When I arrived at Thomas's mansion, I scanned his face for any emotion or tension from the night before, but there was nothing but a friendly, polite smile on his face. Yes, he played the part very well. Perhaps it was because Eva, his “lovely” wife, was right next to him. We were in the back garden of the house, and while the twins Erick and Frederick ran through the bushes and fruit trees, Thomas played the good husband and businessman:“Miss Evans, I hope you enjoy working in our lovely home.”He leaned in close to Eva, who smiled too, but without any joy in her eyes. A few minutes earlier, she had been there to see me sign the contract in Thomas's office. I could have sworn she almost jumped over the table to tear the document to pieces.The next few hours were more bureaucratic. After Eva had said goodbye to us, not without first making it clear with her gaze what she thought of me working in her house, Thomas and I took care of the financial part and the duties I would perform.
Thomas continued talking about the details of the event, but his words barely reached me. My mind was fixated on the woman in the photo and what she represented to him. There was something about that image, in the way he averted his gaze when he mentioned her, that told me this story went far beyond a simple friend from the past. As soon as he finished speaking, I seized the opportunity to say my goodbyes and finally distance myself from the mansion. I walked out the front door and took a deep breath, as if leaving a heavy atmosphere behind. My heart was racing, and I could hardly wait to read Masato's response.I grabbed my phone with trembling hands and opened the message. “Are you sure you want to know?” That was all he said. My brow furrowed instantly. What did he mean by that? Of course, I wanted to know. I replied with a simple “Yes,” trying not to show the urgency I felt, even though it was evident in every fiber of my being. I waited for what felt like an eternity until f
I was clearly obsessed.As I placed dinner in the microwave to heat, I turned on my laptop and went to a search engine. I had never been truly interested in learning about anyone other than myself, my mom, and my sister. At least, not in a genuine way. But this time, I needed to find more information.Using an image search engine, I uploaded the photo from my phone to discover more about the woman. A few newspaper headlines popped up. In all of them, the woman’s expression, whose name was revealed to be Cheyenne, appeared contemplative.Apparently, Cheyenne was a rising artist. Some of her paintings appeared in the news articles.I was interrupted by the sound of the microwave beeping. I grabbed my food and returned to the laptop.With the plate of food in my hands, I sat back at the table, the warmth rising from the dish as I continued to investigate Cheyenne’s life. The newspaper headlines painted a picture of her as a promising artist, but there was something more between the lines
I soon realized that it wouldn’t be so easy to work in that mansion.Not just because Eva would do everything to evaluate, criticize, and despise my work, as well as guide the other staff to do the same, but also because now that I knew about Cheyenne—and Masato—I wanted to know more about EVERYTHING.How did Thomas and Masato meet? How did they become friends? Yes, they became enemies after the death of the girl they loved, but even now, why had Thomas done so much to sabotage Masato’s business?Did the wheat-haired businessman blame the ebony-haired businessman? After all, the mysterious circumstances surrounding the poor girl’s death pointed to at least one thing: that there were things much worse than mere rivalry involved.I was coordinating some of the housemaids, telling them where they should be after the family lunch and where to clean, when the doorbell rang. I saw the butler, who had been waiting in the adjacent hallway, leave his post to answer the door.Strange. According
Comfortably seated on the sofa in the mansion's enormous living room, Erick and Frederick were playing on their respective phones. I was on my brief break, so I sat in the armchair. Eva wasn't home, nor was Thomas, so I was playing the role of babysitter.The boys were very quiet, like little angels, which struck me as odd since they were usually excited and eager to play and run around for as long as they could. I watched them for a bit longer and decided to find out what was going on.“Hey, twins,” I began, trying to break the silence. “What are you playing that’s so good?”Erick glanced up quickly but soon returned his attention to his phone. Frederick, on the other hand, paused and gave me a look that didn’t seem cheerful. “Nothing much,” he murmured.“You guys are so quiet. Normally, you’re running around the house or making a mess,” I commented, trying to sound casual. “Is everything okay?”They exchanged glances, and the expression on their faces seemed distant, as if they wer
