KATIE’S POV The grand ballroom of the luxurious Skyview Hotel was adorned with glittering decorations, cascading curtains, and shimmering chandeliers. This was a huge celebration for our organization and my little way of motivating the workers to be more efficient. All work, no play, would make them dull after all. Plus the fact that I wanted to get my mind off everything.As the guests arrived, they were greeted by a red carpet lined with golden statues and lush floral arrangements. The air was alive with anticipation, the murmurs of conversations blending seamlessly with soft music playing in the background. Each attendee was dressed to impress, their attire rivaling the elegance of the venue itself. I beamed with pride as I ensured that everything was in order. I have put in so much work and effort with the support of the event planning team to make sure this is a night to remember for everyone. I took great care in selecting the perfect ensemble for the prestigious award ceremo
KATIE’S POV“The master will not be joining you for dinner," a servant announced as we settled into our seats. I glanced nervously at his empty seat at the head of the table. Was he alright?“Did he say why?" I asked the girl. She shook her head. Well, that made sense. There would be no reason for him to explain to her anyway. I waved my hand to dismiss her. “You'll go check up on him, right?" Hunter asked me just as I turned my attention to my food. “Of course," I replied. I looked around the table. Axel and his girlfriend were seated beside each other, talking in low tunes. I heard footsteps and turned to see Blake walking towards us. For once, he was early to dinner, I noted, but that was not what caught my attention. I subtly craned my neck to look behind him, but I didn't see Lily there. Now, that was alarming, seeing how close they seemed to have grown since the day that Maverick announced their engagement.Blake's eyes met mine, and he offered a slight grin. I looked away,
KATIE’S POVI didn't even have the strength to fight against the tears that were rushing down my cheeks. What was wrong with me? Why did I allow Blake to attract me so much? I could still picture Maverick's hurt expression as he made his last statement. A statement that turned out to be a threat. The calm and kind Maverick had threatened to push me to my death. That was a testimony to how hurt he was. And it was all my fault, and I was turning everyone into monsters slowly. Things would never be the same between us again. His words were clear. No third chances. He was not going to let me play with his emotions, not again.I wasn't even sure if I felt remorseful just because I had been caught again. Sure, I knew what I was doing was wrong and wished to stop, but I took no real action to do so. No matter how dominant Blake was, he still needed my consent to have his way with me, and I hadn't exactly stopped or fought against him vehemently. It was plainly written on my face that I wa
AUTHOR’S POVBlake watched Katie leave his room, anger building up inside him. Her words reverberated in his head.How dare she throw his love back in his face? He was Blake, handsome and irresistible. No one said no to him. Absolutely no one refuses him.Here he was, trying to fight for them while she did nothing but give them up.“Fuck” he cursed, shoving his hands against his wardrobe. He could still smell her sweet scent. That was not something he could forget in a hurry, given how heady it made him feel. What he couldn't understand was why she had such a strong effect on him.Leaning against the mahogany structure, he dragged his hand along his face. This was a huge disaster; he had always felt things could go wrong if he confessed his feelings for her, but he never thought it would go this wrong. He had only imagined that they would face opposition from his father, but he believed that they would overcome whatever obstacle he put in their way and leave the older adult in the du
AUTHOR’S POVMaverick stared at his son, shocked that he had made such a remark. So he even knew the implications of his actions with Katie, yet he continued with it. What was wrong with him? “Why are you doing this then, if you know the scene it would create? The press would hungrily eat up the news, and that's not good for my image or yours or the company's either."“I do what I please, Father, and I'm careful. Isn't that how you raised me? To take every opportunity I find and make the most of it?"Maverick felt his patience snap as he took in his son's proud, unrepentant expression. Did I raise someone like this? He asked himself, devastated. Where was he when Blaze was turning out this way? A few years ago, he would never have imagined that his son would turn against him this way to attempt to bring a mother figure into his life again.He had thought Blaze's displeasure would wane, and in the long run, they would reconcile when he saw that he didn't want to replace their mother
KATIE’S POVA scream pierced the peace of the house again. This time, it was followed by the sound of an earsplitting alarm bell. It sounded like a fire alarm, and I wondered what was happening.Groaning, I turned to my other side. I had heard the scream before, but I was unwilling to come out. I doubted that whatever was happening was any of my business, and there was nothing real I could do to help. But before I could even think of drifting back to sleep, this loud sound shook the house again, and it seemed that whoever was causing all this commotion was trying to wake everyone up and drive them outside. Maybe there was a fire in the house.Sluggishly, I pull myself up, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand. The clock on the wall told me that it was still the wee hours of the morning. It was barely six yet. So why was all this trouble for?And I couldn't smell any smoke.I could already hear movement outside and panicked voices. But I couldn't make out what they were saying; the
