Alexa's POV I woke up with a knot in my stomach the size of a grapefruit. My head throbbed with the remnants of yesterday's emotional rollercoaster. Mom was still in the hospital, and the doctor said that she had another episode early this morning. Regardless of the craziness happening around me, all I could think about was him.Don Antonio. He'd been so kind, taking care of everything while I was a mess. Then there was that moment... the one that made my cheeks burn even now. The way he looked at me, the way he almost… But I couldn't go there. He was practically family, my godfather. Yet, the warmth of his touch on my face lingered, confusing me even more than the situation with Mom.Should I go to work or head back to the hospital to be with Mom? I had to finish up with the lessons my godfather was teaching me. But the thought of leaving Mom alone, vulnerable, made my throat tighten. Did she even need me there? I reached the hospital and sat in the chair beside her bed, taking he
Alexa's POV Guilt gnawed at me for having such selfish desires. Don Antonio had been there for me, a rock when my world crumbled. He shouldn't be tainted by these confusing feelings. He deserved better than my messy emotional state.But the image of him, his conflicted expression as he pulled away, wouldn't leave me alone. Did he feel it too? The impossible spark, the inappropriate pull? Pushing myself out of the chair, I practically ran to my mom's hospital room. This wasn't the time for selfish desires, Mom needed me.Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to focus on the rhythmic beep of the monitor. Each steady beat was a reminder, a lifeline in this storm. I would be here for Mom, strong and present. Everything else, the confusion, the guilt, could wait.I blinked back at what I met on getting to my godfather's house later that evening. My heart began hammering a frantic pace against my ribs as I stared at the scene before me. Don Antonio, the man who held me close just yesterda
Don Antonio's POV The lingering warmth of her touch on my face, the ghost of her lips brushing against mine—it felt like a wild dream. And the memory of her emerald eyes, filled with confusion and a flicker of something more… it ignited a fire within me. A fire fueled not by fleeting lust but by something deeper, something I couldn't quite define. All night, I tossed and turned, the image of Alexa replacing the usual models in my head. The weight of my actions pressed down on me, the realization of the line I had crossed with my goddaughter. Sleep, a much-needed escape, eluded me. By the time the first sliver of dawn light peeked through the blinds, a warm excitement had settled in my stomach. The taste of Alexa's lips remained on mine even as I arrived at work the next day. I wasn't surprised about the longing feeling. After all, I have been wanting to taste those lips for as long as I could remember, so I expected it. However, what I wasn't expecting was the awkward silence tha
Alexa's POV "He was avoiding me," I muttered under my breath as I paced around the office. I had been nervous ever since I realized that my relationship with my godfather had changed. He was no longer the man I saw as my second father. He became something more after we shared that kiss. I began seeing him as someone special. I slumped back in the chair, waves of disappointment crashing over me. Why was he avoiding me? I thought. He had made the first move, and he did enjoy the kiss. I saw how his eyes had dilated when we had finally released each other. So what changed in the past few hours? Had he suddenly realized that what we were doing was wrong and that the kiss shouldn't have happened in the first place? Swallowing past a lump, I shook my desktop screen to life using the mouse and stared back at the inventory file on the screen. I should focus on work. Or rather,
Alexa's POV The screeching sound of my car tires continued reverberating in my head a few minutes after the crash. I bent my head on my steering wheel and remained in that position as I tried to regain my balance. The commotion outside continued. I could hear people screaming for someone to call 911. Someone was knocking frantically on my car window. Another one was asking if I was alright. I ignored them all. I definitely was not in the right state of mind to answer any questions. But it seems like they wouldn't let me be because the next second, someone was already pulling at the door. I had no choice but to raise my head and wind down my glass. I nodded at the middle-aged man looking at me with his curious eyes. It was a way of telling him that I was alright even without asking, since I knew that would be his next question. Regardless of my foreclosure, he went right ahead and asked me the very question I was avoiding. "Are you alright, miss?""Y-yeah. I'm fine," I answered i
Don Antonio's POV The phone call had been a shock to the system. Little Alexa in trouble with the law? It was a scenario I'd never considered. The girl I'd watched grow from an intelligent child to a stunning young woman, now entangled in a mess of her own making. My mind raced, a whirlwind of emotions and concerns swirling within me.I'd arrived at the police station feeling disoriented. I was angry at her reckless disregard for her own safety, and so worried for her well-being. But the sight of her, tear-streaked and vulnerable, deflated the anger. What remained was a deep-seated concern.Her confession, delivered in a broken whisper, painted a picture of a young woman lost and desperate. The details of the night, the near-miss, the alcohol. She was the unfortunate protagonist.I’d listened, my heart pounding in my chest. Each word she uttered was a dagger twisting in my gut. The girl I'd often seen as carefree and spirited was now a fragile being, teetering on the edge of a ridge.
