Present day...Lawrence Blake cleared his throat, irritation flashing in his eyes. “Enough with the idle chatter. Let’s complete this business arrangement. Alexander, Sarah, if you’ll sign.”Taking the pen, Sarah felt the weight of her choice settle on her as she scrawled her name across the elegant lines of the contract.Alexander followed suit, his movements careful and precise.When he handed the pen back, he didn’t look at her, though his silence felt loaded.Richard Caldwell rose, extending his hand to Lawrence. “Well then, we’re settled. The wedding will proceed as planned in three weeks.”The Caldwells and Blakes exchanged the usual pleasantries, but Sarah couldn’t shake the strange sense of foreboding.She watched as Alexander turned his chair toward the door, his expression unreadable.As the meeting wrapped up, she felt the chill of his gaze on her one last time.He leaned in slightly as he passed her and murmured under his breath, “I don’t think you have any idea what you’v
The morning sunlight glinted off the stained glass of St. Augustine’s Cathedral, casting colors across the polished floors and filling the grand space with a kaleidoscope of brilliance.The high arches and delicate carvings on the walls stretched toward the heavens, creating a scene as extravagant as the lives of those gathered to witness it.Among the Caldwell family’s friends and allies, whispers lingered like a trail of perfume, who was this quiet, unknown “daughter” about to wed one of the city’s most powerful heirs?In a quiet room at the back of the cathedral, Sarah stood alone in front of a tall mirror, adjusting her veil.The dress was a shimmering cascade of lace, custom made by the city’s most celebrated designer.Her shoulders were bare, her neck long and graceful beneath the delicate tulle draping her arms.Around her neck was a piece she had crafted herself, an intricate choker of diamonds and rose quartz, delicate petals winding together in patterns of leaves and blooms,
The rest of the ride was silent, the weight of their words settling between them. Yet Sarah felt a strange sense of exhilaration.She had seen a chink in Alexander’s armor, a glimpse into the truth he kept hidden.As the car pulled into the sprawling driveway of Blake Manor, the realization of her new life settled over her.This mansion, this marriage, this strange game of secrets, they were all hers now, for better or worse. Alexander’s family would be her family, his enemies her enemies.Stepping out of the car, she squared her shoulders, her gaze steady as she surveyed the grand manor before her.The sprawling estate was draped in the elegance of old money, its gardens sprawling into the horizon.Guests had already begun gathering for the reception, a sea of society’s finest dressed in glittering jewels and sharp suits.Alexander’s hand on her arm pulled her back to the present, guiding her toward the crowd.She took a steadying breath, allowing herself one last look at the ring on
The wedding reception was winding down, guests dispersing into the night with murmurs of congratulations and polite goodbyes.Sarah and Alexander had played their roles perfectly, their dynamic intriguing enough to keep the gossip swirling but dignified enough to avoid scandal.She could feel the weight of the night lifting, but only slightly, she knew there was still a gauntlet to face.As Sarah moved toward the hall leading to their private wing, the familiar sharp click of heels announced Victoria’s presence.Sarah didn’t turn around, but she didn’t need to. She could already picture her, all sharp angles and sharper words, dripping with venom disguised as concern.“Well, congratulations, sister,” Victoria drawled, her voice low and biting. “You’ve really outdone yourself this time.”Sarah paused, glancing over her shoulder.Victoria stood there, her designer gown catching the light, a perfect picture of bitterness wrapped in elegance.She took a step closer, her tone dropping to a
Alexander’s smirk broke through the tension like a sharp knife through silk.He tilted his head slightly, a glint of amusement in his eyes.“Well,” he said, leaning back in his chair with exaggerated nonchalance, “since you want to consummate our marriage. We should at least make an attempt at the… consummation part.”Sarah raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching in amusement. “Oh? And how exactly do you propose we do that, dear husband?”He gestured dramatically to his wheelchair, his tone light but laced with challenge. “Clearly, you’ll need to help me into bed. After all, it seems I’m destined to be a burden.” His grin widened as he added, “And since I’m completely at your mercy, you’ll have to do all the work tonight.”Sarah folded her arms, giving him a long, appraising look. “All the work, huh?” she echoed, her voice playful. “You sound awfully confident for someone so helpless.”Alexander chuckled, the sound low and rich. “Helpless is my brand, darling. But don’t worry, I’m sure
