Nicholas’s POVI haven’t slept in days.She had done everything possible to be on my good graces but u didn't care, all I did was vent out my anger on her, I didn't even give her the chance to breath, now she was gone and all I could think of was my heart breaking in piecesThe weight of exhaustion presses against my skull, a relentless drumbeat of fatigue and frustration. The silence of the house is suffocating, the walls closing in on me with every passing hour. My hands tighten into fists as I pace the length of my office, the air thick with the scent of whiskey and regret.She’s gone.No matter how many times I try to push that thought away, it crashes back into me with the force of a wrecking ball. Elena is out there somewhere, hiding, disappearing into the world like a ghost. And I hate it. I fucking hate it.Marco was supposed to find her. He was supposed to bring her back. But it’s been days, and there’s been nothing.No calls. No updates.Nothing.My patience snaps the moment
Elena’s POVI don’t expect Marco to bring him to me.I had asked him to keep this a secret.The rest house is quiet, tucked away from the chaos of the city, surrounded by nothing but open land and the occasional whisper of the wind through the trees. It was supposed to be a safe space, a place to clear my head, to convince myself that leaving was the right choice.And yet, the moment I see him standing in the doorway, all those carefully constructed walls I built around myself begin to crack.Nicholas.He looks like hell. His sharp suit is wrinkled, his usually perfect hair is disheveled, and dark circles shadow his eyes. He’s always been so put together, so untouchable, but right now, he looks like a man on the edge. A man who hasn’t been sleeping. A man who’s been… suffering.I tell myself not to care. Not to feel.But my breath catches anyway.“Elena.”My name on his lips is hoarse, raw. There’s something almost hesitant in the way he says it, like he isn’t sure I’ll want to hear i
Elena's Point Of View The rain fell in an unrelenting drizzle, blurring the headstones around me into indistinct shadows. I stood frozen, my black heels sinking into the wet earth as the priest's voice droned on. The words, a faint hum of scripture about eternal rest and divine plans, might as well have been in another language. Nothing could reach me through the oppressive weight of grief that had wrapped itself around my chest like iron chains.This wasn’t supposed to be my life. Just two weeks ago, my parents were alive, vibrant, and making plans for their next anniversary trip. Now, their shared casket sat a few feet away, surrounded by wilted flowers and faces of distant relatives I hadn’t seen in years. People whispered their condolences as if words could somehow patch up the gaping hole their deaths had left behind.My hands trembled as I clutched the edge of the black umbrella, my knuckles white against the plastic handle. A cold wind swept through the cemetery, rustling the
Elena's Point Of ViewThe engine purred softly as I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles white against the smooth leather. The city sprawled before me, a labyrinth of glass and steel under the relentless glare of the afternoon sun. My father's office which was about to become my office now, loomed in the distance. Returning to Torres Enterprises for the first time since the funeral felt like walking into a battlefield unarmed.My father’s empire was all I had left of him. The weight of the responsibility pressed down on me, making my breaths shallow. I’d spent days convincing myself that I was ready to step into his shoes, to salvage what was left of our legacy. Yet here I was, my stomach twisting in knots, feeling anything but prepared.The underground parking lot was cavernous and eerily quiet, except for the echo of my heels clicking against the concrete. The shadows seemed longer here, stretching unnaturally across the space. As I approached the elevator, my fingers brushed aga
Elena's Point Of View"I'm sorry, Miss Torres, but your financial situation makes you too high a risk for this type of loan."The bank official’s words played over and over in my head as I stepped out of the Heritage Bank, the chilly wind biting at my cheeks. I clutched the handle of my purse so tightly my knuckles turned white, the sting of rejection burning deeper with every passing second.It wasn’t the first bank to shut me down this week. It wasn’t even the third. No matter how passionately I pleaded or how much I laid bare the desperation in my soul, they all gave me the same response. The Torres name, once a symbol of wealth and respectability, was now little more than a cautionary tale.The heels of my boots clicked sharply against the pavement as I walked back to my car, parked a block away. The city buzzed around me, cars honking, conversations spilling out of cafes, and the distant hum of construction but it all felt muted, like I was underwater. My world had shrunk to the
Elena's Point Of ViewThe sound of my heels clicking against the marble floor was the only thing keeping me tethered to reality. Each step was deliberate, a fragile attempt to hold myself together while the words from earlier that morning looped ominously in my head.“You’re dealing with Nicholas De Luca?” the man I’d hired to verify the contract had asked, his voice dropping to a hushed, almost reverent tone. “If I were you, I wouldn’t play games. He’s not the kind of man you want to cross.”When I pressed for more information, his lips had pressed into a thin line, as if even speaking De Luca’s name aloud was enough to summon trouble. That was all I got out of him, a cryptic warning and an iron-clad confirmation that the contract binding me to this nightmare was, indeed, legally bulletproof.Now, as I gripped the steering wheel of my car and navigated the city streets, I could feel the weight of that warning sitting heavy in my chest. Today was the last day. The deadline had arrived
