After serving three years for a crime I didn't commit, I discovered the devastating truth on my release day: Chase Grayson, my husband, had divorced and betrayed me, marrying my younger sister. Worse still, he sold me to Axel Blackwood, a powerful and feared stranger. Heartbroken and trapped in Axel's world of secrets and lies, I faced a new prison that threatened to consume me.
View MoreAXEL’S POV:I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned back to Baron. “Take him to the dungeon.” Baron hauled Ryan up roughly. He didn’t resist. Didn’t struggle. Just held himself stiff. No remorse. No regret.That silence. That goddamn silence. I should’ve felt victorious. But all I felt was the ache of my heart shattering beyond repair. ***Ryan had always been the strongest in combat—the one who moved faster, hit harder, and never hesitated when it came to pulling the trigger. His skill with a gun was unmatched, his instincts sharp enough to predict a man’s next move before he even made it. And when it came to taking down an enemy, no one was more ruthless. Ryan was a fire—destructive, relentless. I had spent years trusting that fire to burn for me, to protect everything we’d built. But now? That same fire had consumed the bond between us, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake. All the CCTV across the entire mansion had gone dark. Every single camera—inside, outside, t
AXEL’S POV:Devon hesitated. “What happened?” I cut him off with a glare that could’ve turned a man to stone. He swallowed hard, nodded, and took off, barking orders. I wasn’t waiting around. I followed, my heart hammering against my ribs as we tore through the house, searching every inch, every shadow. Baron led the charge, moving like a bloodhound on a scent. But as the minutes stretched, an unsettling realization crawled into my mind. Ryan was missing. I ground to a stop. “Where the fuck is Ryan?” I bellowed. The men exchanged uncertain glances. No one knew.“Devon,” I snapped. “Take a squad and find him. Now.” He nodded and disappeared into the night. I moved on, searching, hoping—but each dead end, chipped away at me. Every step I took was heavy with despair and loneliness. I could feel the fractures spreading inside me.I remembered the mornings when Avery’s laughter filled our home, the way she would greet me with bright eyes over breakfast, sneaking food off m
AXEL’S POV:If Avery hadn’t been there when Sea nearly slipped away, I don’t know if I would have survived it. She was our light in these endless, bruising nights—my guiding star. Every time I thought of the hell that threatened to consume me, I saw her smile, heard her gentle words, and remembered that fate, in its twisted irony, had made her not only my partner but also my cure.I couldn’t keep the secrets from her any longer. If she was to stay in my world, it had to be by her own choice. I craved her pure love, free of deception—something real and untainted.Tonight, I stood among my men, going over every weak spot in our defenses. The estate had to be impenetrable. I wouldn’t risk Avery or Sea. But then—just as I was finalizing orders—the lights cut out.For a split second, I felt as if the very ground had vanished beneath me. I immediately grabbed my phone and contacted Baron, who now controlled the estate’s security. I had already stripped Ryan of his responsibilities in that
AVERY'S POV:The words slammed into me like a punch to the ribs. My breathing slowed, my heart pounded so violently I could hear it in my ears. My eyes darted frantically across the pages, absorbing lines I couldn’t comprehend, but somehow understood too well.The truth was staring at me, undeniable. I couldn't stay.No.No, no, no…My fingers tightened around the edges of the papers, crumpling them in my grip. My chest ached.Axel had betrayed me. Betrayed us.I felt my knees weaken, my body barely keeping itself upright. This wasn’t just a mistake. This wasn’t something we could come back from.I couldn’t breathe. I needed to get out of here. Now. But—Sea. I couldn’t leave her. Not like this. Not after everything she’d been through. But I couldn’t stay. Panic climbed up my throat, squeezing the breath out of me. My mind screamed at me to move, to run, to escape before Axel came back.My world tilted. The thought of Axel, the man I had grown to love despite all his darknes
AVERY’S POV:Sea shut down, and it broke my heart. I couldn’t shake the image of Sea’s frightened eyes. It broke my heart. She wouldn’t let anyone near her except Axel and me. Every sudden noise made her flinch, every bang sent her retreating into herself as if it were a gunshot. I put everything on hold—my volunteer work, my training—just to be around her, to help her feel safe. I called her brave and told her she was beautiful. I read her stories about strong, fearless heroines, hoping the words would seep into her bones and remind her that she was more than her fear. I filled our world with light, with warmth, with anything that might bring her back to herself. Axel was there, too. He was patient, gentle, and present in a way that both surprised and reassured me. Cedric checked on her regularly. But for some reason, Axel kept Ryan away from her. Sea asked about him often, her little face confused by his absence, but Axel refused to let them see each other. I tried to talk to