Sarah lay sprawled across the bed, her figure illuminated by the moonlight.Her long hair spilled over the pillow, curling like dark tendrils against the white linen.At some point, she had rolled closer to him, her arm now draped across his chest in a way that was both unexpected and… comforting.Alexander froze, unsure of what to do.The woman who had spent the day sparring with him, teasing him with her quick wit and sharp tongue, now looked impossibly serene.Her lips, which had delivered more barbed remarks than he could count, were slightly parted as she breathed in and out, soft and rhythmic.Her long lashes cast delicate shadows over her cheeks.For a moment, the sight of her distracted him from everything else, the investigation, the pretense, the world outside their bedroom.She sighed in her sleep, her brow twitching slightly as if she were reacting to some dream he couldn’t see.The sound was so soft, so unguarded, that it sent a pang through him.How is it that you’re alw
They lay there for a moment longer, the morning light wrapping them in a cocoon of warmth.“Alright,” Alexander finally said, his voice tinged with amusement. “Since you’re clearly so captivated by my presence, why don’t you help me up so we can start the day?”Sarah rolled her eyes but sat up, the sheets pooling around her waist as she reached out a hand to him. “Oh, please. I’m doing this out of kindness, not admiration.”“Of course you are,” he replied, smirking as he clasped her hand.As she helped him sit up, Alexander took a moment to study her.Her hair was slightly tousled, and her cheeks were still pink from their earlier exchange.She looked different from the composed, guarded woman he had married.She looked… real.“Alright, time to freshen up,” Sarah announced, breaking the moment as she slid out of bed.She stretched briefly before grabbing her robe and heading toward the en suite bathroom.Alexander leaned back against the headboard, watching her retreat with a faint sm
The morning air was crisp and refreshing, a stark contrast to the suffocating atmosphere of the dining room.They walked in silence for a while, the gravel crunching softly beneath their feet.“You don’t have to let her treat you like that,” Alexander said finally, breaking the silence.Sarah glanced at him, her expression conflicted. “She’s your mother,” she said quietly. “I don’t want to make things harder for you.”Alexander stopped and turned to face her, his gray eyes searching hers. “She’s my mother, yes. But you’re my wife. And I won’t stand by while she disrespects you. You shouldn’t either.”Sarah looked down, her fingers twisting nervously. “It’s not that simple,” she murmured.“It is,” Alexander insisted, his voice firm but not unkind. “You’ve stood up to me plenty of times. You can do the same with her.”She gave a small, humorless laugh. “You’re different,” she said, finally meeting his gaze. “With you, I feel like I can fight back. With her... I feel like I’m sixteen aga
Private line. Emergency signal.His body froze. For a split second, the hallway fell silent.He answered. “Carter?”But it wasn’t Carter.It was one of the men posted near the estate gates.“Sir… we have a situation. Carter’s dead. The car was attacked again just before reaching the estate. They took Mrs. Blake.”The world seemed to tilt beneath him.“What?”“They took her, sir. Masked men. Black SUV. By the time we got there, they were already gone. It happened within minutes.”Alexander’s fist clenched so tightly the phone cracked beneath his grip.The lights above seemed to buzz louder. The hallway blurred. And then everything snapped back into razor sharp focus.“She was almost home,” he whispered, his voice dangerously calm. “She was almost f*cking home.”Without another word, he stormed out of the hospital, barking commands into his comms, rage and fear coiling inside him like a tidal wave about to break.This time, they had crossed the line.And Alexander Blake was going to raz
The medic tried to speak, tried to tell him to move, but Alexander refused to budge. “Do what you need to. I’m not leaving her.”He stayed there as they worked, his hands never letting go.He pressed gauze, injected stabilizers, whispered her name like a prayer.For every second Raven kept breathing, Alexander fought harder, because if she died, it would break more than just Sarah.He couldn’t let that happen.Not now.Not ever.The medic looked up. “She’s going into shock. We need to move her now.”Alexander stood immediately, scooping Raven into his arms, ignoring the blood, the weight, the tremors in his limbs. “The chopper,” he said hoarsely. “Get it ready. Clear the airspace. Tell the hospital I’m bringing in someone I refuse to lose.”And with that, he carried her like a brother would a fallen sister.He walked through the smoke and wreckage, past the bodies she dropped to keep Sarah safe, past the guards saluting him as they cleared a path.And the only thing he whispered again
Alexander turned on his heel, already pulling out his earpiece and barking sharp orders into it.Within seconds, two men fell into step beside him, weapons drawn, the weight of his rage radiating through the night like heat off asphalt.Inside the SUV, Sarah leaned her forehead against the cold window, watching as Alexander disappeared into the shadows once again, her protector, her warrior, her husband.The car sped off, headlights cutting through the city. And all Sarah could do was pray.Come back, both of you. Please.The cold was setting in.Raven’s breath came in ragged bursts, harsh and wet in her throat.The metallic scent of blood, her blood, overwhelmed everything else now, coating her tongue, staining her vision, clinging to her skin.She had lost count of how many bullets had pierced her body.Her left shoulder was blown open, her leg, fractured and useless, trembled under her weight. Every heartbeat was a thunderclap in her ears, every breath a war.But still, she stood.
