Cattleya’s POV I stared at him with pure hatred. I couldn't believe he'd fallen for Elise's trap. Did he even consider the possibility that she might be lying to him? Was he so desperate for a baby, an heir, that he'd choose a woman who could bear his child?I smiled bitterly. "Well, sign the divorce papers then. I don't want to hear anything more from either of you. Perhaps this is for the best for both of us. Because I've always known that you'd choose your world over mine. And I accept that...""Why don't you just stay with me?""Stay? With you? After you just admitted to impregnating Elise, you want me to stay with you? Are you out of your mind? I'm not that desperate to forget what you did, Jaxon.""I don't know what just happened between me and Elise. I was so drunk that I thought it was you, and then I woke up next to her…"I scoffed and rolled my eyes but my voice was shaking to the point I wanted to cry in front of him, "Yeah, same old story. All men say that to hide their i
Jaxon’s POVI heard Nikolai's pained groan echoing through the empty room, the man who destroyed my marriage and drove my wife away. If he hadn't kidnapped her, she might not have left. I know I've made mistakes, but I never meant to be so stupid. Yet, here I am, a fool who got drunk and impregnated another woman!Nikolai laughed, blood dripping from his cracked lips. "Are you done, Jaxon? Why don't you just kill me?!" he yelled.I sneered at him. "I'm so happy to have you here, Nikolai... even more happy to see you suffer than to kill you. I don't want you to see your dad yet. He's probably in hell right now, but I'm sure you'll join him soon."Nikolai spat on the floor, struggling to untangle the chains binding his feet. "Or maybe your parents are already there waiting for you. Why don't you just go first? It could be a family reunion..." he laughed, a sound that grated on my nerves.I stared at him, my gaze intense. If looks could kill, he'd be dead already.He smirked. "I'm sorry
Cattleya's POV ROME, ITALYI couldn't help but wipe my tears with my bare hand. Then my driver slid open the van's door and said, "My condolences, Ms. Cattleya." I bit my lower lip and walked down the aisle with a heavy heart, and as I looked around, everyone was dressed in black; I couldn't believe that it was really my twin sister's funeral. But being here with relatives I barely know makes me feel suffocated. Whispers and forced sympathies fill the air, and each person gets on my nerves that I want them to be kicked away from my twin sister’s funeral, so they can have a place for their gossip. I stare at Ariella’s smiling photos in the center and then I glance down at the closed casket, a heavy oak barrier that will separate me from my sister forever. “Ariella…” I said trying to stop myself from breaking down. “Catt…” My mom walked towards me and I hugged her tightly, bursting into tears. She sobbed softly, "It was all my fault." "Mom, it's not your fault." I said, and ask
Cattleya’s POV"What do you mean? What about this club? Do you know this club?" I showed him the flyer.He sighed and said, "Yes, Jaxon Moretti owns this nightclub. It's a nightclub catering to the most exclusive clientele, and when I say elite, what I mean are affluent, well-connected people."I gasped softly and sat in the chair while thinking about what just happened to my sweet twin sister. “Do you think Ariella….” “Yes,” he said. "Then how come the authorities didn't dig deeper into my sister's death?! They need to do their job! They need to look into this guy, the club, and everyone else!" I yelled, trying to hide my tears. "It's because Jaxon Moretti is the boss of a powerful mafia family known for being cruel and strict. Getting close to Moretti is an act of pure risk-taking. People have gone missing, received harsh sentences, and even faced death." My heart skipped a beat, and the picture of that handsome man in the picture broke in my mind. Then fear prickled my skin as
Cattleya’s POV“Huh?” He smiled, “Have we met before, Cattleya?” My lips quivered in fear, swallowed hardly as I replied, “No, I don’t think we have met before, J–Jaxon.” He sat on his long black couch, spreading his legs, and directed his gaze at me for a second. Then he leaned his back and closed his eyes, seemingly yearning for a moment of peace. I stood there, watching him intently, but my mind was uncertain about what to do next.I can't let him ignore me this time; I have to do something crazy.I carefully took off my heels one at a time. Next, I took a deep breath and sat down on his lap, putting myself at ease right away. Then I gasped when I smelled his manly perfume, which took me away.As his piercing, mystifying gaze locked with me, his face shifted from bewilderment to surprise.He leaned back a little, resisting the urge to touch me. Then, in a gentle voice, he asked me, "What are you doing, Ms. Sullivan?"“Uhm…” “Is this how you pay me?” he asked, arching his ey
Cattleya’s POVMy heart skipped a beat as I heard his voice. "You're here?" I asked softly. He smirked, "You ask me to find you, Cattleya Sullivan..." That's when I realized he'd already found me in my own damn house. I thought he'd come to my new condo, but now there's no turning back. By the time he found me here, my plan had already failed.He smiled at me as he walked closer. But I felt glued to the spot, unable to move, and my heart was beating so fast that it almost leaped out of my chest. Finally, I forced myself to grab his hand and take him to my room. Clamping my palm over his mouth, I whispered, "I don't want anyone else to see you, especially Patrick." "And who is Patrick?" he asked, his voice clouded with confusion and amusement."None of your business." I moved away from him and opened the door. Then, I glanced at him and said, "Please, stay here. I need to talk to Patrick."I couldn't believe I had let this dangerous criminal roam around in my room and into my life