Alexa's POV The demeaning look on my godfather's face told me I had messed up everything. My life. The previous relationship I had with him. The current romantic relationship I was supposed to have with him. Everything had somehow become a tangle of mess. "Answer me, little Alexa," he prompted me, "What do you mean by I was avoiding you?"I clamped my trembling lips together and looked down at my hands. "It's just this morning when I saw you… After what happened last night…""But you were the one avoiding me. You were the one acting all nervous when I came in. The awkwardness was so glaring that I decided to leave you alone."My jaw dropped at his explanation. "You thought I was avoiding you? Wait, you mean it was all a misunderstanding? But I thought you were the one avoiding me!"He chuckled, flashing me one of those dazzling smiles that got me drooling in my panties. He further intensified the heat between my legs by placing his hands on both my shoulders. I had no choice but to
Alexa's POV I couldn't believe it. Don Antonio had actually changed his mind along the way. He had switched lanes at some point and we were pulling into the parking lot of a secluded hotel. As he parked the car, I felt my body shaking from excitement about what's to come in any minute now. This was a line we'd never crossed before. It was dangerous, forbidden, and yet, it felt so right.We walked into the hotel, hand in hand. The lobby was deserted, save for a sleepy night clerk who barely glanced up from his newspaper. We took an elevator to the top floor, the air thick with anticipation.Our room was a luxurious suite, complete with a king-sized bed, a plush sitting area, and a large balcony overlooking the city lights. As I stepped inside, I felt a surge of excitement. This was it. This was the moment I'd been waiting for with him ever since I was a teenager.Don Antonio closed the door behind us and turned to face me. His eyes were filled with a smoldering intensity that sent a
Don Antonio’s POVDespite Dr. Ramirez’s protests, I decided to discharge myself, because the burning need to understand the attack outweighed the lingering pain in my shoulder. Xavier, ever vigilant, had arranged for discreet transportation.We arrived at the warehouse district under the cloak of pre-dawn gloom. The air hung heavy with the acrid smell of smoke and damp ash. As Xavier’s car pulled to a stop before my largest storage facility, the sight that greeted me stole my breath.Half of the sprawling structure was a blackened husk, the skeletal remains of steel beams reaching towards the bruised morning sky. Charred debris lay scattered like fallen giants, and the air still shimmered with residual heat. The stench of destruction was overwhelming, a physical manifestation of the violation I had endured.A grim silence settled in the car. Xavier’s face was a mask of controlled fury. I stared at the devastation, a cold dread gripping my heart. This wasn’t just a random act of violen
Alexa’s POVThe moment I stepped off the elevator onto the executive floor, the atmosphere felt thick and strange. The usual polite nods and greetings from the staff were replaced by sneaky glances and hushed whispers. Eyes darted away as I made my way towards my father's office, a palpable tension hanging in the air. It was as if I had become an outcast overnight.My former secretary looked particularly uncomfortable. She avoided eye contact, shuffling papers on her desk with unusual intensity."Hi," I said, my voice low but firm. "I need to see my father."She finally looked up, her expression a mixture of sympathy and fear. "Alexa…he's still in a meeting. And he…he really doesn't want to be disturbed.""It's important," I insisted. "Something has happened."She hesitated, glancing nervously towards the closed doors of my father's office. Then, she leaned in, her voice barely a whisper. "It's…it's all over the office, Alexa.""What is?" I asked, a knot of unease tightening in my sto
Alexa’s POVThe news about Don Antonio had sent a jolt of icy terror through me, eclipsing my own immediate problems. My father's anger, Claire's cruelty, losing my job – all of it paled in comparison to the horrifying image of Don Antonio lying injured, fighting for his life.A fierce urgency gripped me. I had to get to him. Miami felt a world away, but the thought of him being alone, hurt, fueled a desperate resolve. My mother, though worried, understood my need to be there. She helped me pack a small bag, her movements efficient and filled with a quiet determination to support me.My first practical step was booking a flight. I pulled out my credit card, the familiar platinum rectangle that had always been a symbol of my independence and security. I navigated the airline's website, selected the earliest flight to Miami, and entered my card details with a shaky hand.Then, the screen flashed red.Transaction Declined.A wave of confusion washed over me. There must be some mistake. I
Don Antonio’s POVI was aware of the sterile scent of antiseptic, the rhythmic beeping of machines, the hushed voices that seemed to drift in and out of my consciousness. They were fighting for me. I could feel it, a tug-of-war between life and the cold embrace of oblivion.My shoulder throbbed with a relentless fire, a constant reminder of the brutal violation I had endured. My vision swam in and out of focus, glimpses of worried faces hovering above me before fading back into the blurry expanse.Then, a memory, sharp and vivid, cut through the haze.The dimly lit study, the air thick with unspoken accusations. Donald stood across from me, his face a mask of anguish and fury. The years of friendship, the shared laughter, the unwavering trust – all seemed to have evaporated, leaving behind a raw, festering wound."How could you, Antonio?" he had choked out, his voice trembling with a pain that mirrored the betrayal I now felt radiating from him.I had tried to explain, to reason, to c
