The cold night air hit Damion’s face like a slap as he stepped out of the hospital’s private exit. The ache in his ribs and the throbbing in his head were constant reminders that he should still be in bed, recovering from the explosion. But there was no time for that.Carmela was out there.And he was going to bring her home.Leonard followed closely behind, his arm still secured in a sling, his limp more noticeable than he probably wanted to admit. The man had taken just as much damage from the blast as Damion had, but there was no convincing him to stay behind.“This is reckless,” Leonard muttered as he pulled open the door to the waiting black SUV. “You’re barely patched up, and we don’t even have a solid lead yet.”Damion ignored the concern as he slid into the back seat. “We’ll have a lead soon.”Leonard climbed in beside him, sighing as he pulled out a tablet. The driver—one of Damion’s trusted men—closed the door and pulled away from the hospital, blending seamlessly into the q
The heavy clang of the warehouse doors echoed through the vast, empty space, sealing Damion and Leonard inside. The stale scent of oil, rust, and damp concrete filled the air, mingling with the quiet hum of distant waves crashing against the docks.Damion’s grip tightened on his gun, his every muscle tensing.They had walked straight into a trap.Leonard cursed under his breath, his injured arm cradled close to his chest. “This was too easy,” he muttered. “We should’ve seen it coming.”Damion’s jaw clenched. He had seen it coming.But he hadn’t had a choice.Carmela was here.Somewhere.And now, so was Adrian.A slow, deliberate clap echoed from the shadows. The sound of polished shoes clicking against the concrete followed, and then a familiar voice sliced through the darkness.“Brother,” Adrian drawled, stepping into the dim light.He looked every bit the refined devil he always had—dressed in a sleek black suit, his tie slightly loosened as if this was just another business meeting
Pain shot through Damion’s ribs like a searing knife, but he refused to show weakness. Lying on the cold concrete floor of the warehouse, he forced himself to breathe past the ache. The metallic taste of blood coated his tongue, but his focus wasn’t on himself.It was on her.Carmela.She was still bound, still struggling against the restraints that dug into her wrists, her muffled cries piercing through the thick tension in the room.Adrian stood above him, adjusting the cuffs of his pristine suit, looking completely unbothered by the violence surrounding him. His men loomed nearby, their presence a silent threat.“You know, brother,” Adrian sighed, crouching down beside him. “I almost admire your resilience. You should’ve stayed down the first time, but here you are—bleeding, gasping for air, still thinking you can win.”Damion spat blood onto the floor, his eyes burning with raw hatred. “I don’t think I can win.” His voice was hoarse but firm. “I know I will.”Adrian chuckled, shak
For a moment, everything was still. The gunshot echoed through the warehouse, deafening in the silence that followed.Carmela exhaled, thinking it was over. Damion had won. He was standing tall, his body unwavering, his gun still in his grip. Relief washed over her like a wave, a small, unbidden smile forming on her lips.Then—her world shattered.Her breath hitched when she saw it—the single drop of blood trailing from the corner of Damion’s mouth.His fingers twitched. His shoulders sagged slightly. His chest rose and fell, slower, heavier.Something was wrong.The relief on Carmela’s face melted into horror as her eyes dropped lower.A dark stain spread across his white dress shirt, blooming from his lower back. Blood. So much blood. It dripped down, pooling onto the cold concrete beneath him.Damion took a staggering step forward.His gun slipped from his fingers, clattering against the ground.Then—his knees buckled.Carmela’s body moved before her mind could process it. “No—NO!”
