Later that evening, Rose found herself standing in front of Penelope’s door. Taking a deep breath, she knocked lightly before pushing the door open.Penelope looked up from where she was seated on the bed, her expression softening when she saw Rose. “Hey, Rose. Come in.”Rose walked in hesitantly, her fingers fidgeting at her side. She felt restless, confused, and above all, uneasy.“You look like you have a lot on your mind,” Penelope observed.Rose sighed, sitting beside her. “It’s James. He’s been acting so strangely.”Penelope chuckled. “That’s not new. He has his moments.”“No,” Rose insisted. “It’s different this time. Earlier, I saw him sketching. He was completely lost in it, like he had done it for years.”Penelope’s smile faded, her brows furrowing slightly. “James? Sketching?”“Yes.” Rose nodded. “I don’t think so, he doesn’t know how to sketch. I know his twin brother was an artist”. Penelope said as she held Rose's hand. “But what I saw today… James was too good. He was
The grand estate of Mr. David stood under the dimming evening sky, a fortress of wealth and power. Inside, the tension was palpable. Mr. David sat on his luxurious leather couch, his fingers tapping impatiently on the armrest. His sharp eyes followed his son, Bruno, as he sparred with one of the trainers in the courtyard. Beside him, his wife, Greta, watched with pride, clapping excitedly every time Bruno landed a decent hit.“That's my son! You’re doing great, Bruno,” she cheered, smiling at him.Bruno tried to stay focused, but his father’s expressionless face unsettled him. He threw a final punch, stepping back to catch his breath, before looking toward his father, searching for approval. But all he saw was disappointment.Mr. David exhaled sharply and shook his head. “I’m sick and tired of your son, Greta,” he muttered. “He’s been learning the same thing for weeks, yet there’s no improvement. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”Greta’s smile faltered, and Bruno’s grip on his glo
The celebration in James’ mansion continued late into the night. The clinking of glasses, soft laughter, and warm conversations filled the air. Rose and Penelope sat together, admiring the diamond ring on Rose’s finger.“It’s beautiful,” Penelope murmured, turning Rose’s hand under the dim glow of the chandelier. “James really went all out.”Rose smiled, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.Penelope caught it immediately. “What’s wrong?”Rose exhaled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Nothing… it’s just… James surprises me more and more every day. I thought I knew everything about him, but I keep realizing there’s so much I don’t.”Penelope smirked. “Welcome to James’ world. He’s full of secrets, but when he loves, he loves deeply. And he loves you, Rose.”Rose’s heart squeezed at those words. Did James really love her? Could he? With everything going on, did he even have space for love?Meanwhile, James and Cole sat across the room, discussing their next m
James sat on the balcony, still deep in conversation with Cole. They had spent the last half hour discussing their strategy for the upcoming housewarming event. Though it was meant to be a joyous occasion, they both knew it could turn into a battlefield at any moment.James exhaled sharply, running a hand over his face. "I hate that we have to think this way. I should be looking forward to this party, not planning for a potential bloodbath."Cole leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "That’s the life we have, James. We don’t get to have normal celebrations. Not when we have enemies lurking in every shadow."James nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. A nagging feeling crept into his chest, and he found himself glancing toward the stairs."Rose didn’t look good when she went up," he murmured.Cole followed his gaze. "You should check on her."James didn’t need to be told twice. He placed his glass on the table and rose to his feet. "I’ll be back."Upstairs, Rose lay unconsciou
James groaned as he drifted back to consciousness. His head throbbed painfully, and for a moment, everything was a blur. His body felt heavy, his movements sluggish.As his vision cleared, he realized he was in an unfamiliar room. The walls were concrete, the air damp and cold. His wrists were bound to the chair he was sitting on, thick ropes digging into his skin.Damn it...He tried to move, but his muscles ached. How long had he been out?Then, the memories hit him. The shopping trip. The ambush. The fight.Rose.His head snapped up as he scanned the room. She wasn’t there. His heart pounded against his ribs. Where was she? Was she safe?The sound of footsteps echoed from outside. The heavy door creaked open, and a figure stepped in.The same man who had confronted him outside the store.James clenched his jaw as the man walked closer, a smirk plastered on his face."Finally awake, are we?" he taunted. "You put up a good fight, but even you have your limits."James ignored the pain
The atmosphere inside James’s mansion was thick with urgency. Cole stood at the center, his sharp eyes scanning his men as they loaded weapons and prepared for war. The weight of his confession still hung in the air, but there was no time for regrets. James and Rose needed him.Penelope grabbed his arm again, her eyes pleading. "Cole, I need you to think this through. This isn’t just some street fight. Kane has been planning this for years."Cole sighed, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know. And that’s why I have to go."She shook her head. "You can’t just walk into a trap. There has to be a plan."A man in the room, Logan, one of James’s most trusted allies, spoke up. "She’s right, boss. We need to be smart about this."Cole exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. What do we know?"The man who had escaped the ambush stepped forward. "I overheard some of Kane’s men talking. They took them to an abandoned warehouse on the east side of town."Logan nodded. "That makes se
