The chaotic aftermath of Evelyn's rescue was palpable as Michael’s team worked quickly to secure the area. Evelyn was unconscious, her wrists bruised from the tight ropes that had bound her. Michael knelt beside her, his jaw clenched as he gently lifted her into his arms. "She’s breathing,” Adams said, his voice calm despite the tension in the air. “But she needs medical attention immediately.” Michael’s nod was curt. “We’re taking her home. Get the medic on standby.” The team moved with precision, clearing the scene and ensuring no trace of their involvement remained. Michael carried Evelyn to the waiting SUV, his grip protective as though shielding her from the world. The car ride back was tense, the silence broken only by the hum of the engine. Evelyn stirred slightly in his arms, her eyes fluttering open for a brief moment. “Michael…” she whispered, her voice faint. “I’m here,” he said softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “You’re safe now.” Her lips move
The air was heavy with tension as Michael’s sleek black car pulled up to the imposing gates of the Morgan mansion. He had to be careful as he seemed to be exposing himself more often, bringing more danger to him. The guard stationed at the entrance barely had time to react before Michael’s men subdued him, opening the gates with swift precision. Michael stepped out of the car, his expression cold and unreadable, his sharp suit catching the moonlight. He adjusted his cuffs calmly as if the night’s events were nothing out of the ordinary. “Stay here,” he instructed adams and the others. “I’ll handle this myself.” “But, sir—” Adams began, concern evident in his tone. Michael’s piercing glare silenced him. “I said, stay.” With that, he strode up the marble steps of the mansion, his footsteps echoing ominously. Inside, the house was eerily quiet, the grandeur of the lavish interior doing nothing to soften the storm brewing in Michael’s chest Mr. Morgan was in his study, sipping on
Evelyn stirred awake, her eyelids fluttering as she adjusted to the dim lighting of the room. A dull, persistent throbbing radiated from the side of her head, a reminder of the chaos that had led her here. The memory of the accident and the kidnapping that followed was still vivid in her mind—the cold hands that had gripped her, the muffled cries for help. Everything had spiraled so fast. She hadn’t had time to process it all until now.With a soft groan, she pushed herself upright, her hands gripping the silky sheets beneath her. The bed was absurdly large and far more luxurious than anything she had ever imagined for herself. Her gaze flitted around the room, taking in the sheer opulence of her surroundings. High ceilings with ornate molding, plush furniture adorned with gold accents, and a chandelier that cast soft, warm light across the space—it was the kind of life she had only seen in magazines.She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her bare feet brushing against the cool
Morning Light and ChoicesEvelyn stirred as the soft warmth of sunlight kissed her face, filtering through the open window. The golden rays danced across the room, casting delicate patterns onto the walls and the polished floor. She blinked slowly, her mind a haze of half-remembered dreams and lingering tension from the previous night. The weight of her new reality pressed against her chest, but for a moment, she let herself bask in the light.Sitting up, Evelyn stretched, the silky sheets sliding from her shoulders. Her gaze fell on the exquisite gown draped carefully over a nearby chair. It was breathtaking—a deep crimson dress with delicate gold embroidery tracing patterns along the hem and bodice. The fabric shimmered faintly in the morning light, exuding elegance and power.Before she could rise to examine it, the door opened, and the maids entered, their presence as quiet as a whisper. Behind them, Artemis followed, her fiery red hair swept into a sleek bun. She wore a black but
The first thing she registered was the faint, insistent tug at the edges of her sleep—like invisible hands pulling her back from the comforting void of dreams. A soft knock. Then the creak of a door opening. Voices murmured, too hushed for her groggy mind to decipher. And then, before she could fully grasp where she was, hands—cool, efficient—wrapped around her arms and pulled her upright.Evelyn blinked against the dim morning light, her lashes fluttering as the world swam into focus. She was sitting now, though she didn’t remember how she got there, her body still sluggish with exhaustion. A glance at the ornate clock on the far wall told her it was barely past six-thirty in the morning.Too early. Far too early.She opened her mouth to protest, but before she could utter a word, someone was already tipping her chin up, assessing her face as if she were nothing more than a blank canvas. And then, just like that, the transformation began.She was not given a choice.They worked on he
Evelyn was still reeling. The sheer weight of the moment, the staggering sum of money Michael had just spent, left her breathless. The murmurs in the room had yet to die down, whispers slipping through the cracks of hushed astonishment.One billion dollars. Just like that.The auctioneer, though visibly shaken, regained his composure. Clearing his throat, he turned toward Michael with a professional smile.“Congratulations, Mr. volkov."Michael barely reacted. A flick of his fingers. A nod. As if this was routine.And then—He turned.Without hesitation, without fanfare, without even looking at the masterpiece he had just won—He gave it away.“To Mr. Michael Volkov.”A murmur swept through the hall, this one different. Sharper. A ripple of confusion, intrigue, and something else—something darker.Evelyn’s breath hitched.Michael Volkov.She knew that name. Everyone did.A shadow in the world of power and wealth, Volkov’s presence was synonymous with control—an empire built on whisper
