leaning her head against the cool window.Lucas had tried to convince her to stay with him longer, but she had refused. She didn’t want to be his problem. He had been kind—understanding—but there was a tension in his eyes that told her what she already suspected.He had feelings for her. And that only made things more complicated. Her phone buzzed in her lap. Lily.Lily: Where the hell are you?Carmela exhaled.Carmela: On my way home.A second later—Lily: Home? As in the estate?Carmela
Lily’s apartment was a stark contrast to the suffocating tension of Blackwood Estate. The space was small but cozy, with soft lighting and the scent of lavender drifting from a nearby candle.Carmela sat curled up on the couch, a warm blanket draped over her lap, but no matter how much she tried to relax, her mind refused to settle.Everything from earlier replayed in her head.Damion’s fury. His accusations. The way he had walked away, leaving her standing there, feeling small.Her father’s betrayal.Her own heartache.“You’re thinking too much.”Lily’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.Carmela looked up to see her friend standing by the kitchen, two mugs in her hands.“I brought tea,” Lily said, walking over. “Because you look like you’re about to spiral, and honestly? I don’t have the energy to drag you out of it.”Carmela let out a weak chuckle, accepting the mug. “Thanks.”Lily sat beside her, tucking her legs under herself. “So, are we gonna talk about what happened?”Carme
The city lights blurred past as Damion sat in the back seat of his car, his fingers drumming against the leather armrest. His mind was a whirlwind—Carmela’s broken expression haunted him, no matter how much he tried to push it away.He hadn’t meant to hurt her.But she had been with Lucas.The image of Lucas tucking her hair behind her ear burned in his memory, igniting a raw, unfamiliar anger deep in his chest. She had gone to him—not to Damion. And that fact twisted inside him like a knife.“Sir?”Victor’s voice cut through his thoughts. His assistant sat across from him, his laptop open and glowing faintly in the dim interior.“What is it?” Damion’s voice was clipped, colder than usual.Victor hesitated before sliding a tablet across to him. “The financial reports you requested. There are… irregularities.”Damion’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the screen. For a few moments, the only sound was the quiet hum of the car.“Elena,” he murmured, the pieces falling into place.Victor nodde
Carmela sat at a small café tucked away from the city’s chaos, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. The café was warm, the scent of freshly brewed espresso lingering in the air. She had asked Lucas to meet her here—it was time to clear the air between them.The bell above the door jingled softly as Lucas entered, his tall frame filling the entrance. His sharp eyes scanned the room before they landed on her. For a moment, his face softened.He walked toward her table, dressed in a casual navy jacket and dark jeans, yet still carrying that same air of quiet confidence. He slid into the seat across from her, his gaze never leaving her face.“I wasn’t sure you’d call,” Lucas said, a faint smile playing on his lips.Carmela exhaled quietly. “I didn’t want to leave things the way they were.”Lucas leaned back in his chair, stretching one arm along the backrest. “And how exactly are things, Carmela?” His tone was light, but there was a weight behind his words.She hesitated, choosing her next
For a moment, Carmela couldn’t breathe. Should couldn’t believe the word he had just said. The weight of Damion’s words hung heavy in the air between them—simple, raw, and so unlike the cold man she had grown used to.“Because you matter to me.”Her heart raced, thudding painfully against her ribs. She had dreamed of hearing those words—craved them in the quiet moments when she felt invisible beside him. And yet now, sitting across from him in a softly lit private dining room, she didn’t know what to do with them.“What does that even mean, Damion?” she asked softly, her voice trembling despite herself.Damion leaned back slightly, his eyes never leaving hers. For once, the usual cold detachment in his gaze was gone, replaced by something softer—something she couldn’t quite name.“It means…” He exhaled quietly, as if searching for the right words. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”Carmela swallowed the lump rising in her throat. “That doesn’t answer my question.”His lips curled int
Carmela woke to the soft glow of early morning light filtering through the curtains, painting delicate gold streaks across the plush bedroom. For a fleeting moment, everything felt calm. Peaceful. As if the weight of the last few days hadn’t happened.But reality settled in quickly, like a heavy stone pressing against her chest.The dinner. Damion’s apology. His words still echoed in her mind.“I do want you to fight for me.”But how long could she keep fighting for a man who still seemed to be fighting against himself?With a sigh, she pushed the blankets aside and slipped out of bed, her bare feet brushing against the cool floor. She padded toward the bathroom, trying to push away the ache curling in her stomach.By the time she emerged—hair damp and skin warm from the shower—her thoughts were still a tangled mess. She needed clarity, space to think, but Blackwood Estate was a constant reminder of everything unresolved between them.She needed to get out.Grabbing a pair of jeans an
The black SUV crept along the deserted road under the cover of night. The forest surrounding the hidden estate was dense, moonlight barely filtering through the canopy. Adrian sat in the backseat, his face expressionless, but beneath the calm façade, his blood simmered.He had waited for this moment for years.Tonight, he would finally face the woman who had tried to kill him.The faint click of a gun echoed through the vehicle as one of his men, Marcus, checked his weapon. “You sure you want to do this alone?” he asked, his voice low and steady.Adrian’s lips curved into a cold smile. “I don’t need anyone holding my hand, Marcus.”Marcus hesitated, the tension thick between them. “If she did what you say she did, she won’t hesitate to finish the job.”“I’m counting on that,” Adrian murmured, his eyes gleaming with a dark promise.Without another word, he slipped out of the car, his movements soundless against the gravel path. The estate loomed ahead—a secluded fortress with high wall
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
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