Cattleya’s POVI awoke with a throbbing headache, only to find Jaxon standing on the balcony, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. I'd never seen him smoke before. He looked different and tense as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.I wrapped myself in a blanket and approached him, wrapping my arms around him from behind. "Is everything okay?" I whispered."It's late; you should go to sleep," he replied, flicking the cigarette into the trash can."Tell me what's wrong," I insisted, my heart beating so fast. "Why are you smoking?""We need to go home. It's an urgent meeting with my team. I don't want to disclose the news right now, but I know if I confirm it, trust me, we might finally find the mastermind behind Ariella's murder. I know he's been roaming around freely, and keeping you safe is challenging because we don't know who he is," he said, cupping my face. "Please take care of yourself for me. If I'm away, Don’t trust anyone around you.” "When
Cattleya’s POVJaxon pulled Elise from the water, her body shivering and her coughs racking her chest."Catt," he asked, his voice calm but firm. "Why did you push her?"I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "So, you actually believe her? It was an accident, okay? Yes, I pushed her—""That's it!" Elise interrupted, her voice filled with malice. "You just admitted it! You pushed me into the pool and watched me drown! Do you want me to die?"I smirked at her. "If I wanted you to die, do you think I'd waste time pushing you? I'd just get a knife and end your life instead!"Jaxon's jaw clenched, his face a mask of frustration. He hated seeing women fight, especially when he had so much on his plate.Elise opened her mouth to speak but Jaxon cut her off. "Elise, I think you should go home.""Dad's not home. I'm scared," she replied, her voice trembling slightly. "Last night, a group of men attacked us. That's why Dad sent me here. He's looking for them."Jaxon's eyes narrowed. "Really?"A
Cattleya’s POVI stumbled backward, losing my balance. But his strong arms caught me, preventing me from falling."You're such a spoiled brat," he said, scooping me up and carrying me through the crowd. And the rest of the night was a blur. I woke up in his bed, naked, with a strange ache settling in my lower body.I gasped, covering my mouth. "Did something happen last night?"The bathroom door creaked open, revealing him, fresh from the shower. "Yes, something happened. If I hadn't arrived when I did, some random guy would have taken advantage of you."I bit my lip, meeting his gaze. "Yeah, thanks to you. But you still did the same. You fucked me.""As your husband, I have every right to make love to you whenever I want. Besides, you were the one begging me to touch you last night. You even took off your clothes and spread your legs."I threw a pillow at him, my cheeks burning with shame. "Liar!""Why would I lie?" he teased, his eyes lingering on my exposed, tender breasts.I pull
Cattleya’s POV“Wow, I love her energy! So much for my rage!” Mr. Salvatore's voice was laced with aggression as he spoke, and in just an instant, he slapped me in front of everyone.The blood of my lips slowly dripped on the floor, and I felt like I was almost deaf because of the impact of his slap. The room was filled with a stunned silence as everyone processed the sight of the blood on my lips and the mark on the side of my face. Despite the pain, I looked up with a defiant smile. “Do you think with just one slap you can control me? I am not afraid of you, or you…” I pointed my finger at Elise. “I’m not afraid of any of you! So, get out of my house!” Mr. Salvatore smirked, “You’re brave.” And Fred put himself in the middle, “Mr. Salvatore, do you know what you just did? You hurt the wife of the mafia lord!” “I have the reason why I slapped that woman! She provoked me!” He answered. I rubbed the side of my face and wiped the edge of my lips, which was cut a little. Then, the b
Cattleya’s POV“Jaxon!” I called him out, and he stopped and turned to face me.“What? Do you expect me to do nothing? If they hurt you, they don’t respect me at all!”“Jaxon, fighting them using your gun can’t resolve the problem—”“Yeah, but I won’t tolerate them hurting you. And take a look at yourself. I don’t like it. I don’t like seeing you with bruises!” he said as his eyes landed on my lips. And after he said that, he left without looking back at me. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to calm my racing heart. I couldn't blame him for being upset. I knew he was fiercely protective of me, and the thought of anyone hurting me was unbearable to him. But I also knew that violence wasn't the answer. I glanced at my personal driver, but he shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, Ma'am. I can't give you the car keys right now. Mr. Moretti forbade me."I stayed in the villa, biting my nails with anxiety, then I called Nikolai, "Nikolai..."I heard Nikolai's voice, calm and steady, "H
JAXON’S POV"Have you ever thought about the gentleman's rule, 'Never hurt a woman'?" I asked Mr. Salvatore.The old man continued to puff his big cigar on his balcony while his two henchmen stood behind him, ready to protect him. I smirked at them, feeling the tension beneath their tough exteriors."Your wife provoked me," Mr. Salvatore replied. "She's someone I can't tolerate."I raised an eyebrow. "Provoked? How exactly?" My wife always provokes me, but I've never wanted to hurt her.His face darkened. "She insulted me and my daughter!" His grip tightened on his cigar. "That's called discipline. You have to teach your wife a lesson sometimes, Jaxon. Don't let a woman control you or else you'll lose your essence as a man—the power of control."I scoffed. "You call that discipline? It's clear that you hurt my wife. And I won't stand for it."The old man's face contorted with rage. "You dare to question my authority? Maybe you forgot who I am, Jaxon. I have been the longest ally of y
