SARAHI got out of bed, unable to stand the restless feeling that had taken over. The silence of the room felt oppressive, and just lying there made my thoughts race even more. I stretched my arms above my head, rolling my shoulders to ease some of the tension. But it wasn’t enough. My muscles still felt stiff, my mind still a mess.I glanced down at my stomach and placed a hand there, exhaling slowly. “This is all for you,” I whispered softly, a mix of frustration and warmth flooding through me. Marco’s strictness made more sense now, even if it grated on my nerves. But did he think I was some fragile doll who’d shatter if I so much as left my bed? The thought made me snort quietly.I needed to do something, anything, to distract myself.My eyes landed on the pile of clothes in the corner. Folding them wasn’t exactly exciting, but it would keep my hands busy. I moved to the pile and started sorting through it. One shirt, then another. The steady rhythm of crease, fold, stack was almo
SARAHI froze mid-step, my heart skipping a beat as I nearly collided with Marco. He stood in the hallway, his broad frame filling the space, and his face was a mixture of annoyance and something else I couldn’t quite place. Relief? Concern? Either way, I smiled automatically, my nerves kicking in.“You’re back early,” I said, my voice lighter than I felt. “What’s the occasion?”Marco’s eyes narrowed slightly as he crossed his arms. “I could ask you the same thing. What are you doing down here?”I blinked at him, playing innocent. “What do you mean? It’s just the kitchen.”“You know exactly what I mean, Sarah,” he said, his tone sharp but not unkind. “If you needed something, one of the staff could’ve brought it to you. There’s no reason for you to be walking around.”I frowned, the tension in my chest flaring. “Marco, I’m pregnant, not a log of wood. I needed to stretch my legs and take a break from staring at the four corners of that room. Besides,” I added with a shrug, “I wanted t
SARAHI woke up feeling strangely disoriented. My body ached in ways I hadn’t anticipated, and as I stretched, I noticed the sheets tangled around me like a storm had passed through the bed. Blinking a few times to adjust to the soft light filtering through the curtains, I frowned. Why did the room feel so… off?My hands instinctively smoothed over the sheets, trying to piece together what had happened. It wasn’t until I turned my head and saw Marco sleeping beside me, his chest rising and falling steadily, that everything clicked into place.He was shirtless, his tanned skin illuminated softly by the morning light. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his expression was serene—almost unrecognizably peaceful compared to the intense, brooding man I was used to dealing with. For a moment, I froze, unable to process what I was seeing. Then, like a tidal wave, the memories from last night came crashing down.My face grew hot as I recalled the way he’d carried me to the room, his strong
SARAHI stood in front of the mirror, tilting my head slightly as I adjusted my earrings. My fingers brushed against the delicate pearls, the cool texture grounding me as a soft sigh escaped my lips. Tonight felt different. It wasn’t like the other nights we’d spent together—those moments marked by tension. This felt lighter, simpler. No obligations. No commands. Just Marco and me, stepping into something normal for once.I took a step back to admire myself in the reflection, smoothing the fabric of my dress. It was a deep red, a color I didn’t wear often but felt right for tonight. The material hugged my body in all the right places, the neckline bold enough to make me feel confident but still subtle enough to stay within my comfort zone. I turned slightly, letting the hem swirl softly around my legs, and smiled.“Not bad,” I murmured, tilting my head again.My makeup was understated, but I’d been careful with every stroke. A soft blush warmed my cheeks, a touch of eyeliner made my e
SARAHWhen Marco pulled into the parking lot, I practically jumped out of my seat, my excitement building. But as soon as we stepped out of the car and got a full view of the place, I froze.“Uh… Sarah,” Marco said, raising an eyebrow as he took in the massive neon sign above the entrance. “When you said chocolate spot, you didn’t mention this.”I followed his gaze, my cheeks heating up as I realized what he meant. “It’s… um… an amusement park? With chocolate?”He let out a sigh, shaking his head with a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Of course. I let you pick one venue, and somehow, we end up in a kid’s playground.”I pouted, crossing my arms. “It’s not just a kid’s playground. It’s… an experience.”Marco gave me a look, half-amused and half-exasperated. “An experience?”“Don’t act like you’re not intrigued,” I said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the entrance. “We’re already here, so we might as well have some fun.”He chuckled, letting me drag him along. “You’re
SARAHI stepped out of the car, my heels clicking sharply against the pavement, each step fueled by my growing irritation. Marco was right behind me, his footsteps steady, but I didn’t care to wait for him to catch up. My focus was locked on Isabella, standing there like she belonged, her arms folded across her chest, her face a mask of indifference. That blank, self-righteous expression of hers was as irritating as ever. She looked smug and untouchable, as if she hadn’t caused enough chaos already.“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended. “Here to cause another scene, Isabella?”She didn’t even flinch.I stopped a few feet away, my arms dropping to my sides as I glared at her. She just stood there, perfectly still, like a statue carved from ice, her silence deliberate and calculated. The audacity of it made my blood simmer.“I asked you a question,” I snapped, taking a step closer. “What are you doing here, Isabella?”Nothing. Not a word, not even a fl
