Jaxon sat in his office, eyes fixed on his laptop as he worked diligently. A knock at the door broke his concentration. Raising his head, he saw his private investigator, Charlie, step in with a mild smile.It was that time of the month again, and Jaxon silently hoped for good news. Rising from his seat, he extended a hand across the desk. "Charlie," he greeted."Mr. Waverly," Charlie replied politely. Jaxon gestured toward a chair, inviting him to sit."Tell me you've got good news," Jaxon said, settling back into his chair and pulling it closer to the desk.Charlie shook his head slowly, his expression apologetic. "It's the same, boss. There's no trace of her. Every lead just... circles back to..." He hesitated, studying Jaxon’s reaction.Jaxon’s face tightened with disappointment, his brow furrowing. "Her grave," he finished for him. Charlie nodded somberly."If you want me to keep searching, I will," Charlie offered with an encouraging nod, but Jaxon’s patience and faith was begi
Isla and Jaxon walked into La Pergola and Isla’s jaw was literally on the floor. Just when Isla thought the main dining area was heaven on earth, Jaxon led her further into a secluded VIP section tucked in a private corner. Her head tilted back as she took in the sheer elegance, trailing behind him in awe.It was, without a doubt, the most luxurious setting Isla had ever experienced. As they settled into their seats, a waitress approached, her smile as bright as the chandeliers above.“Mr. Waverly! It’s always a pleasure to see you,” said the waitress, “Sasha,” her name embroidered neatly on the pocket of her uniform. Jaxon responded with a faint smile.“You always say that, Sasha,” he replied coolly, his gaze steady. Sasha then turned her attention to Isla.“Welcome, ma’am,” she said with a polite bow. Isla returned the gesture, her own smile wide and a little nervous. Sasha glanced back at Jaxon.“What about Mr. Alex?” she asked with a knowing grin.“He’s not joining us today,” Jax
After eating, Isla felt noticeably better, even though she had barely touched her food. Jaxon couldn’t take his eyes off her, watching her every move and reaction.“You don’t have to go back to work if you’re not ready,” Jaxon said, lifting his glass of wine and taking a sip.Isla looked up, startled. “No. No,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t want to go home. I’m fine, Mr. Jaxon. Really, I am.” She forced a wide smile, though it didn’t quite convince him. “I don’t want your pity or anything. I’m perfectly fine.”“I’m not pitying you,” Jaxon replied firmly. “I just want to make sure you’re in the right state of mind to work.”“I am,” Isla insisted. “Alex isn’t here, so it’s my responsibility to oversee your schedule and take care of you until he’s back.”“Oh?” Jaxon raised an eyebrow. “You want to take care of me?”Isla’s lips parted, and she stammered, “I… I didn’t mean it like that.”“Why not?” Jaxon pressed, taking another sip of his wine. “Can’t you take care of your boss?”“N
Jaxon drove into the underground parking garage, the hum of his engine echoing off the concrete walls. As his car came to a stop, his eyes landed on Alex’s vehicle parked not far away. Alex stood nearby, flanked by his driver, Ray and a sizeable group of their men, all poised and ready. Raising a brow in surprise, Jaxon stepped out of his car smoothly. Alex didn’t waste time and approached him.“Boss,” Alex greeted with a slight nod.“I wasn’t expecting you to be here,” Jaxon remarked.Alex nodded again. “Yeah, I should’ve called. I’m feeling better now,” he replied, but Jaxon wasn’t buying it.“I don’t think that’s the whole story,” Jaxon said, his voice laced with skepticism. “But if you’re set on keeping it from me, I’ll play along for now.”Before Alex could respond, the low rumble of engines filled the garage. Two sleek, black vans sped into view, coming to a sharp halt a short distance away.“We’ll discuss this later,” Jaxon muttered, shifting his focus to the approaching vehic
Alex pulled up in front of the bar, tilting his facecap low before stepping out of his vehicle. His long strides carried him across the road to the bar’s entrance.With his head bowed, he stepped inside, scanning the bar area for Michael. To his disappointment—and growing frustration—someone else was behind the counter.‘Seriously? First, he’s not on any apps, and now he’s not at work?’ Alex clenched his jaw as he approached the bartender. ‘Maybe he’s doing the midnight shift today,’ he thought, trying to stay optimistic.“Hey,” Alex greeted with a wide smile, though he couldn’t hide his disappointment. The bartender looked decent enough—nerdy, even—but he wasn’t Michael.“Hey! How’s it going?” the bartender replied, leaning on the counter. Alex’s gaze flicked to the name tag on his uniform: Toby.“I’m good, Toby,” Alex said, offering a polite nod.“Glad to hear that,” Toby replied, straightening up. “What can I get you?”“Erm…” Alex hesitated, leaning closer to the counter. The music