The drive back to the mansion was quiet. The tension from the fight still lingered in the air, but the reality of what had just happened weighed heaviest on Rose. She sat in the backseat between James and Cole, her fingers intertwined tightly as she stared at them.James noticed the way her hands trembled. He reached over, covering her fingers with his own. "You okay?"She hesitated before answering. "I don’t know," she admitted. "I feel… different."Cole, who sat on her other side, exhaled. "That’s because you are different now, Rose," he said. "Taking a life changes you. Whether you like it or not."Rose turned to him, searching his face for some kind of reassurance. "How do you deal with it?"Cole smirked slightly but there was no humor in his eyes. "You don’t. You just learn to live with it."James squeezed her hand. "You saved my life, Rose. You saved us. That doesn’t make you a monster."She nodded slowly, but her mind was still spinning. The image of Kane falling to the ground,
CHAPTER 1 Rose Becker sighed for the umpteenth time as she checked herself out within the replicate. Guilt squeezed her heart tight, however there was nothing she could do. What should she do? She had performed this endless times, yet the guilt remained; she couldn't shake it off. She knew being a stripper was not anything to be pleased with, but she lived in a cruel world wherein no person cared about absolutely everyone. The only language all and sundry understood is money and she or he has learnt to simply accept that fact when you consider that she turned into 12. Her dad and mom died in a car accident and her aunt and cousins kicked her and her little sister out in their family house. She was surviving on her own ever seeing that. She would not care what the arena thinks about her; a few might call her filthy however she would not think. Her cellphone began ringing and he or she checked the caller identity: "Chain" became displayed. Rose cleared her throat before ans
The drive back to the mansion was quiet. The tension from the fight still lingered in the air, but the reality of what had just happened weighed heaviest on Rose. She sat in the backseat between James and Cole, her fingers intertwined tightly as she stared at them.James noticed the way her hands trembled. He reached over, covering her fingers with his own. "You okay?"She hesitated before answering. "I don’t know," she admitted. "I feel… different."Cole, who sat on her other side, exhaled. "That’s because you are different now, Rose," he said. "Taking a life changes you. Whether you like it or not."Rose turned to him, searching his face for some kind of reassurance. "How do you deal with it?"Cole smirked slightly but there was no humor in his eyes. "You don’t. You just learn to live with it."James squeezed her hand. "You saved my life, Rose. You saved us. That doesn’t make you a monster."She nodded slowly, but her mind was still spinning. The image of Kane falling to the ground,
The atmosphere inside James’s mansion was thick with urgency. Cole stood at the center, his sharp eyes scanning his men as they loaded weapons and prepared for war. The weight of his confession still hung in the air, but there was no time for regrets. James and Rose needed him.Penelope grabbed his arm again, her eyes pleading. "Cole, I need you to think this through. This isn’t just some street fight. Kane has been planning this for years."Cole sighed, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know. And that’s why I have to go."She shook her head. "You can’t just walk into a trap. There has to be a plan."A man in the room, Logan, one of James’s most trusted allies, spoke up. "She’s right, boss. We need to be smart about this."Cole exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. What do we know?"The man who had escaped the ambush stepped forward. "I overheard some of Kane’s men talking. They took them to an abandoned warehouse on the east side of town."Logan nodded. "That makes se
James groaned as he drifted back to consciousness. His head throbbed painfully, and for a moment, everything was a blur. His body felt heavy, his movements sluggish.As his vision cleared, he realized he was in an unfamiliar room. The walls were concrete, the air damp and cold. His wrists were bound to the chair he was sitting on, thick ropes digging into his skin.Damn it...He tried to move, but his muscles ached. How long had he been out?Then, the memories hit him. The shopping trip. The ambush. The fight.Rose.His head snapped up as he scanned the room. She wasn’t there. His heart pounded against his ribs. Where was she? Was she safe?The sound of footsteps echoed from outside. The heavy door creaked open, and a figure stepped in.The same man who had confronted him outside the store.James clenched his jaw as the man walked closer, a smirk plastered on his face."Finally awake, are we?" he taunted. "You put up a good fight, but even you have your limits."James ignored the pain
