Alex's POV The moment Daniela’s name flashed on my phone, I knew something was wrong. Daniela wasn’t the type to call unless it was important. My chest tightened as I answered. “Daniela,” I said curtly. “What is it?” Her voice was steady, but I could detect a hint of concern. “Alex, I think you need to talk to Kelly.” I leaned back in my chair, my mind already racing. “What’s going on?” “She’s... not herself,” Daniela said carefully. “Her work has been slipping, and she’s distracted all the time. She looks like she’s carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Alex, I don’t mean to overstep, but I think it has to do with you.” My grip on the phone tightened. “What did she say?” “She didn’t tell me much,” Daniela admitted. “But I know her, Alex. She’s scared and conflicted. You need to fix this before it breaks her.” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Kelly’s recent behavior had been worrying me too, but hearing it from Daniela made it undeniable. “Thanks, Daniela
Kelly’s POVThe steady hum of the office copier filled the room as I sorted through a pile of documents. Work had become my constant companion lately, a welcome distraction. If I wasn’t scheduling meetings or compiling reports, I was learning how Alex’s empire ran; I didn't want to be kept in the dark anymore. It fascinated me how he managed such a sprawling organization with calm precision.But beneath the surface, there was something gnawing at me. College. Or, rather, the lack of it.I paused, staring blankly at my desk. The acceptance letter I’d been waiting for hadn’t come. No polite rejection. Just... silence.My phone buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. Alex’s name flashed across the screen.“Hello, Mr. Knight,” I said playfully.“Angel,” his voice was warm. “Why so formal?”“Just trying to sound professional,” I teased, tucking the phone between my ear and shoulder.“Am I interrupting?” he asked.“Not at all. What’s up?”“I’m downstairs. Lunch break?”I glanced at the clock a
Kelly’s POV"Kelly! Kelly, wake up!" Alex’s voice jolted me out of a dream I couldn’t quite remember. His hand was warm on my shoulder, shaking me gently.I groaned, rolling over. "Alex, it’s still dark out. What are you doing?""It’s 8 a.m., Angel," he said, his tone playful but firm. "Come on, get dressed. We have somewhere to be."I sat up, blinking. "Somewhere to be? On a Sunday? Alex, I had plans to sleep in and maybe binge-watch some crime drama."He grinned. "Well, your plans just changed. Trust me, you’ll love this.""Do I at least get a hint?""Not a chance," he said, tugging the blanket off me. "Now hurry up. I’ll be downstairs. You have twenty minutes."I groaned again but swung my legs off the bed. "Fine, but this better be worth it."By the time I made it downstairs, dressed in jeans and a cozy sweater, Alex was leaning against the kitchen counter, sipping coffee. He looked up and smiled. "Ready?""As ready as I’ll ever be," I said, grabbing the cup he’d set out for me. "
Alex’s POVThe soft hum of my office heater was the only noise as I leaned back in my chair, reviewing our latest quarterly reports. My focus was razor-sharp; after all, I had an empire to run. I didn't want this to be a front anymore; I want something more legal for Kelly's sake. Yet, as always, thoughts of Kelly lingered at the edges of my mind.Her birthday had been a success. She was radiant, happy, and, most importantly, by my side. Everything I did was for her, whether she realized it or not.The intercom on my desk crackled, breaking my concentration. "Mr. Bloodhound" came from the voice of Paul, one of the security guards stationed downstairs."Yes?" I responded, sitting up straight."Sir, there’s a situation with your car. One of the rear tires is punctured. It looks deliberate," he said, his voice unusually tense."Deliberate? How certain are you?""Very certain, sir. Should I have it inspected further?""Stay there. I’ll send someone to check it out," I said, immediately en
Alex’s POVThe morning after the attack, I woke to the quiet tension that had filled the house. Kelly was still asleep, her figure serene in the soft morning light. For a moment, I let myself breathe. I needed this—the calm before the storm.Downstairs in my office, Marcus and Daniela were already waiting for me. The air was charged with unspoken thoughts.“Boss,” Marcus began, “we finished going through the car and found this.”He handed me a manila folder.I flipped it open, scanning the contents. My stomach twisted into a knot as I read the message inside:“Hello, Alex. You thought I’d fade into the shadows, but I always leave a trail. Evidence of your little empire’s skeletons is in my hands. I’m not looking to sell it to the authorities yet... but I want you to think carefully about what I can do with it. Choose wisely, darling. Gina.”Attached were photos of documents—some real, others fabricated—that painted a damning picture of my business dealings. She had also included incri
Kelly’s POVThe day after the attack was chaotic, yet there was a strange sense of normalcy in the routine. At least, on the surface. I had spent most of the morning engrossed in my work at the front desk, filing appointments, organizing schedules, and handling client correspondence. The attack was still fresh in my mind, but Alex had assured me that it was under control. He hadn’t gone into detail, though, and I didn’t press him. After all, I had enough on my plate already.By the time lunchtime rolled around, I decided to surprise Alex and Daniela with an order from their favorite restaurant. I picked up my phone and placed the order quickly, hoping it would cheer Alex up. He’d been distant, his mind clearly elsewhere.Once the food arrived, I carried it up to Alex’s office. Daniela was already there, seated on the couch, her laptop balanced on her knees.“Lunch break!” I announced, placing the bags on Alex’s desk.“Finally,” Daniela said, stretching. “I was starting to think I’d ha
