Charles parked his car, glancing over his shoulder to ensure no one had followed him before stepping inside the building. As soon as he entered, Asher’s voice rang out.“Why are you so late?” Asher asked, clearly irritated.Charles sighed, a sly smile forming as his eyes landed on Elara. She was trembling, bound, and clearly terrified.“Apologies,” Charles replied, walking over to her. “Work’s been keeping me busy.” He knelt down, lifting her chin with cold fingers. “Did you miss me, sweetheart?”Elara’s rebellion flickered despite her fear. “Not in a thousand years,” she spat, glaring up at him.Charles wiped his face, still smiling, unbothered by her resistance. “You’ll learn to be obedient,” he said with a chilling calm. “Maybe then I’ll consider sparing your life in exchange for being my sex slave…my toy.”“What the heck are you talking about?” Asher demanded, moving closer to them. “Thinking of letting her go?”Charles shrugged, his smile widening. “Plans change. I think I’ll have
The drive to the warehouse felt longer than it should have. Damian’s mind churned with possibilities—Elara’s whereabouts, the danger she might be in. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he sped through the city streets, his focus singular. He had to find her. He had to end this.When he finally arrived, the place was narrow—a perfect spot for carrying out evil deeds. Jackson and the team were already there, waiting for him.“Any updates?” Damian asked, his voice a low growl as he approached.Jackson nodded. “Charles is inside, but we haven’t seen Elara. We’re not sure if she’s here yet.”Damian’s eyes narrowed. “Then we go in. Now.”Jackson hesitated. “It could be a trap.”“I don’t care,” Damian replied, his voice hard. “If Elara’s in there, I’m not leaving without her.”Without another word, Damian strode toward the warehouse. One thing was certain: if Charles had Elara, Damian would stop at nothing to get her back.The doors to the warehouse loomed ahead, dark and foreboding
“Drive,” Damian ordered, his voice as cold as the winter night.“Yes, sir,” Henry replied, turning the ignition and setting the car in motion.The drive back felt infinitely shorter than the agonizing ride to the warehouse. Seeing Elara in his arms was both a comfort and a curse—she was here, alive, but the marks of what she had endured under Charles’ watch seared into his mind. He had her back, but not whole.Elara’s breathing was steady but shallow. Damian had wrapped his suit jacket around her, feeling her tremble beneath it. Every glance in her direction stoked the fire in his chest, fueling a rage that simmered just beneath the surface. He didn’t know if it was the cold, the fear, or the shock that made her shake, but it only made his resolve stronger.“You’re safe now,” he murmured softly, more to himself than to her.Elara’s voice came in soft, broken whispers. “Damian... I didn’t think you’d find me.”“I’ll always find you,” he replied, his tone sharp but gentle. His fingers r
The underground cell was damp, the air thick with the stench of mold and rusted metal. Charles groaned as Jackson and two of Damian’s men dragged him from the trunk, his limp body barely able to support its own weight. Damian stood at the entrance of the cell, arms crossed, his expression unreadable except for the flicker of rage in his eyes.“Wake him up,” Damian ordered, his voice sharp as steel.One of the men threw a bucket of ice-cold water over Charles, causing him to sputter and jerk back into consciousness. His eyes, still glazed from the beating, widened as he realized where he was. The surroundings of the underground prison beneath Damian’s estate brought a wave of panic crashing over him.“Please...” Charles rasped, his voice weak. “It wasn’t... I didn’t want to...”Damian’s gaze was ice cold as he stepped forward, crouching down so his face was level with Charles’. “Spare me your excuses, Charles. You sold her—my wife—to a monster, Daniel. You kidnapped her, abused her, and
The night deepened, casting long shadows across Damian’s estate. His mind swirled with the weight of vengeance, each thought sharper than the last. As he stared out of the window of his study, the dim light from the moon barely penetrated the dark sky. He could feel it—the quiet before the storm. Asher was out there, and the confrontation was inevitable. But Damian was not one to rush. Patience was a weapon, and when the time came, he would strike with precision and fury.His phone buzzed on the desk, snapping him out of his thoughts. The screen flashed with a name— ‘Demon.’ Damian picked up without hesitation.“Talk.”“I’ve got eyes on him,” Demon’s gravelly voice rumbled through the phone. “Asher’s been laying low, but not well enough. He’s moving in the underworld, making deals. I’ll have him cornered in a matter of days.”Damian tightened his grip on the phone. “No mistakes. I want him alive.”There was a pause on the other end, the faint hum of traffic in the background the only
“Please,” he begged. If he had known this could happen, he would have done exactly as Elara wanted. “Don’t do this.”Damian smirked, an evil smile plastered on his lips as he walked away. Just a few inches from them, a fire burned inside a large pot with an iron rod heating inside it. Damian grabbed the handle, pulling the iron out. He shoved it back in, waiting a moment before retrieving it again. He approached Charles, whose eyes were wide open in terror.“W-...” he stammered. “What do you think you’re doing?”“What do you think?” Damian demanded before pressing the red-hot iron into his body.“Ah!” Charles screamed in pain. He gasped for breath. The sharp, searing agony radiated through his body, making his vision blur. Sweat formed on his brow as he struggled to stay conscious.“You won’t die from this,” Damian smirked. “From the pain, I’ll make sure of that.”“Forgive me, please,” Charles pleaded, his stomach growling.“You’re still hungry, aren’t you?” Damian laughed harshly bef
Anita stayed outside all night, waiting. She stood up as soon as she heard the sound of Anna’s door opening, but before she could enter her house, Anna had already seen her.“Don’t tell me you slept here all night?” Anna questioned.“No,” Anita replied, lying. “I’m just coming out.”Anna looked at her with questioning eyes. She knew Anita had slept there all night.“Stop lying,” she said, approaching the already weakened Anita. “Get a hold of yourself and don’t fall apart. He’s busy working his ass off for you and your son.”“But...” Anita paused. “He should have at least called or picked up my calls. He should have returned them immediately after seeing his missed calls. Something is wrong.” She nervously bit her fingers. “I can feel it.”Anna watched as she started panicking. She shook her head, wondering how Anita could love her husband like this. She had always been jealous of them, of the love they shared. Anna had thought Anita’s husband was perfect and truly loved her until she
“We’re here,” Anita informed Anna as soon as they stepped off the bus. Charles’ firm stood tall and magnificent.“Let’s go in.”They both walked inside, but were immediately stopped by the receptionist.“Who are you looking for?” she asked, her eyes scanning their clothes.“My husband,” Anita replied.“Your husband?” the receptionist repeated. “Who?”“Charles,” she responded with a smile, trying to remain friendly.“Oh. You’re Mr. Charles’ wife?” The receptionist’s demeanor instantly changed. She knew better than to offend her.“Ye...” Before she could finish her statement, she was cut off.“Whose wife?” Margaret’s voice rang out, filled with anger. Her eyes burned with hate as they roamed over Anita’s body. She wasn’t impressed. She had imagined Charles’ wife would be someone extraordinary and beautiful. The image she had created shattered as she moved closer. “Whose wife?” Margaret repeated. “Tell me.”“Young lady, you don’t have to be rude,” Anna interjected, fully aware of why Mar