"I will not watch my mouth." River couldn't believe the audacity of this girl. What would it take to show her that she is still in danger and that defying him would only make things worse? "You have no idea what I'm capable of," he threatened, hoping it would help her realize. "Oh? Are you capable of cooking? Because I am starving," Riley announced. He heard Tiffany giggle behind him, and his anger flared even more. River's jaw tightened. This girl had a nerve, that was for sure. He was accustomed to dealing with people who were afraid of him, not those who taunted him outright. The thought of her sitting there, so calmly demanding food, while his world was falling apart, made him seethe. "Fine," he snapped. "I'll have something brought up for you. But don't think for a second that you're in any position to make demands." Riley's lips curved into a small, triumphant smile, but she said nothing more. River turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind h
River woke with a start, his body on fire. The sheets were soaked through with sweat, clinging to his skin like a second skin. His head pounded, vision swimming as he struggled to orient himself. With trembling limbs, River pushed himself up and swung his legs off the side of the bed. The room tilted and spun, but he gritted his teeth against the nausea rising in his throat. River stood on unsteady feet, clutching the bedpost for support. He took a deep breath and steadied himself, jaw clenched in determination. He was fine. He was not getting sick. He never got sick! One step. Then another. His muscles screamed in protest, and the wound on the shoulder hurt like hell, but he pushed onward. He made it to the door and paused, vision dimming for a moment. When it cleared, his gaze sharpened with purpose. He put the key in and unlocked the door. He found Riley in her room, staring out the window. Her shoulders were tense, and her hands curled into fists at her sides. Waiting. Watch
Riley quickly pulled the phone from River's pocket, her heart pounding as she fumbled with it. The device felt foreign in her hands, but she had to focus. Her father had to know where she was, and she needed to figure out her next steps. She dialed the number, praying that her father would pick up. The phone rang several times before a familiar voice answered. "Foster!" he growled. "Dad, it's me," Riley said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Riley! Where are you? Did he hurt you?" he said. Riley hesitated. The logical thing would be to tell her father she was at River's house so he could send his men to rescue her. But there was another part of her, that didn't want to do that. If she did that while River was lying here, weak and vulnerable from fever, her father's men would easily overpower him and could possibly kill him. As much as Riley claimed to hate River, she couldn't just get the man killed! Riley took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. "Dad, I'm okay.
Riley's guilt intensified, knowing that Ellie's absence was tied to the turmoil River was experiencing. "No, River," Riley said softly, trying to keep her voice steady. "It's me, Riley. Ellie isn't here." River's eyes fluttered open, still clouded with feverish delirium. He looked at Riley with a puzzled expression. "Ellie? I thought you left me." She gently placed a hand on his arm, trying to offer some comfort despite the complexity of the situation. "I'm here," Riley said softly. "I am not Ellie, but I am here." "You should've never left," River continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Oh, Ellie. Why did you leave me? The kids...the kids..." he groaned as if in pain. Riley's heart ached at the mention of River's children and the way he spoke of Ellie. She tightened her grip on his arm, her voice soft and soothing. "Shhh...Ellie is not here," she said gently. "She's gone. But you need to focus on getting better. Your fever is coming down." River's eyes were glazed with confusion
Meanwhile, Alexander Torres was seething, pacing back and forth in his study. The news that Riley hadn’t taken the opportunity to escape from River baffled and infuriated him. He had been preparing for an all-out assault to rescue her, but her refusal to run complicated things. What was keeping her there? What hold did River have on his daughter? He slammed his fist on the desk, his frustration boiling over. “Damn it, Riley,” he muttered under his breath. “What are you doing?” A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. “Come in, he said grimly. Giovanni stepped in. “I’ve got some news.” Alexander waved his hands, motioning him to go on. “We found Frank Milani, your daughter’s fiancé,” he said Alexander’s eyes narrowed, his frustration momentarily giving way to interest. “And?” he prompted, his voice cold and measured. Giovanni hesitated for a fraction of a second, then continued. “He’s been laying low since the engagement party. Seems like he’s more concerned about his
River lay motionless on the bed, his body wracked with fever. Sweat poured down his face, soaking the pillow beneath his head. He coughed violently, his chest heaving with each labored breath.Riley watched him from the doorway, her brow furrowed. She couldn't understand the confusing mix of emotions swirling inside her - fear, anger, but also a strange twinge of concern for this cruel, dangerous man. The man who had kidnapped her to use as a pawn in his vicious game of revenge against her father.Backing away, Riley retreated to the living room. Her mind raced as she paced back and forth across the hardwood floor. She really ought to find a way out of here.Her heart hammered in her chest. She couldn't just sit here, a helpless captive, not knowing what comes next. Her father must be going out of his mind with worry, marshaling all his resources to find her.Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps shattered Riley's thought. Her body tensed, her heart leaping into her throat as s