KATIE’S POVIt had to be untrue. This had to be nothing but a sick joke. Because how?My legs froze in the same place, my eyes stinging as they trailed over his lifeless body.It was true. Maverick was dead. And it wasn't even at the time the doctors speculated. I had always been prepared for his death since the doctor gave a date, but never had I imagined it would come sooner. The one question that kept recurring in my head was, 'Why?'No amount of preparing my mind for the evil day could have been enough, and I now saw that. The devastation I felt was crushing me mercilessly, partly because I thought it was my fault. If I hadn't come to argue with him, he would still have been alive. If I had never fucked his son, he would be scolding me right now for running over in my pajamas.“How—?" My voice trailed off. My throat got heavier. It was blocked, and my breathing was getting restricted.Axel was sitting by the side of the bed, his head in his hands as a dark-skinned man in blue sc
AUTHOR’S POVAxel watched Katie's expression turn sour as she stared at the papers he was holding. He had been surprised to see them, too, stacked on the desk in the corner of his father's room. He had stumbled upon them when he came in this morning. It was a bit of a surprise how he had noticed them, considering the circumstances that clouded his mind today. There he was, lying hungover in the room he lodged last night when he got a call. He had attended a party, and of course, it stretched through the night, just as he liked it. The caller turned out to be the butler, and he broke the terrible news.“Young master Axel,” The butler’s shaky voice echoed.“What is it, Greg?“ He had mumbled, annoyed to be woken up so early. Not especially during a hangover.“Something terrible has happened,” He started, causing Axel to groan.“If you can't go straight to the point, I'll have to end this call…” He responded.He would have done that regardless if it wasn't the urgency in his voice.“You
Axel followed the man who came to take him out of the cell. He wasn't sure how long he spent here, but long enough to be really glad to be out. The smell of soap lingered on his skin, a bit too strong, but he welcomed it. It had been a long time since he used soap."There's your ride," the man said, pointing at the sleek red Camry parked in the parking lot of the station. In front of it stood Katie, arms crossed around her protruding middle.Axel felt a sad smile tug at the corners of his lips. Even in jail, he heard of the marriage between Katie and Blaze when Cicely came to visit.His smile disappeared as he remembered her expression when she spoke. The wistfulness in her eyes... It was obvious that she wished for her wedding, and she couldn't even have it soon.He had long made up his mind to marry her immediately after he got out of jail. He was able to beg her forgiveness, and she must really love him for actually letting all he did go. She assured him she'd wait; that was the onl
Author's pov Axel sat on Cicely's bed after several minutes of pacing the area and waiting for her to show up. Where the hell has she gone? He was considering going out to search for her when the door opened.But it was not Cicely who stepped through; and it was Lily with a painted expression on her face. "Axel," she began.He already knew what she wanted. Now that their plans had flopped, she probably wanted them to come up with a bigger plan."Save it, Lily, we're through." He shook his head in regret. "I was so foolish ever to think that this would actually work.""What do you mean by we're through?" Lily asked. "We're in this together, right?"Axel sighed. "Let it go, Lily. Find a way to get a new life...""A new life?" She looked devastated. "But I'm pregnant... I have nowhere to go, and you can't just leave me alone.""I have to," Axel replied. "I have to make things up with Blaze, and I know I'll be able to do that if I try.""And what about me, Axel?" Lily said, raising her v
Author's pov Blaze grinned as Tristan made his way to the dining room, where he and Katie were seated. It was a miracle how he could track his location with his phone number and then check all the buildings around for them. He never would have asked for a better friend; Tristan had already proven himself in more ways than he could count.Katie looked up from her phone. "Is that the man going to give us updates?" she asked.Blaze nodded. He was surprised Katie wasn't running from him by now. She even let him stay in her house without him asking. It made him wonder if the past few days' events had softened her towards him instead of making her hate him. He tried not to get his hopes up, though; her niceness didn't mean she'd like to end up with him, as he started to hope for. He couldn't help hoping, no matter how ridiculous it sounded.He wanted Katie back in his life despite all that had happened. As far as he was concerned, he was done with Lily. Katie should have been the one fro