When they finally arrived back at the mansion, the heavy, oppressive silence that had clung to the car ride seemed to follow them inside. Evelyn felt as though she were walking through a fog, each step weighted with the horror of what had just transpired. Her body was still trembling, her thoughts scattered like fragments of broken glass. The images of masked gunmen, the cold, calculated way Michael had handled the situation—it all replayed in her mind like a never-ending loop.She barely registered the grandiose interior of the mansion as she was led upstairs. The towering walls, the gleaming marble floors, and the opulence of it all felt so distant, so detached from the raw fear coursing through her veins. The servants were swift and efficient, almost too quick in their haste to tend to her. They didn’t ask questions, just led her to her room and helped her into bed.Her heart still raced, her skin clammy with sweat, and the faint taste of metal lingered in her mouth. She had barely
The next morning arrived with a strange stillness, the sun’s rays casting an almost artificial calm through the large windows of the mansion. Evelyn had barely slept, her mind still replaying every moment of the previous night, each detail becoming more vivid with the passing hours. She stared at the ceiling, her thoughts tangled and restless, wondering if things could ever return to normal.When the soft knock on her door came, it startled her. Without waiting for a response, one of the maids entered, offering a polite smile before announcing that breakfast was ready.Evelyn rubbed her eyes, feeling a knot of unease in her stomach. She had hoped that the silence from Michael would somehow bring clarity, but it hadn’t. Instead, she felt more confused, more conflicted than ever. She couldn’t erase the memory of his cold calmness during the chaos, nor the way he had looked at her last night—like she was both a prize to protect and a pawn to control.Reluctantly, she rose from the bed an
"You can't remove that yet! Not unless your doctor says it’s okay to do so." Michael’s voice was firm as he stood beside Evelyn, watching her with a gaze that allowed no room for argument.Before she could reply, the door swung open, and a woman in a white coat stepped in. Her sharp eyes landed on them, catching the tail end of Michael’s words."Actually… it’s perfectly fine for her to remove it," the doctor interjected with a calm smile. "Sir."Evelyn lifted a brow, shooting Michael a knowing look. Her eyes practically shouted, See?Michael let out a slow, heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if fighting an unseen battle. "Fine," he muttered. "But let the doctor do it." His voice was still firm, but he stepped back, allowing the doctor to proceed before he turned and exited the room.By the time everything was settled and Evelyn was ready to leave, she saw Michael speaking with the doctor, his tone low and controlled. When she shifted to stand on her own, he was there in an
Michael couldn’t relax. Even after Lorna had given her diagnosis, even after the room had settled into silence, his body remained taut with tension.His reaction earlier had been… unexpected. Shocking, even. He hadn’t anticipated it—not the panic, not the overwhelming force of emotion that had slammed into him the moment he saw her tears. Evelyn had done it again. She had shattered whatever semblance of control he thought he had over himself.It was infuriating.To think that just seeing her cry could shake him so deeply… that just the touch of her cold skin had sent something dangerously close to fear spiraling through him. Fuck. He was in too deep. This woman had thoroughly and utterly ruined him.Now, he didn’t know what to do.Didn’t know what to say.He could only hold her. Could only pull her into his arms, press her close, and hope that his warmth seeped into her body. Because anything else—any words, any action—felt like it would only make things worse.He didn’t want to see h
The moment Evelyn turned her back to him and walked away, the dam that had been holding strong all this time finally crumbled. Her tears, long restrained, gushed forth like a deluge of rain.It had been so long since she had allowed herself to cry outside the suffocating confines of her darkened room. She had trained herself to never shed tears in the presence of others. Crying made her feel exposed, fragile—something she had fought against for years. Especially in front of her father and Brandon Haze, she had refused to break. No matter how deep their words had cut, no matter how much pain they had inflicted upon her, she had never given them the satisfaction of seeing her crumble. Silence had always been her weapon, a shield stronger than any steel. And she had wielded it perfectly.But with Michael… everything was different.She did not understand why, but around him, it was unbearably difficult to hold back. She had thought she could at least hold in her emotions until she reached
