Beneath the dazzling lights of Celestia, a city brimming with power and intrigue, Liliana Lennox lives in the shadows of her dark past. Her marriage to Ethan Darnell, the Alpha heir to a business dynasty, which was supposed to save her family, has turned into a nightmare. In her fight for survival, Liliana faces betrayal, hatred, and secrets that slowly come to light. Meanwhile, Ethan, blinded by anger and feelings of betrayal, finds himself caught in an unexpected emotional turmoil when Liliana reappears in his life after three years of absence. Her return reignites a conflict he had long tried to bury, pulling them both into a vortex of revenge, love, and sacrifice. Amid external threats and their own internal struggles, can Liliana and Ethan find their way to the truth? Or will their relationship remain buried under an unforgivable past?
View MoreLILIANAI've made up my mind. All day and night, I kept thinking about my plan to escape. I spent time walking around the village, studying my escape routes and figuring out what vehicle I could use.There were a few camper vans and trucks parked in the village square, usually used for campfires at night. But there were too many people around. No way I could steal one without getting caught.So, what else? A horse? Suddenly, I remembered the one Ryder used when he brought me here. But no—that horse was left behind in the previous village, and we came here by truck.Not giving up, I snuck out again after bathing in the river. I kept searching, and sure enough, I found a few horses in the stables—three or four of them. Looks like they use them for hunting.I've thought everything through. Tonight, just before dawn, when everyone is deep asleep after dinner, I'll take one of the horses and get out of here. Where to? I have no idea. But escaping comes first. I'll figure things out later.
LILIANAWith a lot of effort, I finally managed to break free from him and move away. I grabbed the blanket I was sitting on, wrapped myself up, and rolled under a tree. If he wouldn’t let me go back to the cabin, then fine—I’d sleep out here. I didn’t care.The night breeze blew softly, making my skin feel even colder. I pulled the blanket tighter around me, trying to calm myself down. But that peace didn’t last long.Out of nowhere, Ryder grabbed me, lifting me up along with the blanket wrapped around me. I was trapped! I struggled with all my might, but it was useless."What are you doing?!" I yelled."Taking you away," he said flatly.I kept squirming, trying to get loose, but Ryder walked confidently as if I weighed nothing. Desperate, I bit his arm, hoping he’d let me go."Aww!" He cursed under his breath but didn’t stop walking. "Damn, you’re really wild."I didn’t care. I kept fighting, but he only tightened his grip. I could feel his warmth seeping through the blanket."Stay
LILIANAI bit my lower lip, realizing I'd just stepped into dangerous territory. “I was just asking,” I finally said, trying to defend myself.Ryder let out a quiet sigh, then stood up. He pulled me behind the big rock where he had been leaning earlier. We were hidden from everyone. Strangely, I didn’t resist. Instead, I stayed still, even though every part of me wanted to step back.“Serina means nothing to me,” he said, standing right in front of me. His arms were pressed against the rock, trapping me between them. “And I don’t let anyone decide my life for me.”I swallowed hard. Something about the way he spoke made me feel like he was trying to make a point.“Then,” I whispered, refusing to be intimidated, “why is she so mad at me?”Ryder narrowed his eyes. “You ask too many questions.”I scoffed, trying to hide my nervousness. “I’m a hostage here. What else am I supposed to do besides ask questions?”He didn’t respond right away. Then, out of nowhere, he leaned in closer. His bre
LILIANABefore I could respond, one of the guards moved fast, his big hand grabbing my arm and yanking me roughly. I struggled, screamed, and fought back with all my strength. "No!" I cried out, my voice breaking. I tried to pull away from the guard's tight grip, but it was useless. His strong hand was unyielding, dragging me mercilessly.I felt my body being lifted off the ground, completely powerless to fight back. Without hesitation, they hauled me out of the meeting hall, dragging me back to the cabin. I knew what was coming next. I'd be locked up there, alone. They wouldn’t let me out until they were sure I wouldn’t try to escape or do anything that could be a threat to them.With each step they took, I felt myself being pulled further away from whatever was left of my freedom. It felt like a giant wall was blocking my way, and I had no idea how to get past it. I felt trapped, like a mouse caught in its own snare.Inside the cabin, I just sat in the corner. That day, I felt even
LILIANA“And what if I refuse?” I still tried to resist, even though I knew I was on the edge.Ryder stepped closer, leaning down so our faces were level. “You know the answer, Liliana. Don’t make a mistake,” he warned, his voice rough and full of threat. “You have less than a minute to talk to your husband!”I stared at the chair, not knowing what to do. Follow Ryder’s orders or fight back? But when I saw the knife and remembered the video of the kids at the orphanage, I knew the answer. I had to do it. I had to act the way they wanted, or I’d never get out of here alive.With trembling hands, I sat in the chair Ryder had pointed to. I could feel the cold air in the room, like everything had stopped just to focus on me. The tension grew heavier, and every second felt like an eternity.As I sat, I realized why the room was so dark. There was nothing here that could give away my location. Just me, them, and the camera in front of me. I knew this wasn’t just about me and Ethan Darnell.
