Damian burst through the front door, his tie loosened and his usually composed demeanor frayed. Behind him stood Luca, his expression carefully curated to show concern. Maria, still flustered, hurried to greet her husband.โSheโs home, Damian,โ Maria said, wringing her hands. โShe came back in a police car, and her car is gone. She wonโt say anything.โโWhere is she?โ Damian asked, scanning the room urgently.โShe has been in her room since she returned. She wouldnโt open the door. Amor, something is wrong with our baby girl.โ Maria cried out in despair. โI will get her,โ Damian responded. Before he could take another step, Kiara emerged from her room, her eyes locking onto Luca like a hawk spotting its prey. Her face twisted with a mix of disbelief and fury. โWhat is he doing here?โ She demanded, her voice sharp.โWhat is who doing here?โ Damian responded nonchalantly. โAre you alright? What happened to you? You look like you have been to hell and back. Talk to me.โ โWhat is that
โWhat is it? What happened?โ Maria asked, concerned, as Damian rose to his feet. โI need to get to the office. Eric just gave me a piece of information that should not be true.โ โWhat did he say, dad?โ Kiara asked but didnโt get a response. Damian dashed out of the house, grabbing his car keys on the table on his way out. He rushed to the office, his mind racing as he tried to process everything that had unfolded that evening. The weight of Kiaraโs accusations against Luca, the police intervention, and now thisโthe missing money and documentsโthreatened to crush him. He arrived at the building, his heart pounding. Eric, the new accountant, was already waiting in his office, his face pale and nervous.โEric!โ Damian barked, slamming the door behind him. โWhat the hell is going on? Start talking, now.โEric jumped at the sound of Damianโs voice, fumbling with the files in his hands. โSir, IโI noticed it during the end-of-day reconciliation. A significant amount of money has been tr
Damian entered the dimly lit visitation room of the police station, his footsteps echoing in the stillness. Sitting at the table, his hands cuffed, was Luca Ettore. Lucaโs eyes lit up with relief and desperation as Damian stepped in, though his composed demeanor cracked only slightly.โDamian,โ Luca said, his voice tinged with a mix of weariness and disbelief. โThank God youโre here. You have to believe meโI had nothing to do with this.โDamian pulled out the chair opposite Luca and sat down heavily, rubbing his temples. "Luca, you're in deep trouble. The police have recordings, confessions... everything points to you. The restaurant worker claimed you gave the poison to him to put inside my food.โLuca leaned forward, his hands gripping the edge of the table. โIโm being framed, Damian! You know me. I would never hurt you or your family. Why would I poison Kiara? Why would I target you?โDamian met Lucaโs gaze, his own expression filled with conflict. โThatโs what I canโt understand.
Reluctantly, Damian turned, his expression hard as steel. Lucaโs face was a whirlwind of desperation and something darkerโa calculated edge.โWhat is it?โ He asked, curious. โKiara!โ Luca responded. โI would like to have a word with her. She started all of these. Only she can shed more light and prove that Iโm innocent. Damian didnโt want to involve his family in any of these anymore. Especially after what happened to Kiara. โThis is beyond her now. There is nothing she can do to get you out of here, Luca. If youโre innocent, the police will vindicate you.โ Luca scoffed. That made Damianโs skin crawl. โThere are quite some things you donโt know, friend. You really think itโs what you see on the surface that matters? Well, there is something going on between me and Kiara that you all know nothing about. And that is exactly why Iโm here. If I can talk her into forgiving me, Damian, all of this will be over.โ โIf I donโt know, then itโs not my call,โ Damian responded. Without anot
Kiaraโs heart skipped a beat. She froze, her hand hovering over the remote. Her mind raced, her fatherโs words echoing in her ears.He knows.Slowly, Kiara got out of bed and approached the door, her hands trembling. She cracked it open just enough to see Damianโs face, his expression a mix of concern and determination.โWhat do you mean by my relationship with Luca?โ She whispered, her voice barely audible.โI think you know what Iโm talking about,โ Damian said gently. โThis isnโt just about whatโs happening now, is it? Thereโs more to thisโsomething you havenโt told me.โKiaraโs grip on the door tightened. For a moment, she considered slamming it shut and pretending this conversation never happened. But the look in her fatherโs eyes stopped her. He wasnโt accusing her; he was worried.She opened the door fully and stepped aside, motioning for him to enter. Damian walked in, his eyes scanning the room as if it might hold answers. Kiara closed the door behind him and leaned against it
Kiaraโs stomach churned at Lucaโs words. She felt the air in the room grow heavier, suffocating, as if his confession carried a tangible weight. Her fists clenched under the table, her nails digging into her palms.โYou want me?โ She repeated, her voice cold and disbelieving. โYou think you can ruin my life and then sit here and talk about want, like it will erase everything youโve done? You tried to kill me. You poisoned your friendโs food.โLuca leaned forward, his gaze never leaving hers. โRuin your life?โ he echoed, his tone soft, almost incredulous. โKiara, everything Iโve doneโevery single thingโwas for us. For you. Because I love you.โHer laugh was bitter and sharp. โLove? You donโt even know what that word means. Manipulation, lies, poisonโthatโs what you call love?โLuca exhaled, his expression shifting to one of practiced remorse. โI wonโt deny it. Iโve done terrible things. Iโve lied, Iโve pushed beyond boundaries, and Iโve taken risks that I shouldnโt have. But Kiara, eve
