Alison I was panicking. Losing my mind. What was I going to do? Think, Alison. Think.I pressed my hands against my temples, pacing back and forth across the room. The weight of the situation threatened to crush me. Damien was locked up, and time was running out. If I didn’t act now, he was going to die. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to think. What could I do? Who could I turn to? My mind was blank, consumed by fear and desperation. ‘No. I refuse to let this be the end.’I couldn’t let the only man that truly cared about me to meet his end like this.It wasn’t going to happen.I grabbed a jacket on the table then I stormed out of the room, nearly colliding with Mabel in the hallway. She raised a brow. “Where are you going?” I plastered on the most casual expression I could manage. “I just… I feel energetic. Thought I’d go for a stroll.” Mabel looked at me suspiciously. “I never pictured you as the type to enjoy an evening walk.” I forced a small laugh. “Well, t
Damien I walked down the hallway, and my heart kept thundering against my ribs like a war drum. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I kept my pace even, just as Benson had instructed. Head down. No eye contact. Blend in. Every fiber in my body screamed to turn around, to shoot every bastard I passed, but I didn’t. I swallowed the rage burning in my throat and forced myself to walk calmly.The corridor stretched on, echoing with the sounds of distant orders being barked, boots slamming against the polished floors. A couple of soldiers passed me with sharp eyes and stone-cold expressions but none of them questioned me. I kept moving. When I reached the far wing, I saw the emergency exit ahead, its red sign flickering slightly. Relief nearly made me squeal in elation, but I stopped myself.“Just a few more steps,” I murmured. “A few more steps.”“Hey!” a voice barked behind me and I froze. The joy in my heart seized, and I hesitated before finally facing back. My eyes fell
AlisonThe minute I stepped back into the house soft murmurs welcomed me.I was not in the mood to face whoever it belonged to, so I stood at the entrance for a moment, listening to the soft creak of the door as I leaned against it. My heart pounded in my chest, my thoughts returning to Damien.I didn’t know if Aiden’s orders had already been carried out and if the men were able to save Damien. I pushed that thought away, then I took a step forward, and when I stepped into the living room my gaze landed on the last person I ever expected to see.The driver.What was he doing here?I froze in shock.The driver turned to look at Aiden, who had been standing near the stairs. I watched as his eyes widened.“I knew it was her,” he said, in a low voice. “I told you sir I wasn’t lying.”Aiden’s expression shifted, his face hardening as he looked at the driver. Then suddenly, his gaze softened and he stepped forward.“I’m sorry, you had to go through that,” Aiden said. “You will compensated
Damien “Arggh!” I grunted as my fist connected hard with the mannequin’s chest, the impact making its plastic body sway. I attacked the mannequin again, landing more blows to its chest. The mannequin bounced back like it always did. Mocking me. I imagined it was Aiden’s smug face, that cold stare, that fake smile he used to charm the world. I slammed my fist into it again, and again. Sweat dripped down my temple, I could feel a sharp pain in my knuckle, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.Finally, with one last blow, the mannequin teetered—then toppled to the floor with a dull thud.I stared down at it, chest heaving, heart pounding. A small smile crept onto my face.This was the first time I had managed to bring the mannequin to the ground and I felt good.“You’re getting good,” a voice said behind me.I turned quickly, wiping the sweat from my brow. My eyes landed on Hernando, leaning casually against the doorframe with that ever-present smirk.“When did you get back from your trip?
Alison Two weeks had passed since Damien escaped, and the entire city couldn’t stop talking about it. His face was plastered across walls, billboards, and screens in every diner and shop. “WANTED” posters announced the military’s offer of five grand or any information that led to his capture. I knew I should have felt afraid. And I did. But deep down, buried beneath the fear, was a flicker of hope. Damien was strong-willed and smart, nobody would be able to capture him easily. Anyway, despite how many times I told myself that. There was this feeling of fear that always seemed to crawl up my mind and wipe off that feeling of hope.As days passed, I tried to keep myself busy so I didn’t get to think about Damien all the time, but it was hard to keep my mind distracted especially when I couldn’t leave the house. Aiden had forbidden me from going out alone after that incident happened.When the day of the mayor’s funeral arrived. I planned to go to Damien’s old home to see if I could
