The revelation from Magda left me reeling, my mind spinning with possibilities and dangers. Thiago’s dark secrets were more than I had anticipated, and the forbidden door had just become the key to my next move. As I quietly made my way back to the bedroom, my thoughts were a whirlwind of strategies and risks.The house was quiet, the only sound the faint rustle of the wind outside. I slipped back into bed beside Thiago, his breathing deep and even. The man who had just hours ago claimed me with such intensity now seemed peaceful, but I knew better than to be fooled by appearances. He was a man of layers, and I was just beginning to peel them back.Sleep didn’t come easily that night. The weight of the code Magda had shared with me lingered in my mind—3435. I replayed the conversation over and over, trying to decipher her warning and the truth hidden behind that door. What would I find there? Evidence of his illegal activities? Or something even darker, tied to his most private desire
The tension between us crackled like static electricity as I followed Thiago back to our room. Each step felt like walking a tightrope stretched taut over a chasm, where one misstep could plunge me into an abyss I might never escape from. His commanding presence, so overwhelming, made it hard to breathe, but I refused to show weakness. Not now, not ever.As we entered the bedroom, Thiago turned to face me, his expression softening, a mask that belied the darkness I’d just glimpsed in his forbidden room. "You should get some sleep, Wifey," he said, his voice a smooth, velvety contrast to the cold, dangerous edge that had hung between us moments before.I nodded, too exhausted to argue. My mind was a whirlpool of conflicting emotions, trying to process everything that had just happened. The revelation of his hidden lair, the chilling truth of his past, and the twisted affection he harbored for me—each weighed heavily on my heart. But one thing was clear: I needed to find a way out of th
As Thiago started the car, the engine's low rumble reverberated through my body, heightening the tension between us. The silence that followed was thick, punctuated only by the occasional sound of the city as we drove through the streets. I could feel his eyes on me whenever we stopped at a light, a smoldering gaze that made my skin prickle with awareness.Even as Thiago drive and focus on the road, I could feel he was having a hard time because of the bulge he has. At the heat of the moment, I suddenly had this fantasy of blowing him in the car. As I sat beside Thiago, my mind wandered to darker thoughts, imagining scenarios that could give me the upper hand. What if he finally showed his true colors? If Thiago became violent, it would be the perfect excuse to terminate our contract, demand the ten million dollars, and walk away, free to plot my revenge against my father, against Derick and Agatha, without having to deal with him anymore.The thought alone made my pulse quicken, a
The room was dark, the only light coming from the sliver of moonlight that managed to sneak through the heavy curtains. Thiago’s arms enveloped me, his warmth pressing into me, every inch of his body claiming mine. The scent of him—musk and spice—was overwhelming, intoxicating, a potent mixture that seeped into my skin, making it impossible to think clearly. My mind was a battlefield of emotions, each thought colliding with the next, a storm I couldn't quiet. I was on edge, my heart pounding as I fought to maintain control.Every breath he exhaled as he drifted into sleep felt like a weight on my chest, a mixture of comfort and suffocation. His presence was electrifying, a dangerous mix of power and desire that left me teetering on the brink of surrender. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down—not for a single moment.Thiago was unpredictable. His emotions ran deep, sometimes too deep, making him both a powerful ally and a potential enemy. The more time I spent with him, the clearer
I sat up in bed, my heart still racing from the vivid dream, the remnants of it clinging to me like a second skin. Every nerve in my body was on high alert, as if I could still feel Thiago’s touch, his breath on my neck, the heat of his body pressed against mine. I needed to clear my head, to shake off the fog of desire that threatened to cloud my judgment. But the more I tried to push it away, the more it lingered, a tantalizing reminder of the dangerous game we were playing.I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, my knees weak as I walked toward the bathroom. I needed to ground myself, to wash away the lingering traces of the dream before they consumed me entirely. As I reached the sink, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, my cheeks flushed, my lips slightly swollen from where Thiago had kissed me. The reflection staring back at me was someone I barely recognized—a woman caught between fear and desire, teetering on the edge of surrender.The cold water splash
The night wrapped around us like a velvet cloak, thick with anticipation and the promise of what was to come. My heart raced, each beat a thunderous reminder of the kiss we had just shared—a kiss that felt less like a tender connection. I had dared to challenge Thiago, and now, I was bracing myself for the consequences.I watched him as he stepped back, his eyes never leaving mine. There was something in his gaze, something more than just desire. It was a warning, a silent promise that he would not let this go unanswered."You have no idea what you’ve just started, wifey," Thiago said, his voice a dangerous purr that sent a tremor through me, straight to my core.I squared my shoulders, refusing to back down. "I’m always ready, darling," I replied, my voice steady even as a storm of emotions raged inside me.His smile widened, a predator’s grin that sent a thrill of fear and excitement skittering down my spine. "We’ll see about that."Without another word, he turned and walked out of
