She turned to look around; she could only hear screams and loud footsteps in the empty hallway. She slowly walked while holding her gown and trying to make sense of what was going on. The farther she walked, the more distinct the creams and heavy footsteps were. She looked around for people but was unable to locate even one. She picked up her pace quickly but was startled by a burning smell that she could not identify. She was terrified and wanted to enter the party hall, but a thick cloud of smoke obscured her vision, making it feel burning. She wondered where the cloud of smoke was coming from as she turned to look at her left and saw a huge flame shoot out of one of the guest rooms. She felt the flames roar angrily towards her face and fell down with a scream, avoiding a near-death experience. She realized the hotel was on fire, she broke out into a cold sweat "The hotel is on fire, shit, shit, oh god, please save us". She muttered. She knew she had to flee, but her body w
His phone had rung multiple times previously, but he had decided to ignore it and watch her perform. After she finished, he left and went outside to the garden, where he lit a cigarette and dialed the number. Kaito had been explaining to him how the Russian mafia had invaded their territory; during the attack, over ten soldiers were killed, but they were able to capture three of their men alive, who were now in his custody. "How much time will it take, man?" Frustrated, Kaito asked"Do not kill them in your fret already, Kai, keep them alive until I return".Moments passed in silence before Kaito answered, "Yes."He was aware of Kaito's prolonged silence, which was likely an attempt to maintain composure. He loved his people the most, and his weakness was that he could not keep his cool; he lost it easily. Kaito was a short-tempered and ignorant individual. He needed to finish his business here and return as soon as possible if he did not want Kaito to kill them and rush to the Rus
"Ellaya Wake up, you lazy head. How long are you going to sleep?" A gentle voice kept repeating in her head. She tried hard to open her eyes, but everything was blurry. She closed them, forcing hard, and then opened them again, only to find everything white.'Is this place heaven? No, I cannot be in heaven because I have not done anything good to deserve it. It might be hell, but how would I find out if I asked someone?' She tilted her head and saw nothing but white walls and darkness. She blinked several times to clear her vision, and now she could see a table and a sofa—everything earthly. With confused gaze.Her face was filled with pain. A voice spoke again in her head "I died without telling him that I started to fall in love with him. Did he also die in a fire? "The fire" was so painful. "Iden.." with a scream, she abruptly sat up on the bed. "Iden..." She looked around, her eyes watering, and began to cry. She felt as though someone was holding her heart in tight grip, she bit
There was an eerie silence in the ward, not a single sound could be heard, and Ellaya was restless because she was alone. It had been hours since Iden left to finish his important work. She was incredibly bored as she fiddled with her fingers. She was starving and could not leave the hospital room. When she closed her eyes, all she saw was his stunning face as it rose from the fire, embracing her and addressing her by name. She snapped open her eyes as the door opened and she heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. When a pair of black shiny shoes appeared in front of her, her gaze shifted from the shoes to the well-built body to the breathtaking handsome face. Iden hurled a paper bag onto the table next to her and collapsed onto the couch, drained "Hmm! what is this?" Ellaya closed her eyes and hummed as she lifted the paper bag to her nose and inhaled the mouthwatering aroma of the food. She repeatedly inhaled the delicious aroma of the meal, then opened her eye
Ellaya was fiddling with her phone while seated. She knew no one knew what happened, so she dialed a number, and Eva's extremely angry voice answered. "Where are you lost Ella? I have been trying to reach you for the past three days, but your phone is constantly off. You have no idea how concerned I am for you. If you were going to jump ship to New York and spend eternity there, at least you could have given me a massage." Ellaya was forced to disclose everything that transpired during the charity event after hearing her irate voice. "Oh my goodness! Ella, how did that happen? Are you okay?" On the other end of the phone, Eva cried out in concern. "Do not worry, I am fine. Tell me how everything's going." "Listen, do not worry about anything right now; instead, focus on your health." Eva has a worried tone. "Eva, what is wrong?" Eva sounded tired, and Ellaya sensed that her voice was not as enthusiastic as before. "Ahem..."Eva remained silent for a brief while. Ellaya se
Iden strode into the gym, took off his t-shirt and watch, and threw them carelessly onto the bench. He then stepped forward, bent over, and pulled the ring over his head to enter the cage. A voice rang in his head as he made contact with the punching bag. " Come on, Iden, you can never defeat me." " Come on, punch me, yes punch me. You are still mama's little boy, Iden." " Just one moment of distraction and you will lose it, dude." "Yes, come on, strike it hard." With a rush of adrenaline coursing through him, he punched the puncing bag, sending it flying into the air. "Man, I am in love, finally, Leo the beast is in love," "KAPO" (punched the bag again.) "Yes, Idi boy. I am sure she also loves me." "KAPO" (he struck it once more) "I would die than be without her. She called me a stinking dog,slapped me, and insulted me, but I still love her too much to let her go. She does not love me, and you know why? Because I am poor and poor people do not have the right to fal