Alex stepped into the Hausmann & Co. jewelry store, his eyes immediately scanning the elegant interior. With steady strides, he made his way to the Rolex section, stopping in front of the sleek display case. Rows of exquisite wristwatches glinted under the soft, strategically placed lights. He paused, his gaze fixed on the collection.“Good day, sir,” a jewelry consultant greeted warmly from behind the counter.“Good day,” Alex replied, offering a polite smile.“Is there a specific piece you're interested in today?” the consultant inquired.Alex raised a hand, pointing to one of the watches.“An excellent choice, sir,” the consultant remarked. “That's the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, Oyster 40mm in platinum. Crafted from 950 platinum, it features an ice-blue dial—a signature of Rolex’s platinum models. Would you like to try it on?”Alex shook his head, his smile soft, “No need. It's a gift.”“For someone special? Even better,” the consultant said with a knowing grin.Alex arched a brow
Isla rushed out of the office to grab her bag. Inside, she had a candle and a lighter. She pulled them out and quickly returned.In the office, Jaxon had positioned a stool between the chairs in front of his desk, placing the cake and glasses on it. As he poured wine into the glasses, Isla carefully inserted the candle into the cake.He let out a scoff and shook his head. "You brought a candle too?""Of course!" Isla grinned. "What's a birthday cake without a wish?" She lit the candle with a flick of the lighter. As Jaxon finished pouring, he set the wine bottle down beside the stool."Go on, make a wish," she urged, her smile wide and expectant.Jaxon shrugged, folding his arms as he leaned back. "I don’t have any.""Don’t be like that, Mr. Jaxon," Isla pressed, her eyes widening. "Everybody wants something."He sighed, raising a brow. "Alright," he muttered, leaning forward. "Can’t even remember the last time I did this." Closing his eyes, he appeared deep in thought as the candleli
As Isla’s face neared his, Jaxon subtly turned his head to the side, causing her to freeze mid-motion. Her jaw tightened, and she swallowed hard, pulling back in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” she said, her voice trembling with regret as she shook her head.Jaxon’s eyes were squeezed shut, his jaw tense. A storm of emotions churned within him. He wanted to kiss her, but the thought of giving away his first kiss so impulsively held him back. He needed time—time to be sure.The silence between them grew heavy and suffocating. Isla shifted uncomfortably before finally rising from her chair. The sound startled Jaxon, and his eyes flew open.“I… I should go,” she murmured, avoiding his gaze. Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed for the door.Jaxon’s jaw clenched as he watched her retreating figure. He wanted to stop her, to admit that he wanted the kiss too, but the words wouldn’t come. They caught in his throat, leaving him to wrestle with his t
Idris pulled up at the bus stop where Michael had told him to meet for their date. For good reason, Michael had no intention of letting Idris anywhere near his apartment.Truth be told, he was hoping this would be the last time he ever had to see or speak to him again.“Pim Pim.” A car horn sounded, snapping Michael out of his thoughts. He looked up from his phone to see Idris parked right in front of him, grinning and waving excitedly.Michael forced a smile and got up from the bench, making his way to the car. He opened the door and slid into the passenger seat."Sorry for keeping you waiting," Idris said warmly, reaching out to take Michael’s hand.Michael glanced down at their hands and subtly pulled away, shaking his head slightly. “It’s fine. I just got here too,” he replied. Idris gave a small nod, his brows knitting together in concern.“You okay?” he asked, sensing that something was off.Michael shifted in his seat, meeting his gaze with a reassuring smile. “Yeah, of course.
