The moon cast a silvery glow over the beach house as Klarisse stretched her arms, stifling yet another yawn. She sat on the plush couch, her legs curled under her, while Alexander stood by the kitchen counter, pouring himself a glass of water. Alexander, seated across from her, leaned back with an amused smirk. "If you yawn any harder, I’m afraid you’ll swallow a fly." Klarisse shot him a tired glare. "I’m fine. Just a little... exhausted." "You’ve been yawning non-stop for the past half-hour," Alexander said, his voice laced with amusement. He leaned against the counter, swirling the glass in his hand. "Long day?" Klarisse nodded, rubbing her eyes. "I was at the café all morning, then spent hours driving to get here. And now this," she said, gesturing around. "Dealing with you." Alexander smirked, unbothered by her teasing tone. "Dealing with me? You make it sound like a chore." She gave him a tired smile. "Sometimes, it is." He chuckled, taking a sip of water before setting t
The early morning sun bathed the beach house in a warm, golden glow as Klarisse sat on the edge of the couch, her phone resting in her hand. Her thumb hovered over the "send" button of the message she had just typed: *Alex is with me now. He’s alright. I thought you’d want to know. * The recipient was Maxine. Klarisse wasn’t entirely sure why she felt compelled to send the message. Maybe it was guilt for knowing how deeply Maxine had cared for Alexander. Maybe it was a sense of responsibility, or perhaps something deeper, something she couldn’t quite admit to herself. Alex was in the bathroom, the sound of the shower running muffled through the door. He had no idea she was doing this, and Klarisse intended to keep it that way. Taking a deep breath, she hit "send" before she could second-guess herself. The message delivered instantly, and Klarisse’s chest tightened. She stared at the screen for a moment, half-expecting a reply, but none came. Sliding the phone onto the coffee tab
The grand Robinson estate loomed ahead as the car rolled to a stop in the circular driveway. Klarisse barely had time to process the nerves bubbling in her chest before the front door swung open, revealing Bronson and Angela Robinson standing side by side. Their faces, set with stern disapproval, matched the tension in the air. Alan and Kareen Fowls were just behind them, their expressions no less forbidding. Alexander groaned under his breath. “Here we go,” he muttered. Klarisse shot him a warning glance, silently urging him to hold his tongue. The moment they stepped into the opulent foyer, the scolding began. “Do you two have any idea what you’ve done?” Bronson’s voice boomed, echoing against the high ceilings. “Disappearing for days without a word!” Angela chimed in, her tone sharp with worry. “Do you understand the risks you’ve taken?” Kareen stepped forward, her voice softer but no less chastising. “What if someone had found out where you were? What if you’d been attacked?”
The soft click of the door closing behind them echoed louder in Klarisse’s ears than she thought possible. She stood frozen near the entrance of the Robinson estate’s grand master bedroom, her pulse quickening with every passing second. Alexander, standing a few feet away near the bed, seemed equally tense. Neither of them spoke as the reality of the situation sank in. It had been a long, grueling day. Dinner had been a formal affair, filled with polite conversation and carefully concealed tension. Klarisse had thought that after her and Alexander’s begrudging agreement to “try” fulfilling their parents' ultimatum, she could at least retreat to the privacy of her room to process everything. But no. Their parents had other ideas. “We’ve decided,” Angela had said with a tone that brooked no argument, “that from now on, the two of you will share a bedroom. It’s the only way to ensure there are no doubts about your union. Appearances must be maintained at all costs.” “Think of it as
The soft glow of the morning sun filtered through the heavy curtains of the master bedroom, casting a warm light over the room. Klarisse stirred, feeling the plush sheets beneath her as she slowly came to consciousness. Her mind was still hazy from sleep, and for a moment, she forgot where she was. Then, she felt it—a solid warmth draped across her. Her eyes snapped open, and she found herself nestled in Alexander's arms. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist, while his other hand rested lightly on her shoulder. His steady breathing tickled the back of her neck, and she could feel the even rise and fall of his chest against her back. Her first instinct was to freeze. *What on earth...? * She stared at the ornate ceiling, her heart racing. She didn’t dare move, afraid of waking him. A million thoughts rushed through her mind. She tried to piece together how this had happened. They’d gone to bed on opposite sides, carefully maintaining their "boundaries." But now... *Did he