Kelly’s POVAs I walked back into the mansion, my heart was still racing from the confrontation with Gina. Every word of our exchange replayed in my mind like a warning siren. I couldn’t let her get to me or Alex. My resolve was firm, but I couldn’t ignore the sense of foreboding creeping up my spine.I pushed open the door, determined to shake off the unease. To my surprise, Alex was standing by the doorway, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. The intensity in his eyes made my steps falter.“Alex,” I said softly, my voice betraying my nervousness. “I didn’t know you’d be waiting here.” Was he listening all this while?He didn’t respond immediately, his piercing gaze locked on mine. My heart sank. Had he heard? “Say something,” I screamed in my head.“You called Gina,” he said evenly, though there was an edge to his tone.I froze, the blood draining from my face. “You—uh—you heard?” I made myself walk closer in order to not show how shaken I am thinking he's about to pick an offe
Alex’s POVI stood by the dining table, watching Kelly prepare her plate, completely unaware of the thoughts swirling through my head. She looked radiant, even with her hair slightly disheveled and her morning robe loose around her shoulders. Moments like this reminded me of why I fought so hard to keep her in my life."Are you going to just stare, or are you actually going to eat?" she teased, flashing me a mischievous grin as she stabbed a piece of toast with her fork.“I was just wondering how someone could look so beautiful and innocent, not that you're so innocent ,” I replied smoothly, pulling out a chair and sitting beside her.“Flattery, you know I sometimes don't see this beauty everyone sees; you know I feel cute from time to time, but sometimes I feel you all just exaggerate how I look,” she said, though I caught the blush rising in her cheeks.We started eating in silence, though Kelly’s idea of eating seemed to involve finding creative ways to make me laugh.“Here,” she s
Kelly’s POVThe word “killer” hung in the air like a noose tightening around my neck, suffocating and impossible to shake. Gina’s mocking voice echoed in my head, taunting me.Killer.But what she didn’t know, what I hadn’t even fully come to terms with, was that I didn’t regret it. Holly deserved every second of her ending. I wished I could go back, do it all over again, and this time relish in the satisfaction. The memory was horrifying, yes. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the sense of justice that came with it; I could have been the one killed by Holly, but fate has made it this way.All of a sudden, a flashback of my foster father came to mind. Am I really a killer?. I might even have excuses for both circumstances, but what am I in the eyes of justice? 1After the call ended, I sat motionless, staring blankly at Alex’s phone in my hands. My mind raced as Gina’s words burrowed deeper into my psyche. How dare she throw Holly’s death in my face after everything she and Hol
Kelly’s POVMorning crept into the room slowly, its light soft and unobtrusive, as though even the sun knew I needed more time to heal. The warmth of Alex’s arms around me was the only thing keeping the haunting memories at bay. His steady breathing against my back reminded me that, despite everything, I was no longer alone in the nightmare. A morning not in that warehouse.I stirred slightly, careful not to wake him. The events of the warehouse were still fresh in my mind, replaying like a broken record. Those guards watching me urinate, depriving me of every sense of privacy. I couldn't even employ the thoughts of escaping; I felt helpless. I didn't know a tear had escaped my left eye. Holly’s wicked smirk, her threats, and the sickening sound of her crumpling to the floor filled my thoughts. My hands trembled at the memory of her blood on them, but what unsettled me most was the sense of relief I’d felt when it was over.“Kelly?” Alex’s voice broke into my thoughts, soft and laced
Alex's POVThe SUV screeched to a halt outside the sprawling hotel where Gina wanted to meet. I stepped out, a storm brewing inside me. Every instinct screamed to leave this woman to rot in whatever chaos she was spinning, but Kelly’s life was at stake. My fists clenched as I thought of Kelly’s pale face from the photo Gina had sent. My heart ached, and my rage bubbled dangerously beneath the surface.“Finn, status update,” I barked into the phone; immediately Finn picked up my calls as I strode into the hotel lobby.“We’re on it, boss. The informant gave us a list of four possible warehouses. We’re checking the first one immediately we get into Mexico,” Finn replied. His voice was calm, but I could hear the tension.“Good,” I muttered, glancing around the lobby. It looked almost the same as it had years ago when I first met Gina. Memories I’d tried to bury came rushing back uninvited, tangling with the chaos of my present reality. I didn't care about all that now; Kelly is all that m
