The door swung open.Adrian's fingers stilled over the pages of the file, his cold gaze lifting to the entrance.Nathan, who had been watching him with a smirk, turned his head slightly, his amusement deepening as he took in the sight before them.A woman stood at the doorway, her figure poised yet confident, her eyes locked onto Adrian with an intensity that hadn’t faded despite the months.Isabelle.Adrian’s jaw tightened.Shock was not an emotion he allowed himself to feel often, but for a split second, it gripped him. He had gotten rid of her. He had driven her away himself, ensuring that she had no way of returning. Yet here she was, standing in his office as if she had never left.How?Who had helped her?Adrian’s gaze darkened as his mind worked through the possibilities.Nathan’s smirk widened as he observed the exchange, clearly entertained by the situation.“Now this,” Nathan mused, leaning back in his chair, “this is interesting.”Isabelle stepped forward, her eyes never le
Selena moved carefully, balancing a tray of drinks as she approached the impatient customer’s table. The man, dressed in a sharp navy suit and gold cufflinks, was already tapping his fingers loudly on the table. His impatient demeanor and piercing gaze made Selena feel even more nervous as she placed the coffee in front of him. “This better not be cold,” he muttered, snatching the cup from the tray. He took a sip and froze. His face twisted into a look of disgust, and Selena immediately knew something was wrong. “Cold coffee?” he barked, his voice loud enough for the entire café to hear. “Are you even capable of doing your job?” “I—I’m sorry, sir. I’ll fix it right away,” Selena stammered, trying to take the cup back. Before she could reach for it, the man stood up and poured the cold coffee over her, the liquid splashing onto her shirt and soaking her uniform. Gasps rippled through the café as all eyes turned to the commotion. “This is unacceptable!” the man shouted again,
Selena struggled desperately, pulling and twisting her arm, but the man’s grip was firm, like iron shackles clamping her down. Her heart pounded wildly, and her throat burned from screaming, yet the men surrounding her seemed like they were having fun with everything. They exchanged smirks, their eyes gleaming with twisted amusement. “Don’t do this!” she cried, her voice cracking under the weight of her desperation. “Please, don’t!” Her father, standing just a few feet away, looked down at the ground, his face pale with shame. He fidgeted, his hands trembling, but he refused to meet her gaze. His betrayal cut deeper than anything else. “Dad, help me! Please!” Selena’s tear-streaked face turned to him, searching for a glimmer of the man who had once protected her. Instead, her father mumbled, “Selena, this… this is the only way. You have to understand. Do this for me. For us.” His voice was hollow, devoid of the love she had once trusted. Selena’s breath hitched, and her visi
Adrian watched her closely, the way her shoulders stiffened, her eyes darting toward the exit like a trapped animal seeking any way out. He had expected this reaction—her defiance, her determination to fight even when the odds were against her. It was one of the things that had drawn him to her in the first place. But now, her fire only fueled his anger.She thought she could leave him. After everything. After making him fall for her, she vanished without a word, leaving him to piece together the shattered remnants of his heart. And now, seeing her again, disheveled and desperate, was both a balm to his wounded pride and a spark to the fury simmering beneath his calm exterior.Adrian took a step closer, closing the distance between them. "Do you have any idea what it felt like, Selena?" he asked, his voice low but charged with emotion. "To wake up one morning and realize you were gone? No explanation, no goodbye—just emptiness." Selena met his gaze, her own eyes blazing with unshed
Chapter FourSelena struggled against the grip of the man who led her up the grand staircase of Adrian’s mansion. His hold was firm, but not harsh, as though he had been given strict orders not to hurt her. That realization didn’t comfort her. It only made her more aware of how much control Adrian had over her situation. The mansion was a mix of old-world elegance and modern luxury. Chandeliers sparkled above her head, casting golden light on polished marble floors and ornate walls. But Selena barely noticed the beauty around her. To her, it felt like a prison, no matter how gilded. “Let me go,” she snapped, her voice sharper than the heels of her boots clacking against the floor. The man didn’t stop walking, nor did he look at her. “You’ll only make things worse for yourself if you resist,” he said flatly. Selena bristled. “Worse? Being locked up in his house isn’t bad enough?” The man glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, his expression unreadable. “You think Adrian
Selena woke up to sunlight streaming through the iron-barred window of her room. She had barely slept. Her mind had been restless, filled with thoughts of escape, frustration, and Adrian’s unnerving presence. Her hands clenched into fists as she sat up in the oversized bed, its soft sheets offering little comfort. Today, she decided, she would learn more about this mansion. If she was going to escape, she needed to know its layout and weaknesses. Adrian couldn’t keep her caged forever, no matter how smug he seemed. After a quick breakfast delivered by a silent guard, Selena began to explore under the guise of compliance. She acted like she had accepted her situation, letting her movements appear curious instead of desperate. The guard stationed outside her door didn’t follow her too closely, giving her a small measure of freedom. She wandered the wide hallways, taking in the opulent decor: tall mirrors, rich tapestries, and intricate carvings on the wooden panels. But Selena was