When Klarisse finally came out of the bathroom, Alex was not there anymore. Her phone chimed and she quickly picked it up and saw Alex's message. “Had my bath in my own room.”Klarisse caught herself smiling on the reflection on the mirror. She imagined Alex in the shower.She messaged him back saying to meet him at breakfast.By the time Klarisse made her way to the dining room, the table was already set. A lavish spread of freshly baked croissants, fluffy scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, and a vibrant assortment of fruits awaited her. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mingling with the soft hum of the estate's morning activity. Alexander was already seated, dressed in crisp white shirt and dark slacks, looking as composed as ever. He had a cup of coffee in hand, his focus on the tablet in front of him. The slight furrow in his brow suggested he was reading something important—or at least pretending to, Klarisse thought. "Good morning," she greeted, her voice calm as
After breakfast, Klarisse hesitated for a moment before gathering her courage to ask Alexander. "Do you mind if I drop by the café before the meeting? I need to check on things and talk to Allie." Alexander looked up from his phone, his brow lifting slightly. "Sure. I’ll come with you." She blinked in surprise, momentarily taken aback. "You don’t have to. It’s just a quick stop. I’ll only be a few minutes." He shrugged, slipping his phone into his pocket. "I don’t mind. I’ll wait for you there. Besides, it beats sitting around the estate doing nothing until the meeting." Klarisse hesitated again, unsure how to feel about his offer. The idea of him sitting in her café felt strange, almost too... domestic. "Alright," she said finally, a small smile tugging at her lips. "But I mean it—you don’t have to help. Just... sit and have some coffee." "Deal," Alex replied, a faint smirk playing on his lips. ---When they arrived at the café, Klarisse felt a wave of relief wash over her. Thi
The towering Robinson Enterprise building loomed ahead as Alexander parked the car in the underground garage. Klarisse adjusted her blazer nervously, her mind buzzing with their parents’ instructions. She glanced at Alexander, who wore his usual calm mask, though she could see the faint tension in his jawline. As they stepped into the elevator, their silence spoke volumes. Klarisse thought of the weight this deal carried—not just for the Robinsons and Fowls, but for their precarious position as newlyweds navigating this complex web of alliances. When the elevator doors opened on the executive floor, Bronson Robinson and Alan Fowls were already waiting for them, both men dressed impeccably in dark suits that radiated authority. Angela and Kareen stood nearby, their expressions poised but watchful. “You’re both late,” Bronson said curtly, checking his watch. “Traffic,” Alexander replied evenly. Bronson nodded toward the conference room at the end of the hall. “This is an important
The evening air was crisp, carrying the distant hum of city life as **Artemis and Allie stepped out of the safe house**. The weight of the past few days was heavy on their shoulders, but there was also a fleeting sense of relief—at least for now. Their update with **Alexander and Klarisse** had been reassuring. The Robinson and Fowl families were holding their ground, and things were surprisingly quiet back home. Too quiet. *"A calm before the storm,"* Artemis had muttered after ending the call, his instincts telling him that something was off. Still, they needed to **eat**, and Artemis wasn’t one to ignore Allie’s well-being, no matter how tense the situation was. So they found themselves in a **secluded pub**, tucked away in the darker alleys of the city, where they could blend into the shadows. It wasn’t fancy, but it was **safe**—or so they thought. They sat in a booth at the far end, their eyes constantly scanning the crowd. Artemis barely touched his food, his fingers drumm
The tension that had been building for weeks finally **snapped**. Allie barely had time to react before **Artemis’s lips crashed onto hers**, stealing her breath, her thoughts—everything. His hands gripped her waist, pulling her impossibly close, as if he feared she would slip away. She didn't protest. Instead, she **answered every kiss**, matching his hunger, his desperation. Her hands tangled in his dark hair, pulling him down, deepening the kiss, as if this were their last moment together. Because maybe it was. They had no guarantees—not in this world they were trapped in. Luca was still out there. Danger was always around the corner. The war between the families was far from over. But right now, none of that mattered. Allie moaned softly as Artemis's lips traveled to her jaw, then to the sensitive skin of her neck, **leaving a trail of fire in their wake**. "Allie," he murmured against her skin, his voice strained, as if he were **holding back**. She didn't want him to ho
Allie had barely processed the new lead she had found when a **strong hand** gripped her arm, yanking her backward. Her instincts kicked in immediately, and she **twisted** against the force, preparing to fight. *"Not today,"* she thought, already calculating her best move. Before she could fully react, she was pushed against the cold, stone wall of an alley. Panic surged through her—until she saw his face. *"Artemis!"* His intense blue eyes locked onto hers, his grip still firm but not painful. His dark coat and suit blended into the shadows, making him look even more like a ghost from her past. She gasped, trying to catch her breath. "Artemis—what the hell?!" "Keep your voice down," he ordered in a low, urgent whisper, glancing past her toward the street. His expression was unreadable, but his body language told her everything. **They were in danger.** Still catching up with reality, Allie felt a surge of **relief, anger, and confusion** all at once. "I came looking for you!"