James sat on the balcony, still deep in conversation with Cole. They had spent the last half hour discussing their strategy for the upcoming housewarming event. Though it was meant to be a joyous occasion, they both knew it could turn into a battlefield at any moment.James exhaled sharply, running a hand over his face. "I hate that we have to think this way. I should be looking forward to this party, not planning for a potential bloodbath."Cole leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "That’s the life we have, James. We don’t get to have normal celebrations. Not when we have enemies lurking in every shadow."James nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. A nagging feeling crept into his chest, and he found himself glancing toward the stairs."Rose didn’t look good when she went up," he murmured.Cole followed his gaze. "You should check on her."James didn’t need to be told twice. He placed his glass on the table and rose to his feet. "I’ll be back."Upstairs, Rose lay unconsciou
The celebration in James’ mansion continued late into the night. The clinking of glasses, soft laughter, and warm conversations filled the air. Rose and Penelope sat together, admiring the diamond ring on Rose’s finger.“It’s beautiful,” Penelope murmured, turning Rose’s hand under the dim glow of the chandelier. “James really went all out.”Rose smiled, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.Penelope caught it immediately. “What’s wrong?”Rose exhaled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Nothing… it’s just… James surprises me more and more every day. I thought I knew everything about him, but I keep realizing there’s so much I don’t.”Penelope smirked. “Welcome to James’ world. He’s full of secrets, but when he loves, he loves deeply. And he loves you, Rose.”Rose’s heart squeezed at those words. Did James really love her? Could he? With everything going on, did he even have space for love?Meanwhile, James and Cole sat across the room, discussing their next m
The grand estate of Mr. David stood under the dimming evening sky, a fortress of wealth and power. Inside, the tension was palpable. Mr. David sat on his luxurious leather couch, his fingers tapping impatiently on the armrest. His sharp eyes followed his son, Bruno, as he sparred with one of the trainers in the courtyard. Beside him, his wife, Greta, watched with pride, clapping excitedly every time Bruno landed a decent hit.“That's my son! You’re doing great, Bruno,” she cheered, smiling at him.Bruno tried to stay focused, but his father’s expressionless face unsettled him. He threw a final punch, stepping back to catch his breath, before looking toward his father, searching for approval. But all he saw was disappointment.Mr. David exhaled sharply and shook his head. “I’m sick and tired of your son, Greta,” he muttered. “He’s been learning the same thing for weeks, yet there’s no improvement. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”Greta’s smile faltered, and Bruno’s grip on his glo
Later that evening, Rose found herself standing in front of Penelope’s door. Taking a deep breath, she knocked lightly before pushing the door open.Penelope looked up from where she was seated on the bed, her expression softening when she saw Rose. “Hey, Rose. Come in.”Rose walked in hesitantly, her fingers fidgeting at her side. She felt restless, confused, and above all, uneasy.“You look like you have a lot on your mind,” Penelope observed.Rose sighed, sitting beside her. “It’s James. He’s been acting so strangely.”Penelope chuckled. “That’s not new. He has his moments.”“No,” Rose insisted. “It’s different this time. Earlier, I saw him sketching. He was completely lost in it, like he had done it for years.”Penelope’s smile faded, her brows furrowing slightly. “James? Sketching?”“Yes.” Rose nodded. “I don’t think so, he doesn’t know how to sketch. I know his twin brother was an artist”. Penelope said as she held Rose's hand. “But what I saw today… James was too good. He was
James sat in the darkness of his room, his thoughts drowning him. The ghosts of his past had never left him, they lingered in the corners of his mind, whispering memories he tried to forget.He stared blankly at the shattered vase on the floor, his breathing still uneven from the outburst he had moments ago. His fingers curled into a fist. He had lost control again.Standing up, he ran a hand through his hair and walked toward the far end of his room. The bookshelf there looked ordinary, but it was more than just a piece of furniture, it was a doorway. With a simple press against the wooden panel, a soft click sounded, and the hidden door slid open, revealing a narrow hallway leading into another room.His sanctuary.James stepped inside, closing the door behind him. The dim light cast long shadows over the walls, which were lined with sketches, paintings, and unfinished pieces, each one holding fragments of his life.A drawing board stood in the center of the room. He picked up a fre
The car rolled to a stop in front of a massive, grand estate. Towering iron gates loomed before them, opening smoothly as if welcoming them into another world. Rose’s breath hitched the moment she stepped out of the car, after James removed her blindfold. The sheer size of the mansion left her speechless.It was something straight out of a movie, luxurious, imposing, the kind of place that looked like it belonged to a country’s president rather than two men who had spent their lives navigating the shadows.Rose blinked rapidly, shaking her head. This can’t be real.She turned to James, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Tell me I’m dreaming.”James chuckled, stepping beside her. He gently placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his grip firm but warm. “No, Rose, It’s very real.”As the other men moved inside, taking their positions to secure the area, Rose found herself still staring in awe.James glanced at her, a hint of pride in his voice as he said, “Cole and I built this place afte