Ellen froze mid-step, her hand hovering just above the doorknob. Slowly, she turned back to face Helena, her expression unreadable. For a moment, there was nothing but silence between them, the tension in the air so thick it was suffocating.Helena leaned back against the headboard, arms crossed, her expression a mixture of challenge and amusement. “What? Did I say something wrong? Here I was thinking you were serious about helping me with my… little problem.”Ellen’s eyes narrowed, her composure slipping just enough for Helena to catch the flicker of uncertainty beneath her polished exterior. “Don’t test me, Helena,” she said softly, her voice tinged with warning. “You might not like where this road leads.”Helena tilted her head, her lips curving into a faint smirk. “You’re the one who brought it up. I’m just calling your bluff. Unless, of course, you’re not as bold as you pretend to be.”Ellen stepped forward, closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds. Her movements
Ellen’s fingers stilled against Helena’s cheek, her face hardening into a mask of icy composure. “Ray?” she repeated, her voice deceptively calm, though her jaw tightened. “So that’s what you’ve been holding onto? Some ridiculous fantasy that he’d choose you?”Helena frowned, taken aback by Ellen’s sudden change in demeanor. “It’s not a fantasy,” she said defensively. “Ray and I had something real. If you hadn’t—”Ellen cut her off with a sharp laugh, stepping back and folding her arms across her chest. “Oh, Helena,” she said, her tone dripping with mock pity. “You really don’t have a clue, do you?”Helena sat up straighter, the hairs on her neck prickling at Ellen’s shift in tone. “What are you talking about?”Ellen tilted her head, her smile cold and condescending. “Ray got married,” she said, savoring the way the words seemed to hit Helena like a slap. “A month ago, to be precise. To Liliana.”The room seemed to tilt as Helena stared at Ellen, her mind struggling to process what sh
Matilda tossed her phone angrily onto the bed and screamed, “Haaaaaa!” at the top of her lungs, but none of the servants dared show up. They were used to this in the Anderson household. Everyone in the family, except Liliana Anderson, acted like a bunch of mad people—breaking things or yelling at the top of their lungs like it was some sort of therapy.To say she wasn’t frustrated would be a big lie. Master was in New York, and how was she supposed to tell him that Liliana was no longer under their control?Matilda herself had given Liliana the pill, and she’d almost died in the process. She knew that without Master’s help, she wouldn’t have been able to get rid of Evelyn or even imagine herself married to James.She knew she couldn’t hide forever. Matilda had been coming up with excuses to avoid seeing him, but she knew it was only a matter of a day or two before he sent someone to drag her to him.And the only thing that daughter of hers knew how to do was whine nonstop every day li
Matilda paced nervously in the driveway, clutching her car keys. Her usual driver had been dismissed with a cold excuse of needing “privacy,” and now, she was gripping the steering wheel of her luxury sedan like it was a lifeline. She didn’t often drive herself—why should she? But this wasn’t the kind of visit she wanted anyone else to witness.As the towering iron gates of an old, industrial-looking street loomed ahead, she slowed to a stop. A hulking man stepped out of a hidden booth, his body brimming with muscle and menace. His face was expressionless, but his sharp eyes bore into hers as he leaned down to peer through the window.Before Matilda could say a word, he stepped back and pressed a button on a small device. The gates groaned open, revealing a sprawling compound that looked like a blend of a high-tech laboratory and a fortress.Matilda’s fear grew with every inch the car rolled forward. Inside, the space was stark and clinical. The walls were metallic, with strips of gla
“So, you’re telling me that you fed my toy a pill?” Master’s voice thundered through the room, the walls seeming to vibrate with the sheer force of his anger. His piercing gaze bore into Matilda, who trembled on her knees, barely holding herself upright. “How the fuck did you get access to it?”The silence that followed was suffocating, broken only by Matilda’s shallow breaths and the faint hum of machinery in the background. The Master’s fists clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles white with rage.Which one of his men had betrayed him? Who dared to give her access to something so dangerous? His mind raced, a volatile mix of confusion, fury, and disbelief swirling within him. How could this happen? And worse, how had she survived?The Master’s aura darkened, an almost tangible wave of menace radiating from him. It was as though the room itself shrank under the weight of his wrath, the air growing colder with each passing second.Matt, standing near the doorway, swallowed hard. H
The question struck Gray like a physical blow. His eyes darted nervously to Matilda, who was still trembling on her knees, then back to Master. “I—” he began, his voice faltering. He hadn’t checked in a long time. Months, maybe even longer. He had gotten complacent, assuming that nothing could disrupt her conditioning.“I-I don’t…” he stammered, his throat tightening.Master’s eyes narrowed, his expression a terrifying mask of cold rage. “Speak up!” he thundered, the force of his voice reverberating through the room.Gray flinched, his words choking in his throat. Before he could muster a response, Matilda’s muffled sobs broke the tense silence.The Master’s head snapped toward her, his gaze venomous. “If I hear so much as another breath from you,” he said, his voice dropping to an ominous growl, “I will cut off your head and feed it to my dog.”Matilda froze, her sobs dying in her throat as she clamped her hands over her mouth, desperate to stifle even the faintest sound. Her entire
Clark and Gray flinched, exchanging panicked glances but daring not to intervene. Matilda remained motionless, tears streaming silently down her face as she braced herself for the storm that showed no signs of subsiding. The room was heavy with dread, the atmosphere oppressive as Master’s wrath churned like a hurricane, threatening to consume everyone in its path.Master’s rampage continued, his fury a relentless force that demanded release. His voice boomed through the room, shaking even the walls. “You!” he bellowed, jabbing a finger at Gray. “I told you to always check! How dare you neglect your duty? And Matt!” His gaze swung sharply to the figure lingering in the corner, making Matt stiffen. “When I ordered you to bring her in a few days ago, did you notice anything strange?”The accusation crackled in the air like a whip, and the three men froze under the weight of his rage. Clark’s face went pale, beads of sweat rolling down his temples as he tried to blend into the background.
