The next morning came, and I was ready to visit the orphanage home, inspired by how CEO Harshit had thanked me on TV the evening before. In this sense, I was dressed in a sophisticated ensemble that exuded elegance and grace.I wore a tailored cream-colored pantsuit crafted from luxurious silk, its clean lines accentuating my slender figure. The fitted blazer, adorned with delicate gold buttons, added a touch of refinement to my outfit.Under the blazer, I donned a soft lavender blouse, its gentle hue complementing my complexion with a subtle hint of femininity.My accessories were understated yet tasteful, with a delicate gold necklace gracing my neckline and matching earrings adorning my ears. A slender gold bracelet adorned my wrist, adding a subtle sparkle to my ensemble. My hair was swept back into an elegant chignon, held in place by a stylish hair clip adorned with shimmering crystals.Likewise, my choice of footwear was both chic and practical. I opted for nude patent leather
Just like CEO Harshit said, one of the ladies behind her bowed to me and said, “Ma’am, please walk with me.”Just as she said this, she began to walk forward in another direction, different from the one that led to the front door. Hence, we began to walk in a dark corridor until we met the light and found ourselves in the garden.The garden in the orphanage was not really a garden, as the word had depicted it. Instead, I could see right from the start that it was a name given to one of the living rooms where the orphanage children could play.In this room, I saw toys of different sizes and colors scattered on the floor. I observed drawings of happy children on the walls and various sofas and flowers in jars and vases, making the room even more beautiful.I had not waited for more than two seconds in the room when the same lady who led me in bowed to me again, saying, “The children will be here at any moment, ma’am.”As she said this, it seemed as though the children heard her. They em
Though Hyejin asked me this question, I could not bring myself to answer it. What kind of person would I have been if I had done so? What purpose would the story have achieved? Is it to scare little children with the situations they find themselves in? “She is no one,” I lied and smiled at her. Hence, I caressed my finger through her hair and kissed her forehead. It did not matter if there were drops of tears in each of my eyes or if my eyes were filled with teary water; I still smiled immediately. However, it did not change the fact that each time I remembered the story of Lucy, my emotions did not take full control of my body. “Matriarch Alessandra, you are crying. Why are you crying?” Hyejin asked suddenly. “These are tears of joy, dear. Don’t mind me,” I said to her. With this, I quickly changed the subject and announced the gifts I had brought for each person at the top of my voice. “Who wants to see their present?” “Me!” “Me!” “Me!” “Me!” Each child answered excitedly a
Tyler, the naive, idiotic, and a fool, was in a lounge at this moment. The lounge had a spacious interior, with blue light casting shadows in the darkness, making it resemble the interior of a nightclub even in the daytime. The stage in the lounge was set as if it were a club, with four strippers dancing nakedly around a pole like seductive sirens enticing sailors into the depths of their desires. Tyler watched this scene with great enjoyment, continuing to smile even when he wasn't aware of where he was. With every shot of drink he had, he gulped it down at once like a parched desert wanderer quenching his thirst with each precious drop of water. Not only one or two shots had he consumed since he set foot in the lounge; he had had more than ten shots. Not even a frustrated man who had just lost his job and had the realities of life hit him could have drunk this much, but Tyler did so anyway, simply because he was too happy like a child who had been given his best toy. *** Every
“And I said, 'Do I look like your whore mother, sleeping around with different men? Huh? What are you going to do about that? Beat…'” Even before Tyler completed those words, the guy already sprang into action, his clenched fist striking Tyler hard in the face like a thunderbolt from the heavens, delivering swift justice upon its target. Tyler, with his unbalanced feet, fell to the ground again like a felled tree in a storm, crashing down with a resounding thud. When he fell to the ground, he struggled to flicker up to his feet again, like a struggling flame trying to reignite in a gust of wind. In doing this, he held onto the chairs in the lounge for support. Then he looked drunkenly at the guy and asked, “Is that all you can do, you poor thing? Hahah, I wi…” “Bang!” Another loud punch landed on his eyes, which made him fall back to the ground with full force once again. "You f**ker, I am going to kill you!" The guy exploded at the top of his voice. Just as he fell to the groun