Jaxon’s POVThe Gambino Family.They are the reason my parents are not in this world anymore. For years, I remembered Don Marco Gambino, my family's mortal enemy. But since then, they have become weaker and slowly lost battles. That is why they have become more low-key and slowly faded into society as the shadow family.And now that they are back, what else do they want from me? The only thing I know is that they want to bring me down and take my position as the mafia lord. I won't let that happen. I won't give them satisfaction."How do you know they have Cattleya?"Anthony replied, "They sent me a message." He showed me the text message he had received. I read it, and my blood boiled in anger. How dare they take something so precious from me?I took a deep breath and looked up. "Prepare my soldiers, my army. I'm going to kill them."Uncle Fred said, "Jaxon, you have to calm down. They're back, and we don't know what they want from us."I scoffed. "They have my wife. How can I calm d
Cattleya’s POV"No, it can't be true. S-She would never do that to herself...." I said while shaking my head and tears trickling from my face. I was so shocked and disbelieving that it was hard to process the truth about my sister's death.Nikolai leaned down, staring at my face. "Oh, but she did, Cattleya. She was an attention-seeker, fragile thing. She couldn't handle any pressure in life. If she's depressed or stressed, she would love to hurt herself so people would pay attention to her."Don Marco grabbed my arm and pulled me up to see his face, but I struggled to look away.Nikolai yanked me away from his father and said, "That's enough. I already warned you, didn't I? Don't hurt her." And the old man replied, "Just make her agree to our terms or else I'll lose control." And after he said that, he left the room with his freaking footsteps.I looked up to meet Nikolai's gaze, and without saying anything, I slapped his face so hard that it echoed throughout the entire building. "W
Cattleya’s POV"Are you ready?" I asked, and then he held my hand tightly. He nodded nervously. I laughed, "Jaxon, this is not so you." "I'm just nervous, babe," he replied with a soft sigh.Thankfully, I had previously told them about their father, who had been away for many years and even showed them a photo of Jaxon. So, by the time they met him, they already knew who he was.Jaxon looked incredibly nervous as we arrived at the safe house. He seemed on the verge of running away. "What if they don't like me? What if they can't accept me?" he fretted."Have they seen your face before?" I asked calmly.He stood at the doorway, a mixture of excitement and apprehension evident on his face. "No, not yet. But I've already seen them. Gosh, they look so cute! They look just like me—""Hey! I'm their mother too," I teased, "You can't take all the credit!"Jaxon blushed. I wanted to laugh but gently knocked on the door with a smile.He sighed softly. "What do I do now? Will they be upset t
Cattleya’s POVI ducked down to cover my head. Looking around, I saw everyone had gone wild, fighting for survival as if their lives depended on it. Terror gripped me as I watched my husband battling fiercely, risking his own life."J--Jaxon!" He indeed chose me, and now he had to fight all those people trying to kill him. Within minutes, Vlad and his men arrived to help Jaxon in the battle.My eyes widened as I saw Vlad grab one of them and viciously crack their neck, and then a cruel smile graced his lips. He continued in this manner, dispatching each of them with chilling efficiency.I stepped back, searching for an exit, only to realize I had forgotten something. When I turned around, I saw Elise standing behind me, her eyes wide with shock.She hissed, "Don't you dare.." I scoffed, then walked towards her, grabbing her hand tightly and dragging her towards me. She struggled against me, but even though my body felt battered and bruised, I wouldn't let her go."Let go of me, bit
Cattleya’s POV"Oh, Cattleya, you are such a fool. How could you believe that I took your twins?" I heard Elise's voice echoing through the empty building.I never thought I would find myself in another life-threatening situation. My heart pounded in my chest, and then I took a deep breath, tried to steady myself, and looked up to see her. Elise stood at the bottom of the stairs, a vision in a crimson velvet dress, identical to the one I had worn on the night I chose revenge.A chilling smile played on her lips. She looked like a predator, poised and ready to strike.She turned around, a crowing glint in her eyes. "Do you like my gown? Oh, I almost forgot… it's quite identical to the one you wore the last time, but I think this one is better."I stared at her, my gaze unwavering. Giving her the death stare wouldn't achieve anything. I needed to think, to find a way to escape this deadly game, or perhaps even fight for my life.She walked towards me, stopping a few steps away. "But yo
