Author's note: Hi guys! I know it's been a while, I apologize to those who eagerly awaited updates. At first I was demotivated and then I fell ill, still ill though but I feel better now. Thank you to all my loyal readers 😘
The room was unnervingly still, the kind of silence that presses down on you, suffocating. Ashleigh lay stiffly in the hospital bed, her body motionless but her mind racing. The IV drip attached to her arm was slowly delivering something meant to make her sleep, but sleep had become a foreign concept. Her thoughts kept pulling her back to the past twenty-four hours, playing on repeat like a nightmare she couldn’t escape.Through the thin walls, she could hear Arthur talking in the hallway, his voice sharp, clearly dismissing whoever had come to visit her. He was keeping them away, and she was grateful for it. The whole school had seen the video—everyone was talking about it. But nobody was saying anything good.Ashleigh felt dirty. Filthy. Her skin crawled as if it had absorbed the shame of the entire incident. Damien’s cold indifference hadn’t helped. The memory of him walking out as soon as she woke up, ignoring her calls, was a fresh wound. She understood why he didn’t want to see
Adrian gazed at Ashleigh's fragile form, curled up in the backseat of the sleek black BMW. Her breathing was shallow, her brows occasionally furrowing as she shifted in her sleep, her pale hospital gown clinging to her delicate frame. His eyes lingered over her face, tracing every familiar feature—the soft curve of her lips, the faint shadow beneath her eyes, her slender hand supporting her head. It had been so long since he’d last seen her, and he couldn’t tear his gaze away.The steady rhythm of raindrops against the window and the gentle hum of the car’s engine were the only sounds in the silence. Up front, Mr. Turner and the driver remained still, sensing the tension radiating from Adrian. The mood was heavy, laced with unspoken anger that simmered just beneath his composed exterior.The drive back to the mansion had been filled with Adrian’s restrained fury. The sight of Ashleigh in that hospital bed, weakened and vulnerable, had ignited something he hadn’t felt in a long time—a
Adrian’s office was heavy with silence, the kind that pressed down on the air like a suffocating weight. Mr. Turner sat quietly in the corner, doing his best to make himself invisible. He’d worked with Adrian Cagliari for years and had witnessed many of his moods: sharp anger, cold detachment, and moments of ruthless efficiency. But today, there was something different—something he couldn’t quite define.Adrian sat behind his massive oak desk, his fingers steepled, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond the window. He hadn’t said much since they returned from the hospital. His posture was as composed as ever, but the set of his jaw and the faint crease in his brow hinted at something far more volatile simmering beneath the surface.Turner shifted in his chair, his instinct to speak overridden by experience. He had long since learned that silence was often the safest response when Adrian’s mood darkened. Especially now, when the man who normally seemed invincible looked... troubled.The quiet
The view from Ashleigh’s window should have been calming, even breathtaking. The sprawling gardens of the Cagliari mansion were meticulously maintained, with vibrant blossoms swaying in the gentle afternoon breeze and perfectly trimmed hedges lining the walkways like green soldiers at attention. Beyond them, the ornate fountains shimmered in the sunlight, their cascading water catching the golden light. It was a postcard-perfect scene.Yet, to Ashleigh, it was all a cruel reminder of her confinement. The beauty outside was unreachable, as always at the Cagliari mansion. She sat curled on the window sill, her knees drawn to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them as if to keep herself from unraveling. The afternoon sun warmed her skin, but it did nothing to thaw the cold ache that had settled deep in her chest. Her eyes flicked to her phone lying on the small table beside her. The messages on her department’s group chat haunted her. Each text, each comment had felt like a blow
“Ashleigh, in all this, why didn’t you call your husband?”The question hit her harder than she expected. She’d imagined countless times how she’d answer if he asked—how she’d finally let her anger spill over, shouting about the missed karaoke night she planned, the insults instead of an apology, the countless ways Adrian had hurt her. But hearing it from Mrs. Smith left her frozen.The words she longed to scream shriveled in her throat, leaving only a bitter weight in her stomach. But as Mrs. Smith waited for her answer, Ashleigh found herself not saying anything, it was like the words dried up in her throat, and left a bitter feeling in her belly instead.“I’m still waiting for you, dear,” Mrs. Smith’s voice was calm but firm, pulling Ashleigh from her swirling thoughts.“I didn’t feel like I needed to depend on him,” Ashleigh finally said, her voice steady but strained. “I thought I could handle it myself.”“My dear, Adrian is always there to help you. He cares for you very much, y