Sarah’s boots pounded against the cement stairs, the cold tunnel air slicing across her face as she bolted down the narrow exit.Her heart roared in her ears, matching the beat of her footsteps.Gunfire cracked behind her like thunder, each echo reminding her that Raven was still up there, fighting alone. For her.Her breath caught painfully in her chest.I shouldn't have left her...She shook the thought from her head, gripping the pistol tighter in her palm, the cold metal biting into her skin.Raven’s voice echoed in her head like a lifeline: Run, Sarah. Don’t stop. No matter what.Her fingers fumbled over the bracelet on her wrist. She hadn’t even known about the hidden button, hadn’t known that Alexander had embedded a micro GPS tracker in the sapphire clasp, one press away from summoning him no matter where she was.He’d done it in secret. Quietly. Like he always did when it came to her safety.Tears stung the corners of her eyes.She pressed it.Once.Twice.A small vibration c
Sarah grunted as she braced Raven’s weight over her shoulder, her own limbs trembling from the aftershock of the crash.The tunnel echoed with their hurried breaths, the muffled drag of Raven’s boot across the concrete, and the slow, methodical approach of their attackers.Every step felt borrowed.Raven’s arm was slung around her neck, blood soaking through the sleeve of her black jacket. Her leg was badly hurt, possibly fractured. She winced with every movement, but she didn’t make a sound.Her eyes remained sharp, locked on the vehicle even as her lips tightened in pain.They made it to the wrecked SUV, the air still hot and thick with smoke.Sarah helped Raven lean against the hood just as the older woman reached in through the twisted passenger window and pulled something from the glove compartment.Two black pistols.Lightweight. Sleek. Dangerous.Raven turned and pushed one into Sarah’s trembling hand.“Take it,” she said, urgency sharpening her voice. “And listen to me, Sarah.
Just as Sarah predicted, it narrowed quickly, concrete barriers lining both sides, with only enough room for one vehicle to pass.But the SUV was built for this.They cleared the entry.Behind them, the second black SUV crashed into the barrier, unable to squeeze in time. It scraped violently along the concrete wall, slowing its pursuit.The first motorcycle attempted to follow too closely, but a sudden swerve from Raven sent him toppling over the bridge’s edge, disappearing from view.Only one SUV remained now, still close, too close.“We get off this bridge,” Raven said. “I’ll lose them in the tunnels.”But just then, the SUV behind them accelerated. Fast. Too fast.Sarah could see it in the side mirror.“They’re trying to ram us!” she shouted.Raven swore and floored the gas.The SUV bucked forward again, the engine roaring like a beast unleashed.The bulletproof plating rattled as the trailing car clipped their bumper, once, then twice.“Come on, baby,” Raven growled at the wheel.
The moment stretched long and quiet.The SUV continued down the lane, tires humming softly against the smooth road, blending into the rhythm of the quiet afternoon traffic.The city skyline rose faintly in the distance, a glass and steel mirage beneath the pale blue sky. Everything looked normal now.Too normal.Sarah looked at Raven. “Should we call Alexander?”Raven shook her head just slightly. “Not yet. Not until I’m sure.”And yet, just as their guards were beginning to lower, just as the tension started to slip into the comfort of normalcy, they missed the pair of black motorcycles that had silently pulled out from a side alley, far behind them… keeping just enough distance to not be noticed yet.Because the real ambush hadn’t passed them by.It was only just getting started.The road stretched ahead like any other Sunday drive, quiet, calm, deceptively peaceful.Sarah leaned back into the leather seat, one hand playing with the bracelet Alexander had clasped around her wrist ju
Victoria stormed out of the boutique, her heels clacking violently against the marble as her face contorted with fury.Her palm still tingled from the slap she had delivered, but it was the sting on her own humiliation that seared deepest.She had expected Sarah to shrink away, to crumble beneath the weight of public disgrace.But instead... she had stood tall. Calm. Almost unbothered.That was what enraged Victoria the most.The air outside was cool against her flushed skin, but her anger blazed hotter with every step she took.Her pride had taken a hit she couldn't hide from, and with every replay of the scene in her mind, the slap, Sarah's poised indifference, her hands trembled.She fished out her phone with a swipe of her manicured nails and dialed the only number that made sense right now.It rang twice.“Victoria,” came Gerald’s voice, smooth and low, like smoke curling in the dark. “I assume this isn’t a social call.”“She's seems so powerful,” Victoria snapped. “In front of e
Sarah had grown up with nothing. Raised in a modest town by James and Mary Miller, who had taught her values that weren’t measured by wealth or bloodlines. Then thrust into high society, into marriage with a man she’d barely known, only for him to become her fiercest protector and, over time, her partner in every sense.And now, the company her birth parents had once deemed too powerful to risk for her sake, was under her control.“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” she asked softly.Alexander smiled, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Because I didn’t do it for show, Sarah. I did it because no one gets to look down on you anymore. Not them. Not the board. Not anyone.”There was no pride in his tone, just simple, unwavering loyalty. The kind that made her chest feel tight with a quiet sort of awe.Sarah shook her head, a breathy laugh escaping her. “Sometimes I wonder who really won between the two of us in this marriage.”“You did,” he said without missing a bea