Alexa’s POVThe days that followed were a blur of quiet support from my mother and a persistent ache in my heart. She stayed with me in my apartment, her presence a comforting balm against the raw edges of my despair. She didn't push me to talk, but she was always there, a silent reassurance that I wasn't entirely alone.One afternoon, as I sat listlessly on the sofa, staring out at the city skyline that no longer held the promise of my future, my mother sat beside me, a thoughtful expression on her face."Alexa," she began softly, her voice gentle but firm. "You can't stay like this, I'm not okay with it."I turned to her, my eyes still heavy with unshed tears. "What else is there, Mom? My career is gone." I trailed off, the pain of their rejection still too raw to articulate fully.She took my hand, her touch grounding. "You're talented, Alexa. You have a sharp mind, and you worked hard to build your position at Bavarish Industries. That knowledge, that experience…it hasn't disappea
Alexa’s POVThe first sensation was a dull, throbbing ache behind my eyes and a thick, cottony feeling in my mouth. Sunlight, unwelcome and harsh, pierced through the gap in my curtains, making me groan and bury my face deeper into the pillow.Slowly, reluctantly, I dragged myself back to consciousness. Fragmented memories of the previous night flickered through my mind – the devastating call with Claire, the numbing burn of the scotch, the heavy descent into oblivion. A wave of nausea washed over me, a physical reminder of my self-destructive spiral.With a sigh, I reached for my phone on the nightstand. The screen lit up, displaying a string of missed calls. Several from Don Antonio. My heart gave a painful lurch. He had tried to reach me. Multiple times. There were also a few missed calls from Jeremy, and surprisingly, even one from Elsie.Confusion warred with a lingering sense of dread. Why were they all trying to contact me? Especially Elsie.As I sat up, the room swam slightly,
Don Antonio’s POV The news hit me like another blow, compounding the anxiety that had been gnawing at me since my source confirmed Donald knew. Isabella, in one of her rare moments of cruel satisfaction, had seen to it that the information reached me swiftly. Alexa had been fired. Terminated, effective immediately.The clinicality of the words sent a fresh wave of panic surging through me. Donald’s anger was clearly far more intense than I had even imagined. To cut Alexa off from her career, from her own standing within his empire, was a brutal and decisive act. It spoke of a complete severing of ties, a public denouncement that chilled me to the bone.My first thought, as always, was for Alexa. How was she coping with this? Was she alone? Was she scared? The image of her facing Donald’s wrath, and now this devastating consequence, filled me with a helpless fury. I should have been there. I should have protected her.My hand trembled as I snatched my phone, Alexa’s number already imp
Alexa’s POVThe drive home was a blur of tears and disjointed thoughts. My hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, as I navigated the familiar streets, but the world outside the car window seemed alien and distorted. My father's words echoed in my mind, each syllable a fresh wave of pain.Fired. Just like that. My career, my identity within the family business, the future I had envisioned – all of it ripped away in a single, brutal pronouncement. It felt like a part of me had died in that office, leaving behind a hollow ache and a terrifying void.My whole life felt like it was unraveling. The foundation I had built, brick by painstaking brick, had crumbled beneath the weight of my father's anger and betrayal. What was I now? Just Alexa Bavarish, adrift without the anchor of my family's name and influence.The city lights blurred through my tear-filled vision, each one a mocking reminder of the life I was losing. The familiar landmarks of my daily commute felt foreign, impla
Alexa’s POV The moment I stepped into my father's office, the atmosphere was thick with a cold, simmering rage that was more terrifying than any shouting. He stood behind his imposing mahogany desk, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge, his eyes blazing with a fury I had rarely witnessed. Elsie came in at some point and stood silently to the side, her expression a strange mix of uncertainty and vindication.Before I could even open my mouth to ask what was wrong, what the urgent matter was, his hand shot out with lightning speed. The resounding crack of his palm against my cheek echoed in the sudden silence of the room.My head snapped to the side, a searing pain erupting across my face. My ears rang, and for a disoriented moment, the opulent office swam before my eyes. I stumbled back, my hand instinctively flying to my burning cheek, my eyes wide with shock and disbelief.Tears welled instantly, blurring my vision. My father had never, ever, laid a hand on me in anger. This wa