“Hey dream girl! your break is over. Time to get back to work" a loud voice sounded through the small break room, waking the lady who slept on the couch up. She groaned as she realized that her little sleep session had come to an end, and the next time she will be sleeping in is at home late at night. Standing up, she rushed to wipe the beads of sweat on her forehead and pulled out a comb from her bag on the couch. She then proceeded to remove the sanitary hair net and re-comb her hair.Pulling her hair into a firm bun, she reached for a box containing new hair nets and wore one. She walked up to the mirror and looked over her light green uniform, ensuring she was not out of place, she walked out to meet the owner of the voice who called her. She walked to the middle-aged woman who sat at the desk; the woman had a firm face that looked like she won’t tolerate nonsense. “Miss Ashleigh Hartman, once again you have overslept” the woman said, giving her a judging look. Ashleigh ran up t
Tyra immediately dropped the bat. Her minions who were also recording, turned to see a bunch of men and women staring at them. The man in the middle walked up to where they stood, each step echoed loudly in the room. They felt the coldness exude off him as he neared them and instinctively stepped back. He slightly hovered over them. His frame seemed to be so well built it almost popped through the suit and his proportions were amazing. His handsome face has the coldest look currently as he stared at Tyra and her friends. However, that was the least of Tyra’s worries at the moment. “Who the hell is this man" she drooled in her mind, lusting after him. As she drooled over him in her mind, she also feared for her life, she watched as he walked up to where Ashleigh was tied and untied her hands, and how Ashleigh fell into his embrace. “This opportunistic skunk ” she mocked, as she looked at the both of them. Ashleigh on the other hand, let out a huge sigh of relief as she held onto t
Adrian Cagliari stood at the top of the food chain of technology industries at 27 years old. He was one who had a keen eye for good innovations, he separated himself from the family business and built his dream company Tixton from the ground up. Tixton is now one of Cagliari's major successful businesses, and he became a force in the making. Building and maintaining his family's legacy requires a firm hand, so he was rather firm and disciplined, overseeing all matters both in Italy and America, as well as other branches in the world. He was domineering, assertive and principled, ensuring everyone was at the edge of their seats when working with him. It was like a curse and a reward. As he discussed with the investors, his secretary and his personal assistant was outside mentally preparing himself to interrupt the meeting. Turner then walked into the spacious office with a phone in his hands. Pausing the call, he raised his eyes to his secretary who felt a chill run down his spine. "
“Ashleigh, in all this, why didn’t you call your husband?”The question hit her harder than she expected. She’d imagined countless times how she’d answer if he asked—how she’d finally let her anger spill over, shouting about the missed karaoke night she planned, the insults instead of an apology, the countless ways Adrian had hurt her. But hearing it from Mrs. Smith left her frozen.The words she longed to scream shriveled in her throat, leaving only a bitter weight in her stomach. But as Mrs. Smith waited for her answer, Ashleigh found herself not saying anything, it was like the words dried up in her throat, and left a bitter feeling in her belly instead.“I’m still waiting for you, dear,” Mrs. Smith’s voice was calm but firm, pulling Ashleigh from her swirling thoughts.“I didn’t feel like I needed to depend on him,” Ashleigh finally said, her voice steady but strained. “I thought I could handle it myself.”“My dear, Adrian is always there to help you. He cares for you very much, y
The view from Ashleigh’s window should have been calming, even breathtaking. The sprawling gardens of the Cagliari mansion were meticulously maintained, with vibrant blossoms swaying in the gentle afternoon breeze and perfectly trimmed hedges lining the walkways like green soldiers at attention. Beyond them, the ornate fountains shimmered in the sunlight, their cascading water catching the golden light. It was a postcard-perfect scene.Yet, to Ashleigh, it was all a cruel reminder of her confinement. The beauty outside was unreachable, as always at the Cagliari mansion. She sat curled on the window sill, her knees drawn to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them as if to keep herself from unraveling. The afternoon sun warmed her skin, but it did nothing to thaw the cold ache that had settled deep in her chest. Her eyes flicked to her phone lying on the small table beside her. The messages on her department’s group chat haunted her. Each text, each comment had felt like a blow
Adrian’s office was heavy with silence, the kind that pressed down on the air like a suffocating weight. Mr. Turner sat quietly in the corner, doing his best to make himself invisible. He’d worked with Adrian Cagliari for years and had witnessed many of his moods: sharp anger, cold detachment, and moments of ruthless efficiency. But today, there was something different—something he couldn’t quite define.Adrian sat behind his massive oak desk, his fingers steepled, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond the window. He hadn’t said much since they returned from the hospital. His posture was as composed as ever, but the set of his jaw and the faint crease in his brow hinted at something far more volatile simmering beneath the surface.Turner shifted in his chair, his instinct to speak overridden by experience. He had long since learned that silence was often the safest response when Adrian’s mood darkened. Especially now, when the man who normally seemed invincible looked... troubled.The quiet