Riley watched quietly from the doorway as Valerie leaned over River in his bed."River Foster, you need to eat every last spoonful of this chicken soup if you want to get your strength back," Valerie said sternly, tapping her finger on the bowl. Her brows were furrowed with loving concern.River grimaced. "I am not a fucking child, Val. I am your older brother. You don't need to spoon feed me spoon.""If you are not a child, stop acting like one," Valerie said and nearly shoved the spoon into his mouth."God, Val. Did you just come here to bully me?" River asked. His voice had lost its edge. He was still weak from his fever.Valerie's face softened. She squeezed his shoulder. "I just worry about you, big brother. Someone's got to take care of you."As Riley observed the tender exchange, a lump formed in her throat. Memories of her own mother flooded her mind - the way Mama used to scold her to eat all her vegetables, the gentle hugs whenever Riley skinned her knee, the fierce protecti
The house was unnervingly quiet after Valerie left with the kids, leaving Riley alone with River’s guards silently watching her every move.She looked at one of the guards and flashed them a smile. “Are you intending to follow me everywhere?”“That’s the order,” the man said gruffly.Riley shrugged and headed toward the room where River was lying.She paused outside his door, hesitating. What if he was awake? Will he bark at her and order his guards to lock her up again? Or will he be more appreciative that she agreed to stay and take care of him?Hah…Riley didn’t see River as someone who’d be appreciative.Taking a deep breath, Riley pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, the heavy curtains blocking out most of the afternoon light. River lay on the bed, his chest rising and falling in a shallow, uneven rhythm. His face was flushed with fever, beads of sweat clinging to his brow.Riley frowned. Why was it taking so long for his fever to get better? He wasn’t g
Lucas snapped out of his daze, stammering as he tried to form a coherent response. “I was just— I brought you some clothes,” he managed, holding up the bundle in his arms like a peace offering.Amy’s eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the curtain. “And you thought the best way to give them to me was to barge into the bathroom while I was showering?”“No! I mean, I heard singing and I thought—”“You thought what? That you’d get a free peep show?” Amy snapped.“No, of course not!” Lucas protested, his own face burning. “I have no desire to watch you shower.”“Then why are you still standing here and staring at my naked body, you creep?” she demanded.Lucas shook his head as if to shake off this ridiculous situation. “If you are so bothered by me looking at you, why aren’t you covering yourself up already?”Her face turned even redder, if it was even possible. “Be-because…I have nothing to be ashamed of,” she said, tilting her chin up. “It is your job to be a gentleman and look away.
Lucas came to a sudden halt in front of his bedroom door and spun around, his eyes blazing with intensity. Amy caught off guard, stumbled to a stop, and almost collided with his chest, but she managed to steady herself just in time.“What are you doing?” Lucas demanded, his voice sharp and accusing.“What do you mean?” she asked innocently.“Why are you following me?” he asked.Amy crossed her arms, a smirk tugging at her lips. “You just ran off without making sure I was taken care of first! Where am I going to sleep?”Lucas blinked, momentarily thrown off by her response. “What?”Amy gestured dramatically around them. “This house is the size of a small country, Lucas. How am I supposed to find my way to wherever your guest rooms are? You didn’t exactly leave me a map.”He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. “I don’t know. Go ask someone.”“Ask someone? You’re my host, so it’s your responsibility to make sure I’m settled. Isn’t that Host Etiquette 101?” she quipped.Luca
Lucas threw the plastic bag at the girl, watching it fall on her lap. “Here,” he said irritably.Amy looked at the item on her lap and wrinkled her big nose. “What is this?” she asked dumbly.“Food,” he said.“This is not food! This is Cinnabon,” she argued.Lucas sighed. “Yes. Cinnabon is food. Why are you questioning it? I thought you said you were hungry.”Amy picked up the bag, eyeing it with suspicion as though it might explode. “What, you didn’t have any real food in your creepy kidnapper stash?”Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose, his patience rapidly dwindling. “You are testing my patience.”“I want real food,” Amy declared. “Eric said you had dinner planned for Alicia. Well, she is not here to enjoy it, so I might as well do it in her place.”Lucas let out a sharp breath, his frustration bubbling dangerously close to the surface. “First of all, this isn’t a five-star restaurant. Second, you’re not even supposed to be here.”Amy arched an eyebrow, unfazed. “I don’t care. I a
