Elena took a deep breath as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.The wedding gown fit her perfectly, hugging her figure in all the right places. The delicate lace trailed down in an ethereal cascade, the embroidery shimmering under the soft light. Her hair was styled elegantly, soft curls framing her face, her veil waiting to be placed. Everything was perfect.Except for the gnawing unease curling in her stomach.She tried to brush it off, but it lingered. An unshakable feeling that something was wrong.Her heart wasn’t pounding with excitement—it was drumming with unease.She turned to Sophie, who was adjusting the veil, her eyes twinkling with excitement."Sophie… are you sure everything’s okay?" Elena asked quietly, gripping the edge of the dressing table.Sophie frowned. "You’ve been asking that all morning. Talk to me. What’s going on?"Elena hesitated, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her gown. "I don’t know… I just feel like something bad is going to happen."
Adrian stormed out of the estate, his pulse a relentless drumbeat in his ears. Every second that passed felt like a blade twisting in his chest. Elena was gone—taken from him on their wedding day. The thought alone was enough to send his fury to the boiling point.He pulled his phone from his pocket with a grip so tight his knuckles turned white. "Where is she?" he barked the moment his head of security answered."We're tracking the SUV's last known location, sir. It was last seen heading east, but the street cameras lost it near the old industrial district."Adrian swore under his breath. Not good enough."Pull every traffic feed within a ten-mile radius," he ordered. "I want satellite surveillance, drone footage—whatever it takes. If they so much as stop for gas, I want to know.""Understood, sir. We have teams mobilizing."Adrian clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding. "Find her. Now."His driver was already waiting, the sleek black car idling. Adrian wrenched open the door and slid
Adrian’s phone buzzed.Unknown number.His grip tightened as he answered. “Where is she?”A low chuckle came through the speaker. “Straight to the point. I like that.”Adrian’s patience was razor-thin. “I won’t ask again.”The man on the other end sighed. “If you want your precious bride back, you’ll have to pay. One hundred million dollars. Cash. No police, no games.”Adrian’s jaw clenched. “And if I refuse?”Another chuckle. “Then I suppose you’ll have to find another bride.”Rage shot through Adrian’s veins like fire. His other hand curled into a fist. “You’re making a mistake.”“No, you are,” the man said. “You have twelve hours.”The line went dead.Adrian exhaled sharply, his mind already working.One hundred million dollars? He could pay it. But he wasn’t about to let these men win.He turned to his CSO, “Track the call.”He was already ahead of him, typing furiously on a tablet.“The call was bounced through multiple locations,” he said. “But it started near the docks.”Adrian
Elena stood before the full-length mirror, her fingers resting lightly on the smooth silk of her dress. The reflection staring back at her seemed almost like a stranger—ethereal, poised, but beneath the beauty lay a heart still mending from the wounds of the past.She never thought this day would come.Not after the kidnappings.Not after the threats.Not after nearly losing her life.Yet, here she was—just hours away from becoming Adrian’s wife.A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts."Elena?" Sophie’s voice carried through the heavy wooden door, gentle yet firm. "It’s time."Elena took a slow breath, steadying herself before turning. Sophie stood in the doorway, eyes glistening with emotion.A small, wobbly smile tugged at Sophie’s lips. "You look beautiful."Elena let out a shaky breath. "Do I?"Sophie stepped forward, adjusting a loose curl that had slipped from Elena’s elegant updo. "Like a bride who fought through hell to stand here."Elena’s throat tightened, emo
Adrian sat in his office, his fingers drumming against the polished desk. A file lay open in front of him, its pages filled with damning evidence.The official report from his security team confirmed what he had already suspected—but seeing it in black and white made his blood run cold.Elena’s kidnappers had been arrested. They had names, faces, and criminal records. But Adrian knew better than to believe this was over.They were pawns.The real mastermind was still out there.His jaw tightened as he turned the final page. And there it was—the one name that he had suspected.Richard.But this time, Richard hadn’t just come for Adrian’s empire. He had come for Elena.Adrian closed the file, his fingers pressing into the leather cover as a slow, controlled breath escaped him. His fury was ice-cold now, no longer a wildfire but something far more dangerous—something calculated.Across the room, his CSO, stood waiting."Sir?" CSO finally asked.Adrian exhaled sharply. “We’re paying Richa
Elena leaned against the railing of the private villa, staring at the endless stretch of ocean. The waves rolled in, their white crests dissolving into the golden sand, a soothing rhythm that should have brought her peace. The scent of salt and tropical flowers filled the air, the warmth of the evening sun casting a golden glow over everything.And yet, all she felt was unease.This was supposed to be their moment—untouched by the world, free from the chaos that had nearly destroyed them.And for a brief, fleeting time, it had been.Adrian had whisked her away to this secluded island, far removed from prying eyes and hidden enemies. For the first two days, they had lived in a bubble of stolen kisses and whispered promises, wrapped in the illusion that they had finally outrun the shadows of their past.But then the phone call had come.And with it, everything had changed.She turned her head slightly, watching Adrian through the open glass doors. He sat on the edge of the bed, his back
