“Exactly! Mr. Carlo!” Emma continued, her excitement bubbling over as she spoke, completely unaware of the confusion on Lyla’s face. “He contacted me out of the blue, thanking me for the little prank we pulled on you at the café. Then he asked if I’d like to work here part-time.”“The pay is amazing! And since I had nothing planned for winter break, I figured I’d use this job to save up my expenses for next semester.” Emma’s face lit up as she spoke, her words pouring out in an endless stream of admiration and gratitude for Carlo.Lyla’s mind became increasingly chaotic as she listened, her thoughts swirling with questions—about the “confession” from the supposed murderer, and why she had suddenly ended up on this cruise. Every time she tried to concentrate and piece things together, a sharp pain throbbed in her head. She shook it off and finally interrupted Emma, turning toward her room.Sensing Lyla’s shift in mood, Emma followed her inside. Her voice softened with a hint of concern
The curvy woman was genuinely offended by the earlier joke and raised her hand, threatening to slap the petite woman. The tall woman, who had been quietly watching the spectacle, finally stepped in to diffuse the situation. She smiled, trying to ease the tension, "Alright, alright, I’ve got some juicy gossip. Wanna hear it?"“What kind of gossip?” The other two immediately stopped bickering, their attention fully on the tall woman.Even Lyla, who had been quietly listening from a distance, sat up straighter, her curiosity piqued.“You know Sienna Rivers, right?” the tall woman asked, her tone dripping with mystery."Ugh, that slut?” the curvy woman sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "That stuck-up woman, always acting like she’s some big deal, showing off her designer clothes and pretending she’s the heiress to some billion-dollar company. She looks down on everyone, like her eyes are gonna roll right out of her head."The petite woman rolled her eyes as well, adding, “I don't
Lyla suddenly realized that the “Mr. Reeves” they had been referring to was none other than Hudson. She hadn’t seen him in over three years, and now, memories began to surface. Hudson casually rubbed his wrist, as if the slap he had delivered moments ago was nothing out of the ordinary. He maintained his usual elegance and gentlemanly demeanor, and with a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips, he turned to Lyla, bowing slightly. “Ms. Sinclair, long time no see.”The two women who had been holding Lyla’s arms immediately released her, their faces now pale with fear and shock. They didn’t know Lyla’s exact identity, but seeing the respect with which Mr. Reeves treated her, they realized she was no ordinary woman. They shrank back, eyes wide with fear, wishing they could disappear, desperately hoping Hudson wouldn’t cast another glance in their direction.Lyla’s mind raced with questions, but in that moment, she couldn’t find the words. She simply nodded in response, “It’s been
Although every fiber of Lyla’s being resisted, her feet moved forward uncontrollably, inching closer to get a better view of what was happening inside the room.There, the moaning woman lay draped over the arm of the sofa in a seductive pose, her hips provocatively raised. She wore a skimpy bikini, with the lower half resembling a thong, exposing nearly all of her backside. This must be the woman the others had mentioned—Sienna Rivers.Carlo stood with his back to the window, holding a leather belt in his hand. He was whipping Sienna’s exposed rear, but most of his body was shrouded in shadow, making it hard to see his expression. His strikes, however, didn’t seem particularly harsh. To Lyla, it appeared more like teasing than punishment. Sienna’s pale, smooth skin bore no visible welts, and her moans were exaggerated, more akin to an act of seduction than cries of pain. Her body twisted and arched, flaunting her figure with every movement.The scene was painfully familiar, almost an e
Lyla practically sprinted back to her room, her steps unsteady, heart pounding with emotions she couldn’t calm. The moment she slammed the door shut, her bottled-up feelings surged forward. She collapsed onto the bed, burying her face deep into the pillows, and the tears came, silent but relentless, soaking through the fabric. She cried as if she could expel all the pain and confusion that had built up over the past few days.She never thought of herself as a weak person, but Carlo's words had struck her deeply, cutting through her defenses. Everything suddenly felt like a lie—his care for her, his relentless pursuit, and even the bite mark he had tattooed on his body as a symbol of their bond. Could it all have been just a facade?As the pain twisted inside her, Lyla realized that somewhere along the way, she had fallen in love with Carlo. That was why seeing him with another woman hurt her so much—it was a wound that cut her deeper than she ever expected.Time passed in the silence
Lyla woke up in bed, her head throbbing from the hangover, leaving her feeling completely drained. Sunlight streamed through the balcony windows, bringing a hint of warmth to the room, but it did little to improve her mood. She glanced at the clock on the wall—already 3 p.m. The room was quiet, and Emma was nowhere to be seen. On the nightstand, there was a note and a call button. The note said that if Lyla needed anything, she could use the button to reach Emma at any time.Next to the note was an invitation-like card. Lyla instinctively reached for it, but the moment she saw the words "From: Mr. F" on the front, she quickly pulled her hand back. She silently vowed that no matter what the invitation was for, she would not be attending.The gnawing hunger from her hangover caused a burning sensation in her stomach. She knew she had to eat something; getting sick on a yacht would be a hassle. Although Emma had said she could call anytime, Lyla didn’t want to bother her. Besides, she wa
