The grand office building of Blackwood Enterprises towered against the morning sky, its sleek glass exterior reflecting the city below. The very name once symbolized power and legacy, a dynasty built over decades—first by Adrian and Damion’s father, then by Damion himself.Now, it belonged to Adrian Blackwood.He had taken control, claimed the title of CEO, and sat at the head of the table where his brother once ruled.And today, Carmela was about to shake that throne.Inside the CompanyThe tension in the boardroom was thick, an unspoken pressure filling the air as the senior members of the company gathered for their morning briefing. Adrian had yet to arrive, but the discussion had already begun.At the center of it all—Carmela.She had walked into the room unannounced, her presence alone demanding attention. She hadn’t stepped foot in the company since her marriage to Damion. Back then, she had only come in support of her husband, never for business. But today was different.Today,
The call came in just as Adrian was leaving the company building. He had been controlling his temper for quite a while now and as Damion was out of site, Carmela was his next target. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and without breaking stride, he pulled it out and answered.“Speak.”“Sir.” A gruff voice filled the line. “We found her.”Adrian stopped mid-step, his fingers tightening around the phone. A relaxed smile swept over his face. “Where?”“The old facility just outside the city. The one Blackwood Enterprises used for research a few years back before shutting it down. She’s been hidden there under heavy security.”Adrian’s lips curved into a slow smirk.So this was where Damion had tucked her away all this time. That cunning bastard. So smart of him. Who could have thought?“Wait for me there,” Adrian ordered. “Don’t make a move until I arrive.”“Yes, sir.”The call ended.Adrian exhaled, sliding his phone back into his pocket. His blood thrummed with anticipation.For years,
The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor filled the silent hospital room, its steady pulse marking the fragile line between life and death.Lucas sat in the chair beside the bed, his elbow propped on the armrest, fingers pressed against his temple. His eyes were bloodshot, a mixture of exhaustion and frustration clouding his face.It had been days.Days of sitting in this hospital room, waiting.Waiting for something—a sign, a movement, anything to prove that Damion Blackwood was still in there, still fighting.And then—A sharp gasp shattered the silence.Lucas’s head snapped up.The body that had been lying still for so long suddenly tensed, Damion’s chest rising in a shaky breath. His fingers twitched, the muscles in his arms flexing weakly as if testing their strength.Then, with a slow, agonizing effort, his eyelids fluttered open.Lucas shot up from his chair.“Damion?”Damion’s eyes were unfocused, disoriented, as if the world around him wasn’t quite real. His breathing was un
The night was thick with tension, the air cold and damp as Adrian Blackwood walked through the darkened woods, his steps firm and unyielding. The rustling of leaves under his shoes was the only sound, apart from the faint, ragged breathing of the old woman beside him.Catherine Blackwood—his grandmother.The woman who had tried to kill him.The woman who had spent her entire life ensuring he would never inherit the Blackwood legacy.And yet, here she was.Leading him to the very thing she had once hidden from him.The key.Adrian smirked to himself, watching as she struggled to keep up with his pace. She was old, frail, her once-powerful aura diminished by years of manipulation and failed plans.Now, she had no choice but to obey.A fallen queen.“Keep up, Grandmother,” Adrian drawled, watching as she stumbled over an exposed root.Catherine shot him a glare, her silver hair gleaming under the dim moonlight. “If you’re so eager to get there, why don’t you carry me?” she sneered.Adria
Centuries Ago—The Beginning of the Curse and the story of the keyThe wind howled through the dense forest, rustling the thick canopy of leaves that shrouded the night sky. The towering trees stood like silent sentinels, their gnarled roots twisting along the forest floor, weaving a labyrinth that few dared to tread. The air smelled of damp earth and ancient secrets—secrets that had been buried long before men had the courage to seek them out.And yet, on this night, two men dared to walk the forbidden path.Their cloaks billowed as they trudged deeper into the wilderness, the flickering light of their torches casting eerie shadows on the bark of ancient oaks.Alaric and Tobias Blackwood.Brothers. Rivals. And soon—victims.Alaric, the elder of the two, was a man of strength and intellect, his sharp mind always a step ahead of the world. Tobias, the younger, was the wilder spirit—reckless, passionate, and endlessly curious.It was Tobias who had first heard the rumors.A key—one said
Adrian Blackwood stood in the dimly lit chamber, his sharp eyes scanning the fragile parchment in his hands. The edges of the ancient paper were brittle, yellowed by time, but the ink remained bold, etched with secrets that had been buried for centuries.His fingers tightened around it as he read, his pulse quickening with each word.A curse.A soul exchange.His ancestors had fought for this key, believing it would grant them power and wealth—only to suffer a fate worse than death.Adrian exhaled slowly, lowering the parchment.He turned to the old woman sitting before him—his grandmother.Catherine Blackwood watched him warily, her frail hands clasped in her lap. The flickering candlelight cast deep shadows over her lined face, but her eyes held the same sharpness they always had.Adrian smirked, folding the parchment between his fingers.“You expect me to believe this?” he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.Catherine’s jaw tightened. “You should.”Adrian let out a chuckle. “
The key felt cold in Adrian Blackwood’s grasp.The dim glow of torches flickered along the stone walls of the hidden chamber, their flames dancing against the damp air. The weight of centuries rested upon this place, whispering in the silence, warning of dangers unseen.Yet—nothing happened.No tremor in the ground. No eerie voices from the abyss. No curse latching onto his soul.Nothing.Adrian lifted the key, turning it over between his fingers. It was elegant, ancient, a work of masterful craftsmanship—yet at its core, it was just a key.A scoff built in his throat before escaping as a laugh.A deep, mocking chuckle that echoed off the stone walls.His grandmother, Catherine Blackwood, stood frozen a few feet away, her lined face twisted in disbelief.Adrian turned to her, smirking.“All that talk about curses, about power coming at a price,” he drawled, waving the key before her. “And yet, here I stand. Perfectly fine.”Catherine’s lips pressed into a thin line.“This isn’t right,
Pain throbbed in Damion Blackwood’s skull as he gasped awake. His breath came in short, sharp bursts, his chest rising and falling unevenly. His fingers dug into the dirt beneath him, cold and damp. The scent of earth and blood clung to the air.What the hell had happened?His body felt off—too heavy in some places, too unfamiliar in others. A deep, unsettling nausea swirled in his gut. He pressed a hand to his temple, groaning as he forced himself to sit up.The moment his eyes opened fully, he froze.Something wasn’t right.The torches in the underground chamber flickered dimly, casting long shadows along the damp stone walls. Several men stood nearby, their faces strangely unfamiliar, their eyes watching him with concern.Then—A gasp.He turned sharply, finding himself staring at an old woman rushing toward him—his grandmother.But why… why was she looking at him like that?“Damion?” Catherine Blackwood whispered, her voice trembling.Damion frowned.His lips parted, the rasp of h
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