Dressing up in this outfit, knowing she's working alongside that piece of shit, is annoying the hell out of Chloe. She went against the protocol set by her boss's husband, thereby endangering her life in process. As a punishment, she has to work alongside that piece of shit, until the corporate and the mastermind behind the kidnapping are brought to justice.Stepping out of her apartment only to his him waiting with his car as usual the habit that annoying being started few days ago.Jerry leaned casually against the hood of his car, pretending to scroll through his phone. But the moment Chloe stepped out of her apartment, all his focus shifted. There she was, her dark curls bouncing lightly with each step, her sharp suit accentuating her elegance. How could someone so cold be so breathtaking? Jerry clenched his jaw, annoyed at himself for even thinking that. The contradiction of her icy demeanor and radiant beauty pulled him in like a moth to a flame, though he wasn’t sure if it was
James’ patience was hanging by a thread.“Woman, have you lost your senses?!” His voice echoed through the room, laced with sharp disbelief. “Or are you seeing things that aren’t there? Who the hell is this Master you keep calling me?”James looked at her like some lunatic, what up with her?Matilda’s breath hitched. The moment the words left his mouth, it felt like ice water had been thrown on her.James took a step forward, staring at her as if she were a stranger. “I don’t remember promising you any of those things. What are you even talking about?” His fingers curled into a fist at his side. “Matilda, I swear, if you’ve gone crazy, now is not the time for it.” What does she has do be a bitch when not needed.For a moment, Matilda only stared at him, disoriented. The pounding in her head grew worse. The name had slipped out so easily, so naturally—had she really lost herself that much?James exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “What happened to my wife? The woman who loved me? Wh
“They would have what?” Ellen cut in smoothly, arching a brow. “Fought for you? Demanded your freedom?” She tilted her head. “Then why haven’t they?”Helena’s throat felt dry.Ellen sighed again, shaking her head. “Sweetheart, you need to understand… They’re done. They don’t know what to do with you anymore. You’re a problem they can’t solve, a burden they’d rather not carry.”Helena’s nails dug into her palms.No.That’s not true.But hadn’t she already asked herself the same questions? Hadn’t she felt that quiet, suffocating doubt creeping in every time another day passed without a visit?Ellen watched her, eyes glinting with satisfaction as the walls of Helena’s resolve began to crack.“You know I’m telling the truth, don’t you?” she murmured, reaching out to trail a finger along Helena’s jaw. “They left you to me, Helena. Because I’m the only one who truly knows what’s best for you.”Helena clenched her teeth, shaking her head. “That’s not—”Ellen gripped her chin firmly, forcing
Helena stretched her arms above her head, a lazy smile tugging at her lips. The realization that she was finally going home filled her with relief, but there was something else—something unsettling. A weight in her chest that she couldn’t quite place. Over the past week, she had rediscovered herself in ways she never thought possible. Ellen had opened doors she never dared to approach before, and now… could she really just walk away?The thought of returning to her old life—where she was ignored, treated like a fragile inconvenience—made her stomach churn. Here, in this confined space, she had felt something new. Something exhilarating. Something dangerous. And if to be sincere she has never noticed that her parent treated her in such manner, this is all thanks to Ellen opening her eye and making her see the reality of things.I shouldn’t feel this way, she told herself. Ellen kept me locked up. She took my choices away.And yet… hadn’t she also given her something no one else ever h
The search was relentless.Every street. Every alley. Every backroad and hidden passageway in the city.Nothing.It was as if Lilly had disappeared into thin air.Ray stood at the edge of an empty intersection, his hands clenched into fists. His chest rose and fell in heavy, ragged breaths.Five hours.Five agonizing, tormenting hours.No leads. No clues. No sign of her.Ray pressed his fingers against his temple, trying to stop the pounding headache threatening to split his skull.His mind raced with worst-case scenarios.What if she was hurt?What if she crashed?What if someone else found her before they did?His heart clenched painfully. No. No, she’s strong. She’s smart. She wouldn’t let anything happen to herself or the baby.But then again…Lilly was in control.And Lilly was reckless.Goddamn it, Lilly. Where the hell are you?Just as Ray was on the verge of losing his mind, his phone rang.Jerry.Ray snatched it up so fast, he nearly dropped it.“Tell me you found something,”
