Harrison approached Kiara as she stood in the station lobby, still trying to make sense of what she had just done. His brow furrowed in thought as he held a file in his hand, the same file he had been working on earlier.“Miss Kiara,” he called gently, his voice calm but firm.Kiara turned to him, her eyes narrowing. “Detective, I don’t want to hear it.”Harrison frowned, confused. “You don’t even know why I’m here. I came to share some findings with you—”“Don’t bother,” she interrupted sharply. “I know you’re going to try and convince me that I’m making a mistake by posting Luca’s bail. But it’s done. I’ve made my decision, and I don’t need your opinion.”Harrison paused, taken aback by the hostility in her tone. “That’s not why I came,” he said carefully. “This isn’t about Luca. It’s about the driver who saved you during the car chase. We’ve uncovered some information—”Kiara cut him off again, her frustration bubbling over. “I don’t care! Just close the case, detective. Stop all i
It’s finally time. Kiara stood outside Luca’s house, her heart pounding against her ribcage. It was exactly 7 p.m., and the air carried a crisp coolness that heightened her awareness of every sound, every sensation. She took a deep breath, adjusting her scarf as she stepped forward and rang the doorbell. She was hoping that Sam and Katie would run into her embrace the moment the door opened. Although she wished not. Almost instantly, the door opened to reveal Luca, dressed sharply in a fitted black shirt and dark jeans. His smirk was as disarming as ever, his piercing blue eyes scanning her face with unspoken intent."Right on time," he said, his voice low and velvety. "Come in, baby."Kiara sighed. The warmth of the house enveloped her as she stepped inside. The entrance was lined with a trail of crimson rose petals that led to the dining area. Soft ambient lighting bathed the room in a golden glow, while faint classical music played in the background. The table was set for two, co
“What do you think?” Luca asked, grinning. “Where is this?” Kiara asked again, still looking around the room. “BDSM?”“It’s exactly what you think it is, ki.” The room has every implement one could imagine, with an assortment of bondage equipment to keep the victim perfectly still. At that moment, nothing else mattered; no one else mattered. They were the only two people on earth; they were alone in a place where they could let all their inhibitions go and Luca could make Kiara fulfill her submissive purpose in life. Kiara wanted to talk, but Luca stopped her from saying another word. “We’re here already. Only one thing should be on your mind. And that’s to feel every moment you have here because there’s no going back anymore. For your own sake.” He added in a very scary tone. Kiara understood the threat. She became calm and obedient. Luca walked closer to her and whispered into her ears. “I am going to use my toy hard, use it until we both lose track of time and reality, where
“Kiara!” Damian’s yell caught Maria by surprise and sure sent Kiara over the edge. Kiara stumbled into the living room, her legs trembling beneath her. The hollow echo of her own steps on the tiled floor sounded deafening in the quiet house. Her father’s voice cut through her thoughts like a knife.She was still shaken by the events that took place at Luca’s house but never expected to get home to her father yelling at her. “Where the hell have you been?” Maria hurried to her side, holding her arm. “Your father is really mad at you. What did you do?” Damian’s voice thundered from the hallway, into the living room, freezing her in place. “Kiara!” She looked up to find him standing, his posture rigid, his face a mask of fury. Her mother was just standing by, her face etched with worry, her hands clutching tightly at a tissue.“Dad…” Kiara started, but Damian held up a hand to stop her.“Save it,” he said, his tone colder than she had ever heard. “I’ve been patient with you, Kiara.
“Do you realize what you’ve done?” Damian’s voice rose, his frustration boiling over. “You let him walk free! A man who’s been under investigation for attempted murder and possible fraud and likely has ties to this mess!”“Dad, you don’t understand,” Kiara said weakly, her voice shaking. “Luca—he’s not what you think.”“Oh, I understand perfectly,” Damian snapped. “You’ve been manipulated. Or worse, you’re willingly working with him. Which is it, Kiara? Are you naive, or are you complicit?”“Neither!” Kiara shouted, her voice breaking under the weight of her emotions. Tears streamed down her face as she stepped forward, her fists clenched at her sides. “I didn’t have a choice!”Before Damian could respond to Kiara’s outburst, his phone buzzed again. The vibration felt like a sharp interruption in the thick tension of the room. He exhaled sharply, snatching it up from the table.“It’s the office,” he muttered, his brows furrowing. Kiara took a shaky step back, her chest rising and fall
“What did you say?” Maria’s voice was barely above a whisper. “What did you say?” She repeated. Kiara sniffed the tears about to run down her checks back in. She just threw a bomb. The reaction was expected. "We...we had a—something—I mean, a relationship.” She muttered. Kiara’s confession hung in the air, sucking all the oxygen out of the room. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the faint hum of the ceiling fan.Damian’s face contorted with a mix of shock, disbelief, and fury. Maria gasped, her hand flying to her chest as she took a step back, visibly shaken.“A relationship?” Damian’s voice was low, trembling with barely restrained anger. “You mean to tell me you’ve been... involved with Luca? The same man you accused of trying to kill us both?”Kiara nodded, her head hanging low, unable to meet their eyes. “Yes, Dad. But it wasn’t... it wasn’t what you think.”“Wasn’t what I think?” Damian bellowed, his voice echoing through the room. “You’ve been lying to m
Kiara's breath hitched as she read the message. Her mind raced. Driver Guy? The same guy she’s been hoping to meet? Who could that be? She didn’t recognize the number, but the name felt oddly familiar—the same way she’d refer to the man who saved her anytime the conversation came up. A chill ran down her spine. Could this be a trap? Or was it the key to uncovering the truth? Maybe she could finally have something tangible enough to throw Luca under the bus. Maria noticed her daughter’s reaction. “Kiara? " What’s wrong?” she asked softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.Kiara hesitated. Should she tell her mother about the message? No. She’d already dragged her family through enough. If she’s doomed to tell anyone, definitely not her mother. This was something she needed to handle on her own—at least for now.“It’s nothing, Mom,” Kiara lied, pocketing the phone. “Just a spam message.”Maria’s brow furrowed with concern, but she didn’t press. “Get some rest, sweetheart.