Evelyn fell silent. The lump in her throat tightened when he mentioned a condition. Her anger toward him hadn’t vanished—she had simply forced herself to swallow it down. But now, hearing that he was about to set another rule, another ridiculous demand, had her emotions surging once more.However, what Michael said next rendered her mute.Snow White?She hadn’t expected him to bring up the wolf, let alone sound so sour about it. Why did he seem irritated now? Hadn’t he helped her save the poor creature? So why was he suddenly acting like he despised Snow White?A quiet hesitation lingered in the air. But eventually, she nodded.If this was all he wanted, then fine. It wasn’t like he was asking for much—not letting Snow White sleep in their bed? That wasn’t so bad. It still meant she could cuddle the wolf anywhere else. Perhaps Michael just had an issue with wolf fur in his sheets.“Fine… I’ll keep him off the bed,” she relented, her voice clipped. “Now, talk. Explain.”She didn’t want
Micheal just stared at her in silence. The words she had spoken moments ago seemed to echo in the air between them, heavier than before. Evelyn had dropped her gaze, almost as if afraid to meet his eyes again, and now leaned her forehead against the wolf curled in her arms. It was as though she were trying to shield herself, wrapping around the creature like he was her only anchor.The sight of it made something dark and unfamiliar stir within him.Her small shoulders trembled faintly, her fiery hair spilling over the wolf’s thick white fur. The contrast was striking—like blood on snow, something pure being swallowed by something far too heavy, too painful. And yet, she clung to the animal with a quiet desperation, as if letting go would mean losing the only thing grounding her in this moment.Micheal pulled back slightly, his movements slow and measured. He didn’t want to startle her. Not when she already looked so fragile. Not when he could sense something in her that felt too close
Michael stood frozen at the threshold of the dimly lit bedroom, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the floor. His grey eyes, sharp as a blade’s edge, landed on the scene before him, and something inside him coiled tight—dangerously tight.Evelyn lay curled on the massive bed, her body wrapped around something—or rather, someone.Snow White.The large white wolf, with his thick fur and unsettlingly intelligent eyes, lay beside her, his breathing slow and steady. But Michael barely spared the animal more than a glance. His focus was on her. On the way her delicate fingers were buried in the wolf’s thick fur. On the way her body pressed so trustingly, so intimately, against the creature’s warmth. And worst of all, the way her face—so serene, so utterly content—was nestled against its back.Michael’s expression did not change at first. He was too stunned to react.Seconds passed. Then, his lips pressed into a thin, bloodless line.His jaw ticked once. Then twice.A slow, simmerin
As soon as Evelyn pulled open the cage door, she stepped back, her fingers gripping the doorknob tightly. Just in case Snow White decided to lunge at her, she wanted to be ready—ready to dart out and call for Rion and Raven to help put the wolf back inside its cage.Her heart pounded, echoing in her ears like a war drum. Snow White remained inside the cage, his pale eyes watching her with an unreadable expression. He wasn’t moving, wasn’t baring his fangs, wasn’t doing anything she had feared he might do.Evelyn swallowed, uncertainty gripping her. Had she made a mistake?Then, slowly, the wolf tilted his head. The movement was so small yet so deliberate that it almost seemed… questioning.Somehow, that made Evelyn feel guilty.She let out a soft breath and, instead of standing there frozen, crouched near the open door. She extended her hand, palm facing up, voice gentle as she coaxed him. “Come here, baby…”For a moment, the air hung still between them.Then, to her shock, Snow White
The wolf stilled at her touch.Evelyn had hesitated before finally gathering the courage to extend her hand and brush her fingers against its snowy white tail. The soft texture surprised her—it was thicker and woolier than she had expected, a mix of coarse and silky strands that seemed to shimmer under the dim lighting.Holding her breath, she waited for a reaction. She thought the wolf would jerk away, snarl, or even bare its teeth at her for daring to touch it. But none of that happened. It remained completely still, unbothered. Almost… indifferent.Cautiously, she stroked its fur again, this time moving her fingers in a slow, gentle rhythm. Still, there was no response.Her tense shoulders finally eased a little. If the wolf had been aggressive or hostile, it would have made that clear by now, wouldn’t it? Or was it just too exhausted to react? Was it still in pain from its injuries?“Hey… Snow White, baby?” Evelyn murmured, softening her voice, instinctively trying to comfort the
A distant howl broke through the silence of the night.Evelyn paused, her fingers tightening around the blanket draped over her lap. The sound echoed through the castle walls, low and mournful, stirring something deep inside her.Wolves.It shouldn’t have been surprising. The Reigns estate sat atop a forested hill, surrounded by sprawling wilderness. The occasional howl wasn’t uncommon. And yet… this was the first time she had truly heard one since she arrived.Her mind immediately flashed back to the snow-white wolf they had rescued.She had forgotten about it completely in the whirlwind of everything that had happened. The secrets. The lies. Michael locking her away like a prisoner. But now, hearing that call in the night, she couldn’t help but wonder.Where was the wolf now?It must still be healing, right?Michael had assigned a medical team to tend to it—an elite one, no doubt. They would have done their job well. The wolf had to be getting better by now. Right?A sudden urge gri