Elena's Point Of ViewThe sharp blare of a car horn cut through the suffocating stillness of my room. I froze mid-motion, clutching the final suitcase that held remnants of my old life. A pang of regret gripped me as my gaze swept over the bedroom I had called my sanctuary for as long as I could remember. The posters on the walls, the chipped dresser I’d stubbornly refused to replace, all of it whispered memories of a time when my life was my own. But that was over now.Wiping away the tears that blurred my vision, I steeled myself and heaved the suitcase toward the door. The horn sounded again, impatient this time, as though the world outside was eager to rip me away from the last vestiges of comfort I had.When I stepped outside, the sleek black car idling at the curb seemed to absorb the very light around it, a fitting metaphor for the darkness that was about to consume me. The driver, a man with a neatly pressed suit and a face devoid of expression, stepped out and reached for my
Elena's Point Of ViewThe first thing I noticed when I woke up was the suffocating stillness of the room. The air felt heavy, thick with the kind of silence that made you hyperaware of every creak and groan of the walls. I blinked a few times, staring at the ornate ceiling that seemed to loom over me like a constant reminder of where I was and who I was trapped with.Nicholas De Luca.A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of his name, but I pushed it aside and reached for my phone on the nightstand. The screen was blank. No messages, no notifications. Not a single word from the people who used to flood my inbox daily. I let out a bitter laugh. It seemed that being Mrs. De Luca came with more than one kind of isolation.I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, the cold hardwood floor biting against my bare feet. I needed to shake off this fog, and a shower seemed like a good start.The hot water cascading over me did little to melt the icy grip around my heart. I let my mind wande
Elena’s POVI don’t expect Marco to bring him to me.I had asked him to keep this a secret.The rest house is quiet, tucked away from the chaos of the city, surrounded by nothing but open land and the occasional whisper of the wind through the trees. It was supposed to be a safe space, a place to clear my head, to convince myself that leaving was the right choice.And yet, the moment I see him standing in the doorway, all those carefully constructed walls I built around myself begin to crack.Nicholas.He looks like hell. His sharp suit is wrinkled, his usually perfect hair is disheveled, and dark circles shadow his eyes. He’s always been so put together, so untouchable, but right now, he looks like a man on the edge. A man who hasn’t been sleeping. A man who’s been… suffering.I tell myself not to care. Not to feel.But my breath catches anyway.“Elena.”My name on his lips is hoarse, raw. There’s something almost hesitant in the way he says it, like he isn’t sure I’ll want to hear i
Nicholas’s POVI haven’t slept in days.She had done everything possible to be on my good graces but u didn't care, all I did was vent out my anger on her, I didn't even give her the chance to breath, now she was gone and all I could think of was my heart breaking in piecesThe weight of exhaustion presses against my skull, a relentless drumbeat of fatigue and frustration. The silence of the house is suffocating, the walls closing in on me with every passing hour. My hands tighten into fists as I pace the length of my office, the air thick with the scent of whiskey and regret.She’s gone.No matter how many times I try to push that thought away, it crashes back into me with the force of a wrecking ball. Elena is out there somewhere, hiding, disappearing into the world like a ghost. And I hate it. I fucking hate it.Marco was supposed to find her. He was supposed to bring her back. But it’s been days, and there’s been nothing.No calls. No updates.Nothing.My patience snaps the moment
Elena’s POVI had told myself I wouldn’t look back.Not at the city, not at the past, and especially not at him.But as I stepped out of the car and took in my surroundings, I realized how much I had underestimated the weight of my own emotions.The rest house was tucked away in the countryside, a stark contrast to the chaos I had left behind. It was a secluded sanctuary, surrounded by towering trees that swayed with the whisper of the wind. The air smelled clean, untouched by the scent of smoke, whiskey, or regret. The sky stretched endlessly above me, painted in deep shades of indigo as dusk settled in.For the first time in days, I felt like I could breathe.Marco shut the car door and turned to me, his sharp gaze assessing. “Not bad, huh?”I let out a small breath, nodding. “It’s… quiet.”“That’s the point,” he replied, motioning for me to follow him inside.The inside of the house was warm, but not in a way that felt welcoming, more like a place built for solitude. A hideout, not