My fingers trembling slightly as they slid the last button from its loop, I felt a shift in the air between us. Thiago’s shirt hung open, revealing the sculpted muscles of his chest, and the heat of his skin radiated toward me, drawing me closer. My breath hitched as I realized the depth of what was about to happen—not just in the physical sense, but in the way this would change everything between us.Thiago’s gaze was fixed on me, his eyes dark and filled with a hunger that sent a thrill through my body. He reached out, his fingers tracing the line of my jaw before tilting my chin up so that I met his gaze. The intensity in his eyes was almost too much to bear, and yet I couldn’t look away.“You have no idea how much I want you, wifey,” he murmured, his voice low and rough, sending shivers down my spine. “Every single time you look at me this way is a struggle.” Thiago made guide my hand against the middle of his groin and I felt him hard again.This turned me on, eventually.My hea
I woke up the next morning to find the bed empty beside me. My head ached slightly from the lack of sleep, but that wasn’t what concerned me the most. The lingering warmth on the other side of the bed told me Thiago had only recently left. I sat up, staring at the rumpled sheets where he had slept, my thoughts drifting to the night before.Shaking my head, I tried to push the memories away, but they clung to me like a second skin. What happened between us was... intense, to say the least. I couldn’t let it distract me, not with so much at stake.With a sigh, I reached into the bedside drawer and pulled out the small pack of contraceptive pills I kept hidden. Popping one into my mouth, I swallowed it dry, a small comfort in the face of the chaos my life had become. Thiago and I had a contract, and while one of its clauses addressed the possibility of pregnancy, the very thought of carrying his child made my skin crawl.I couldn’t deny the raw, carnal pleasure he gave me—a satisfaction
Thiago’s words hung in the air like a challenge, his steady gaze fixed on me as if daring me to contradict him. My fingers curled tighter against my lap, my stubbornness flaring despite the sincerity in his tone.“I’m not some damsel in distress that needs constant saving,” I snapped, glancing out of the car window at the blur of the city lights. “And you can’t just swoop in and expect me to owe you everything.”His grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles whitening. “You can call it whatever you want, Bridgette, but the facts speak for themselves. You were in trouble, and I got you out.”I turned to face him, heat rising to my cheeks. “And I appreciate that, Thiago. But this doesn’t change the fact that I can take care of myself.”He let out a low chuckle, the sound laced with frustration. “Oh, really? Was signing away your inheritance part of your grand plan to take care of yourself?”The jab stung, and I scowled. “That was a distraction, Thiago. It was to buy time.”“You
Agatha sat across from me in the dimly lit van, her face cold and unyielding. My heart was racing, but I forced myself to stay calm. I had one shot at this, and I needed to execute it perfectly.“Let me call Dad,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “You can watch me the whole time. If I’m going to sign my life away, I deserve at least one chance to hear his side of things.”Agatha’s suspicious glare remained fixed on me for several tense seconds. Then, with a sharp sigh, she pulled her phone from her pocket and handed it over. “Fine, but no funny business. You’ve got two minutes.”I took the phone, my bound hands fumbling slightly as I dialed the number I knew by heart. As the line connected, I took a deep breath and launched into my performance.“Hello, daddy. It’s Bridgette,” I said, my voice steady despite the thrum of adrenaline coursing through me. “There’s something I’d like to clarify about my inheritance.”I heard Agatha shift in her seat, but I kept my focus on the phone.“I kn
My wrists throbbed against the tight ropes binding them, but the ache was nothing compared to the storm raging in my mind. Agatha paced before me, her sharp heels clicking against the cold concrete floor of the warehouse. Her face was a picture of calm malice, as if orchestrating my abduction was just another task on her to-do list.I couldn’t believe it. My own step-sister.“Agatha…” My voice came out shaky, but I forced steel into it. “This is insane. Let me go, and we can pretend this never happened. I’ll forget all of it—this whole ridiculous plan.”She stopped abruptly, turning to me with a sneer. “Oh, you’d forget it, don’t you? How noble. But you see, Bridgette, I don’t want you to forget. I want you to comply.”My pulse spiked. “Comply with what?”Her eyes gleamed with a twisted delight as she stepped closer, crouching so that her face was level with mine. “I want you to sign over everything to me. The properties, the shares, the company, all of it. Once Daddy dearest kicks t