Alex’s POVThe room was silent except for the sound of my fist slamming against the desk. Papers scattered everywhere, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t care less. Kelly was missing, and every passing second without her chipped away at my sanity; this was day 5 of her being kidnapped. I felt every connection I had was useless as nothing has led me to her yet. My constant fear, “What if they kill her? But I realized, on Daniela's words, whoever had her is using her as collateral; else I would have heard something. I had accounted for everybody found, and it wasn't hers; I tried to keep hopes alive.Finn stood across the room, his face tight with concern. He had been my right-hand man for years, loyal to a fault, but even he looked shaken. “I've never seen you this way, boss; you need to eat at the very least.”.“What if they are starving her?” I asked, “She has to be somewhere, Finn!” I growled, pacing back and forth. “We’re missing something. We’re overlooking something!”Finn sighed, run
Kelly's POVDarkness. That’s all I could see when I first opened my eyes. My head throbbed, each heartbeat a sharp, stabbing pain that seemed to echo in my skull. I tried to move, but the cold bite of metal cuffs around my wrists stopped me. The air was heavy and damp, with the faint stench of mold and old wood filling my nostrils. Wherever I was, it wasn’t anywhere Alex could find me easily. It was the second day.Panic clawed at my chest, threatening to choke me. Stay calm, I told myself. But the fear wouldn’t let go.Then I heard footsteps, slow, deliberate, echoing in the distance. My breath hitched as the sound grew closer. A door creaked open, flooding the room with dim yellow light. My eyes squinted against the sudden brightness, and I could just make out two figures walking toward me.Gina. Her striking face twisted into a malicious grin, and beside her, it was Holly, Her presence felt cold, as though cruelty radiated off her in waves. Two men followed them in.“Well, look who
Alex’s POVThe moment I realized Kelly was gone, something inside me snapped. The world blurred, and all I could hear was the deafening roar of my own heartbeat. The love of my life—the one person who gave me purpose—had been taken, and I hadn’t been there to stop it.I stood in the middle of the empty ballroom, her name escaping my lips like a desperate prayer. "Kelly!" My voice reverberated off the walls, but the silence that followed was a cruel reminder that she wasn’t there.Finn and Daniela rushed to my side, their faces etched with concern."Alex," Finn said, gripping my shoulder. "We’ll find her. You need to focus."But I couldn’t focus. Not when every second that passed felt like another inch she was pulled away from me. My chest heaved as anger and fear warred within me. I grabbed Finn by the collar, my voice a growl."Focus? She’s out there with God knows who, and you want me to focus?!""Alex!" Daniela’s voice cut through my fury like a blade. She stepped between us, her e
Kelly’s POVFrom the moment they grabbed me, I fought with every ounce of strength I had. My heart pounded like a war drum, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I thrashed and kicked against their unrelenting grip. Desperation clawed at me, each scream tearing from my throat with raw intensity. But the silky material of my dress, once a symbol of elegance, betrayed me, clinging to my skin and restricting my movements. Every step I tried to take became a stumble, the fabric twisting around my legs like a vice. Is this the world Alex has always tried to protect me from?.Before I could find my footing, a rough hand yanked me back with such force that I gasped, the air rushing out of my lungs. "Let me go!" I screamed, the words echoing into the night like a desperate prayer, I was scared, my strength wavering.One of the men snorted, his tone dripping with amusement. "Feisty, isn’t she?" I barely had time to process his mocking words before a sharp slap cracked across my face, sen
Alex’s POVThe night seemed to stretch endlessly after Gina’s dramatic exit. I stood near the entrance of the Riviera Hall, the faint buzz of party chatter filtering through the doors behind me, I had to leave my audience to make sure she was completely gone, Gina can be a crazy bitch. Finn approached, his footsteps steady, his sharp suit catching the light from the chandeliers above.“She’s gone,” Finn said quietly, his voice laced with reassurance. “Security escorted her off the premises, and they’ll make sure she doesn’t get back in. I had the guards stationed outside the gates just in case she decides to pull anything else, I'm sorry this happened”I let out a slow breath, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly. “Thanks, Finn. I needed that, don't be sorry, it's not my fault, my past is just not wanting to let go, all the more reasons I'm glad Kelly is besides me and all these tantrums doesn't move her”Finn reached into his pocket and pulled out his cigar case again. “You lo
Alex's POVThe night was finally here. The Riviera Hall stood proud and resplendent, bathed in the soft golden glow of fairy lights strung along the perimeter. A crimson carpet stretched from the entrance to the grand double doors, flanked by elegant floral arrangements that mirrored the theme: black and gold. The air buzzed with excitement, laughter, and the faint notes of classical music floating from the live band warming up inside.I stood outside the hall, adjusting the cuffs of my tailored black tuxedo with gold accents, feeling both anticipation and pride. Tonight wasn’t just about celebrating my love for Kelly, it was also a showcase of our ability to pull off something magnificent together I know it hasn't been so long I've known her, but no woman has ever locked me down like she does, her soul and love makes my heartless soul beat and pant after her. Daniela had outdone herself with the organization, and I made a mental note to double her bonus.A tap on my shoulder pulled m