Cattleya’s POVI smiled and shook my head at him. "I think you shouldn't answer that," I replied. Then, I walked right past him as I went into his house. The room was dark and cozy, just like him. I glanced back at him when he followed me inside. I let out a gasp as his hand reached my shoulder, and my back scraped against his chest. He turned me around to face him. I could hardly breathe because he was so close. Finally, I asked him the question that made him frown: "So you run the Inferno Nightclub, right? Does the name Ariella ring a bell?"Jaxon's frown deepened, his eyes narrowing as he studied my face. "The name sounds familiar," he finally replied. "I think I've heard it before. Why do you ask?” He stepped forward and I stepped back when he was so close to me that it was hard for me to breathe properly. “Are you looking for a missing woman? I apologize, I don't keep women in my vault."Softly scowling, my heart hurt because I thought he knew Ariella, or maybe he didn't k
Cattleya’s POVBang! A gunshot reverberated across the room in an instant. It gave me chills to think that someone might shoot me and I'd die. I felt like I could pass out at any time. When I turned around, I saw the man, bloodily, lying on the floor with his eyes open. Jaxon covered my eyes with his palm. "Don't stare at him."I stared at Jaxon in horror, my hands trembling, but somehow I managed to stay calm. He took me outside and called someone on his phone. "I have a job for you," he said, glancing at me.He walked back inside and continued talking. I still don't know what I've gotten myself into. It felt like I put myself in danger with the most dangerous man.He'd killed someone right in front of me without even flinching. He stood there, staring at the dead body like it was nothing to him.When he came back, he said, "We need to get out of here. No one should see you." I gasped softly. "But what about the...""Don't worry about him," he cut in. "My men will clean him up.
Jaxon’s POVI heard Nikolai's pained groan echoing through the empty room, the man who destroyed my marriage and drove my wife away. If he hadn't kidnapped her, she might not have left. I know I've made mistakes, but I never meant to be so stupid. Yet, here I am, a fool who got drunk and impregnated another woman!Nikolai laughed, blood dripping from his cracked lips. "Are you done, Jaxon? Why don't you just kill me?!" he yelled.I sneered at him. "I'm so happy to have you here, Nikolai... even more happy to see you suffer than to kill you. I don't want you to see your dad yet. He's probably in hell right now, but I'm sure you'll join him soon."Nikolai spat on the floor, struggling to untangle the chains binding his feet. "Or maybe your parents are already there waiting for you. Why don't you just go first? It could be a family reunion..." he laughed, a sound that grated on my nerves.I stared at him, my gaze intense. If looks could kill, he'd be dead already.He smirked. "I'm sorry
Cattleya’s POV I stared at him with pure hatred. I couldn't believe he'd fallen for Elise's trap. Did he even consider the possibility that she might be lying to him? Was he so desperate for a baby, an heir, that he'd choose a woman who could bear his child?I smiled bitterly. "Well, sign the divorce papers then. I don't want to hear anything more from either of you. Perhaps this is for the best for both of us. Because I've always known that you'd choose your world over mine. And I accept that...""Why don't you just stay with me?""Stay? With you? After you just admitted to impregnating Elise, you want me to stay with you? Are you out of your mind? I'm not that desperate to forget what you did, Jaxon.""I don't know what just happened between me and Elise. I was so drunk that I thought it was you, and then I woke up next to her…"I scoffed and rolled my eyes but my voice was shaking to the point I wanted to cry in front of him, "Yeah, same old story. All men say that to hide their i
Cattleya’s POV"Why are you helping me, Vlad?" I asked directly."Because I want to see your husband suffer when he sees me with you. I want him to step out as the mafia lord. I want to bring him down and end his reign in the organization," Vlad replied, his voice filled with genuine hatred.Vianne cleared her throat, her expression thoughtful. "Well..." she began.I turned to her, perplexed. "Vianne?"She nodded slowly. "I know everything. I know about your husband. I've had to keep a low profile, or my life would be in danger.""What are you?" I asked, confusion etched on my face."Catt, don't get me wrong. Yes, I worked for you as your secretary, but when you met Jaxon, my father knew him well. He's been involved with some very dangerous people. I saw him kill a man, cold-blooded. He's ruthless, without mercy. But when I saw you with him, everything changed. I saw how he cared for you, how gentle he was...""So, you're not just an ordinary secretary. You know some secrets about the