Allie stared out the airplane window, watching as clouds blanketed the sky below her. The hum of the engines filled the silence around her, but inside her mind, a storm of thoughts raged. It was just a few hours before she would land in Colombia, where Artemis had last been seen. She could still hear Klarisse’s voice in her head from their heated conversation earlier that day. *"Are you insane, Allie? This isn’t some vacation. This is Artemis tracking down a fugitive Mafia boss who has tried to kill us all before. You don’t just walk into something like that!"* Allie had sighed, gripping her suitcase handle tightly. "Klarisse, I know you’re worried, but before I met you, before I started the café, I was street-smart. I know how to take care of myself." Klarisse had folded her arms, frustration clear on her face. "You think being street-smart is enough when dealing with men like Luca Marconi? Allie, this is a war. People die in wars." "But Artemis is in the middle of it," Allie ha
Alexander leaned against his car, arms crossed, as he waited outside the café for Klarisse. It was a quiet evening, the warm glow of the streetlights casting soft shadows on the pavement. The scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted from inside, mingling with the crisp night air. It had been weeks since Artemis left on his mission, and despite the occasional intel updates from their European allies, there had been no direct contact from him. The silence was both expected and frustrating. Alexander knew his brother had to move carefully, but still—he had hoped for at least some sin that Artemis was making progress. His phone vibrated in his pocket, breaking him from his thoughts. When he pulled it out and saw the caller ID, his heart stopped for just a second. **Artemis.** Without hesitation, he answered. “Artemis?” “Yeah, it’s me.” The voice on the other end was sharp, clipped with frustration. Alexander immediately straightened, the tension in his body increasing. Klarisse, who w
The Robinson estate felt different without Artemis. Though Alexander had always been the leader, his brother had been his shadow, his right hand—the one who understood him best. Now, Artemis was out there, hunting Luca Marconi, and Alexander had to take control without hesitation. He didn’t have time to dwell on it. With the fall of the Marconi empire, the other families had turned their eyes to him and the Fowls, expecting them to keep their word. Promises had been made—fair shares in business, balanced power, and no unnecessary bloodshed. Alexander sat at the head of a long, polished table in the Bronson Industries boardroom, flanked by Bronson and Alan. Several powerful family heads had gathered, some with lingering doubt, others waiting for direction. “The Marconis are no longer in control,” Alexander said, his voice steady. “But that doesn’t mean chaos should follow. Our families agreed to maintain order, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” One of the family heads, Gi
The sun had barely risen over the Robinson estate, yet the household was already stirring. The air was thick with unspoken words, the weight of what was about to happen pressing on everyone’s chest. Today, Artemis was leaving. He had made up his mind. Luca Marconi had escaped, and he couldn’t sit still knowing the man who had threatened their family was still out there, free. He needed to hunt him down himself. This wasn’t just business—it was personal. Artemis stood in his room, fastening the last button on his dark navy shirt. His suitcases were packed, his plane ticket ready, and his weapons secured in a private transport arranged through his European allies. He was leaving in less than two hours. A knock came at his door. “Come in.” Alexander stepped inside, his expression unreadable. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Alexander sighed and crossed his arms. “So, you’re really doing this.” Artemis nodded. “I have to.” “I know.” Alexander exhaled, running a hand throu
The Robinson and Fowl families had been waiting for this moment—the opportunity to dismantle the Marconi empire once and for all. The alliance they had built over the years, strengthened by Artemis’ connections in Europe, had finally borne fruit. The European authorities had executed a series of coordinated raids on the Marconi business empire, seizing assets, freezing accounts, and crippling their operations across multiple countries. But despite the victory, Alexander, Artemis, and their families knew better than to celebrate just yet. Because Valentin and Luca Marconi were still out there. Inside the Robinson estate’s private war room, the atmosphere was tense. A massive digital screen displayed real-time updates from their contacts across the globe—news reports of the European raids, intelligence from their allies, and surveillance footage of Marconi properties being seized. Alan Fowl, his expression unreadable, sat with Bronson Robinson at the head of the table. Both patriarc
The park was peaceful, filled with the laughter of children, the gentle rustling of leaves, and the occasional chirping of birds. The sun cast a golden glow over the scenery, making it the perfect place for a family outing. Alexander and Klarisse had decided to take Lucas and Liana out for the day, determined to enjoy a moment of normalcy despite the tensions surrounding them. Their twins were giggling as they ran across the playground, closely watched by their nannies. Alexander and Klarisse sat on a nearby bench, their hands intertwined as they watched their children play. It was one of those rare moments when they could pretend that their world was just like any other family’s—simple, safe, and free from the burdens of power struggles and enemies lurking in the shadows. But they knew better. Alexander had been trained to sense when he was being watched. Years of handling business, both legitimate and underground, had sharpened his instincts. He felt it the moment they arrived at