AIDENAfter I dropped Selena off at her mother's house, I instructed my men to stay away for today, I was giving her the day off to be with her family. She didn't have to worry about being followed or being watched. I wanted her to enjoy the feeling of living a regular life like she used to, once I was sure she was safe inside I drove straight to the company for a business meeting. As I sat in the meeting, nodding and pretending to be interested in the details of the new deal, my mind kept wandering back to Selena. The way her hair fell in soft curls around her face and the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled at the sight of her mother was all I could think about. I had never seen her so happy like that before and for a second I envied her mother and sister, I wished Selena could smile that way when she looked at me, not the pretentious smile but the genuine one."We would have to demand seventy percent because we are not only going into a partnership but also providing the first
AIDEN I got into the car dumbfounded and lost, Max started the car engine and drove off avoiding the paparazzi. "We have a lead, Sir," Max informed me looking at me through the rearview mirror, I could see the worry in his eyes, I couldn't tell if it was for me or for Selena's well-being. "When did this happen? Why was I informed late?" I questioned rhetorically leaning into the seat and looking through my phone, there were a series of messages from my sister and calls from my mother and father. With the news out about my secret wedding, I knew it was bound to happen, it was a win that I was officially married and able to have access to the company shares but it wasn't a win because my father was not going to approve of the secret marriage. I placed my hand on my forehead rubbing gently, I needed to figure things out before they got out of my control. "We have been able to tail the bus," Max explained turning into the highway, his speed increasing.I remembered telling all of th
SELENAI could feel the cold steel of the pocket knife pressed against my cheek. The man gripped my hair, pulling my head back to expose more of my face. I remained as still as possible, not daring to make a move that might provoke him.My eyes were red with tears streaming down my face to my ear.Just then, there was a knock at the door. The man paused, glancing over at the door with the pocket knife still in place. For a moment, I held my breath, hoping whoever it was would make him stop whatever he wanted to do."Speak," the man yelled, his voice rough and menacing."We are live boss," came a muffled reply from the other side of the door.I could see a glint of happiness in the man's eyes as he stared at me, the pocket knife still hovering in front of my face. He cupped my face tightly leaning closer as I winced in pain, "So, Mrs Selena Frazier, let's discuss," he said letting go of my face and snapping his finger as the door opened on cue with two men stepping inside.They bowed
AIDENI couldn't believe what I had just read on the note.Anger boiled inside me as I squeezed the paper in my hand, crumpling it into a ball. As I entered my mansion and headed to my library, I could hear the maids whispering amongst themselves about my unusual behavior, but I didn't care, I was certain by now that they were aware of my predicament.My mind was consumed with thoughts of how to help Selena as soon as possible. "Sir, don't you think the box looks familiar to the one we received some months back?" Max asked following behind as I entered the library. I took my sit on my chair placing the box containing the bundle of hair in front of me as I stared at him wondering which box he was referring to and then it hit me that the box in front of me was similar to a certain mysterious package I had received some months back."What was in that box again?" I asked leaning into the chair. "A wristwatch," he replied. I watched as Max skillfully walked to the shelf and climbed up
AIDEN"It all makes sense now, the hair, the purse, the wristwatch," I said looking at the item on my table. "I am going to kill that bastard.""At some point, I was certain the bastard was dead," Axel said, his voice growing louder.I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, memories flooding back to me. "I should have killed him a long time ago," I said, my voice shaking with anger.Orion Ciscar.The leader of the rival gang that had killed my mother My mind wandered back to the past, to a time when I was young and naive. It was a time before my mother was killed before my world was turned upside down.I had grown up in a tough neighborhood filled with rival gangs. The leader of the gang that opposed ours was Matteo Ciscar. He was a fierce and ruthless man, feared by everyone in the neighborhood. He had a reputation for being cunning and merciless, and my father's gang was no match for him.One day, my mother was caught in the crossfire between the two gangs. She was an innocent byst