"Oh, Bridgette, you always were the slow one, weren’t you?” Agatha sounded viscous and sarcastic particularly when she adde, “Well, to put it simply, I wanted to kill you that is why I took this all in violence to completely get rid of you, my dearest stepsister."Her words stung, but not as much as the implications of what was happening. I was tied to a chair in what appeared to be a remote cabin—judging by the faint chirping of crickets outside and the musty smell of old wood. My wrists burned against the rope, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the betrayal cutting through me. "You want to kill me." The statement came out flat, emotionless, but inside, my heart was racing like a drumbeat of panic. Agatha's smile widened. "Finally, you’re catching on. Yes, Bridgette. I want you dead. You see, dear sister, you’ve always been in my way. Ever since Daddy married your mother and you came into our lives, you were the golden child, the favorite. Romeo’s precious little prin
I tapped my foot against the grimy concrete floor of the warehouse, my nerves fraying as the minutes dragged on. The air was stale, the kind that suffocated every thought, leaving behind only a haze of frustration and growing panic. My eyes flicked toward the three men standing near the dim light bulb that cast eerie shadows on their faces. They looked like they belonged in some bad movie—hulking frames, disheveled clothes, and the kind of casual menace that made your skin crawl."Who is this big boss you keep yammering about?" I snapped, my patience worn thin. "You've been playing this secretive game for hours now. Is it that hard to give me a straight answer?"One of them—a grizzled man with a scar running across his cheek—grunted but didn't bother looking at me. The other two exchanged glances, their silence louder than any response they could have given. It was maddening."Nothing to say?" I pushed, trying to inject steel into my voice despite the lump forming in my throat. "At l
I woke up with a splitting headache, my entire body aching as though I had been trampled. My vision was hazy, and as I blinked against the dim light, the smell hit me first—rust, mildew, and something faintly metallic, like dried blood. The air around me smelled as though it was thick, damp, and suffocating. My heart pounded as I took in my surroundings. I was on a hard, cold floor with cracked concrete beneath me. The whole area was large and poorly lit, with shadows pooling in the corners. A few crates and rusted machinery were scattered about, and the distinct sound of laughter reached my ears. I froze, my breath catching as I realized I wasn’t alone. "Man, this mission's a jackpot!" one of the voices said, rough and slurred. “How much did he say we’re getting?” another chimed in, his tone greedy. “Thousand dollars each, maybe more if we keep her quiet,” the first replied. My stomach turned. Keep me quiet? Who are these people? I shifted slightly, careful not to make
I couldn’t stop the doubts circling in my mind as I sat in the passenger seat of Thiago’s sleek black car. His expression was unreadable, as it always seemed to be, but there was an edge to his silence that unsettled me. My sudden abduction at the museum replayed in my mind like a fragment that was so confusing, almost similar to a puzzle I couldn’t piece together. It left me questioning myself all of a sudden, on why had Thiago abruptly shown up at the museum annex, of all places? And more importantly, why did those men, who had abducted me, appeared and talked to Thiago as though they were afraid of him? The guard hadn’t even tried to argue with Thiago—he’d just retreated, cowed by his commanding tone and then after a while, they all just left me with Thiago without any fight.It was screaming the obvious that they could be working together. I stole a glance at Thiago. His hands were steady on the wheel, his jaw set with a quiet determination. He looked like a man in control, bu
My pulse raced as I tried to piece together what had happened. And waking up in a dimly lit room with a throbbing headache wasn’t the most encouraging start. One moment I was wandering through the museum, and the next, I woke up here—wherever here was.The faint scent of dust and mildew filled the air, and the faint hum of distant activity suggested this place wasn’t entirely abandoned. It looked like some sort of storage room, crammed with wooden crates, disassembled furniture, and random artifacts.I sat up, wincing at the ache in my temples, and scanned the room for clues. Two men stood near the door, talking in low voices. They were large, muscular, and exuded the kind of presence that said they weren’t the type to negotiate.Who could have done this?Charles and Jasper immediately came to mind. They had the resources and the audacity to pull something like this. Or maybe Cynthia? The thought of her icy demeanor made my stomach churn. She’d certainly made her disdain for me clear e
The crisp Miami air was vibrant as Sevi and I strolled through the bustling streets. Our earlier encounter with Thiago at the jewelry store still lingered in my mind, but Sevi seemed determined to shake off the tension by filling the day with more activities. After a short stop for coffee, he turned to me with a boyish grin."You know what Miami is really known for, aside from the beaches and nightlife?" Sevi asked, his enthusiasm contagious."Let me guess," I replied, smirking. "Art?"He nodded, his eyes lighting up. "Exactly. There's this amazing art museum not far from here. I've been meaning to visit it, and since we’re pretending to be the quintessential couple, why not make it a proper date?”I laughed. “Lead the way, art enthusiast.”The Perez Art Museum Miami was breathtaking from the moment we stepped inside. Sunlight poured through massive glass walls, illuminating contemporary exhibits that ranged from the eccentric to the awe-inspiring. The air inside was tinged with the