The morning light cast long shadows across Selena's room as she stood at the window, her fingers tracing the iron bars that kept her caged. Last night's dinner with Adrian had left her unsettled, his words about protecting her from a “danger” swirling in her mind like autumn leaves in a storm. She couldn't shake the way his eyes had followed her every movement, as if searching for something he'd lost long ago. Above all, she couldn't forget his warning about Dmitri, the unnamed threat that seemed to lurk just beyond these gilded walls.A sharp crack echoed from somewhere in the grounds, making her flinch. Her heart raced until she realized it was just the guards doing their routine patrols. Their presence had increased lately, their movements more alert, more purposeful. Something was brewing beneath the surface of Adrian's carefully controlled world, and Selena could feel it in the air like the static before a storm.A knock at her door startled her from her thoughts. It wasn't the u
Selena moved quickly, her bare feet making no sound against the cold tiles of the corridor. Every creak of the old mansion felt amplified in the silence of the night. She clutched a small bag to her chest, its contents hastily gathered over the past few days: a water bottle, some bread wrapped in cloth, and a map she’d managed to find in one of the old storage rooms. It wasn’t much, but it was all she had. Adrian’s men were stationed everywhere, their stern faces and sharp eyes making her feel like a mouse trapped in a maze full of predators. She had to time her movements carefully, slipping between shadows when their backs were turned. But no matter how cautious she was, the feeling of being watched never left her.Earlier that evening, she had overheard two guards whispering about Dmitri. The tension in their voices had confirmed what Adrian refused to tell her: Dmitri was more than just a threat. He was dangerous, and he was close. Selena wasn’t sure what Dmitri wanted from her, b
The door swung open.Adrian's fingers stilled over the pages of the file, his cold gaze lifting to the entrance.Nathan, who had been watching him with a smirk, turned his head slightly, his amusement deepening as he took in the sight before them.A woman stood at the doorway, her figure poised yet confident, her eyes locked onto Adrian with an intensity that hadn’t faded despite the months.Isabelle.Adrian’s jaw tightened.Shock was not an emotion he allowed himself to feel often, but for a split second, it gripped him. He had gotten rid of her. He had driven her away himself, ensuring that she had no way of returning. Yet here she was, standing in his office as if she had never left.How?Who had helped her?Adrian’s gaze darkened as his mind worked through the possibilities.Nathan’s smirk widened as he observed the exchange, clearly entertained by the situation.“Now this,” Nathan mused, leaning back in his chair, “this is interesting.”Isabelle stepped forward, her eyes never le
The stench of blood was suffocating.Nina staggered as Jason’s shove sent her stumbling forward, her eyes landing on GT’s lifeless body. He was unrecognizable now, his face swollen, his skin burned, his bones shattered. His once defiant eyes were now dull, lifeless.The sight made bile rise in her throat.She swallowed hard, forcing herself to remain still, but her body betrayed her. Her knees trembled, her fingers twitched, her heartbeat pounded so violently that she could hear it echoing in her ears.“You are quiet now, huh?” Jason sneered, standing behind her. “Not so bold anymore, are you?”Damien scoffed. “She thought she could outsmart the boss. Thought she could play both sides.” He let out a humorless chuckle. “Look where that got you, Nina.”Nina’s throat was dry. She wanted to say something, to defend herself, to plead but what was the point? There were no words that could save her now.She knew what they thought of her.A traitor.And the worst part?They were right.Jason’
The silence that followed was unbearable.The room felt colder now.The room felt like it was closing in on her. Nina’s pulse roared in her ears, drowning out everything else.Nina couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe.Nina forced herself to breathe, though each inhale felt like swallowing glass.Her body was locked in place, her knees weak, her stomach twisted in violent knots. The chair in front of her, the chair GT was tied to was no longer just a chair. It was an altar of agony, and he was the sacrifice.Jason and Damien stood frozen behind her, but she didn’t dare turn to look at them.This wasn’t about them.This was about her.He had known for a while.He had been waiting for her to slip.To reveal herself.To prove her betrayal.And she just had.Nina clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms as she fought to keep her expression neutral.Adrian hadn’t said a word since she pulled off the cloth but studied her in silence, as if savoring the moment.Then. “Matteo.”T