There weren't many people at the funeral.Two of our old neighbors, an uncle and Carmélia. Besides me, only these people chose to pay their respects to our mother.When I asked my sister where our father was, she said she had tried calling him, but he wasn't answering or even reading the messages. He was probably too busy with his younger wife and didn't have time to say goodbye to the mother of his daughters.Thomas had been very kind to let me leave immediately the day before. I remember running to the hospital. The doctors told us she had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, and there was no time even to try to reverse it.Well, at least she was at peace now. I looked at her lifeless body in the casket. Memories of the last time I saw her flashed through my mind: her laughing, doing what she loved most, unaware that in just a few hours she would no longer be here.The funeral continued with prayers and murmurs, but my mind was far away. I remembered how my mother had always been a roc
The silence that followed my confession seemed eternal. Masato stared at me, his eyes reflecting surprise and perhaps a touch of vulnerability, something rare to see in him. I had never mentioned anything about his past before, but at that moment, it felt right.He looked away for a second, as if he needed to process my words. When he looked at me again, his expression had changed. The usual mask of coldness had cracked, revealing something much more human behind it.“How do you know about this?” He asked, his voice lower than usual. “I don't usually talk about my past.”In fact, it was much worse: he intentionally hid this information from everyone, or at least tried to.I didn't want to tell him that I'd spent almost an entire night looking up information about him, let alone that I knew about the orphanage's terrible origins and why Masato had stopped there in the first place. So I disagreed:“Oh, you know what I'm like. I like to know what I'm getting myself into, no big deal.”“Y
Thomas's mansion was packed.The buzz of aristocratic conversation among the many different people there made me dizzy, but even though I felt sick and uncomfortable being there, I knew I had to be there. Although Thomas had said that I didn't need to attend because of my grief, Eva had a different position. “Death comes to everyone all the time, dear,” she had commented the day before, after Thomas had talked to me about the event. “We can't let go of the important things.”I didn't want to cause intrigue and complain about it to the manager, after all, that would end up favoring my dismissal, or at least incite confusion within the house - which would take me completely away from my goal. So there I was, now gloriously bored, just giving a few orders here and there, as everything was meticulously organized among the other employees I'd been preparing during the week.That's when I saw him.A man of mesmerizing beauty, with delicate but incredibly strong Asian features, stood out in
A man in his fifties, dressed in the same attire as the Blood Ravens, entered the area where we were. He wasn’t pointing his weapon at us, though he held it in his left hand."I don’t know what kind of soap opera this is,” he warned, looking at Masato. “But you made a deal with us. The Hawk’s head is ours.”Thomas didn’t react. Masato looked confused, as if unsure of what to do. He glanced at me, desperate, but what could I do under these circumstances?!“Don’t let this happen,” I pleaded with Masato. “Don’t let them take Thomas. Please.”He didn’t even react. He just pretended he didn’t hear me.The silence felt heavy between us, like a silent threat. The Blood Raven man took a step forward, his disdainful smile illuminated by the faint light filtering through the trees. Masato looked frozen, as if every fiber of his being fought against some decision he knew he had to make.“So that’s it?” I shouted, my voice breaking. “You promised you were here to protect me, but now you’re going
Explosions and screams echoed around us as Masato and I ran, dodging debris and fallen bodies on the ground. The Royal Falcons and the Ravens were locked in an unending, relentless battle. The Blue Falcons, caught off guard, reacted immediately, but it was clear how exhausted they were.Worried, I bit my lip, wondering what they would do to Thomas. Had he already escaped to a safer place? I was genuinely concerned for him. As the man himself had said, the Blood Ravens didn’t take prisoners.Masato, with his focused and determined gaze, never let go of my hand, guiding me along a route that only he seemed to know.“We’re almost there,” he said as we ran, his voice muffled by the sounds of war around us. “The hidden pier is just behind those rocks. We have a boat waiting.”“Hidden pier?”“Yes. Thomas has a secret spot on this hell he calls an island. That’s probably where he’ll try to escape, though I doubt he’ll make it there alive.”I felt a knot in my stomach.“What if he survives?”