“Luca?”Kiara’s pulse quickened at the familiar voice—a mix of anger and cold amusement that sent chills down her spine. She was pushed into a chair; the black bag yanked off her head. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she saw him—Luca, leaning casually against a table, his arms crossed, a sinister smirk playing on his lips.“Luca,” she spat, her voice trembling with rage and fear. “What the hell is this?" Why did you have me kidnapped?”He laughed—a sharp, mocking sound that echoed through the room. “Kidnapped? Such a dramatic term, Kiara. Let’s call it... a necessary intervention that should have taken place a long time ago.”She glared at him, her hands struggling against the tight bindings. “Intervention? You’ve gone too far, Luca. Whatever game you’re playing, it ends here.”“Oh, Kiara,” he said, shaking his head mockingly. “You’re so naive." Do you really think you’re the heroine of this story? " That you can outsmart me and bring me down?” He leaned closer, his smirk fadin
Harrison studied Kiara for another long moment, waiting for any sign she might answer him. But she remained silent, her expression distant and unreadable. He sighed heavily, realizing he wasn’t going to get anymore out of her today.“Alright,” he said quietly, standing up. “I’ll leave you to rest. But Kiara, please think about what I said. You’re not alone in this, and we’ll figure it out together. You just have to trust me.”She didn’t respond, her gaze fixed on a random spot on the floor. Harrison took a final glance at her, his frustration simmering under the surface, before turning and heading toward the library doors.As he approached the entrance, he noticed a shadow moving just out of sight. His sharp eyes quickly identified the culprit: Maria, hovering near the doorway, her expression a mix of curiosity and feigned nonchalance.“Mrs Lux,” Harrison greeted flatly, his voice laced with suspicion. “I see you’ve found an interest in library doors.”The woman straightened abruptly,
“Errmm, sir…” “Don’t make me ask again.” Harrison spat. “The library.” The butler mumbled, scared the consequences of whatever was about to happen would land him in trouble. “Do I also need to tell you to lead the way?” Harrison asked, waiting for the man to show him where the library was. After hesitating a while, the butler showed him where the library was situated. Harrison stormed into the library, his frustration evident in the sharpness of his movements. Kiara sat curled up in an armchair near the window, her knees pulled to her chest. She flinched at the sound of the doors swinging open, her wide eyes darting at him like a cornered animal.“Kiara,” Harrison said, his voice firm but not unkind. “We need to talk.”She shrank back further into the chair, her fingers gripping the fabric as if it might protect her. Her lips trembled, but no words came out.Harrison sighed, dragging a chair closer and sitting down across from her. He kept his voice low and measured, trying not to
“What?” Luca exclaimed, terrified Harrison had more things to interrogate him about. Harrison closed in the distance again. It’s obvious it makes Luca very uncomfortable every time he does that. “At Eric’s house, we found a mask—a perfect match to the one used in the kidnapping of Kiara Lux, and a file that had the name Thompson Greco. Then there’s the CCTV footage.”Luca’s heart pounded in his chest. “CCTV footage?” he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.Harrison nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket. He tapped the screen a few times and turned it toward Luca. “Take a look. Recognize that car? It was out there when Kiara entered that restaurant. Can you see it’s the same car Kiara and this mysterious man who was obviously hiding from the CCTV returned to? The same vehicle that took her? Funny thing, it’s registered under an alias we’ve traced back to one Thompson—Thompson Greco. Rings a bell?”“And guess what?” Harrison scoffed. “The car that chased Kiara’s the other day
Luca froze, stool in hand, as the loud bang on the door reverberated through the room. Open up. It’s the police.” The voice cut through everything that made sound in his house. His pulse quickened, anger and paranoia blending into a volatile mix. He knew that voice—Detective Harrison.The last person he wanted to see.Luca tossed the stool aside, its legs clattering against the broken glass on the floor. He stalked to the door and yanked it open, his face a mask of barely controlled rage.“What the hell do you want, Harrison?”Detective Harrison stood there, his imposing frame casting a shadow over Luca’s disheveled entrance. “Detective, sir! I love to be referred to as Detective Harrison.” Harrison corrected him subtly. His sharp eyes took in the state of the house—broken bottles, shards of glass, the remains of a demolished TV. His lips curled in disdain.“I address you however I deem fit, detective—I mean, Harrison.“Well, well,” he drawled, stepping inside without waiting for an