Cattleya’s POVThe rain had finally stopped, and I was starting to feel a little peckish. I headed downstairs, planning to grab a snack in the kitchen. But as I approached, I heard a loud crash. My heart lurched. Three figures, masked and menacing, stood frozen in the doorway.Panic rushed through me. I reacted instinctively, snatching a heavy vase from the counter and hurling it at them. The vase shattered against the wall, glass raining down. Then, like a ghost, Jaxon appeared. His gun barked three times, and the intruders crumpled to the floor."Ow!" I hissed, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my foot. Jaxon asked, "Are you hurt?" "I'd stepped on a shard of glass...." Jaxon rushed towards me, scooping me up in his arms. "We need to go," he growled, carrying me out of the house. Gunfire erupted behind us. It wasn't just three men. It was an ambush!He threw me into the car, buckling me in before sliding behind the wheel. "They found us," he said, his voice grim."I know,"
Cattleya’s POVHe put me above the table and pulled himself closer to me. He kissed my lips, then my cheek, and finally my forehead, staring into my eyes with such longing. He breathed softly and whispered, "You know how much I've waited for this…"I gasped and asked, "What do you mean?"He just smiled at me and continued. He kissed my earlobe, then down my neck, showering me with tender kisses all over my body. It sent a tingling sensation through me that I craved so badly.Then he took off his gray T-shirt. I gasped as I stared at his muscular body. Damn, what a body! I lay my back on the table, and he leaned in, kissing my lips again. He pulled me so close that our mouths and lips smashed together, driven by the longing we felt for each other.Then he caressed my neck down to my chest, making me almost moan aloud. He put his hand on my lips and said, "Moan out loud, baby..."He continued what he was doing, caressing my breasts more and more. Finally, unable to contain himself any l
Cattleya’s POVI awoke to the rhythmic drumming of heavy rain against the windowpane. Never had I imagined life could feel this peaceful, this utterly serene. I couldn't believe the man I'd yearned for, longed for with every fiber of my being, was sitting there, watching me sleep. I blinked slowly, a yawn escaping my lips, and murmured, "Did I sleep too long?"Jaxon smiled, the curve of his lips a breathtaking sight, and then he replied, "You passed out."I nodded, my heart pounding against my ribs. And I sat up in bed; the world still felt surreal, a dream I feared waking from. My gaze darted away, unable to bear the intensity of his gaze and the unspoken emotions swirling between us. I just couldn't help but sigh in relief. Then he said, "I… I only know you're my wife because my investigator proved it to me. The photos on the screen, everything about it, prove that you're my wife."My eyes widened. If this was all it was, if his feelings weren't genuine if he only recognized me
Cattleya’s POV"Catt, you should sleep, and we will face it tomorrow, okay?" Vlad said, leading me to my room. I couldn't help but hug him, saying, "Thank you for helping me."He was a little stunned when I hugged him. He tapped my shoulder, "Everything will be fine. I'm sure of it.""Thanks, Vlad," I said, kissing his cheek and locking the door. I only did that so that he would think my mind wasn't in a storm and that I would fall asleep tonight without thinking about anything. I took a deep breath and glanced at the window. I needed to know what really happened to Jaxon. I couldn't just leave him there with a group of people who betrayed him.I knew Vlad was working on it, but I had to take action before it was too late.I slowly opened the window, and the wind greeted me. I placed my hands on the railing and slowly climbed down without making any noise. Then I bit my lower lip when I saw Vlad talking to someone on the phone in the living room. I tried so hard not to be noticed by
Cattleya's POVMr. Salvatore glared at me as if he'd seen a ghost, then immediately pretended like he didn't know me, "Who the hell are you?"I chuckled softly. "Oh, you're just like your daughter. She pretended she didn't know me too. Alright, let me present myself again. My name is Cattleya Sullivan. The woman who died three years ago."Suddenly, Elise interjected, "It's Dylan's birthday, and I don't want you to ruin my son's birthday..." then she glanced at Jaxon. "How could you bring this woman here to cause some chaos?"Jaxon ignored her.And amid the crowd, I heard Grace's voice shriek. My first thought was that she'd escaped the mental hospital, drunk and disheveled. "Cattleya! Oh my god, it's been a long time! Y—You're alive! I thought you were dead?!" Then she laughed at her own joke. "Oh my god, maybe I was just seeing things. Are you a ghost?"And that's when Jaxon interrupted her, "Grace, do you know her?"Anthony arrived to stop Grace from talking. "Grace, what the hell a
Cattleya’s POV“What?! I didn't do anything wrong! She strangled me to death, Jaxon! This woman hurt me! You can ask your son! He saw everything!" Elise said while pointing a finger at me.She really wanted Jaxon to believe her, but I guess I really know my husband the most. By looking at it, he doesn't believe a single word that Elise just said."Did I just warn you not to hurt my employee? She's my new secretary, for the love of God, Elise. You always make this so complicated. And please, don’t drag Dylan into this. Don’t be so childish…." Then she shook her head and said one more time, "Jaxon—""Stop this, Elise. Get out of Cattleya's room now. I'll deal with you later," Jaxon said, opening the door wider.Elise walked out, her feet thumping against the floor. She looked furious, but here I am, my heart so flattered that Jaxon didn't believe Elise. I am so proud of my husband. Oh, damn, there he is, staring at me. Jaxon took a step closer and checked my arms and neck. My heart wa