Adrian gazed at Ashleigh's fragile form, curled up in the backseat of the sleek black BMW. Her breathing was shallow, her brows occasionally furrowing as she shifted in her sleep, her pale hospital gown clinging to her delicate frame. His eyes lingered over her face, tracing every familiar feature—the soft curve of her lips, the faint shadow beneath her eyes, her slender hand supporting her head. It had been so long since he’d last seen her, and he couldn’t tear his gaze away.The steady rhythm of raindrops against the window and the gentle hum of the car’s engine were the only sounds in the silence. Up front, Mr. Turner and the driver remained still, sensing the tension radiating from Adrian. The mood was heavy, laced with unspoken anger that simmered just beneath his composed exterior.The drive back to the mansion had been filled with Adrian’s restrained fury. The sight of Ashleigh in that hospital bed, weakened and vulnerable, had ignited something he hadn’t felt in a long time—a
The room was unnervingly still, the kind of silence that presses down on you, suffocating. Ashleigh lay stiffly in the hospital bed, her body motionless but her mind racing. The IV drip attached to her arm was slowly delivering something meant to make her sleep, but sleep had become a foreign concept. Her thoughts kept pulling her back to the past twenty-four hours, playing on repeat like a nightmare she couldn’t escape.Through the thin walls, she could hear Arthur talking in the hallway, his voice sharp, clearly dismissing whoever had come to visit her. He was keeping them away, and she was grateful for it. The whole school had seen the video—everyone was talking about it. But nobody was saying anything good.Ashleigh felt dirty. Filthy. Her skin crawled as if it had absorbed the shame of the entire incident. Damien’s cold indifference hadn’t helped. The memory of him walking out as soon as she woke up, ignoring her calls, was a fresh wound. She understood why he didn’t want to see
After the photo session, Adrian glanced quietly at Mr. Turner, who lingered at the edge of the crowd. Mr. Turner immediately made his way over to Mr. LaRosa, likely preparing for their meeting. Adrian was about to leave as well but was stopped by Caelia. “Adrian, let’s go inside. The event is about to start,” Caelia said sweetly, gripping his arm. “I’d love for you to meet some friends after the wine launch.” Adrian saw through her playful tone but didn’t want to spoil her evening. With a resigned sigh, he gently pulled away from her grasp and nodded. They entered the venue together, and heads turned. Adrian ignored the stares, heading to the space reserved for him, while Caelia took center stage. The event proceeded smoothly, with Caelia confidently addressing the crowd. She spoke about the prospects of her new wine brand, impressing both her younger and older guests. Her every move exuded grace, and she played the role of the charming host flawlessly—yet her eyes constantly flicke
He sat in the backseat, staring at his reflection in the tinted windows. His face was calm, a mask perfected over years of maintaining control, yet beneath the surface, his thoughts churned like a stormy sea. It had been hours since he’d heard from Tristan or Jake about Ashleigh’s whereabouts. They had fallen silent. And in Adrian’s world, silence was never a good sign.A flicker of irritation crossed his expression as he checked his phone once again. Still no messages. His fingers hovered over the screen, tempted to call them, but he stopped himself. However, that nagging voice in the back of his mind—the one that had been whispering to him ever since La Mano Nera started sniffing around—was louder tonight. Too loud to ignore completely."Boss?" Mr. Turner’s voice broke through his thoughts. He was sitting beside the driver, turning slightly to face Adrian. "They’re expecting you on the red carpet. There’s a lot of press."Adrian tore his gaze from the wi
Adrian sat at his desk, bathed in the muted glow of the suite’s floor-to-ceiling windows. The night stretched beyond the glass, thick with inky darkness. He absently rubbed the corners of his eyes, eyes that hadn’t seen sleep in over 24 hours. The presidential suite, once a haven of luxury, had turned into a command center. Papers were strewn about, laptops hummed, and the room had the quiet buzz of efficient chaos. The city outside was lively with nightlife, yet Adrian remained locked in, poring over reports.The voice from the call earlier still rang in his head:"Boss, a few members of La Mano Nera have been tracking Ashleigh’s whereabouts. They've traveled to America for further investigation. We believe they've found either her home or her college."That message had shifted everything. His mind replayed the voice with eerie clarity. No matter how many bodyguards he assigned to Ashleigh, no matter how many layers of security he placed, the thought of danger lurking near her kept g
Meanwhile, Ashleigh’s unconscious form lay on the cold, muddy ground behind the building. The hooded man standing over her grinned in satisfaction, his eyes gleaming with malice.“You two, drag her over there,” he ordered, gesturing toward a dark corner where trash was piled high. The stench of decay filled the air, making the men gag, but they followed orders, dropping Ashleigh into the filth.The hooded man stepped closer, pulling a small perfume bottle from his pocket and dabbing it on his mask to mask the horrid smell. As he knelt beside Ashleigh, his eyes traced her figure. Despite being covered in mud, she looked stunning, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.“Such a shame,” he muttered, his voice filled with contempt. “She’ll pay the price for what her friend did.”He signaled to the others to start recording, their phones aimed at the unconscious girl. He ran a hand down Ashleigh’s face, his touch lingering as she whimpered i