Bianchi began to pace restlessly in front of Isla as he expected his men. Isla, who was still extreme weak, seemed to have hope seeing her capturer disoriented. She let out a smirk and flicked her brows. “I told you Jaxon would find you and kill you.” She muttered admist laughter, loud enough for him to hear. “Shut the fuck up!” Bianchi growled as he stormed closer to the chair where she was tied, his shivering finger pointing to her face. Isla kept her smirk, refusing to look away in fear. “You know…” he whispered, a smirk curling up the side of his lips. “I thought I would just have to kill one girl to get what I want, but…” he pulled out his gun from his back and traced it on Isla’s face, causing her breath to etch. “...why not add her bestfriend to make things more fun?” He grinned, and Isla’s heart skipped a beat. The smirk on her face instantly disappeared. “What are you talking about?” She asked with gritted teeth, and Bianchi let out an annoying laugh as he moved away fro
Sophie wandered the streets, tears brimming in her eyes, clutching posters of Isla. Bold red letters screamed “MISSING” above Isla’s picture, and beneath it, a ten-thousand-euro reward.She moved from one wall to the next, plastering the posters wherever she could, stopping passersby to ask if they had seen her.She had called and texted Isla multiple times, but got no response. She even tried Jaxon’s number, but for some reason, he wasn’t answering either.When she finally got through to Ray, he confirmed the worst—Isla was missing. The words hit Sophie like a brick. Panic surged through her. She wanted to report it to the police immediately, but Ray stopped her, assuring her that they were already handling it.Still, Sophie couldn’t stand feeling helpless. Sitting back and doing nothing while her best friend was out there—possibly in danger—wasn’t an option. So, she took to the streets, hoping that someone, anyone, might recognize Isla from the posters.Just as she was showing anoth
“Please… let me go,” Jeremy murmured as one of Jaxon’s men stepped into the room, the door creaking open. He carried a tray of food in one hand, a gun steady in the other.“I just need to speak to Jaxon Waverly. Please, I’m begging you,” Jeremy pleaded, his voice cracking. “I’ve got a wife and a kid waiting for me. I’ve been gone for days, they’ll be losing their minds by now. Please.”But the man said nothing. He crouched and set the tray on the floor, his gun never straying from Jeremy’s face.“Just let me talk to him. One phone call,” Jeremy said, his voice trembling now. “I swear, he’s probably forgotten I’m even still here. I’ve learnt my lesson. I just, look, my wounds are getting worse. If they don’t get treated properly, I’m gonna die from infection. Please, man.”Still, no response. The guard turned on his heel and walked out, unfazed, as if Jeremy hadn’t spoken at all.“Please!” Jeremy shouted, stumbling up from the narrow bed squeezed into the cramped room. He rushed to the
While Jaxon’s men spread out to search for Isla, he sat in one of the parked vehicles, Ray behind the wheel, and Alex in the passenger seat beside him.“This is mad,” Ray muttered, shaking his head as he drove. “Who in their right mind would kidnap Isla?”Alex frowned, equally confused. “Seriously. It makes no sense. Why Isla?” he asked, twisting in his seat to glance at Jaxon, who sat silently in the back, in the owner’s spot.Jaxon’s gaze was hard, distant. He shook his head slowly. “This is deeper than it looks. Whoever did this… they know me. Isla doesn’t have enemies like that. This isn’t about her. it’s about me. This is on me,” he said quietly, brows furrowed with guilt.Ray glanced at him through the rearview mirror, skeptical. “Isn’t that a bit of a stretch?” he asked. “Who would even dare come after you? This kind of thing doesn’t happen to you, because no one’s ever had the guts.”Before Jaxon could respond, his phone chimed with a notification.“That’s facts,” Alex added,