Arriving at my mansion, Tyler was still in deep sleep. In fact, like a drunken cow, he was snoring so loudly and so irritating to me.Yes, I know Tyler snores during the time we were married. For the sake of love, I’d endure it and sleep by his side until morning. But this time, as we were no longer married, I could not be more irritated in my entire life.“Put him there and let him wake up there in the morning,” I said to my bodyguards, who had helped carry Tyler from the limousine into the mansion and were about to carry him up the stairs.“Are you really going to let him sleep on the staircase until morning?” Robert asked me immediately as soon as the bodyguards did as I instructed them.“Yes, I won’t let his drunken body touch even my chairs, let alone my bed. He should sleep on the staircase and wake up to it in the morning. He will be fine,” I answered Robert promptly.“What are you going to do to him?” Robert asked another question immediately.“My eatery, I worked my ass off to
As if he hadn't had anything good to eat for years, I watched as Tyler grabbed the table knife in his right hand and a fork in his left. He quickly began cutting the piece of meat into tiny pieces, loading them onto his fork before hurriedly swallowing them.Seeing him eat like that, resembling a dirty pig in a refuse area, I couldn't help but express my irritation with a scrunched-up face. Then I asked him, 'Are you so starved that you have to behave like a pig in front of me?'Hearing how I sounded, I noticed how quickly he composed himself. It was as if a student had been reprimanded by a teacher, and he became conscious of his behavior from that moment on.From then on, he started loading his meat onto his fork slowly and mindfully, chewing it slowly and carefully enough that I couldn't hear the sound of his mouth. Even when he was about to drink from the glass of juice on the table, I observed how he calculated the speed at which he lifted the glass to his mouth, drinking without
Without further ado, Tyler rose from his seat. He had already finished his food, and from what I could tell, he was well satisfied; he wouldn't go hungry again for another three or four days.Again, he bowed, not indicating his departure as I had hoped. He bowed and said, “If I may, Matriarch Alessandra, can I change these clothes for fresh ones? As you know, we donated the house to charity, and everything inside it also went to them.”*Scoff*If only he knew what he was up against. Did he dare to ask for a new pair of clothes? A new pair of clothes, my ass. I looked at him as if he weren't human. Then I said, “No new clothes for you, Tyler. Wear those to the eatery. Wear them back here to rest for the night, and you'll be fine. Maybe, just maybe, if you do that to my satisfaction, you can have that new pair of clothes by nightfall.”“Yes, Matriarch Alessandra!” Tyler bowed once more, then walked out of the dining room and left the mansion.As he were driven to the mansion, he thought
Robert’s POVMy job is simple: protect Alessandra at all costs. But as I stand here, watching everything unfold, one thought keeps repeating in my head—I’ve failed her.I should never have stayed behind at the hospital, no matter how much she insisted. Alessandra may be strong, but I should’ve known better. I should’ve been there, more alert, more prepared. That woman who pretended to be hit? I should’ve seen right through her. Everything is finally falling into place, and the truth hits me like a punch to the gut.I know who Diana is. I’ve figured out who Emily and Olivia really are. And those three idiots hiding behind their ridiculous code names? Yeah, I know them, too.It was them—we passed them on the road earlier. The bodies scattered across the pavement... the blood... It all makes sense now. Alessandra—Matriarch Alessandra—is in serious danger.That’s why I don’t waste any time. My foot slams down on the gas pedal, racing us past the chaos on the road. Stopping isn’t an option
Sandra’s POVWe pull up to the warehouse, and the moment I spot the front door slightly ajar, I know it’s time. I drive inside, parking with purpose as the tension in my chest tightens. Locking the door behind me, I take a deep breath, bracing myself for what’s next.I watch Alessandra step out of the vehicle, her face calm—too calm. She doesn’t look scared, like I thought she would. Instead, she’s asking, “Where are we now? Are they gone?”I pause. What? Does she seriously think I’m here to save her?A twisted laugh threatens to escape my lips, but I swallow it down. Instead, I turn toward the backseat and yank open the door. My fingers grip the cold steel of the sniper rifle. The weight of it feels satisfying in my hands, a reminder of the power I hold.Without missing a beat, I swing the rifle around and aim it straight at her. “On your knees, now!” I command, my voice as sharp as the edge of a knife.For a second, her eyes widen, but then realization sinks in. She knows now. She’s
Brandon’s POVI never thought I'd find myself here. In custody. The cold metal of the handcuffs still lingers on my wrists even though they’ve been removed. My mind is racing, struggling to keep up with everything that’s happened. How did I get here?I’ve already contacted my family lawyer. He promised he’d help—at first. But then he learned that bigger forces are involved, and he left me to fend for myself. I don’t blame him, though. When powerful people decide you’re guilty, it doesn’t matter what the facts are. According to them, I committed a crime too big to ignore, and they want me to pay for it, no matter who I am.But how do I make them see I’m innocent? How do I prove I’ve been framed? The evidence stacked against me is so clear, so detailed, that even I would think I did it if I were on the outside looking in.It feels hopeless.I sit in the interrogation room, staring at the dull gray walls. The weight of everything crashes down on me. But the thought of Alessandra pushes t