AXEL’S POV:The dungeon was cold, damp, and reeking of iron and sweat. Chains clanked softly as the second-in-command of the syndicate shifted in his restraints, his swollen eyes darting between me and the tools laid out on the metal tray beside him. He had already been through an hour of pain, but he was stubborn—too stubborn. I rolled my shoulders, exhaling. "You can make this easier on yourself," I said, my voice calm, almost conversational. "Tell me who you're working for, and I’ll consider making your death painless." The man, bruised and bloodied, spit on the floor, his split lip curling into something that might have been a smirk if he weren’t already half-dead. "I ain't saying shit." I sighed, dragging a chair forward and sitting down. "Wrong answer." I was about to switch tactics—maybe something more creative, something that would make him regret every breath he was taking—when the heavy iron door creaked open. The air shifted. My men tensed. Avery walked in. She
AXEL’S POV:Three days. Three goddamn days, and I still had no answers. Every lead had turned into dust. Every search ended in a dead end. My men scoured the city, tearing through every underground contact, every filthy hole where criminals lurked, yet nothing. My wife and daughter were missing. And I was losing my fucking mind. The rage inside me simmered at a constant boil, threatening to spill over and consume everything in its path. The men around me had felt the brunt of it—broken noses, bruised ribs, everyone cowering with fear whenever I entered the room. I wasn’t sleeping. I wasn’t eating. I barely breathed without wanting to kill someone. Then Ryan walked in, his face pale but determined. "Boss. We have a location. This one’s solid." I didn’t waste time. "Move." Within seconds, we were in motion. The convoy tore through the streets like a bullet, my men locked and loaded. My fingers twitched against my thigh, my body vibrating with barely restrained violence.
AVERY’S POV: Gunfire erupted, loud and sudden, tearing through the air. The crack of bullets sent my heart slamming against my ribs as I instinctively ducked, pressing Sea tightly against my chest. Chaos exploded around me. Men shouted, scrambling for cover, their weapons drawn, but they weren’t quick enough. Whoever was shooting had the upper hand, and the sound of bodies dropping confirmed it. What was happening? I prayed that whosoever was attacking was on my side and not another bad story. I used the distraction to turn as I made my way back to the filthy shack where the other children were trapped. My heart pounded and the kids flinched at the noise, their eyes wide with terror. "Come on," I urged. "We’re getting out of here." Most of them hesitated, too frightened to move. I scanned the room, looking for any who seemed braver and stronger. One boy, probably around ten, had a defiant glint in his eyes. "You," I said, crouching beside him. "I need your help. Get the o
AVERY'S POV:The car I was driving would be too recognizable, I thought. Too flashy. It would get me caught before I even got close to Sea. My heartbeat thundered in my chest as I veered off the main road, spotting a rundown gas station where a teenager was refueling an old, dented sedan. Perfect. I pulled up beside him, stepping out before he could process what was happening. His eyes widened as I approached in a hurry. "Hey, kid," I said, tossing my keys at him. He fumbled, catching them with confusion. "Wha—?" "Trade me," I cut in, already pulling a wad of cash from my pocket and shoving it into his hoodie. "I need your car." His jaw dropped. "You serious?" I didn’t have time for this. "Do I look like I’m joking? Take the cash, take the car, and get the hell out of here." He gawked at the machine behind me, then at the crumpled bills in his hands. "Holy shit," he breathed before tossing me his keys. I didn’t wait for a thank-you. I jumped into the rickety car and pe
AVERY'S POV:Today was the day. The day everything I’d sacrificed for—three years of isolation, shame, and clinging to hope—would finally be worth it. Today, Chase and I will be together again. I’d imagined it a thousand times, practically willed it into existence. He’d be there waiting, holding roses, his face soft and full of the love I’d convinced myself still lived beneath the hurt and resentment. It had to be there. He would be my reward for enduring it all.The warden’s voice cut through the waiting room. “Mrs. Avery Grayson!” Her voice loudly pulled me back from my daze. “That’s me,” I blurted, jumping to my feet, my heart doing a little twirl dance. Today was the day I left behind everything—the concrete walls, the metal bars, the fluorescent lights, and that dull ache that had taken residence in my bones. I’d already showered, fixed my hair, and even put on a little makeup that one of the guards had snuck me. I wanted to look perfect. He’d appreciate the effort; he’d see tha...
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