Ray’s heart dropped the moment he saw her.Lilly stood beside the car, her back to him, her hands clenched at her sides. The trunk was still open. And inside—An unknown stranger that he couldn’t recognize but he wasn’t seeing his face properly.Ray felt his breath hitch.What the hell am I looking at?“LILLY!”His voice cut through the eerie silence of the empty road, but the second Lilly—or rather, Lia—heard him, her body stiffened.Then—she bolted.Straight for the driver’s seat.Ray’s eyes widened in pure disbelief.“LILLY, STOP!”He ran.His feet pounded against the pavement, the rush of adrenaline surging through him like wildfire. Too fast. Too reckless.He barely made it to the car before the door slammed shut.She was leaving.Ray banged on the window, his voice desperate. “Lilly, don’t do this! Open the door!”But she didn’t.Her hands trembled on the wheel. Her breathing was uneven.And then—she floored it.The tires screeched as the car lurched forward.Ray barely jumped ba
David had felt fear before. He had studied it, manipulated it, made it his weapon. He had seen it in countless eyes—victims, test subjects, even his own colleagues when they realized what he was truly capable of.But this?This was different.A moment ago, she had been trembling. The fear had been thick, suffocating. It had been delicious.But now—Now, the woman standing before him was nothing like the fragile thing he had expected.Her eyes burned with something primal. Something wrong.The bloodlust radiated off her in waves, curling around her like a living entity. Her lips were curled, not in fear, not in pain, but in something far, far worse.Rage.David had always considered himself the puppeteer. He pulled the strings. He dictated emotions, controlled his creations.But the thing before him?She was not under his control.And she knew it.Lia’s lips parted, her voice a whisper—low, sultry, dripping with a wicked amusement that sent a shiver down his spine.“Come on.”David’s b
Lilly’s pulse thundered in her ears. The hand on her shoulder felt heavier than it should, as if it carried the weight of something beyond the physical. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.Lia.Nothing.Lia! she screamed internally, panic lacing every syllable.Silence stretched.Then, finally—“He’s the master. The psycho scientist.”Lia’s voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried the weight of something dark.Lilly’s stomach twisted. Master?She swallowed hard, her gaze locking onto the man before her.His face. His eyes. His presence.Recognition slammed into her like a train wreck.David Deluca. The name Evelyn uttered earlier.A name she had only heard in hushed tones, wrapped in secrecy and fear.The man who played god with human lives.The scientist who had turned bodies into experiments. Who had engineered horrors beyond comprehension.Lilliana’s nightmare.Who had, in some way, been connected to everything.Her lips parted, her breath shallow. “You—”David smiled. A
Ray flinched.Lilly blinked.Evelyn wiped at her tears, but even she looked taken aback by the question.Mitchell wasn’t done.She pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering under her breath before shaking her head. “No, no. Let me get this straight.” She turned fully toward Lilly now, eyes narrowed in confusion. “You died. Then you woke up in another body. But that body also belongs to you because it was your twin’s. So technically, you’re alive.”Lilly hesitated before giving a small nod.Mitchell’s eye twitched.“So then…” she exhaled sharply, rubbing at her temples. “Does that mean my grandchild is going to come from a dead woman? Or a half-dead woman? Or… wait, are you dead or alive?”Ray let out a slow, suffering breath.Lilly pressed her lips together tightly, but inside her mind, Lia lost it.“Oh my god, I told you she was funny!” Lia cackled.Lilly nearly choked trying to suppress a Lia. Her laugher was kind of annoying, does she know that she even in someone’s body damn it?M
Ray’s hands clenched into fists, his entire body thrumming with frustration. He didn’t care who was in the room or what anyone else had to say—he needed answers. His voice, when it finally broke through the heavy silence, was sharp, demanding.“I get that she has a story to tell. Everyone has a damn story to tell.” His eyes burned into Evelyn before flickering toward Lilly, searching, pleading. “She’s been through hell, I get that. But my concern—no, my main concern—at this very moment is this: How the hell is this even possible? How is my wife claiming to be her own twin?” His voice cracked slightly, but he pushed forward.“Because it’s obvious, isn’t it? Her twin was Lilly.” He turned to Mitchell, as if waiting for her to confirm the obvious truth. “And the woman I knew, the woman I fell in love with, the woman I married—” His voice softened, almost breaking. “She was Liliana Anderson.”His gaze swung back to Lilly, a storm raging behind his eyes. “So how is this possible?” He took