Austin lay in the hospital bed, his mangled hand swaddled in thick bandages. Beside him, Dustin sat silently, his eyes filled with pity and disbelief.“I still don’t get it, man,” Dustin said, shaking his head. “You lost your hand… because of Isla? That don’t make sense. She wasn’t even in town when this all went down.”“You don’t have to get it,” Austin murmured, his voice hoarse and weak as he stared at the remains of his hand. “I did this for her. When she sees what I gave up… she’ll know I love her. She’ll know I’d never put her in harm’s way like Jaxon did.”Dustin exhaled sharply, frustration bubbling up. “Are you hearing yourself right now? You nearly died, Austin! If I hadn’t come when you called, you would’ve bled out on that damn floor. And now you’re feeding me this half-ass explanation? Don’t I deserve the truth?”Austin turned his head slowly, his gaze heavy with regret. After a long pause, he spoke again, voice low. “I got mixed up with a loan shark. He’s the one who did
As Isla lay silently in the cage, exhaustion and thirst weighing her down, the sudden sound of keys jingling against metal snapped her out of her haze. The cell gate creaked open.Her heart pounded violently in her chest, dreading what was coming next. Before she could react, rough hands clamped around her ankles and yanked her forward.“Aghhh!” she cried out as her skin scraped against the cold, hard floor, sharp stinging cuts forming along her arms and legs.“Shut the fuck up, woman!” Bianchi snapped, irritation lacing his voice. A trail of smoke curled from the cigarette hanging at the corner of his lips. “Tie her to the chair,” he ordered.His men wasted no time. They grabbed her, forcing her onto a chair as she thrashed against their grip. A thick, coarse rope was wound tightly around her, pinning her arms to her sides. Blood trickled from the fresh cuts on her skin, staining her already filthy blue shirt.“Let me go!” she screamed, but Bianchi only chuckled, shaking his head.“N
Mrs. Bennett sat in Jaxon’s living room, her gaze sweeping across the grand interior while he settled into the couch opposite her.The room was silent, save for their presence, as his men waited outside for further instructions.“Mrs. Bennett, I appreciate you coming here with me. I have so many questions, and I’d really appreciate it if you could answer them,” Jaxon said, his tone steady.She exhaled, a weary sigh escaping her lips. “I’m already here, aren’t I? Not like I had much of a choice,” she murmured, leaning back against the couch.“I know you need rest, so I’ll keep this brief.” He met her gaze, and she gave a small nod before he continued, “How did Teresa Blackwood become Isla Bennett?”A soft sigh left her lips. “I changed our names and identities after your father killed my husband. Don Westerly wasn’t a man of mercy—he was ruthless, powerful. My husband made the mistake of getting entangled with him, and it cost him his life. I knew that settling the score wouldn’t be en
Austin waited in his usual secluded spot, anxious for the meetup. At last, he had the money, one final payment before cutting ties with the loan sharks for good.Right on cue, a car screeched around the corner, nearly clipping him. Austin quickly stepped back, cursing under his breath.The vehicle jerked to a stop, engine cutting off. As the driver slid out, Austin exhaled sharply. “You really need to stop pulling that stunt,” he muttered, irritation lacing his voice.The man grinned, flashing a set of crooked teeth. “Austin! You’ve got my money. Finally.”Without a word, Austin reached into the inner pocket of his suit and pulled out a thick brown envelope. He extended it with a firm expression. “This is the last time we do business.”The man took the envelope, nodding as he peeled it open. He sifted through the cash, eyes narrowing. “I trust you wouldn’t be stupid enough to short me.”Austin shrugged. “Count it if you want.”The man scoffed, gave a brief nod, then tossed the envelop