Nicholas’s POVI slam the door behind me, breathing hard.My hands are still clenched into fists, my pulse a chaotic mess beneath my skin.That kiss.What the hell was that?I press my fingers against my temples, trying to steady the storm raging inside me. I should have stopped her the second she leaned in. I should have pulled away before our lips even met. But I didn’t.Because for a fleeting, stupid moment, I wanted it.I wanted to feel her again.I curse under my breath and shove a hand through my hair, pacing across my room like a caged animal. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was supposed to stay angry, stay distant. I was supposed to punish her for what she did.But every time I try, something holds me back.Her eyes.Her stubbornness.The way she’s been pushing herself, breaking herself, trying so damn hard to prove something to me.And I hate that I care.Hours pass, but sleep doesn’t come.I sit at the edge of my bed, staring at nothing, wrestling with my own pride.Why ca
Elena’s POVThey say actions speak louder than words.If that’s true, then maybe... just maybe.. I can make him see me again.Because words don’t work.Not with Nicholas.Not anymore.He doesn’t hear me. He doesn’t even look at me.His silence is worse than his rage.I’d take the shouting, the accusations, the bitter words laced with anger. At least then, I’d know he feels something. But this? This void, this nothingness between us?It’s killing me.So I do the only thing I can.I prove myself.The morning air is crisp as I step into the kitchen, the scent of fresh bread and brewing coffee wrapping around me like a warm embrace. The staff, a mix of cooks and housekeepers, pause mid-task, their eyes widening in surprise as I roll up my sleeves."Miss Elena," an older woman, Maria, starts hesitantly, "what are you doing here?""I’m helping," I say simply, reaching for an apron.She exchanges a look with the others before laughing nervously. "That’s… not necessary. This is our job.""I w
Nicholas’s POVThe moment the front door shut behind them, I felt my pulse skyrocket. I stood in the middle of the sitting room, fists clenched at my sides, my body coiled so tight I could snap. The air in the room was thick with tension, the silence deafening except for the sound of my own breathing, deep, slow, controlled, but only barely.I had been standing there, waiting, drowning in the sheer fucking anxiety of not knowing what they had been up to. And now that they were back, the sight of them, smug and victorious, did nothing to ease my fury.I turned sharply, facing Marco, my voice slicing through the silence like a blade."What the fuck were you thinking?"Marco barely flinched, his expression unreadable as he shrugged off his jacket and tossed it onto the couch. "Nice to see you too, Nick.""Don't give me that shit, Marco!" I barked, stepping toward him, my jaw so tight it ached. "You should never have let her do this! Do you have any goddamn idea what could have gone wrong
Elena’s POVThe city lights blurred past the car window, neon streaks of red and blue casting fleeting shadows over my face. My hands rested on my lap, clenched together, the smooth fabric of my dress cool beneath my fingers. I could feel my heart pounding, a steady, insistent rhythm against my ribs. Nerves. Excitement. Dread.I had to do this.Marco, seated beside me in the driver's seat, glanced over. "You're awfully quiet," he remarked, his voice laced with something between curiosity and concern.I forced a small smirk, though my stomach was in knots. "Just mentally preparing myself to sell my soul."He huffed a laugh, but there was no humor in it. "You're really going through with this, huh?"I turned to face him. "You thought I’d back out?"Marco kept his eyes on the road, but his grip on the steering wheel tightened. "No. But a part of me hoped you would."Silence stretched between us, heavy and unspoken.Backing out wasn’t an option. Not when Nicholas still saw me as a liabili
Elena’s POVI had forgotten what fresh air felt like.For days, I had been locked away, my world reduced to four suffocating walls and the weight of my own regret. I had hidden from Nicholas’s cold, indifferent stares, from Marco’s careful glances, from the suffocating knowledge that I had ruined everything. But hiding wasn’t going to fix this.So, for the first time in what felt like forever, I stepped out of my room.The house was quiet, the kind of eerie stillness that made my skin prickle. The scent of polished wood and expensive cologne lingered in the air, familiar yet strangely foreign after my self-imposed isolation. My bare feet moved across the cold marble floor as I made my way down the hall, past the grand staircase, past the walls that had witnessed my downfall.Then I heard it.A voice. Low. Tense.I paused.The door to Nicholas’s office was cracked open, and from inside, I could hear the smooth hum of a newscaster’s voice filtering through the air. Normally, I would hav
Nicholas’s POVI stared out the window of the dimly lit office, watching the rain trickle down the glass. Each drop, like a tear of its own, fell to the earth, eventually joining the rest of the misery below. The city felt colder tonight, darker than usual. It wasn’t the weather... no, it was the storm brewing inside me. I could feel the weight of everything pressing down, suffocating me in a way that no amount of liquor or distractions could alleviate.Marco stood at the table across from me, his eyes glued to the monitor as he pulled up the latest intel on Alejandro’s movements. Every word he spoke was calculated, every gesture purposeful. This was necessary, and nothing... not even my tangled emotions.. could derail him from it. It was the only thing he knew how to focus on when it came to me, but tonight, something else was gnawing at him.He flipped through the files, not looking up as he spoke. "Alejandro's been busy. He's moving men into position, preparing his stronghold for t