“What do we do now, genius?” Amy snorted, breaking the awkward silence that was stretching on for what felt like hours.Ugh, what a mess.As if life wasn’t already chaotic enough, she had been dragged off her cozy couch and transported to who knows where to fulfill some creep’s sick desires.And to make matters even worse, it wasn’t even her that this pervert was after. No, it was her spoiled brat of a stepsister, as always.It would have been nice to feel wanted by someone, but nope…it just had to be her annoying stepsister instead.Lucas, standing by the window with his back to Amy, didn’t bother turning around. Instead, he let out a long, frustrated sigh, his breath fogging up the glass as he stared out into the blizzard.“You could start by shutting up,” he muttered, his voice low but sharp.Amy scoffed, crossing her arms and glaring at his back. “Oh, excuse me, Your Royal Highness. Maybe I’m just a little upset about being dragged out here against my will by your band of merry id
Lucas Foster grinned as he heard the commotion from the balcony.A woman’s voice was screaming, arguing with his men. He couldn’t see her face from up here, but he knew exactly who she was.After all, he was the one who ordered his men to kidnap her.Alicia Smith.The idea of kidnapping her came to his mind a few days ago when he was staring at her picture on his phone.“Damn you, Alicia,” he had muttered, a muscle twitching in his jaw. “Why can’t you see that I can make you the happiest woman in the world?”Alicia Smith, the woman of his fucking dreams, the woman who acted like he was nothing but dirt under her shoes.“I planned to give you the world on a silver platter,” Lucas growled to himself, his fingers tightening around his phone. “Designer dresses, five-star restaurants, front-row fashion shows. What more could you possibly want?”He closed his eyes, recalling their last encounter when Alicia scoffed at his advances. Again.“I’m flattered, Lucas, really,” she had said. “But I
Tiffany and Jacob are standing at the entrance of Amalfi Cucina, greeting everyone who comes in.She is wearing a red cocktail dress; her hair twisted up into an elegant bun, while Jacob is wearing his best suit.Today is an important night, after all.Jacob’s hand is resting lightly on the small of her back, a gesture both protective and proud.“Welcome!” Tiffany exclaims, embracing an elderly couple. “We’re so thrilled you could make it, Mr. and Mrs. Rossi.”Jacob nods, shaking Mr. Rossi’s hand. “Your usual table is waiting for you. I hope you’ll find our new menu to your liking.”As the couple moves inside, Jacob’s smile falters slightly. He tugs at his collar, a bead of sweat forming on his brow despite the cool evening air. Tiffany is busy welcoming more guests, her melodic voice carrying across the foyer.Jacob’s eyes scan the crowd until he spots River near the bar. With a quick squeeze of Tiffany’s arm, he murmurs, “I’ll be right back, Scar.”Weaving through the throng of peopl
A month after her dad began his recovery and life started to settle into a new normal, Tiffany found herself spending more and more time with Jacob. They would talk for hours, sharing everything and nothing, their bond growing stronger with each passing day.One evening, as they sat together in the quiet of the closed restaurant, Jacob took her hand in his, his touch warm and grounding. “Tiffany, I’ve been thinking,” he said softly, his tone serious yet gentle. “We should renovate the restaurant.”She tilted her head, curiosity piqued. “What do you have in mind?”His eyes lit up with excitement as he began to outline his vision. “We could expand the dining area, maybe add a cozy lounge space for after-dinner drinks. The kitchen could use an upgrade too—new appliances, a more efficient layout. And we could create a private dining room for special events.”Tiffany felt a smile tug at her lips as she listened to him. His enthusiasm was infectious. “That sounds amazing, Jacob,” she said,
Tiffany’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared down the barrel of Henri’s gun. Tears blurred her vision, grief and rage threatening to consume her.Her father lay motionless at her feet, blood pooling around him. She could see the faint rise and fall of his chest, a fragile reassurance that he wasn’t gone yet. But time was slipping away, and she had to act fast before she lost him too.“Don’t do this, Henri,” she pleaded, her voice trembling. “Enough people have died already. This won’t change what happened to you.”Henri’s finger tightened on the trigger. His cold gaze didn’t waver. “You’re right, it won’t change the past. But it will give me the satisfaction of wiping out the rest of this wretched family.”Her voice cracked as she asked, “Did you kill John too?”Henri’s brow furrowed slightly. “Your father’s driver? He got in the way. I was expecting to find your father at the pool house through a source, but he was there instead.”Tears streamed down Tiffany’s face. John hadn’t
Run? No.Tiffany hadn’t followed in her father’s footsteps just to run away from situations like this.Taking advantage of the chaos, she broke free from Henri’s grasp. In one swift motion, she retrieved the knife hidden in her boot and pressed it against his throat. Henri’s men immediately raised their weapons, but their hesitation was clear—they didn’t want to risk harming their boss.“Tell your men to stand down,” she hissed in Henri’s ear, her voice sharp and unwavering. “Or I’ll paint this floor with your blood, uncle dearest.”Henri chuckled darkly, seemingly unfazed by the blade digging into his skin. “You wouldn’t dare,” he sneered. “You don’t have the stomach for it, girl.”Tiffany pressed the knife harder, drawing a thin line of blood. “This is what I was trained to do,” she growled. “So try me. After everything you’ve put my family through, I won’t lose a wink of sleep over slitting your throat.”Something in her tone, or perhaps the fire in her eyes, must have convinced hi