I froze, unable to process what was happening. Masato’s face, which I had thought lost forever, was right there in front of me, his expression serious and intense. My eyes filled with tears, a mixture of shock, relief, and anger bubbling within me.“Masato… you…” My voice came out shaky, broken by emotions. “Where have you been? How could you just disappear and leave me… with him?”I hugged him desperately. Despite the terrible sounds of the ongoing fight, the feeling of safety that washed over me was immense. There, in Masato’s arms, I knew I had nothing and no one to fear.“I didn’t leave you, Bianca. Believe me, it was the last thing I wanted to do,” he replied, his eyes burning with an unusual intensity. “To protect you and to get us out of this hell, I had to make a dangerous deal.”“A deal?” Horror mixed with relief in my chest. “With the Blood Ravens?”Masato nodded, a hint of surprise in his gaze as he realized I knew the gang’s name. He explained:“Yes. To reach you, to get y
Thomas's revelation hit like a cold stone in my stomach. I was still weak, my body barely recovered, and now we had a war ahead of us? The thought of more battles, more losses, more wounds was almost unbearable. But there was no time for hesitation.“How many?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.“More than we’re ready to face,” he replied, tension evident in his voice. “The Royal Hawks are determined to take control of the island and bring me down.” He paused abruptly. “And this time, they won’t make the same mistakes Adrian did.”“What do you mean by that?”Thomas sighed.“Our spies said they recently formed an alliance with another enemy group of ours.”“Another group?”The billionaire nodded, his lips pressed in nervousness.“Unfortunately, over time, as I expanded my empire, I made more enemies. Of course, the Eagles are still our biggest rivals, but other groups also want us destroyed.”I crossed my arms, distressed.“Okay, and who exactly have the Royal Hawks aligned with?”T
The darkness enveloped me completely, and time seemed to lose its meaning. There was no pain, no fear—only a comforting emptiness that almost made me forget everything that had happened.When I finally awoke, I found myself in a place that was initially unfamiliar. The ceiling was white, illuminated by a soft light. Blinking slowly, I realized I was in a comfortable bed, surrounded by machines and medical equipment. The sterile smell and the low hum of the devices around me made me realize that I was back in the hospital ward of Falcon Island.I turned my head slowly and saw Thomas sitting next to my bed, his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped, and his eyes fixed on me. There was an intensity in them that seemed to suggest he was carrying the weight of the world. Upon noticing I was awake, he leaned closer, taking my hand.“How do you feel?” he asked, his voice low, almost as if he were afraid to break the silence.I tried to speak, but my throat was dry. Thomas quickly grabbe
Adrian's weight on my body felt unbearable. His blood trickled, hot and thick, down my neck and face, mixing with my own blood, which continued to seep from the wound on my side. I tried to move, but I was too weak. My arms trembled as I struggled to push his limp body away.It was then, amid my blurred vision and rising desperation, that I heard hurried footsteps approaching. My heart leapt as I saw Thomas appear in front of me, his gaze filled with a restrained fury and, at the same time, relief. In his still-trembling hands was the firearm that had fired the shot.He had saved my life… and killed his own brother.The man quickly lifted Adrian's body off me, his expression shifting to something between worry and despair as he took in my condition."Bianca," he murmured, his voice rough. His fingers shook as they touched my bruised, blood-covered face. "I'm... sorry it came to this."A solitary tear slid down my cheek as I tried to smile, even with the pain throbbing in every part of
My heart was pounding uncontrollably. I knew that if I approached, I would be stepping into a game where the rules belonged to Adrian, and any misstep could mean the end. But Carmélia’s life depended on my choice, and I couldn’t leave her behind.I cast one last look at Thomas, hoping he had a plan — anything. He clenched his fists, his eyes burning with helplessness and anger, but he made no move. I knew he was trying to stay calm, trying to think of something as I slowly walked toward Adrian.Each step echoed in the silence, increasing the weight of that decision. Adrian smiled, satisfied, as if he had already won. He pulled the weapon away from Carmélia and grabbed her arm, pushing her toward Thomas.“There you go, brother, I kept my part of the deal. Now, Bianca is my guarantee.” He pulled me to his side, keeping the gun pointed at me.I tried to stay steady, but my hands trembled. I looked at Thomas one last time, hoping he’d say something, do anything to stop Adrian from taking
Thomas stood frozen beside me, his eyes wide as he took in the scene before us. His lips parted as if he wanted to speak, but there was no sound. Just a heavy, terrifying silence.Adrian kept the gun firmly pointed at Carmélia, but his gaze was fixed on his brother, a mocking smile forming on his face.“Is that fear I see on your face? Now that is a surprise.”My fear and shock at seeing the brother who had been so mistreated by Thomas quickly faded, giving way to anger. I took a step forward, but the billionaire beside me gripped my arm tightly, stopping me from moving further.“Let her go! Let her go now!” I shouted, enraged, seeing how pale Carmélia looked, likely from blood loss.“I’ll let her go, Bianca, don’t worry.” His voice was so calm and controlled, as if he were commenting on the weather. “No need to get so worked up. After all, I only needed bait, and you fell right into the trap.”Where were Thomas's other associates? Why weren’t they showing up? I looked around, searchi
As we headed to the helicopter, I felt the weight of the situation sink into me. The strong wind from the blades whipped across my face, and even with the sharp pain in my abdomen, my concern for Carmelia was greater. Thomas was focused, silent, his gaze fixed on the horizon, lips pressed into a tense line. I knew he was not only worried about locating my sister but also about maintaining control of the situation after Masato's unexpected attack.As soon as we took off, the silence between us became almost palpable. My thoughts were racing, divided between fear and anger. Carmelia should never have been involved, but now she was a valuable piece on both sides of the board. And that tormented me. What would Masato do to ensure Thomas stayed away?I remembered the day of my mother's funeral, when the Japanese CEO confessed his feelings and fears to me, at least partially. In contrast, I remembered the same Masato who physically punished me after discovering I had disobeyed his orders.W