Damien“How long do I have to wait?” I asked, my voice was filled with frustration as my eyes swept across the endless lawn stretching out in front of us. The tall grass danced in the breeze, and the sun dipped lazily behind the clouds, flashing golden shadows over Hernando’s estate. A place that had once felt like a refuge now felt like a cage.Hernando didn’t even flinch. “Stop bothering about how long and focus on the plan.”That response broke something in me. “It’s been four weeks, Hernando! And you keep delaying my return to the city like I’m some kid who can’t handle things on my own.”“I’m trying to stop you from acting impulsively,” he said calmly.“You’re ruining the plan.” I spat. “The elections were days ago. Days, Hernando and you promised we’d strike then but then you decided to put everything on hold.”“Why do I have this feeling that you were never going to go ahead with the plan in the first place?”I added.He finally turned to look at me, and I saw a drop of guil
DamienI tugged the black hoodie down low over my head, tightening the drawstring so only a part of my face showed. I headed out of my room and as I walked, every footstep echoed in my ears, every distant rustle made me pause. I moved fast but cautiously, slipping through the corridors and out toward the gate.When I reached it, the guard barely glanced at me. Good. Raul had said he’d take care of it. The moment I stepped outside, the cold night air slapped my cheeks. My eyes sighted a car that was parked idling across the street, with its headlights off. Raul leaned casually against the driver’s side, tossing a key up and catching it like he hadn’t just committed a felony on my behalf.“Where the hell did you get this car?” I asked, walking up.He grinned, dimples flashing. “I snuck this bad boy for you. You’re welcome.”I grabbed the keys from him and nodded. “Thanks.”“Just don’t get caught,” he warned, all jokes gone from his voice now. “If Hernando finds out? He’ll skin you al
Alison "Mrs. Jones!" A familiar voice caught my attention. My head turned, and there stood Nurse Mary at the end of the corridor, her smile far too bright for the dullness that lived in this place.“What?” I spat. “Your sister is here to see you.” She responded.I blinked slowly, my appetite vanishing as quickly as the warmth in the soup I'd been eating. It suddenly tasted like water all of a sudden. I set the tray aside and stood up, my knees stiff from sitting in the hard chair too long. Behind me, a guard stirred, his boots echoing ominously as he began to follow.Nurse Mary walked ahead, her white clogs squeaking against the tile floor. I walked in silence, sandwiched between her and the guard like some fragile prisoner. As we passed a glass door, I paused. The reflection staring back at me made my breath seizeI looked like a stranger—thin, and pale, and my eyes seemed empty. My once-lustrous hair was tied back into a dry, messy bun, and the white scrubs hung off my frame li
Damien When I got downstairs, I noticed that everything was cleared out. It was like the incident had never happened. The blood was gone, the bodies removed, and even the shattered glasses had been swept away. But there was one thing they hadn’t touched—a hole in the wall of the hall. A bullet hole, just beneath a painting. It stood out like a scar, a harsh reminder of everything that had taken place.I wasn’t surprised by the sudden clean up. This was how mafia men worked. Clean up the mess before the blood dried. Hide the chaos behind polished floors and calm voices. Act like nothing ever happened.I turned to Raul, who was standing by the stairwell. “Where’s Hernando?” I asked.He jerked his thumb toward the front door. “Outside.”I headed out alone. The night was quiet, but it felt too calm. Hernando stood near the edge of the lawn, his hands in his pockets, eyes staring into the dark distance like he was seeing something I couldn’t.“You called for me?” I said.He nodded slow
Damien The shot fired missed Hernando, and it struck someone else instead—one of Hernando’s men, judging by the cry and the thud. Anyway, this mistake was the opening I needed. I raised my gun and fired.The man who’d fired the first shot dropped like a puppet with its strings cut. One clean hit, right between the eyes.Hernando turned toward me, his face lit up. “Gracias,” he whispered.There wasn’t time to answer. I turned to face the men moving in our direction.Together, we raised our weapons and started to fire. We covered each other each other like a well-oiled machine. The smoke grew thicker, bodies crumpling one by one. They had come to ambush us, but they weren’t prepared for retaliation.Soon, most of the men that attacked were dead or writhing on the floor. The only one left standing was Hilo.He stood in the middle of the blood-soaked floor, surrounded by his fallen men, blood dripping from his arm. His suit, once pristine, was now painted with crimson.One of Hernando’
Damien “Hernando is searching for you!” Raul’s voice rang through the door. “Save the sex for later, man—when you’re both high and can go for rounds.” I shook my head, annoyed but not surprised. Raul always had something to say. I took more steps away from Alison, her warmth still clinging to my skin. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror—her shine was still on my face. Without saying a word, I stepped into the bathroom to clean up. When I came back out, Alison was already dressed. And God… that dress. It hugged every curve like it was made for her. I wanted to rip it off again. I wanted to press her against the wall, kiss every inch of her, and fuck her until she couldn’t take it anymore. But I didn’t. I held myself back. I walked up behind her and smacked her ass. She turned and gave me a sharp glare. “Damien!” She moaned and I laughed. I did it again. The third time, I pulled her close. “I love you,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips. She smiled softly.