The hospital doors slammed open as a team of paramedics rushed inside, pushing Damion’s unconscious body on a stretcher. The bright, sterile lights reflected off the blood soaking his shirt, staining the once-pristine white sheets beneath him. Carmela ran beside them, her legs barely keeping up, her entire body trembling as she clutched his limp hand.“Please—please, help him,” she sobbed, her voice hoarse, desperate.A nurse tried to pull her back, but she refused to let go.“Ma’am, we need space to work—”“No!” Carmela shrieked, gripping Damion’s hand tighter. “I’m not leaving him!”Leonard arrived moments later, blood on his own clothes, though none of it was his. His usually composed expression was tight with fear, his phone pressed to his ear as he barked orders. “I want every entrance secured. No one gets in or out without my say-so. If Adrian or Elena show their faces, I want them restrained on sight.”The doctors barely acknowledged the chaos around them as they wheeled Damion
Carmela sat in the cold hospital chair, her fingers curled into the fabric of her dress, her body trembling as she waited. The metallic scent of blood clung to her skin, mixing with the sterile hospital air, but she barely noticed. Her ears were ringing, her heart hammering so hard it hurt.Leonard paced nearby, his hands shoved into his pockets, his face unreadable, though the tension in his shoulders was impossible to miss. He had made calls, given orders, arranged security, but none of it mattered now. They were just waiting.Waiting for the doctor to come out of the operating room.Waiting for news.The double doors at the end of the hallway swung open, and a doctor stepped out. His expression was unreadable, his scrubs stained with blood.Carmela surged to her feet instantly. “Is he—?” Her voice cracked before she could finish the sentence.The doctor’s hesitation was like a knife to the chest.Leonard stepped forward, his body tense. “Tell us.”The doctor exhaled heavily, pullin
Carmela sat motionless in the cold, sterile hospital waiting room, her fingers twisting the fabric of her bloodstained dress. The world around her had lost its color, reduced to dull shades of white and gray, as if reality itself had dimmed with Damion’s absence. The sounds of nurses moving in the distance, the beeping of machines, the faint murmur of conversations—it all felt distant.Like she wasn’t really there.Like none of this was real.The only thing grounding her was the ache in her chest, a deep, unbearable pain that made every breath feel like a punishment.Damion was gone.Dead.The words echoed in her mind, over and over, refusing to settle, refusing to make sense.Then, a rush of footsteps broke through the fog.Before she could react, arms wrapped around her. The familiar scent of vanilla and jasmine filled her nose as Lily clutched her tightly, her body trembling.“Carmela!” Lily’s voice cracked as she pulled back just enough to look at her face. “Oh my God—I came as fa
FLASHBACK - A Death That Was Never RealThe night before everything fell apart, before the gunshot, before Carmela’s world shattered, Damion sat in his private study, gripping his phone tightly. The dim glow of the desk lamp illuminated his sharp features, casting long shadows across the room. His expression was unreadable, but his mind was set.He pressed the call button.The phone rang twice before a voice answered.“Damion?”Lucas’s voice was steady, but Damion could hear the underlying concern.“We’re going through with it,” Damion said, his tone unwavering.Silence.Then, a slow exhale. “You’re sure about this?”Damion leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. “I have no choice, Lucas. Adrian and Elena have been circling like vultures for too long. If I let my guard down now, they’ll tear everything apart—including Carmela.”Lucas hesitated. “And you think faking your death is the only way?”“It’s the best way,” Damion corrected. “Adrian is too careful. As long a
Isabelle’s POV The morning sunlight streamed through the office windows, casting a golden glow over my desk. But the warmth of the day couldn’t chase away the chill settling in my chest. The past few weeks had felt like walking a tightrope, with secrets and lies swirling just beneath my feet. Every step forward felt shaky, every move potentially catastrophic. And now this. The anonymous message had arrived in the middle of the night, a single line of text from an untraceable number: “Kaia and Walter are closer than you think. Be careful.” I’d read it a dozen times, each repetition driving the meaning deeper into my mind. Kaia and Walter. Together. It wasn’t impossible. They were both manipulative, both willing to do whatever it took to get what they wanted. But working together? That changed everything. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the screen of my phone, the message still open. My instincts screamed that this wasn’t just some baseless rumor. There was int
Kaia’s POV Walter Ryder’s office was as intimidating as the man himself. The rich mahogany desk, the cold steel accents, the sharp angles of the furniture—it all screamed power and control. It was a room designed to make you feel small. But I wouldn’t let him see me flinch. I walked in, heels clicking against the polished floor, my head held high. Walter stood by the window, his back to me, staring out at the sprawling city skyline. “Kaia,” he said, his voice cold and measured. “I hope you have better news this time.” I took a breath, steadying myself. “The situation is under control.” He turned, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. “Is it? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like Damion is unraveling, Isabelle is still in the picture, and your little stunt with the boy has only made things worse.” I swallowed hard, refusing to let his words rattle me. “It was a temporary misstep. Damion will come back to me. He always does.” Walter’s laugh was dry, almost mocki