KATIE’S POVNo way, I thought, staring at him and searching for any resemblance to Maverick. I could see none, but then again, I could barely see Maverick's face clearly in my mind. It had been so long ago, like another lifetime."You're lying," Blaze accused. With how he looked at Dylan, I was almost glad he was restricted from doing anything to him. Almost, though, in truth, I wished Blaze was free."Am I now?" Dylan said quietly, coming closer to Blaze. "When my mother got pregnant for your father, he left her, all because he saw a richer woman. You see, Maverick was a coward. His only way to survive was to milk off others' profits, and that's really who you're defending," he asked, turning to me.I stared at him, taking each word with a pinch of salt. I didn't want to believe him since he was the reason I was trapped here, and he even tried to kill me at the end of all this.But then, there was no other explanation for the absolute hate in his eyes as he spoke of Maverick. And why
Katie's povI gasped, staring at the limp bodies of Lily and Axel. "Oh my gosh, are they dead?" I exclaimed."Not dead, darling," the woman said. "These are stun guns," she waved the gun in her hand for emphasis."What kind of stun gun allows the victims to talk to?" Lily muttered against the floor. It was a comical sight seeing her lying there helpless when a moment ago she was gloating over us."The type we use, obviously," the woman replied. I squinted at her, unable to bear my curiosity anymore."Who are you?" I was trying to decide if she was a hero or a villain. She teetered on the edge of both, and I wouldn't say I liked that.She turned to me with a sigh and took off her mask. I gasped, eyes widening as I stared into the face of my former savior. The one person who believed me when I said I didn't kill Maverick and who helped me escape.Right on time again to get me out of this situation. "Doris?" I asked."Not just her." The man beside her said, taking off his mask too. I gas
Chapter 133Author's pov Blaze raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised." The answer was clear: if their places were switched, he would eliminate Axel before he could ruin the big plan."Surprised?" Axel asked. "You didn't think I'd be able to kill you if necessary?""No, I'm surprised we might think the same way," Blaze clarified. He saw the twitch in Axel's jaw, showing that he was irritated by that statement, which made him smile."Not the same way, brother. I'm way ahead of you.""Correct me if I'm wrong, but are both of you arguing about who thinks better right now?" Katie asked, turning to Blaze.Blaze nodded. "I'm trying to make sure there isn't a bigger brain behind this plot of his. Hard to believe it's just you, Axel."And not only that, he was stalling for time. Anything to keep Axel from rounding off his plan soon because if that happened, he would kill both of them so quickly.He wasn't afraid for himself, but Katie concerned him. She was already broken, and having no hope of s
Author's pov Katie gasped, staring at Axel. Of all the people she would have suspected, he wasn't even near her suspect list. Tears blurred her vision as she remembered what he said about her daughter."You beast!" she screamed, lunging forward. Curse these ropes; she would have been able to do something terrible to him. She wanted to hurt him just as he hurt her."How could you? All this while, after how close I was to your family, this is how you treat me? Why?" It was pointless straining to reach him; she slumped against the wall in defeat."I'm sorry about the child. That was not my intention. But it is what it is," Axel began, shrugging as he spoke. He had been shocked to hear."Fuck you, Axel!" Blaze thundered. How could he say he was sorry now? For killing his child, someone he hadn't even met in person.Blaze took a deep breath to calm himself down. The level of anger he was feeling was overwhelming, and the fact that he had no means to channel it out was the worst thing abou
Author's pov No, Katie gasped as Blaze fell to the ground. All that came out, though, was a frantic intake of breath, as she could not speak through the gag she hated so much. After all she had tried to tell Blaze, this stupid piece of cloth prevented her from saying anything.She wished she could rip it off, but her hands were bound, too. They had been since the first day. She glared at the man who knocked Blaze out, wishing she could wipe that smug grin off his face.He turned to her. "Don't look at me that way; he was foolish to come alone."He crouched to her level. "And if he did alert the police, then I'm afraid we'll have to kill you immediately. Either way, our mission will be accomplished."If looks could kill, he would be burned to smithereens by now. First, he wouldn't tell her anything about her child, and now he was threatening to kill her. After keeping her here for days, he did not even have a clue what to do to get him to free her."Just tell me what you want. Why do
Katie's povI blinked, confused. I could have sworn that my eyes were open, but surely, if they were, I would be able to see something. As it was, there was just nothing—pitch-black darkness, the oppressive kind that seemed to close in on you.I shut my eyes again and opened the—same thing. Now I was getting worried. In a rush, it all came back. I was in the car, just discharged from the hospital. There was music, and there was my baby in my arms.A baby that was no longer there since my hands were bound in front of me. I could barely feel my hands, and they were bound so tightly. I shifted, noting that there was a wall behind me, which I was leaning on.My feet were bound, too, most likely with the same material. I hated being tied up. It reminded me of the time when I was sold to the Griffins, a time I never wish to remember anymore.But at the moment, that was the least of my problems. Where was my child? Whoever had taken me couldn't have taken her away, too.It only became hard t