Kiara got back home and rushed into her bedroom and sat down silently at her dressing table. Her red-hot sex was still being fueled by a no less guilty delight, but her face was still burning with intense humiliation and guilt. โHow could I fall for that? How could I let him get into my head?โ She questioned herself. The well-earned kiss she had this morning left a burning, blistering sensation across her body; she wanted more. She couldn't focus on anything other than how her body reacted. โYouโll never find someone who understands you the way I do. Who loves you the way I do.โ His words echoed in her head. Thatโs true, though. He knows her body chemistry more than she does herself. Kiara began to picture the kiss again, and gradually the feeling became a deeper, duller crimson, while her as yet unrelieved arousal rendered her hidden flower benumbed but still swollen. The state she was in, Kiara thought she was going crazy. How could all these intense feelings remain for so lon
โBuzzโฆbuzzโ The sound of the alarm clock woke Kiara up. She stretched to switch it off. It wasnโt up to two hours before she was finally able to sleep. She kept thinking about Luca and her sexual fantasies. Even when she eventually made peace with sleep, she found herself dreaming about sex with Luca. Thanks to the alarm, she couldnโt reach orgasmโin her dream sex. After switching off the alarm, she was going to go back to sleep but the sound of the knock on her door made her groan. โDarling, itโs me.โ Damian spoke, loud enough for her to hear.There was no response, so he continued. โI was hoping we could talk before I leave for work. You were asleep when I returned last night.โ That was the lie Kiara told just to remain in her room when she was informed about Damianโs arrival the previous night. โThis early?โ Kiara groaned under her breath, pulling the covers over her head. She needed more time to gather herself before facing anyone, let alone her father.Damianโs voice came a
Kiara was standing in front of her open box, staring at the mess of clothes she had put inside earlier. Her fingers gripped a particular dress. She hesitated, but she shook her head and threw it aside. 'Does it matter what I pack? I am leaving.' she thought. 'Leaving the only home I have ever known.' Leaving everything behind.Her phone vibrated beside her and the notification read: Flight confirmed: 10 AM tomorrow.She exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of it settle over her."This is it." She said to herself.*********Across from Kiara's city, Donaldโs phone buzzed.He picked it up and looked at the screen, expecting nothing important. But when he saw the notification, his heart pounded.GPS Movement Detected โ Kiara Lux: Airport Route SetHe tightened his grip on the phone."No," he said in a low tone.He stood up from the chair, running a hand through his hair.'She is leaving. Leaving for good.' And if I let her go now, I might never see her again.' he thought to himself."No
Detective Harrison had been on Luca's case for months now with no positive results, no evidence to link him to the crimes.He sat in his office, flipping through a stack of photos that had been put across his desk earlier that day.Every single one of the photos showed Luca with his men. One photo showed when he took off his mask in the warehouse during Kiara's kidnap, the other showed when he tried to take the documents from Damian. His clothes matched. The photos showed him at different instances of Kiara's murder attempts. All the evidence pointed to one to Luca.The evidence had come from an unexpected source. Harrison glanced up, his gaze narrowing at the man sitting across from him. It was Donald.The same man who saved Kiara multiple times.Harrison tapped the stack of photos together. โYouโve been keeping an eye on him for a while, havenโt you?โDonald leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. โSince the day he warned me to stay away from Kiara.โHarrison arched a brow. โYou too
After a few days, Kiara was finally discharged. The hospital doors slid open, and Kiara stepped outside, with Maria and Damian closely behind her. Catching her breath in the cool evening air. It felt different. Not the air itself, but how it touched her skin, how it felt against her face. Everything around her felt distant, like she was walking through a world that had moved on while she had been stuck somewhere else. She wrapped her arms around herself, her movements slow and hesitant. Maria stood beside her, watching her closely. She had barely left her side since she woke up. As they approached the car, her concern was evident in the way she kept glancing at her, waiting for her to say something. โ Are you okay baby?โ Maria asked. Kiara nodded. Damian, who was putting their belongings in the trunk, stood at the driver's side of the car. "Are you sure amore?But Kiara didn't respond.Damian didnโt push. He opened the car door for her, waiting until she was seated before ge