The alarms had finally gone silent.The estate was still tense, but the frantic search for GT had died down. Guards returned to their posts, whispers filling the halls about how the bastard had somehow slipped through their fingers.At least, that’s what everyone believed.Nina sat stiffly in Adrian’s office, her hands resting on her lap, fingers curled inwards to keep from trembling. Across from her, Jason and Damien sat just as rigid, though their expressions were unreadable.Adrian had called them in without explanation. That alone was unsettling.The silence stretched, thick and suffocating.Adrian leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming lazily against the desk. His sharp gaze flickered over them, lingering on Nina for a beat longer than necessary before he finally spoke.“I gave you one job.”His voice was quiet. Too quiet.Jason tensed. Damien exhaled slowly. Nina forced herself to hold Adrian’s gaze, though her stomach twisted violently.“And yet,” Adrian continued, his
The estate was in chaos.Guards ran in every direction, speaker buzzing with urgent updates as they searched for GT. The sound of boots pounding against marble floors echoed through the hallways.Nina walked out of Adrian’s office with controlled steps, her mind racing despite her calm exterior.Adrian had bought her story.For now.But it wasn’t over not even close.If GT was caught, it would only be a matter of time before Adrian uncovered the truth. And if that happened, she was as good as dead.Her fingers curled into a fist at her side.She had to think.Fast.As she turned the corner, Jason and Damien were already barking orders to the guards. Jason’s sharp eyes flicked to her the moment she appeared."You’re staying out of this, remember?" he said coldly.Nina forced a smirk. "Didn’t realize you were the one giving orders now."Jason didn’t smile. Neither did Damien."If we don’t find GT soon," Damien muttered, "Boss Adrian is going to make an example out of someone."They did
Nina barely slept that night.She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing with possibilities. No matter how much she tried to push it away, one fact remained GT knew about her secret. She had two choices.Follow orders and bring GT in.Or find a way to make sure if he is caught he never spoke.Neither option was good. The first meant putting GT directly under Adrian’s scrutiny, where he’d have no way out. The second meant betraying Adrian before she fully understood his endgame. And Adrian saw everything.She sat up, rubbing a hand over her face. She needed a plan, but nothing concrete came to mind. Her hidden boss wouldn’t be pleased to know she was tangled to something like this. Did they expect her to eliminate GT? Frame someone else? Or was she supposed to use this to her advantage?The thought made her stomach churn.She stood and moved toward the small bathroom, splashing cold water on her face. Her reflection stared back at her, eyes hollow from exhaustion, lip
The moment Nina stepped out of Adrian’s office, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She didn’t need to check to know who it was.Her hidden boss.Her fingers tightened around the device before she slipped into an empty hallway, away from prying ears. She took a breath and answered.“You’re late,” the voice on the other end was cold, sharp. “Why haven’t you reported in?”Nina’s pulse remained steady. “There was nothing to report until now.”Silence.Then, “Start talking.”She kept her tone neutral as she relayed everything that had happened so far, Matteo and Rosco’s test, the man in the chair, the blood, the way Adrian had summoned her afterward. But she left out one crucial detail.She didn’t tell her that she had been ordered to kill.She didn’t know why she hid it. Maybe because she once saw the man with him. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was self-preservation. But something told her that part needed to stay buried, for now.Her hidden boss was quiet for a long moment. Then, a low
Nina’s fingers curled around the handle of the knife, her grip tightening as she stared at the man slumped in the chair. His breathing was ragged, blood dripping from a cut on his temple. He was barely conscious, unaware of the danger he was in.Matteo and Rosco stood nearby, watching her every move.This was it.A test of loyalty.Her heart pounded against her ribs. If she refused, they would know she wasn’t truly on Adrian’s side. If she hesitated too long, they would suspect her. And if she actually went through with it…Her stomach twisted.She could feel Matteo’s gaze boring into her. “What is taking so long?” he asked, amusement lacing his voice.Rosco, silent as always, took a step closer. “Kill him.”The knife felt heavy in her hand. The man in the chair groaned, his head lolling forward. He didn’t even know she was the one holding his life in her hands.She swallowed hard.Think, Nina. Think.She needed to act fast.Her mind raced, searching for a way out, an excuse, anything
The compound was quiet as Nina stepped outside, the night air cool against her skin. A faint glow from the training grounds cast long shadows across the courtyard, and her stomach twisted with unease.Matteo stood in the center, his hands behind his back, his face unreadable. Rosco was nearby, arms crossed, observing everyone with his usual detached expression.The recruits gathered, murmuring amongst themselves, confused by the sudden nighttime summons. Nina kept her face neutral, though her pulse was racing.She saw selene and Victoria also. Something wasn’t right.Matteo’s gaze swept over them before landing on her.“You all think you are ready ,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “That you’ve trained enough to survive in this world.”His lips curled slightly. “Let’s find out.”Without warning, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device, pressing a button.A loud explosion rocked the compound.Nina’s breath caught as a section of the courtyard erupted into flames, s