Michael stepped into the room cautiously, his gaze fixated on the walls covered in pictures and posters. Everywhere he looked, he saw Jaxon’s face.‘Why does he have Jaxon’s face plastered all over the walls?’ he wondered, his brows knitting together. As he examined the images more closely, he realized they weren’t just ordinary pictures. There were candid shots of Jaxon—sleeping in his car, working in his office, swimming. Some were older, showing a younger version of him.‘This is creepy… Is he in love with him?’Near the window, a table displayed several small picture frames—some of Jaxon alone, others of the two of them together. Michael’s jaw remained slack as he took in the sheer volume of images scattered around the room.Then, something else caught his eye—gift bags. Some were Cartier, others were small, elegant packages meant for presents.Without thinking, he grabbed one and peeked inside. A glasses case sat neatly inside. He flipped it open—a Cartier pair. At the bottom of
Michael stepped into the bar and made a beeline for the counter. His eyes were red and swollen from all the crying. He just needed a drink—something to help him forget what he had seen.Sliding onto a stool, he rested his hand on the counter and met the bartender’s gaze.“Bellini,” he said, his voice low.The bartender gave a nod and got to work. As he waited, Michael lowered his head, battling the fresh wave of tears threatening to spill.“There you go,” the bartender said, setting the drink down. But before Michael could lift his head, a deep voice spoke beside him.“I’ll have the same.”Michael glanced up, curiosity piqued. The voice belonged to an older man with a mix of black and grey in his hair and beard. His deep chocolate skin was smooth, and his features were striking—far more attractive than Michael expected for a man his age.“Hey,” the stranger greeted him with a broad smile, flashing perfect white teeth.Michael managed a faint smile in return. “Hey.”He reached for his
Isla stood on the hospital rooftop, gazing out at the breathtaking night view of Naples. The cool breeze whipped strands of her hair across her face, but she barely noticed. Her mind was too preoccupied, replaying the doctor's words over and over.Her mother needed to be admitted. Someone had to stay with her. And with $8,000, they could begin chemotherapy immediately."Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?" she thought, exhaling heavily. She let out a dry chuckle. “If this were a movie, this would be the perfect moment for a cigarette,” she mumbled, lowering her head as she sighed.As she stood there, lost in thought, footsteps echoed behind her. Jeremy had made his way to the rooftop, spotting her instantly. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he approached.“Hey,” he greeted, stopping beside her, his gaze drifting over the illuminated city below.“Hey,” she replied, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear.“How are you feeling?” he asked.She scoffed, shrugging. “What
Michael sat in the passenger seat of Idris’ car, his eyes widening as he took in the grand mansion before him. The place was massive, nestled in one of the richest estates in Rome—just like Alex’s.‘Since when did I start attracting wealthy men?’ he mused before turning to Idris. “What did you say you do again?”Idris chuckled. “I never told you,” he replied, switching off the engine. “Because you never asked.” He stretched slightly, letting out a satisfied sigh. “Home sweet home.”Michael shook his head slowly. “I can’t believe I just followed a stranger home,” he muttered, more to himself. “I don’t even know what you do.”Idris sighed, his lips curling into an easy smile. “Michael, you don’t have to be so dramatic. You can just ask me anything, and I’ll tell you.”Michael tilted his head. “Alright then… what do you do?”Idris smirked. “I own a few businesses across Italy—most of them in Milan, Florence, and Turin. I only have a couple in Rome. Two bars, actually. One of them is wher
Michael's eyes fluttered open as the early morning sunlight streamed across his face. His heart jolted the moment he remembered—he should’ve been getting ready for work.Turning his head, he spotted Idris still fast asleep, undisturbed.Reaching for his phone on the bedside table, his stomach dropped when he saw the time—almost 8 AM. He shot up from the bed.“Shit,” he muttered under his breath, scrambling to pick up his clothes strewn across the floor. He hurriedly threw them on, all while Idris remained peacefully asleep.With his phone in hand, Michael cast a fleeting glance at Idris before heading for the door. But just as he reached it, he hesitated. His gaze shifted back to the bedside table.A jotter and a pen rested beside Idris. Without thinking, he rushed over, snatched the pen, and scribbled his phone number onto the nearest blank page."Call me. If you want to."Leaving the page open, ensuring Idris would see it, Michael dashed out of the room.*Jaxon pulled up in front o