Flashing red and blue lights filled the night.The party had turned into chaos as the guests murmured in hushed voices as paramedics rushed Kiara towards the exit, her body limp on the stretcher.Damian pushed past security, his expression unreadable as he followed closely. โIโm coming with her.โโSir, we need space,โ a paramedic started, but the warning died when Damian shot him a sharp glare.โSheโs my daughter,โ he said flatly. โIโm not leaving her side.โThe paramedic hesitated but nodded. โGet in.โAs the ambulance doors shut, Damian sat beside Kiara, watching as the medics checked her vitals. His hands clenched into fists. Even in her unconscious state, Kiara could still feel his touch lingering. It felt familiar, like she had felt it before.And just like that, her mind slipped into a dream.And then, the past pulled her in.***Laughter surrounded her as she spun in circles, her arms wrapped around Donaldโs neck.โPut me down!โ she giggled, swatting his shoulder.Donald smirk
Luca, on the other hand, has been going crazy since his kids were taken from him. They were all he had left. His neighbors heard him breaking things so they called the police. Luca was taken to a facility after his tests came positive for PTSD and disruptive behavior. Days passed, and he stayed quiet. Cooperative, pretending to be fine. The doctors bought it. They thought he was getting better. Not until one evening, during a shift change, Luca made his move. A nurse had forgotten to properly secure the door after checking his vitals. Perfect. This was his chance to escape from this hellhole.Luca slipped out, moving down the hall, his heart pounding.He stayed close to the walls, avoiding eye contact with staffs. One wrong move and theyโd drag him back. His bare feet barely made a sound against the cold floors; the exit was close. Just a few more steps. Thenโ โHey! "What are you doing?โ A security guard spotted him. Luca bolted, running with all his might.Alarms sou
It's been three months and Kiara has not had the guts to go out due to the trauma she faced in Luca's hands. Although Luca has been away from the Lux family for months now, Kiara still feels like he's watching her. She still hasn't told her family the truth about her relationship with Luca and his involvement in the kidnap.The Lux home had never been this quiet before. There was no music playing from Kiaraโs room, no late-night TV chatter, no laughter echoing through the halls.Maria sighed as she walked past the closed door of her daughterโs bedroom, hesitating for a moment before knocking softly.โKiara, sweetheart?โShe heard nothing.She knocked again. โItโs morning. You should eat something.โThere was a long pause before a tired voice. โNot hungry.โMaria pushed the door open, stepping inside. Kiara was curled up on the couch by the window, staring blankly at her phone. The curtains were still drawn, blocking out the sunlight.Maria sat beside her, placing a gentle hand on her
A Few Months Later********************The courtroom was filled with quiet murmurs as lawyers shuffled papers and the judge prepared to begin. It was the final custody hearing for Sam and Katie, and Annieโs heart pounded as she sat at the plaintiffโs table, waiting for the moment that would decide everything. Across from her in the room, was Luca, who sat stiffly, his expression unreadable. He looked calm, but Annie knew better. This wasnโt the Luca she had once known. The man sitting before her had changed. For years, Luca had raised Sam and Katie without her, and for a time, they had been safe. But then, things changed. He became reckless. Cold. Dangerous although he had been that way, which was why Annie left him, she didn't think he would one day show his true colors to the kids.The judge, a woman in her late fifties with gray hair and sharp eyes, cleared her throat. โWe are here today to finalize the custody arrangement for Samuel and Katherine Ettore." Ms. Annie, you may p
โPowerโs out, completely out,โ one of the nurses shouted in the dark hallway of the hospital. The emergency lights flickered off and on for a moment and then came back on, but the sense of unease had not.โListen, we canโt stay here,โ said Damian, his voice low as he looked around the nearly empty corridor. โThis hospital isnโt safe anymore.โMaria nodded quickly, clutching Kiaraโs hand tighter. โIโm scared for Kiara,โ she said softly.Kiara, still shaken, couldn't say a word. She just sat there mopping. Harrison stood near the door, keeping his hand on his radio. โWe need to move to a safer hospital. Iโm calling for transport. We can't use my car. This place has been compromised, obviously.โ Damian frowned. โCompromised? What do you mean?โ โNot sure yet,โ Harrison replied. โBut when power is cut like that, and there are strange sounds in the hall, you canโt trust the security here.โ Maria interjected, โSo, where do we go?โ Harrison sighed shortly. โThereโs a private facility on
Kiara barely had time to react before Detective Harrison shoved her behind him, drawing his own weapon in one swift motion.โDrop the gun!โ Harrison barked, his voice sharp and commanding.The intruder didnโt hesitate. He fired at Kiara but missed.A loud bang echoed through the room.Kiara screamed, instinctively ducking as the bullet slammed into a nearby vase, shattering it into pieces. Maria shrieked, stumbling backward, while Damian threw himself in front of her, shielding her from the masked man.Harrison didnโt waste a second. He fired back, forcing the masked man to dive for cover behind the couch.โStay down!โ Harrison shouted at Kiara, keeping his gun targeted at the intruder.The masked man didnโt stay hidden for long. In a blur of movement, he lunged out, knocking over a chair as he went towards Kiara.Her heart seized. He was coming straight for her.Harrison moved fast, stepping between them. Both Harrison and the masked man clashed violently, fists colliding in a flurry