Lyla hurriedly pulled Emma along, making their way back to the room with quick, determined steps. Her pace was fast, as though she couldn’t bear to stay another moment with those women. “Thank you for standing up for me earlier,” she said between breaths, her voice slightly winded. Then, more seriously, she added, “But try not to do this next time. Those women are trouble. I’ll handle it myself. This ship has a lot going on beneath the surface, and it’s important you protect yourself.”“No need to thank me, Ms. Sinclair,” Emma replied, struggling to keep up, her own breathing labored and her face still set in defiance. “I just can’t stand how they act—like they’re royalty, but they’re really just gold diggers trying to bag a rich man.”"Ms. Sinclair, honestly, you should just let them know that you and Mr. F go way back, and that he personally invited you. You're nothing like them."Lyla came to a sudden stop, her expression dimming as she bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before sp
By the time they were ready, it was nearly 7 PM. Emma checked the time and quickly grabbed Lyla, hurrying them out of the room. They walked down the hallway to the elevator, and as it descended, the sounds of the banquet grew louder. When the doors opened, the noise hit them like a wave. The music was deafening—a pulsing rock beat that made the very floor beneath them tremble. Emma, excited like a girl heading to her first school dance, was about to pull Lyla inside when a senior staff member approached. "Emma, where have you been? Get back to the kitchen and help with the drinks!" Emma pouted, clearly disappointed, but then gestured toward the large doors. She whispered to Lyla, "Ms. Sinclair, this is the banquet hall. I have to help serve the drinks and snacks, so I can’t go in with you."Lyla nodded, watching Emma walk away. She stayed back for a moment, calming her nerves, before taking a deep breath and pushing open the grand, gold-trimmed crystal doors.The sight that greeted
"Who the hell do you think you are to order me around?" Lucas stormed forward, grabbing Carlo by the collar, his voice shaking with fury. "I warned you—if you hurt her again, I’ll never forgive you.""What the hell does this have to do with you?!" Carlo snapped, shoving Lucas's hand away. He didn’t even know who he was truly angry with, but the storm of emotions raging inside him demanded release. "She’s carrying my baby! Of course, I’ll protect her and the baby. This is none of your fucking business!""Enough!" Lyla’s voice cut through the tension, low but sharp. She clutched her still-flat stomach, her eyes brimming with pain and despair. "This isn’t your baby, Carlo. And I will never let you see it. You don’t deserve to be a husband, a father, or to be loved!"Though she spoke quietly, afraid of being overheard, her words were like daggers. The raspy, restrained anguish in her tone sliced through the night, hitting Carlo like a blow to the chest. His voice trembled as he tried to p
"Who is this woman?!" Isabella quickly approached Carlo, her eyes sharp with suspicion as she examined the disheveled, tear-streaked woman before her. The stranger's casual attire was out of place for the elegant engagement party, and she clearly wasn’t one of the household staff either.Carlo clenched his fists tightly, avoiding Lyla's gaze and refusing to meet Isabella's eyes either. His voice was cold and detached as he replied, "I don’t know. Just some crazy woman. I found her acting suspicious, so I followed her out to check. No big deal. I'll call Hudson to handle this. Come on, babe, let’s head back. We shouldn’t keep the guests waiting."He grabbed Isabella’s arm, attempting to lead her away, but she jerked free. "A crazy woman?" she snapped, clearly irritated. "I won’t allow anyone to ruin our engagement party. There’s no need to bother Hudson over this."With a sharp snap of her fingers, two burly men stepped out from the shadows at her beckon. Speaking in Italian, one asked
The mansion was enormous, filled with laughter and brightly lit from corner to corner. Lyla fought back tears and nausea as she tried to navigate her way out, relying on her memory of how she had arrived. She was aware that Carlo was silently following her, but he dared not call out to her in front of the crowd, and she dared not stop. They weaved through the bustling throng of guests, Lyla quickening her pace with each step, until she finally reached the dark, desolate vineyard.“Stop following me!” Lyla couldn’t hold it in any longer. The emotions she had been suppressing erupted as she turned to Carlo and screamed, her voice raw and miserable. “Don’t you have more important things to do? Go back! Be a happy fiancé! Why should you care if I live or die? I don’t need you anymore! I never will!”Her screams were filled with such pain and despair that she seemed like a porcelain doll, covered in cracks and on the verge of shattering at any moment. Carlo’s instinct was to rush forward a