Cattleya’s POV“She’s still my wife! You can take her to the hospital, but I will be there for her,” Jaxon growled, walking back to his car.Vlad placed me in his car, and I slowly lost consciousness. Before I slipped away, I whispered, “Don’t let him know my situation… I’m begging you… No one should know about it.”He whispered back, “I got you.”*****THREE HOURS LATER, Everything went well. My mother, Vianne, and Jaxon were all there, and Vlad had just left the hospital after explaining my situation to the doctor. I felt like a terrible person. I was using Vlad to keep my baby a secret until I was ready to reveal everything, and I was staying away from Jaxon, which was hurting him deeply. I just hoped he wouldn’t hate me in the end.“Oh my god, she’s finally awake…” Vianne whispered to my mom.My mom approached me with a worried expression, “Nikolai is in the same hospital right now. The doctor tried to revive him because that’s their job. But if I were the doctor, I wouldn’t let
Cattleya’s POVShe was about to slap me, but my bodyguard immediately intervened. I merely smiled at her teasingly and walked away from the crowd, accompanied by my maid and bodyguards. I left without looking back, though I knew she was fuming with anger due to the humiliation I had inflicted upon her.My maid whispered, “Are you alright, Miss Catt?”“I’m fine,” I replied.“But as you can see, she claimed to be pregnant with your husband’s child. What can you do about that?”I scoffed and glanced at her. “There’s nothing I can do. It’s my husband’s problem, not mine anymore.”“I thought you’d be upset—”I laughed softly. “Just because my husband cheated on me? Well, I’m not that kind of woman. I won’t force myself to be happy if it’s no longer serving me. So, if he’s truly the father and he did it behind my back, it means we’re truly over, and he needs to sign the divorce agreement as soon as possible.”“You’re tough and brave, Miss Cattleya. Not all women possess your courage. I trul
Cattleya’s POV"VLAD! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" I shouted, my voice sharp with anger and fear. I clutched my stomach while staring at him.Vlad, sensing my distress, slowly backed away. He knew the weight of the situation more than me. I could see a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes, a dark pleasure in witnessing Jaxon's pain."Okay, I hope I can see you again, Catt. Nice house by the way..." he drawled, a mocking tone lacing his voice. He turned, casting one last, knowing glance at Jaxon before disappearing. "You too, Jaxon." Jaxon, stunned and bewildered. "What was that?" "Not now, Jaxon," I pleaded, my voice trembling. "I'm still recovering from what Nikolai did. He kidnapped me and Aubrey. You can't imagine the terror I endured. Don Marco sent me to Vlad, but thankfully, he's not a monster. He gave me the chance to come back to you. But Nikolai won't stop. He's relentless, and he's coming for you next. So please, focus on your own safety, not mine."“Then why are you divorcing me?
Cattleya’s POV"I don't understand why you're acting this way, Catt! I've been looking for you for weeks. Why are you divorcing me all of a sudden? Did I do something wrong? Did I upset you? Did you hear something bad about me? Tell me… maybe I can explain it better," he said, his voice pleading for a second chance. I noticed his shoulders shrugging nervously because of my sudden decision until he shook his head and asked, "Cattleya, did something happen? Did that bastard do something terrible to you? Did he touch you?"I gulped softly and shook my head. "No, Jaxon. You heard me, right? I want a divorce. That's it. We're done."He clenched his jaw, his fists balling up in anger. "You don't love me anymore?! After everything we've been through, you're just going to throw it away? And now that you're here with me, you're asking for a breakup?"I looked straight into his eyes and nodded. "Yes."“I don’t believe you…” he said as he stepped back and pursed his lips, then he turned his back
Cattleya’s POV"No. But why are you doing this to me? Why aren't you hurting me? Why?" I asked, my heart filled with doubt, confusion, and a nagging worry that perhaps he had ulterior motives. I felt safer with him, but trust had become a foreign concept."You remind me of my wife, my late wife. She died in a car accident, eight months pregnant with our child," he confessed, his voice trembling. "I don't want that to happen to any woman, not even the wife of my enemy. I only want to see him suffer by not seeing you."I gasped, stunned by his revelation. I had no idea he was carrying such pain. Despite his good intentions, my heart ached for my husband, Jaxon. But the safety of the child growing within me took precedence, a bitter truth I couldn't ignore.He turned away without a word and fled to his room. And I sat in the corner, lost and anxious, unsure of what to do.Then, suddenly, the door from his room opened, and he approached me. "If you want to see him again, just say so. Then
Jaxon’s POV"I saw her... in her grave..." Grace muttered. Then she laughed so hard she cried. The nurse took her after I pushed her away. "Get rid of her..."Anthony showed up. "This is not okay, Jaxon! Don't hurt my sister!""Grace is sick!" I said.Suddenly, Anita stormed in. "You're just Fred's nephew. Just because Fred gave you permission to be our guardian doesn't mean you should send my daughter to a mental hospital!"I sneered softly. "I have so many things to do, especially looking for my wife for so many weeks now! And all of you questioned my authority? Then be it, I'm no longer taking care of this family. All of you can do whatever you want!" Then, I turned my back on them.Anthony tried to call my name. "Jaxon..."Then Anita said, "Just let him go, Anthony... he's mad."I walked outside with a dismayed expression and puffed a cigarette. I remembered how Cattleya hated the smell of cigarettes, so I threw it into the trash can and cursed silently, "Damn it, where are you, C