LILIANAWithout thinking twice, I stepped into the big cabin. It was the largest one I’d seen so far. Maybe they served breakfast here. I was starving after a long night of tension. My stomach growled as I walked in, hoping to find something to eat.But the moment I stepped inside, I froze.The room was silent—so still it felt like time had stopped. The dim lighting made the space look even bigger, even more intimidating. The strong, masculine scent in the air sent a shiver down my spine. My eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness, and when I finally saw what was in front of me, my heart nearly stopped.A large table sat in the center of the room, surrounded by men. They sat calmly, as if waiting for something, but their sharp eyes were locked onto me, watching my every move. No doubt about it—these were the wolves who kidnapped me!Rage bubbled inside me. What were they planning?All of them were staring, their eyes filled with calculated suspicion. I felt like a lamb surrounded by
RYDERI was just trying to plan something simple. Just a little punishment for Liliana. If I could make her uncomfortable, maybe she’d break down a little—or at the very least, stop fighting me on every damn thing I said.This time, I picked out the ugliest outfit I could find. Old clothes made of rough fabric, faded in color. There was no way she’d look good in it. It would make her uncomfortable and embarrassed. It had to!But I was wrong.Even in those awful clothes, she still looked stunning. Liliana, with her hair still damp from the river, wore the outfit in a way that was just… breathtaking.I could only stand there and stare. Her half-wet hair dripped onto the ground, and she had no way to dry it properly. No hairdryer, no fancy tools—just a worn-out towel that barely did anything.Some strands were still wet, but she stood there, not complaining, even though she was shivering slightly. And despite being cold and wearing those ugly clothes, she still had that irresistible pres
RYDERAfter leaving Randal, I headed to the highest cabin—the place where I left Liliana last night. Zero, the young guy I assigned to stand guard, was still sitting there calmly. No doubt about it, he took his job seriously.By the time I arrived, the sun had just started creeping up, breaking through the thick mist that constantly covered the valley. Zero was still lounging at the door, his face neutral, though his eyes lit up slightly when he saw me. He didn’t look tired at all—just bored from sitting there alone all night."You can go now," I ordered firmly.Zero stretched lazily before flashing me a small smirk. "She didn’t cause any trouble. Pretty quiet all night," he reported before turning to leave. "I’m grabbing breakfast. If you need me again—""I’ll call you, kid," I replied with a satisfied grin.Zero chuckled before disappearing into the trees. I took a deep breath and stepped inside the cabin.Liliana was still asleep, curled up on the rough mattress, wrapped in a thin
RYDERMorning came way too fast, but I still couldn’t sleep. I had been up all night, staying on high alert. Even though I had guards stationed all over, something still felt off. I gripped the tree trunk in front of my cabin, scanning the distance. Making sure everything was normal.I replayed the entire process in my head. The kidnapping had gone smoothly—too smoothly. Everything went according to plan. And yet… I didn’t feel satisfied at all. The goal was right there. The hostage was secured. We were just one step away from making the trade. So why the hell was I feeling so uneasy?My thoughts kept drifting back to Liliana. What was wrong with me? We didn’t even know each other before this. There should be no personal attachment to a hostage.A soft breeze rustled the towering pine trees. I clenched my jaw, trying to shake off the weird feeling in my chest. Then, I sensed someone behind me. Instinctively, my claws and fangs came out, ready to attack."Relax, Ryder." The voice was f
LILIANA LENNOXI slowly opened my eyes, though the morning felt far from welcoming. My body was heavy, but my mind refused to stay in the haze of sleep. I was still in shock, utterly drained after a long and tormenting night—a night that shattered my illusions of how foolish I’d been all along. The faint scent of alcohol lingered in the air, mixing with the masculine, overpowering aroma of Ethan’s cologne, making me shudder.Fully awake, I slid out from under the blanket and grabbed my nightgown scattered on the floor. Careful not to make a sound, I walked to the ceiling-to-floor window, pulling back the curtains to reveal the glittering city lights below.“Celestia,” I whispered to myself. “The city that never sleeps. Soon, the sun will rise. Maybe it’ll finally erase me in its light…”Solaris Heights, the exclusive enclave of Celestia’s elite, had been my gilded cage for the past month. Hidden behind its towering iron gates, it held secrets the outside world could never penetrate.“...
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