SARAHIsabella’s words hit me like a brick. My head jerked back, and for a second, I could only stare at her, trying to process what I’d just heard. It couldn’t be true. It had to be a joke. A really bad, tasteless joke.“You’re joking,” I said, my voice sharp but shaky. “You’ve got to be joking. Pregnant? For Marco? Are you even hearing yourself?”Her smile didn’t waver. If anything, it grew wider, like she was enjoying every second of my disbelief. “Oh, Sarah,” she said, letting out a light laugh. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but no, I’m not joking.”I shook my head, still refusing to believe it. “Stop it. Just stop. You’re not pregnant, and if you are, it’s not for Marco. Do you even hear how ridiculous you sound?”Isabella tilted her head slightly, her expression oozing false sympathy. “I know this must be hard for you to accept, but denying it won’t change the truth.”The laugh that escaped me was bitter and sharp. “The truth?” I scoffed. “The only truth here is that you’ll say
SARAHI slammed the door behind me, leaning against it for a moment as I tried to catch my breath. My heart was racing, my chest tight with frustration. How had it come to this? Just this morning, Marco and I were fine—happy, even. And now, a woman stood at our door, claiming she was pregnant with his child. The thought made my stomach twist.I paced the room, running a hand through my hair. It didn’t make any sense. Marco had been different lately—better. He wasn’t the man he used to be. He’d been attentive, loving, even vulnerable at times. He was mine. I knew that. So how could Isabella show up with a claim like that?My mind replayed the entire ordeal. Isabella’s smug expression, the way she casually dropped her “news” like a bomb, as if she knew it would tear everything apart. The way she laughed at me, daring me to question her. And Marco—God, Marco. He just stood there, offering nothing but a weak denial.“Unbelievable,” I muttered to myself, clenching my fists at my sides.I c
MARCOThe office was dead quiet, the kind of silence that made the tick of the clock on the wall sound like a drumbeat. The only other noise was the rustle of papers as I ran through the pile on my desk. Contracts, invoices, shipment logs—it was all the usual shit. Stuff I could practically do in my sleep by now. I signed off on the weapon shipments first, making sure the docks were clear for the incoming load from Eastern Europe. Then I moved to the laundering reports, checking the cash flow through our fronts—clubs, restaurants, real estate. Everything seemed to be running like clockwork.But my mind wasn’t in it.Petrov’s last words from that call still echoed in my head. He’d been vague—too vague for my liking. The whole thing about “unexpected shifts” and “watch your back.” It wasn’t like him to be cryptic. Petrov didn’t deal in riddles, and the fact that he was suddenly choosing his words carefully had me on edge. I didn’t want to overthink it, but I couldn’t help it. I had Sara
MARCOThe tires crunched against the gravel as I pulled into the office building’s lot, the usual buzz of early morning activity humming in the background. But none of it registered. My mind was still stuck on Petrov’s call, his words looping over and over like they were burned into my skull.“There’s a leak, Marco. Someone close. Watch your back.”I killed the engine, staring out the windshield for a moment longer before stepping out of the car. The cool morning air hit my face, but it didn’t do a damn thing to shake off the heaviness sitting on my chest. I grabbed my suitcase from the backseat, slamming the door shut harder than necessary. The sound echoed in the parking lot, but I barely noticed.As I walked toward the building, a few of the guys outside greeted me—nods, quick “Mornin’, boss,” the usual routine—but I didn’t even glance their way. Their voices were just background noise, fading into the mess of thoughts swirling in my head. My focus was shot to hell, and that wasn’t
SARAHI woke up to the soft glow of morning creeping in through the curtains, but it didn’t bring that warmth it usually did. Instead, it felt like the light was highlighting everything I was trying not to think about. My eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling, tracing the small imperfections in the plaster, anything to distract myself from the nagging feeling in my chest.Marco’s steady breathing beside me was usually comforting, but today, it felt like a reminder of everything I wasn’t sure about anymore. The words I overheard last night played on a loop in my mind, each time pulling tighter at the anxiety twisting in my stomach.“We can’t be too careful. Someone’s leaking information from the inside.”He hadn’t seen me standing there, tucked just out of sight by the hallway wall, listening to the clipped edge in his voice as he spoke to his worker. The tension in his tone, the sharpness in his words—it wasn’t just business. It was something more, something dangerous. And no matter how mu
SARAHThe soft scent of fresh paint lingered in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of Marco’s cologne as he stood beside me, sleeves rolled up, paintbrush in hand. The nursery was bathed in the warm glow of the late afternoon sun, casting long shadows on the walls we were trying to turn into something perfect—something safe.Marco dipped his brush into the pale blue paint, then paused, tilting his head. “I still think we should’ve gone with the sage green,” he said, his tone light but his brow slightly furrowed, like this was a high-stakes decision.I chuckled, standing back to look at the wall. “You’re only saying that because you think blue is cliché.”“Well, it is.” He gave me a playful smirk, one that made my heart do that stupid little flip, the same way it had since the day I fell for him. Dangerous. Beautiful. Mine.I picked up my own brush, swiping a bold streak of blue across the wall. “Too late now. Besides, it’s soft. Calming.”Marco raised an eyebrow, stepping closer.