Damien A knock on the door made me pull away from Alison. She was lying on the bed, half smiling, half dazed. I leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right back,” I said.“Where are you going?” she asked, raising a brow. “You don’t even have underwear on.”I smirked. “I’m heading to the door.” She rolled her eyes and nodded. “Alright”I walked out of the when I opened the door, Raul was standing there, shaking his head like he’d seen too much. I made sure I kept myself well hidden, so why was he acting like he could see through the door I had used as a shield?“Come on, man!” he groaned. “Put some damn shorts on!”“How do you even know I’m naked?” I asked, leaning on the doorframe.“If you weren’t naked, you wouldn’t be hiding behind the door like that,” he said, laughing.I grunted. “Where’s the package I told you to get?”He lifted a small black bag and tossed it to me. “Right here.” “Were you able to get it?” I asked and he nodded.“You will be impressed.” He spoke
Damien The feeling of Alison’s soft body pressed against mine was everything. For a moment, it felt like the world stopped spinning. The second our lips touched, I felt like I was floating. Like I had finally made it home.I didn’t pull away. I didn’t want to. I kissed her slowly, deeply, like it might be the last time I’d ever get to. And she kissed me back with the same need, the same fire. We breathed between kisses, our lips barely leaving each other’s, both of us trying to hold on to the moment for as long as we could.Then I suddenly heard a loud whistle.At that moment, I broke the kiss. I turned my head slightly, still keeping Alison close. Raul stood a few steps away, grinning like an idiot. He gave us a thumbs-up and said, “Took you long enough, man.”I rolled my eyes, smiling a little. I kept my arms firmly around Alison as Hernando walked over. He flashed me a serious expression, but slowly the look in his eyes lightened.“We need to get her inside,” Hernando said. “The
Alison The sound of heavy rain woke me from my sleep. I blinked, confused for a moment. My eyes moved around the room, trying to remember where I was.There was no white walls or metallic doors. My eyes met with a small wooden table which was engulfed by the curtains that the wind kept shoving in different directions.My eyes fell on the mattress I was lying on. It was on the ground and not on a metallic surface.During that moment, it hit me—I wasn’t in the mental facility anymore. I was in the little home on the outskirts of town. The one Henry had snuck me to just yesterday.But it still felt like a dream. Everything had happened so fast. Henry’s crazy plan. The escape. The lies. The risk.I remembered how I had reacted when he first told me.“Fake my death?!” I shouted.“Shh!” Henry tried to calm me down, glancing around nervously. “Do you want people to hear us?”“No,” I whispered back, lowering my voice. We were in the middle of a yoga class, stretching on thin mats.I bent f
Damien The news was everywhere by Monday. Blasted across headlines, whispered in hushed voices on radio stations, and dissected by reporters with hollow empathy. “Alison Jones Confirmed Dead—Wife of Billionaire and Harrow town’s mayor—Aiden Jones Dies at Mental Health Facility.” I sat frozen, glued to the television screen, every pixel stabbing through my chest like broken glass. My fingers curled tightly around the neck of the bottle in my hand as I watched the funeral procession unfold on the live broadcast. The camera zoomed in on the black casket being lowered into the ground, surrounded by roses and men in dark suits. Front and center, flanked by a fortress of bodyguards, stood Aiden Jones. He wore a neutral expression at first then suddenly his expression changed and he appeared sad like he had just been stabbed in the heart. I narrowed my eyes at the screen, hate burning under my skin like wildfire. “I wish I could make you cry for real,” I muttered under my breat
Damien Henry stood in front of me, lips pressed into a tight line, eyes flicking nervously toward the ground. Outside suddenly felt too quiet. The sound of chirping birds had disappeared, all I could hear was my own breathing. I glanced behind him, expecting to see Alison. But the space behind him was empty. My throat tightened. “Where is she?” I asked, trying to keep the edge out of my voice but I failed. Henry furrowed his brows, hesitating just long enough to raise my suspicions further. “There’s a lot we need to talk about,” he said cautiously. My heart dropped. “Is she dead?” The words scraped out of me like gravel. I hated how they sounded. Final. Cold. “No,” he said quickly. “She’s not.” Before I could demand more answers, Hernando’s voice rang from behind him and he took a step forward. “Let’s step into the study, we can discuss more about it there.” I turned to him sharply, my eyes narrowing. “I want answers. Now!” “You will get your answers, Damien,” Hernando said
Damien "You told me this was going to be a fast operation," I said, my frustration spilling over as I watched Hernando walk out of his study.I had been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for news from Henry, and I was beginning to lose my patience.Hernando didn’t even look at me as he adjusted the cuffs of his sleeve. "It is. You need to calm down, Damien," he said as he continued his slow stride across the hall. "It has been a week, Hernando," I shot back. "It’s been a damn week. How much longer are we supposed to wait for this job to be done?"He finally stopped walking and turned to face me, that typical smile playing on his lips. "The job will be done. You’re just too impatient." His tone was infuriatingly casual as if he couldn’t understand the gravity of the situation."I can’t calm down," I muttered, more to myself than to him. This wasn’t just about a job. It was about Alison.I couldn’t sit still and wait forever, not when every passing minute felt like it was slipping awa