She steered her neck and asked again, looking him in the eyes, "Why do you need to control yourself?" His intense gaze danced across her face. "You are not the kind of woman I spend time with, Laaya." The sentence pierced through her heart, and her face visibly fell, she lowered her eyes, 'what exactly does he mean by "not the type of woman he spends time with?' staring at his chest, and asked again,"what kind of woman do you think I am, then?" Iden took a few steps backwards and said, "You are the kind of woman a man would want to bring home, introduce to his parents, closest friends, and family members; you are the kind of woman he would want to flaunt at parties, hold hands with, and declare to the world, "I am married to this woman, she is mine; do not even dare to look at her." You are the kind of woman, princess, that a man like me could forget about all the attractive women out there and return home early every single night just to fuck his wife." Once more turning aro
Laaya stood in the dimly lit gym, her heart still racing from Iden's words; his confession hung heavy in the air, thick and suffocating. She took deep breaths and tried to study herself, but the emotions inside her were too strong to control. Iden had turned away from her, his shoulder tensed, and she could see the struggle in his posture, as his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. He was fighting a battle with himself, and she desperately wanted to help him win. After a suffocating silence, she softly called out "Iden," her voice tremulous. "You don’t need to be prince or hero, I don’t need you save me. I just need you to be with me. I do not care what others think or say; I know who you are." He moved slowly, his eyes dark and stormy. Laaya, you do not understand. I am not good for you. "I could hurt you in ways you cannot imagine." She stepped closer, closing the gap between them. "Let me choose to be with you, despite the risks and criticism, because I believe in you
"Iden I am sorry," she said in a whisper, calming his tormented spirit. He closed his eyes, savoring the warmth of her embrace, but his heart remained conflicted as to why he asked with a low voice. Her breath was warm, her presence was serene yet smoldering, and her head was resting on the back of his shoulders."I am not sure..."He shivered and felt his body jolt as her breath fanned his bare skin. I could feel that I was the reason you were upset. He drew her in front, encircling her narrow waist with his powerful arms. "I cannot bear the thought that you are hurt," he said, rubbing her wet face and pushing her hair back. He bent down and looked at her face, examining every inch of it. "It is killing me," his breath fanned her cold and wet lips and made her bare skin itch. He slapped his lips on her, intensifying their kiss. With his teeth brushing against her lips, his tongue vying for control, and his hands moving all over her body, he pushed her against the wall, ripped
Iden held her trembling form, her sobs echoing in the quiet room. “Why? Why did you do this to me?” she cried, her voice barely a whisper. “Why did you marry her?” She clung to him, her tears soaking through his shirt. Iden stood there, speechless, as she poured out her heart. “Divorce her… come back to me… I can’t live without you.” The word “divorce” jolted him back to reality. He gently pushed her away, holding her shoulders to create some distance. His eyes softened as he looked into hers. Wiping her tears, he caressed her head tenderly. “Anna, stop crying. You know why I married her. Please, stop acting like a child and be strong, okay?” “You promised you’d never leave me. Then why did you marry her and not me? Tell me, Iden.” She wiped her tears with the back of her hands, shaking her head in despair. He grabbed her and bent down slightly, his voice firm yet gentle. “Anna, listen to me. I am not leaving you. You don’t have to be mad. Pull yourself together and be stron
She stood under the hospital building, its tall shadow stretching across the road. The setting sun cast a warm glow, brushing her face and sending a chill through her skin. As she moved forward, she rummaged through her handbag for her phone, her mind focused on getting home before Iden arrived. Over the past two months, she had visited Eva whenever she could, though Eva’s condition remained unchanged. She hadn’t visited her parents, still haunted by her mother’s harsh words. Lost in thought, she didn’t notice the figure approaching and bumped into them. Her phone fell, and she knelt to pick it up, apologizing. Her breath caught when she heard her name. She looked up, and a small, beautiful smile crept across her face as she recognized the voice. Ella… oh my god, is it really you?” The woman looked as beautiful and cheerful as ever. Ellaya stood up, clutching her phone. “Annabell, when did you get back?” Ellaya moved forward and hugged her tightly. It had been almost a year sinc