ISABELLADamien’s eyes lingered on me, sharp and calculating. For a man who prided himself on control, I could see the faint cracks in his composure, the unease that flickered just beneath his confident exterior.“You’re serious,” he said finally, leaning forward. His voice was low, skeptical, but there was a hint of something else—curiosity, maybe, or intrigue.I gave him a small smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “I don’t make empty promises, Damien. If you let me take the lead on this, Marco won’t just lose. He’ll crumble.”He leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly as he studied me. His gaze was piercing, searching for any signs of weakness or deception, but I didn’t flinch.After what felt like an eternity, he nodded once, a sharp, deliberate motion. “Fine,” he said. “I’ll give you a chance. But understand this, Isabella: if you screw this up, there won’t be a second chance.”“I wouldn’t expect one,” I replied smoothly, my tone steady.For a moment, silence stretc
ISABELLAI adjusted myself in the seat, ready to speak, but before a single word left my lips, Damien raised a hand and cut me off with a smirk that could curdle milk.“Before you get started, Miss Isabella,” he said, leaning forward slightly, his elbows resting on the desk, “I should let you know I don’t have much patience for loud women.”The words hit like a slap, but I held my ground, masking my irritation.“And,” he continued, his tone smooth but laced with condescension, “it’s a little difficult to believe that a woman—a woman, mind you—is going to be the one to hand me victory over Marco De Luca.”He smiled then, a crude twist of his lips that made something in my stomach churn. He didn’t even try to hide his amusement at his own words, the arrogance rolling off him like smoke.I felt my shoulders stiffen, the sting of his insult sharpening my focus. For a second, I wanted to walk out, but I wasn’t about to let someone like Damien Rossi make me second-guess myself.Instead, I s
ISABELLAThe vibration of my phone pulled me from sleep, the dim light of the screen casting a faint glow across the room. I squinted, blinking at the message:“10 a.m. - Firm location pinned. Be there.”An unknown number, but I didn’t need a name. It was them. Finally, the opportunity I’d been waiting for. My ticket to get back at Marco De Luca.A bitter smile tugged at my lips as I stared at the message. I could almost hear his voice, calm and cold, the way it had been that day when he kicked me out. His exact words still echoed in my mind:“I don’t tolerate liars, Isabella. Pack your things and leave.”He hadn’t even flinched. No hesitation, no second chances. It didn’t matter that I lied to protect myself. It didn’t matter that I was the best thing to ever happen to him. He tossed me aside like I was nothing.But I wasn’t nothing.As I sat up in bed, gripping my phone tightly, my thoughts sharpened with resolve. He thought he could have his perfect little life with his wife and hi
ISABELLAThe bar wasn’t what I expected.Dim lighting, loud music, and a crowd that seemed to have spilled in from every corner of the city made the place feel chaotic. My heels clicked against the scuffed floor as I stepped inside, phone in hand, scanning the room for anyone who matched the description I’d been given.Nothing.I checked the name of the bar again, comparing it to the last text I’d received. The Glass Ember. It was right. This was the place. So why did it feel like I was the punchline of some bad joke?I dialed the number again, pressing the phone to my ear as I moved toward the edge of the bar, away from the main crowd. The call didn’t go through—again.“Unbelievable,” I muttered under my breath, lowering the phone. I leaned against the wall, feeling increasingly out of place. The bartender eyed me curiously from across the room, probably wondering why I wasn’t ordering anything. I ignored him, glancing at the door instead.Minutes passed, and the knot of irritation i
SARAHI woke up to the faint glow of sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains, my head feeling a little heavy. I winced slightly, turning over and burying my face in the soft pillows. Why did I feel like this? My memories from the previous night quickly pieced themselves together—the museum, Marco bringing me here, and that kiss… that intense, overwhelming kiss that I hadn’t resisted.A sigh escaped my lips as I sat up, rubbing my temples. “Mako never gets satisfied, does he?” I muttered to myself, a small smile tugging at my lips despite my teasing words.The room was silent except for the soft sound of Marco’s steady breathing. I glanced over at him, sprawled across the bed, his chest rising and falling peacefully. It was a rare sight to see him like this—relaxed, without the usual mischievous smirk or sharp edge in his eyes.He looked… cute. I let my gaze linger for a moment longer, a warmth spreading through my chest before I shook it off and slipped out of bed.I freshened u