Kaia’s POV Walter Ryder’s office was as intimidating as the man himself. The rich mahogany desk, the cold steel accents, the sharp angles of the furniture—it all screamed power and control. It was a room designed to make you feel small. But I wouldn’t let him see me flinch. I walked in, heels clicking against the polished floor, my head held high. Walter stood by the window, his back to me, staring out at the sprawling city skyline. “Kaia,” he said, his voice cold and measured. “I hope you have better news this time.” I took a breath, steadying myself. “The situation is under control.” He turned, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. “Is it? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like Damion is unraveling, Isabelle is still in the picture, and your little stunt with the boy has only made things worse.” I swallowed hard, refusing to let his words rattle me. “It was a temporary misstep. Damion will come back to me. He always does.” Walter’s laugh was dry, almost mocki
Isabelle’s POV The kiss was a mistake. I knew it the moment it happened. But it didn’t stop me from leaning into it, from letting Damion’s hands cradle my face, from feeling that dangerous, magnetic pull he’d always had over me. It was reckless. Uncontrolled. Desperate. And then— “Isabelle?” The sound of Brian’s voice sliced through the air like a blade. I wrenched back from Damion, my breath catching as the heat between us shattered into a thousand pieces of cold, hard reality. Brian stood frozen in the doorway, his face pale, his eyes wide with shock and hurt. The papers he’d been holding slipped slightly in his hand, as if he’d forgotten he was even holding them. No. No, no, no. “Brian—” I started, scrambling to fix this, to explain— But he was already backing away, his expression hardening as he swallowed, forcing some calm into his voice. “I— I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll, uh…I’ll wait outside.” And just like that, he turned and disappeared from
Isabelle’s POV The flashing blue and red lights outside my home were almost blinding, their glow casting distorted shadows across the walls. The tension that had held me captive for days still lingered, but Nathan was finally safe. He was asleep upstairs, his tiny body curled up under the blankets where he belonged. Yet, the weight in my chest refused to lift. A uniformed officer stood in front of me, his expression calm but probing. I knew they wanted answers—real ones—but I wasn’t ready to give them. I had my answers. I just couldn’t say them out loud. Damion. “Ms. Everett,” the officer began gently, flipping through his notepad. “I understand this has been an overwhelming situation, but we need to be sure we’re closing this case properly. Are you certain there’s nothing else you’d like to report? No new suspicions about who took your son?” I felt Damion’s presence behind me, lingering by the doorway, tense and silent. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding so loud it
Kaia’s POV The plan was unraveling faster than I had anticipated. When Damion stormed out after returning the boy, I knew things had shifted. I felt it in the way his voice trembled when he’d confronted me. The guilt. The hesitation. He was slipping away. And it was her fault. Isabelle. Always so righteous, so defiant, making him question everything I had carefully constructed. I paced the length of my penthouse, the sound of my heels echoing off the marble floors. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city glittered beneath the night sky, a perfect illusion of peace. But inside? Everything felt like it was closing in. Damion was supposed to be mine. I had done everything. Stood by him when his life crumbled. Cleaned up the mess after Isabelle abandoned him. I had been patient, understanding, even when he had made it clear she was still haunting him. And now? She was back, unraveling him piece by piece. And Walter—Walter was only making it worse. The call
Isabelle’s POV The house felt unbearably quiet without Nathan. Every tick of the clock on the wall seemed louder, each second pressing down on me with suffocating weight. The walls felt closer, the air heavier, the silence almost mocking. I sat curled on the couch, staring blankly at the framed picture of Nathan on the mantel. His bright smile, the way his eyes sparkled with innocence and trust—it was too much. Tears blurred my vision, but I didn’t cry. I couldn’t. Crying meant giving in to the fear clawing at my chest. It meant accepting the nightmare Walter had pulled me into. And I couldn’t break. Not when my son was out there, scared and alone. The sharp knock on the door jolted me out of my daze. My pulse spiked. I shot to my feet, half stumbling as I rushed toward the door. Please. Let it be the police. Let it be news. Let it be— I swung the door open, and my heart stopped. Damion stood there. And in his arms, cradled carefully, was Nathan. I couldn’t
Kaia’s POV It had all started with a whisper. The first time Damion had mentioned the child, I knew something was wrong. The way his voice caught when he asked about Nathan, the way his eyes lingered on the boy as if searching for a reflection of himself—it was like watching a man unravel in slow motion. And I couldn’t let that happen. Not again. Because I knew, deep down, that if Nathan was Damion’s son, everything I had worked for—the life I’d carefully built with him—would fall apart. So I did what I always did. I found a way to control the narrative. It hadn’t been difficult. Manipulation never was when you understood a man’s vulnerabilities. And Damion’s greatest vulnerability was his desperate need for closure. I hadn’t even needed to convince him. “It’s the only way,” I had whispered to him weeks ago, the night we’d sat in his study, the tension thick between us. “If she won’t tell you the truth, we have to find it ourselves.” And he’d agreed. But now, a
Isabelle’s POV The photograph trembled in my hands. Nathan—my sweet boy—blindfolded, vulnerable, and so far out of reach. The handwritten message beneath his image echoed in my mind. “You were warned. Now listen.” A cold knot twisted in my stomach. Walter. This was him. It had to be. I felt Damion’s presence behind me before I heard him speak. His voice was low, dangerous. “Let me see it.” I handed him the photograph with shaky fingers, my breath shallow. The moment his eyes scanned the image, his entire body stiffened. His jaw clenched so tightly I could hear his teeth grinding. The hand holding the photo curled into a fist, crumpling the paper slightly as his gaze darkened with rage. “Damion,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “What do we do? He’s my son. Our son—” “What?!” He turned sharply, his eyes burning with something unreadable. “Nathan is my son?!” I nodded nervously. I couldn’t lie to him anymore. It was for the best. He had to know the truth. If he’s