SELENAIt felt like a dream when Orion finally dashed out when he was about to do something sinister after cutting my hair, placing it in a box, and handing it over to his men.I was grateful his men had called him outside but the sound of gunshots started to echo loudly through the wall as my heart started pounding in my chest at what was going on out there and how I was going to be able to get out of here alive. I felt weak and powerless strapped to the chair, I had cried so much within the short period of time, that I was starting to feel a migraine on my forehead, I struggled on the chair trying to break free but with each struggle, it felt like the ropes were getting tighter than lose.Suddenly the door fled open startling me, and there he was.Aiden.My fake husband. He scanned the room frantic as his eyes fell on mine, he stood still not taking a step, his eyes filled with anger and shock.I was glad to see his face for the first time in my life, I was glad that he had come t
SELENAI tried to get out of bed but my mother held me in place, "I am sure, the maids must have...." "Someone is screaming mum, something must have happened," I interrupted her getting out of bed. His mother and sister had never come to visit him since I have been staying here or maybe they had and I wasn't aware and Brianna was also receiving treatment. Anything could have happened and I just couldn't sit here quietly and wait for him. I dashed out of my room as my mother followed behind hot on my trail. I was close to the stairs when she grabbed me by the arm stopping me on my track, her eyes looking downstairs to the living room where I could see Aiden, his mum, and sister discussing. There were shards of glass on the floor around them but none of the maids had come out yet to sweep it off, they seemed to be lurking in the shadows eavesdropping on their conversation or waiting for Aiden to call them to do it. "We accepted that you didn't want to marry Natalia because of whate
AIDENI couldn't believe that my mother had slapped Selena's mother, I knew she was always vicious but I didn't expect her to do that. I should have been upset that Selena had slapped her but I wasn't, a part of me would have done the same but raising my hand on a woman was a big no for me. Instead, I held on to my mother's hand raised in the air as she tried to slap Selena for laying her hands on her. She screamed at me as I held her hand, her eyes widening in shock at my action. I pulled her by the arm dragging her towards the door, she barely came to my house to visit and after some long she came to cause trouble for me. Astrid held on to my hand trying to stop me but I pulled her along as well."Please don't do this brother," Astrid pleaded. I was sure she didn't want to be here but my mother had dragged her along."I don't want to ever see the both of you in my house," I warned as I shoved them out, my mother staggering back as Astrid grabbed onto her. I signaled the two body
~ TWO YEAR LATER ~ As the sun peeked through the stained glass windows of the quaint church, casting a warm glow on the pews and aisle, an air of excitement and anticipation filled the atmosphere. Today was a special day for Axel and Claire, as they were about to embark on a journey of love and commitment in front of family and friends. The delicate scent of flowers wafted through the air, adorning every corner of the church with their vibrant colors. The essence of love was palpable, adding an extra layer of magic to the already enchanting ambiance. Soft music played gently in the background, setting the perfect mood for the upcoming union. As the guests started to fill the pews, their eyes filled with joy and enthusiasm at the sight of loved ones coming together to celebrate the union of Axel and Claire. Aiden, Selena, and their son, Alex, and daughter Brianna alongside Astrid and her boyfriend Tom sat on one side, beaming with pride and excitement. Guests were the extended f
"Her water just broke," Aiden announced. They all got on their feet, Claire and Astrid rushed to her side helping her stand up as they could see the pain etched on her face, while the men ran to get the car ready. It didn't take long when they arrived at the hospital and she was taken to the theater in excruciating pain, Aiden remained outside the reception with Claire, Astrid, Axel, and Tom before the doctor informed him that he could join his wife."Everything is going to be alright," Aiden reassured her when he entered the ward to find her lying on the bed, her hand extended for him to come hold her. "It hurts so bad," Selena cried out. "Sorry," Aiden replied holding her hand in his firmly and planting a kiss on her forehead. He didn't know how else to comfort her, he could see the pain in her eyes and could only hope the delivery would happen sooner.After hours of labor pain, Aiden holding her hand and trying to soothe her pain with reassuring words, delivery began.Aiden had