The air inside Adrian’s office felt heavy, suffocating. The weight of betrayal clung to the walls like an invisible force, pressing down on him. He sat at his desk, staring at the screen in front of him, his fingers curled into tight fists. The numbers didn’t lie. The breach had been deliberate, precise, and devastating.Someone had tried to wipe out critical company data—financial reports, merger details, and classified files that could cripple his empire if they fell into the wrong hands.And the worst part?It wasn’t an outsider.It was someone from within.The thought sent a slow, burning rage through his veins.Adrian exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he turned to his investigator, who stood rigidly by the door, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression unreadable."Tell me you have a name," Adrian said, his voice a razor-sharp whisper.He nodded and stepped forward, sliding a file onto the desk. "Mark. Senior IT specialist. He’s been with the company for over a decade
Adrian sat at his desk, the dim glow of his office lights casting sharp shadows across his face. His fingers drummed against the polished surface, a slow, deliberate rhythm that mirrored the storm raging inside him.The city skyline stretched beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, glittering with life, but his focus wasn’t on the world outside. His empire had been under siege, and now, after a relentless war—betrayals, sabotage, enemies clawing at his foundation—he was ready to deliver the final blow.A sharp buzz from the intercom cut through the silence.“Sir, the board members are waiting,” Sophie’s voice came through, crisp and professional as always.Adrian inhaled deeply, exhaling through his nose as he leaned back in his chair. He adjusted his cuffs, his expression smoothing into that unreadable calm that had become his armor. This wasn’t just another meeting. This was about reestablishing control, silencing the doubt that had begun to fester in the boardroom like a disease.The
“No. Don’t lock the leak. Keep the route open. We’re baiting them.”Another pause. Adrain’s fingers tapped the edge of the desk lightly.“They bypassed surface-level security. That wasn’t random. Someone’s been inside—knows our system language. I want full trace protocols on the backend. Key mirroring. Subtle algorithm shifts. Anything they’ve left behind.”He listened, eyes never leaving Elena.“Yes. Remote only. Do not alert IT. Don’t even breathe a word in our system channels. If anyone asks, say we’re on routine maintenance.”He ended the call.Elena came beside him, her fingers grazing the back of his hand. “You’re setting a trap.”“We’re giving them a stage,” he corrected. “Let them feel safe. Let them perform.”She tilted her head, her voice soft. “And then?”He turned to her, eyes gleaming in the low light. “Then the curtain falls.”He moved to the liquor cabinet and poured two glasses—one for him, one for her. He handed hers with a subtle grin, the tension between them meltin
Elena was already rising, hurrying toward his seat with her tablet. “Look. Look at this! There’s been an unauthorized transaction—massive funds have just been moved out of one of the company’s sub-accounts.”Adrain snatched the device and scanned the screen. His breath caught. “Twenty-five million dollars... gone?”“It’s real. It just happened,” she said. “Our system just flagged it as an anomaly because of the destination account—it’s masked.”“Get the tech team on the line. Now!” Adrain ordered, already heading toward his office with Elena right behind him.Within minutes, the company’s head of cybersecurity, appeared on the large screen in the home office, his face pale.“Sir, we just noticed it as well. The system flagged it seconds after the funds moved.”“Who the hell did this?” Adrain’s voice was laced with ice.“We’re still tracing it. The hacker covered their tracks with precision. This wasn’t amateur work—this was planned. The account used was buried deep under layers of hid
The warehouse was cold, shadowed by rusted iron beams and buzzing with dim overhead lights. A thick air of tension filled the room as Elias Wolfe paced back and forth, his jaw clenched, his hands fisted at his sides.His men stood before him—four in total—each with their heads slightly lowered, avoiding the furious gaze of the man they feared more than death itself.“So,” Elias finally said, his voice cold and slow like a blade being drawn. “You mean to tell me… even after planning this for over a week, with the timing perfect, the positioning flawless… you still couldn’t cause one simple accident?”Silence.One of the men, lean and dark-haired, cleared his throat and stepped forward hesitantly. “Boss, we—we almost had it. It was so close. The car exited on schedule, we followed the pattern, and everything was on track—”“And yet,” Elias cut in, glaring, “she’s alive. Again.”“They out did us and crossed before the train did, they used the train to their advantage, boss,” another spok