Lyla sat quietly at a secluded table, her gaze fixed on the center of the grand ballroom. There, Carlo, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, was recounting the story of how he and Isabella met and fell in love.Just minutes ago, Blake had escorted her to this dimly lit corner. He had placed her at an inconspicuous table, posted two men to keep an eye on her, and then disappeared.When she arrived, she caught the tail end of Leonardo’s announcement—Carlo being granted the family name and partial control of its power. Carlo stood proudly beside his father, with his mother on the other side, her arm looped around Leonardo’s, her smile radiant. They looked like the perfect family, united and unshakable. Carlo’s expression was brimming with triumph, his striking green eyes gleaming with ambition and a hunger for power—something Lyla had never seen in him before. In that moment, he felt like a stranger to her.Now, the spotlight had shifted to Carlo and Isabella. The stunning, confident
The mansion on the seaside cliff was unusually lively today. The engagement party of Carlo Ferretti and Isabella Cavalieri wasn’t just a union of two powerful Mafia families; it symbolized their collective expansion into international territories. The Cavalieri family had flown in hundreds of members from Europe, while the Ferretti family made an equally impressive show of force, gathering nearly all their key figures. Adding to the grandeur were representatives from other factions hoping to curry favor with the two Mafia dynasties.The whole thing felt like a royal wedding—lavish and over the top.For Carlo, this wasn’t just another party—it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He had spent over two decades fighting for recognition within his family. While his initial agreement to marry Isabella had been a strategy to save Lyla, recent developments had shifted his perspective. Just before the engagement, his father, Leonardo, had visited him in the hospital despite his failing hea
Lyla felt like she’d been hit over the head, her mind foggy and spinning. Stumbling, she grabbed onto the table for support, picking up the invitation and staring at it as if she didn’t recognize the words. She flipped it over, studying it again and again.“No… I don’t believe it,” she murmured, her voice trembling as if she were trying to convince herself. “He told me Isabella was only six. They… they can’t be getting engaged.”“Oh, so that’s what he told you?” Blake sneered. “No wonder. When you heard it yourself that day, I thought your temper would have you walking out on him for good. But looks like even a stupid lie like that was enough to fool you. Ah, poor girl. I almost feel sorry for you.”Lyla shook her head, unsure if she was rejecting Blake’s words or denying that Carlo had lied. Her eyes filled with tears, but she bit them back. “No, you’re lying. You’re just using me to hurt him!”Blake clicked his tongue, his expression laced with fake sympathy and disdain. “Why don’t
At Lucas’s suggestion, Lyla went to the hospital’s OB department, and the results confirmed it—she was almost two months pregnant.Overjoyed, she planned to call Carlo right away, but Lucas stopped her.“Better hold off on telling him,” he advised, looking uneasy. “You know him well, right? He’s still in the hospital, if he finds out you’re pregnant, he’ll check himself out just to be by your side.” Seeing Lyla’s hesitation, he added, “Besides, pregnancy isn’t very stable in the first three months. Why not wait until then? It would crush him if anything happened.”Reluctantly, Lyla agreed. She knew now wasn’t the best time. She decided to keep this a surprise, waiting until both Carlo and her mother were fully healed before sharing the news.For the next month, Lyla stayed by her mother’s side. Every weekend, Lucas would fly over from Westheaven, nearly convincing Camilla that he was Lyla’s mysterious boyfriend. To keep the truth from her mother, Lyla would only call Carlo late at ni
"Here you go Mom, have some orange." Lyla handed her mother a peeled slice of orange. Camilla Sinclair took it, her eyes drifting to the black-suited men standing outside the ward, her expression uneasy. She had lived a quiet and peaceful life, never imagining she’d one day see her once sweet, obedient daughter surrounded by bodyguards.It had been days now, and Lyla still hadn’t offered an explanation. Every time Camilla asked, Lyla would dodge with some excuse. But today, when one of the guards eyed a nurse suspiciously as she entered, Camilla couldn’t hold back any longer."Lyla, enough! Who are these people, and why are they here?"Lyla sighed. "Mom, I’ve told you—you need to focus on recovering. That’s what’s most important. They’re here to keep us safe. I promise, they’re good people."Camilla’s tone sharpened, “What kind of normal person needs this kind of protection?” Her voice raised, straining her already weakened body. Lyla quickly reached out to calm her mother, but Camil
The ward, a woman's soft, half-amused, half-irritated voice broke the silence."So, you're telling me there was never an Isabella Cavalieri?!" Lyla stood by Carlo’s bed, arms crossed, still a bit red-eyed from the earlier panic. Her face showed a mix of frustration and slight embarrassment after listening to Carlo’s full explanation.According to Carlo, Isabella was merely a fabrication, a lie he’d told to mislead Blake and rescue her. At first, Lyla wasn’t fully convinced. But when Carlo reminded her of the promises he’d made to her on the island, her last doubts melted away.A playful glint sparkled in Carlo's eyes as he grinned. "Oh, but Isabella does exist. And yes, she really is a Cavalieri."Lyla's gaze immediately turned suspicious until Carlo quickly clarified, "Though, she’s only six years old."Realizing how close she came to falling for another of his jokes, Lyla clenched her fist and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. Before she could pull her hand back, Carlo caught