Luca slumped in the leather armchair in his living room, his hands gripping the armrests so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The echoes of Annie’s words reverberated in his mind: “I’m going to fight for full custody, Luca. And this time, you won’t win.”His jaw clenched as he stared at the half-empty bottle of whiskey on the desk. The house, once his pride, now felt like a hollow monument to his failures. The silence was deafening—a stark reminder of what he’d lost.Luca wasn’t angry because he loved the children that much or even because he wanted them around. No, his rage stemmed from something deeper, something darker. He’d lost control. Katie and Sam had always been pawns in his game—a way to keep Annie tethered, a means to assert dominance. Winning custody had been a symbolic victory, proof that he still held power over her. But now, that power was slipping through his fingers.“Damn it!” he roared, sweeping the whiskey bottle off the desk. It shattered against the wall, a
Maria sat down beside Kiara on the bed. She’s trying to persuade her to give the therapist another chance. It's been days since the last time it resulted in chaos. They hadn’t even gone through any form of therapy before it happened. She recounted the incident from that day in her mind. “Tell me, baby, who’s the driver guy?” Kiara’s panic attack escalated quickly. Her breathing grew rapid and shallow, her body trembling uncontrollably as she clutched her chest. Damian carried her into the house, his movements frantic but careful. Maria followed closely, her hands shaking as she dialed the family doctor.Within minutes, Dr. Rourke, their trusted physician, arrived at the mansion. He examined Kiara, who was still hyperventilating and crying softly. After administering a mild sedative to calm her, he turned to Damian and Maria.“She’s having a severe panic attack,” Dr. Rourke explained gently. “This isn’t just fear—it’s deep psychological trauma. It’s crucial that we get her to open up
Katie pulled out her phone with trembling hands, her fingers fumbling over the screen as she dialed their mother’s number. The pounding on the door was relentless, the sound reverberating through their tiny room. Sam clung to Katie’s side, her stuffed animal crushed against her chest."Mom, pick up," Katie whispered, her voice shaking as she stared at the phone. The ringing felt endless, each second dragging out painfully. Finally, Annie's voice came through the line."Katie darling. How…” Katie’s shaky voice interrupted her usual questions about their well-being. What's wrong?" Annie's voice was filled with concern."Mom, it's Dad," Katie said quickly, her voice cracking. "He's out of control. He’s drunk—I think, and... and he's trying to break into our room!""What?!" Annie’s tone turned sharp with alarm. "Are you and Sam okay? Did he hurt you?""We’re okay for now," Katie replied, her voice breaking. "But the door... it's not going to hold much longer. You have to come home. Ple
Luca’s eyes darkened as the table crashed to the ground, spilling its contents in a noisy heap. His jaw clenched, and a vein throbbed at his temple. The air in the room seemed to thicken with tension as Sam stood frozen, her small hands trembling at her sides."You clumsy little brat!" Luca bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls. "Can't you do anything right?"Sam’s eyes filled with tears as she stumbled backward, her small frame trembling. "I-I’m sorry, Dad," she stammered, her voice barely audible. "I didn’t mean to... I promise I’ll fix it."But Luca wasn’t hearing her. His rage blinded him, fueled by his own frustrations and fears. He took a step forward, his injured hand throbbing but forgotten in the storm of his anger.“Sorry isn’t good enough!” he roared, raising his uninjured hand. Before Sam could react, the first blow landed—a harsh slap across her cheek that sent her sprawling to the floor. She whimpered, clutching her face, her tears streaming freely now.“Get up!” he
Meanwhile, back at Luca's, it's been turmoil. He had been on the run, unsure of what his fate would be. He has been hiding away, scared that the police are looking for him. When he realized that there had been no search or warrant for him, he decided to return to his house. "That betrayal must have gotten away with Kiara. If they are unable to find Kiara, they might never find out that I've been the one behind the kidnapping all along." He thought. However. That afternoon, word came from one of the boys he forced out to find Kiara, that Kiara had been found and, as in fact, been discharged from the hospital and now home with Damian. Luca stormed into his room, his injured hand hastily wrapped in a bloodied cloth. His face was a mask of fury and frustration as he paced back and forth. He couldn't even go to the hospital to have proper treatment. The faint smell of antiseptic from his poorly tended wound mingled with the scent of whiskey he had poured himself moments ago. He gulped