Diana’s POVOut of nowhere, Olivia, Emily, and I suddenly see Viper, Red, Jinx, and Blade fall to the ground, each with a bullet wound to the head. Blood pools around them, dark and terrifying, staining the ground beneath them. The sight makes my heart race, and for a moment, I can’t believe what I’m seeing. My breath catches in my throat, and time seems to stand still. I’m in shock, completely blindsided by the sudden violence. How could this have happened? One moment, we’re in control, and the next, everything’s gone to hell. But as I watch them fall, one after another, the horrifying reality hits me: we’re under attack. We’re not safe. We never were.This can’t be anyone but the police. Who else would come at us like this, so precise, so deadly? And it’s my fault. My fault we didn’t get out sooner. My fault this mission is hanging by a thread. I should have listened to Viper when he told us to leave. We should have been long gone, but I hesitated. And now they’re dead—Viper, Red, J
Sandra’s POVI steady myself in the cramped toilet, heart pounding as I carefully position the sniper rifle out the narrow window. The cold metal of the trigger grounds me, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts.Through the scope, I zoom in to 8X. Alessandra finally comes into focus as she steps out of the law firm. She looks composed, but there’s a tension in her movements that makes my gut clench. Something’s wrong.In the distance, off to the right, a group of people is watching her with an intensity that makes my skin crawl. Their eyes are locked on Alessandra, and the cruel twist of their lips sends a chill down my spine. They’re like predators circling wounded prey, relishing the kill before it even happens.I should take the shot now, end this. It’s the perfect moment. Then Brandon would finally be free, and he’d be mine. But something holds me back. These people, whoever they are, might be more dangerous and I need to know why they’re after Alessandra.As
Diana’s POVAs Viper deftly tosses a small canister of smoke into Alessandra’s car. We don't waste a second, swiftly moving to take control of the other vehicles in her entourage.Alessandra is being escorted by three cars: one at the front, one in the middle where she sits, and one at the rear. The plan is precise, and we execute it with the efficiency of seasoned professionals.Olivia and Emily take on the first car. They expertly deploy another smoke canister, filling the vehicle with a thick, suffocating fog. Meanwhile, I focus on the rear car, tossing a canister of my own into it. Smoke quickly engulfs all three vehicles, forcing their occupants to open their doors, desperately gasping for fresh air. Even Alessandra, who had been hysterically screaming moments earlier, is silenced by the choking haz
Diana’s POVWhen Jezebel’s message arrives, confirming what we've been anxiously anticipating—Alessandra is alone. My heart beats faster, not out of fear but from the anticipation of what's to come. It’s time to set our plan in motion.With a cold, calculated calm, I gather Viper, Red, Jinx, and Blade. “She's alone,” I say, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. “Jezebel’s done her part. Now it’s our turn.”They nod in unison, a silent agreement passing between us. There’s no need for words; we all know what needs to be done. The stakes are high, and failure is not an option.We regroup at my rundown, hidden in the shadows of the city. Viper, the most experienced among us, checks his blade, its edge gleaming under the dim light. “Remember,” he says, his voice low but firm, “guns are for boys in the game. Blades are for men.”His words echo in my mind as I glance around at the others. Red is sharpening his weapon, his eyes filled with a cold, ruthless determinati
Sandra’s POVStepping out of the warehouse, I don’t know where I am, and it’s terrifying. I’m stranded, disoriented, and powerless.I stand by the road, feeling utterly lost, watching taxis whiz by as if the world is oblivious to the chaos inside me. My hands shake as I lift them to flag down a taxi. But just as I do, my phone rings.The sound sends a jolt through me, and I glance at the screen. My heart pounds as I see the caller—Private Number. Dread tightens around me like a noose, and I hesitate before answering, my breath shallow.“Hello?” My voice barely escapes, trembling with anxiety.A cold, deep voice responds, as sharp as ice.
Jezebel’s POVI’ve been treated at the nearest hospital, but if I let this personal assistant slip away now, then I’m not the Jezebel everyone thinks I am.The doctor finishes up, wiping his hands as he says, “There you go, ma’am. You’re free to leave now.”I flash him a polite smile, but my mind is already elsewhere. My fingers tighten around the personal assistant’s arm, my nails digging into his sleeve as I anchor him beside me.The room is cold and sterile, yet I feel the heat of the moment. Matriarch Alessandra sits across from us, her silence dominating the room. When I grip her assistant’s arm, I catch the flash of surprise in her eyes, the slight parting of her lips. She wasn’t expecting this.“I still feel pain in my leg,” I say, my voice tinged with just enough distress to sound convincing. “It’s much worse than I thought. I don’t think I can walk.”Alessandra’s eyes narrow ever so slightly as she watches me closely, trying to figure me out. Let her think I’m putting on an ac