Iden was preparing dinner while Ellaya perched on the kitchen island, her eyes following his every move. She watched the way he chopped vegetables, the concentration on his face, the subtle twitch of his muscles, and how his long, beautiful fingers gripped the knife. Even in casual sweatpants and a t-shirt, he exuded a magnetism that could make women kneel and beg for his attention. And here she was, the better half of this incredibly handsome man, wondering why he chose her among all the beautiful women out there. The hurtful words of her mother echoed in her mind, making her wonder if he would eventually get tired of her and shove her out of his life, just as her mother had predicted. The question raced through her mind like a wild wind, leaving her feeling vulnerable and uncertain. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. One harsh word from her mother, and here, her self-confidence shattered like a piece of glass. It had taken her years to piece it back together, and yet, o
Iden shoved his phone into his pocket, snapped his laptop shut, and yanked his car keys from the drawer. He stormed out of his office, with James scrambling to keep up. “Sir, you have a meeting in ten minutes,” James called out, clutching his file, his phone precariously balancing his glasses on his nose. “Cancel it,” Iden barked, adjusting his tie and coat, his pace unrelenting. “And the dinner meeting with the Japanese client in an hour?” James pressed, his voice tinged with desperation. “Cancel that too.” Iden’s steps faltered only at the elevator, where he jabbed the button repeatedly. “But sir, we’ve been waiting for this meeting for six months,” James stammered, his anxiety palpable. They had poured countless hours into securing this deal, with trips to Japan and sleepless nights. Now, on the brink of success, Iden was abruptly pulling the plug. James’s heart raced with unease. Iden jabbed the elevator buttons repeatedly. “Sir, the lift has been out of order since
Ellaya’s heart raced as her mother’s harsh words reverberated through her mind. “Ella, stop deceiving yourself.” Her mother’s voice was a thunderclap, nearly bursting her eardrums. “I still remember how the doctor recoiled in fear when you were born, almost dropping you. Even as your mother, I couldn’t bear to look at you for months. I cried days and nights, thinking I had given birth to something inhuman. But since you are our only child, your father and I eventually accepted you. What do you think others will do? They can find countless beautiful women, so why would they choose you, Ellaya, unless they had some hidden agenda?” Mrs. Stone’s voice was icy and unyielding. “You are different, ugly, and frightening. Look at yourself.” She shook Ellaya roughly, forcing her to face the mirror. Already broken, Ellaya couldn’t muster the strength to confront her reflection. “You were only good at singing, Ellaya, but you ruined everything. You ruined us. Raising you was a nightmare, and I
Ellaya nodded and wiped her tears as she stood up and left. She met the attentive doctor of Ava, and collected all the information. “Miss Stone. We are doing our best to help her wake up, but again, we are only doctors, not gods. You have to wait patiently,” the doctor advised gently. Ellaya nodded, feeling a mix of hope and helplessness. She wanted to pay for Mia’s medical expenses, but the doctor informed her that someone had already covered all the bills; it must have been her father. Without giving it more thought, she went to meet Mia next. “Doctor, how is she now?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly. “We have treated her superficial wounds, but the wound on her soul is hard to treat. She isn’t talking or responding to anything. I can suggest a good psychiatrist,” the doctor replied with a concerned look. Ellaya nodded again and entered the room. Mia was sitting on her bed, staring at the wall and biting her lower lip. “Mia,” Ellaya called her name softly, but th
It was a scorching day when Ellaya stepped out of her house, shielding herself with an umbrella. She looked effortlessly stunning in beige wide-leg high-waist pants paired with a matching crop top. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she made her way to the bus stop. This was her first time traveling alone on public transportation. “You can do it, Ellaya,” she whispered to herself, taking a deep breath as she boarded the bus. Although it was her first solo journey, she felt the comforting presence of her husband, Iden, who was always there to protect her. Smiling at the thought of him, she pulled out her phone to let him know she was on her way. It was a rule they had—she always informed him of her whereabouts. But just as she unlocked her phone, it abruptly shut down. Frustrated, she tried to turn it back on, but it was no use. Ellaya had a habit of neglecting her gadgets, often forgetting to charge them. With a sigh, she leaned against the window, watching the world go by. Whe
“If you agree to a 15% profit, sign the document. If not, leave my office right now, Mr. Cooper,” Iden said, unlocking his phone and typing something. With a thud, Iden threw the file on the table. The man opposite him glanced nervously at his associates, rubbing his hands and chewing on his lower lip. “But Mr. Ruan, we agreed to a 50-50 profit split,” he protested. “It’s okay, Mr. Cooper. If you don’t want to sign the document right now, I can still work on the land we agreed on without losing a single cent to you. Fifteen percent is a fortune you earn from the Ruan Corporation. Fifteen percent profit is even more than fifty percent from other companies, so it’s not a loss for you to work with the Ruans,” Iden replied calmly. Mr. Cooper cocked his head and glanced at the man sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, sipping his wine. His body shook involuntarily, and beads of sweat slid down his forehead as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He stretched out his hand, took