She smiled at him—actually smiled. “Adrian, it was like something out of an action movie. I swear, my heart hasn’t stopped pounding.”Adrian’s jaw clenched. “That’s not funny.”“I know, I know,” she said quickly, putting her hands up in surrender. “But we’re alive, right? Safe. You should have seen my driver—he pulled the craziest move. Those guys almost caught up to us, but then the train—oh my God, Adrian—the train!”She broke into a laugh, the tension of adrenaline still unraveling from her bones.“We were being chased, and then out of nowhere, a train’s approaching, full speed. My driver saw it, gauged the timing and boom—we made it across just seconds before it passed. The attackers got stuck on the other side. I think I screamed.”“You think you screamed?” Adrian stared at her, eyes blazing. “Elena, you were nearly killed. Again.”She reached out and cupped his face, softening her tone. “I know, Adrian. I know it was real. I was scared out of my mind. But I'm also grateful to be
The black SUV sat idling across the street, blending into the row of parked cars. Inside, Elias Wolfe’s men sat silently, watching the entrance of Elena’s office building through tinted windows.A call came in.Elias’s voice cut through like a blade. “She’s coming out soon. I want her in the hospital. Hit them so hard, or chase them toward an accident. Adrian will be weak. And then,” his voice darkened, “we strike him badly.”“Yes, sir,” one of the men answered. “We’ll make it look like an accident.”Elias ended the call with a smirk and stared at the city skyline from his penthouse. “Let’s see how much strength you still have, Adrian.”The day had been oddly quiet—too quiet.Elena stepped out of the building, phone in hand, bag on her shoulder. Her special driver, a combat-trained chauffeur Adrian had handpicked, opened the door for her. He noticed something off but kept calm.“Everything okay, ma’am?” he asked as she settled into the backseat.Elena smiled. “Yes. Let’s head home.”T
The morning sun spilled into the office through floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow on the sleek, polished floors of the company. Despite the recent attempt on her life, Elena walked in with quiet confidence, her head held high. She wore a cream blazer over a silk blouse, paired with tailored pants that complimented her poise—unshaken and graceful.The secretaries greeted her with relief and admiration. Some even paused in their work to offer shy smiles or nods of encouragement. Everyone had heard whispers of the near-fatal accident. Everyone also knew she survived. And now she was back.Elena smiled, calm but fierce.She stepped into her office and took a deep breath. The scent of lavender still lingered in the air from her favorite diffuser. Her assistant, walked in seconds later, holding a cup of coffee.“You’re here,” she said with a breath of surprise. “After everything…”Elena accepted the coffee and smiled. “They want me to crawl back into hiding. But I won’t give the
The screech of tires tore through the quiet afternoon, followed by the sickening sound of metal crunching against metal.A black SUV skidded violently off the road, slamming into a row of safety barriers just outside the quiet café district on the outskirts of the city. Smoke hissed from the crumpled hood as bystanders screamed and rushed toward the wreck.Inside the second vehicle—the intended target—no one was present except the driver. The passenger seat where Elena was supposed to sit... empty.She had stepped into a boutique moments before the crash.The driver, stunned and bloodied, tried to move, but his arm was pinned. Nearby, someone called emergency services. Another pulled open the crumpled door. But the damage had already been done—just not to the right person.Because Elena was safe.And the accident had failed.Adrian's phone rang as he was finishing a meeting. The words “It’s Elena” from his assistant had him tearing out of the building before the call even ended.When
One of the other men, Mr. Crane raised a brow. “That’s bold. Even for you.”“I don’t have the luxury of waiting around,” Adrian said plainly. “I built my company to withstand storms—economic, corporate, even personal. And through every storm, we’ve delivered results, year after year.”He let that settle before continuing. “I know the others will come with flashy slides and empty promises. I came with proof. And with relationships that weren’t built yesterday.”Mr. Stan chuckled, leaning back. “You always did know when to strike. And you’re right—we go way back. We’ve seen how your company weathered chaos and came out on top every single time.”Crane exchanged a glance with the third executive, then nodded slowly. “So what are you offering today?”Adrian slid the folder toward them. “Everything you asked for—and more. With guarantees. No delays. No press. Just results.”The room went quiet again as they opened the folder and scanned the proposal. Minutes ticked by like seconds. Then ca
The ride home from the board meeting was quiet, but it wasn’t silence filled with tension—it was the quiet before a storm. The kind of stillness that wrapped around a plan forming, a decision waiting to unfold.Inside the villa, Adrian discarded his blazer and sat at the head of the long mahogany dining table. Elena brought over a fresh cup of coffee and took the seat across from him, her eyes steady and calm.“We need to talk,” she said, folding her hands together.“I know,” Adrian nodded. “The deal.”She leaned in slightly. “You said it yourself—it’s one of the biggest we’ve ever aimed for. If we secure it, we bury Elias and any threat from within the board. But we’ve got problems.”Adrian rubbed his jaw. “The board knows about the deal. Which means our mole—Mr. Trent—knows too. Elias has his ears and likely already made moves to sabotage or outbid us.”“And other companies are in the race,” Elena added. “Bigger names, hungry to win, with no drama dragging them down.”Adrian’s eyes