Sophie heard a knock at her door and instantly jumped to her feet, excitement surging through her. She rushed over, her face lighting up with a wide smile as she swung the door open.The moment she saw Ray, she threw her arms around him, laughing joyfully.“Seeing you in the daytime feels almost unreal,” she giggled, finally pulling away but keeping hold of his hand as she tugged him inside.“I know! I didn’t expect to be here this early either,” Ray chuckled, shutting the door behind him.“I was stunned when I got your text,” Sophie said, leading him to the couch, where they both flopped down. “Please don’t tell me you got fired,” she teased, her eyes twinkling.Ray burst into laughter. “Why would you even think that?” he asked between chuckles, making Sophie laugh even harder.“I don’t know—it just slipped out,” she admitted, leaning in slightly as her laughter softened.Their amusement faded into a lingering silence, their smiles holding. Then, Ray leaned in, pressing his lips to h
"Michael." Alex's voice rang out as he pounded on the door, his knocks sharp and agitated. "Michael, open up, or I swear I'll break this damn door down!"Inside, Michael tensed at the sound of Alex’s voice, his jaw tightening as he stripped off his office clothes."Michael!" Alex shouted again, his frustration spilling into the hallway.A neighbor peeked out from her apartment, curious about the commotion, but Alex barely noticed. His patience was running thin. Just as he raised his fist to knock again, the door swung open, revealing Michael in a singlet.Michael's brows knitted together as he took in Alex’s disheveled state—sweaty, breathless, like he’d just run a marathon."What the hell do you think you're doing?" Michael demanded, stepping forward, intending to slip out and shut the door behind him. But before he could, Alex grabbed his arm and shoved him back inside, slamming the door shut behind them.The stench of alcohol hit Michael instantly. He wrenched his arm free. "Let me
Isla and Jaxon stepped into the private chemotherapy infusion room, the very place Jaxon had requested for her. Mrs. Bennett sat comfortably in her reclining chair, and the moment she spotted them approaching, a radiant smile spread across her face. Beside her, an IV pole and monitoring equipment stood silently.“Hey, Mom,” Isla greeted, offering a soft, bittersweet smile as they pulled their chairs closer and took their seats.“Hi, Mrs. Bennett,” Jaxon added warmly, positioning his chair on her left while Isla settled on her right.Mrs. Bennett slowly turned to him. “Jaxon.” She mustered a smile, though exhaustion made it fleeting. Shifting her gaze to Isla, who was already smiling at her, she sighed. “You didn’t have to drag him into this too.”“This isn’t a bother at all, Mrs. Bennett,” Jaxon reassured her with a gentle smile. “I want to be here.”She studied him for a moment before asking, “What about your job?”Jaxon merely shrugged. “I’m the CEO—I don’t need to be there all the
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
Alex stepped aside and reached for his phone to call Jaxon, but just as he was about to dial, he spotted Jaxon’s car pulling into Mrs. Bennett’s compound.Lowering his phone, he strode toward the vehicle, barely waiting for Jaxon to cut the engine before speaking."I was just about to call you," Alex said as Jaxon unfastened his seatbelt and swung the door open.Alex continued, "No sign of her at the hospital yet. We just got here, so we’re not sure if she’s here either. We knocked, but no one has—""Someone just answered," Jaxon cut in, his eyes fixed on the house. He barely acknowledged Alex as he advanced toward the entrance. His men stood still, awaiting orders, while Alex trailed behind him.The door swung open, revealing Ivy. The moment she stepped outside, her gaze locked onto Jaxon, her expression hardening. ‘Of course, it’s him,’ she thought in disgust, shutting the door behind her."Don’t you think this is a bit dramatic?" Ivy scoffed, folding her arms. "We get it—you run a