"You are serious?" Claire asked just to be sure Axel wasn't joking around.He barely nodded his head to sign yes when she pulled him in for a hug, of course, she was going to move in with him and travel to another country if that was what he wanted.Everything seemed to be moving too fast when it came to how they felt for each other but for the first time in many years, she felt loved. She didn't feel like she was forcing herself on Axel like she had forced Luke to love her.Axel loved her and she could see it."I am happy for you guys," Astrid squeaked with joy, it had been a while since she last saw Axel looking at a woman the way he looked at Claire. It was like she and Selena weren't even in the room."By the way, there is something I was going to tell you, Axel, I hope I am not ruining the mood," Selena said. "I already told Claire and Astrid yesterday that -""Selena is pregnant," Astrid took the word right out of her mouth. "Are you sure you are not the one who is pregnant?" C
"Yeah, as friends. I think that would be better for both of us at the moment, I feel there are still a lot of things we don't know about each other and-""Are you joking?" Claire's eyes widened as she adjusted herself on the bed again, her face etched with confusion at Axel's words as her eyes darted from him to his hands on hers."Hey!" Axel placed his hand on her chin raising her head so he could see her face, was she crying? "Claire? I was joking," he laughed out. "I didn't find it funny," Claire smacked his hand off her chin. Axel chuckled at her reaction, "I am sorry, didn't know you were a crybaby.""What? I am not," Claire protested looking away from him. How could he tease her like that? It wasn't her fault that she had thought he was being serious about them being 'just friends' when she was attracted to him. "You look cute when you lie," Axel smirked, he placed his hand on her chin tilting her head gently to face him as he kissed her on the lips. "I will have them bring s
“Where the hell is she?” Axel yelled grabbing him by the collar, he didn’t want to believe that Claire was dead, the time period was too short for them to kill her and her clothes had no sign of blood stain when he pulled it out from the boot. “Let me off and I will tell you, lover boy,” Vincent laughed. Aiden reached for his phone immediately in his pocket, dialing one of the bodyguards who was back at Emily’s house, “Check around the house, she has to be hidden somewhere,” Aiden ordered on the first ring. “We found her boss. Was about to call you, she is unconscious,” the bodyguard replied. “Alright,” Aiden said disconnecting the call and staring at Axel who was holding back on punching Vincent in the face. “She is alright, we might just need to get her to the hospital, quickly.” “You should have stayed in jail,” Axel said to Vincent punching him in the face as Aiden held him by the waist pulling him back. “Let me go Aiden, we need to end him right now so he doesn’t come back t
“Claire,” Axel called out staring at Vincent on the laptop, his hand forming into a fist as he caused under his breath. He hadn’t anticipated seeing Vincent, wasn’t he supposed to be in jail awaiting his death sentence? This was the reason he had been against Claire going to see Emily, he reached for the door ready to hop out as Aiden grabbed him by the wrist.“Our men are already circling the building, he can’t get away with it,” Aiden said.“You want me to sit here and allow Vincent to kill her?” Axel asked shoving Aiden’s hand away, he stared at Selena and Astrid who were in disbelief at the sight of Vincent, he opened the van door and hopped out running down the street to Emily’s house.Axel ran down the street as quickly as his legs could take him, he couldn’t believe that Vincent had escaped from jail and worse Emily was working for him, what was she bound to gain from Vincent? That douchebag! He should have shot him dead a long time ago instead of hoping that the system would
THE NEXT MORNING, Aiden briefed everyone on the plan again in the van a street away from Emily's house, "If you feel uncomfortable at any moment, you just think of an excuse and leave," Aiden reminded Claire."Sure," Claire nodded. Axel walked up to her helping her put on the camera properly over her shirt button, the camera design looked like a button from afar, "this is a recording device," Axel said, placing a pen into the pocket of her shirt. "Axel, can we talk about…" Claire spoke in a low tone. She had been trying to speak to him all morning but he seemed to be avoiding the question, she didn't know why he would just listen to her so she could explain everything to him. "After," Axel cut her off. "Do you have your earbuds on?" He asked instead. "Yeah I do," she nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear so he could see it. "I was going to tell you, believe me," Claire whispered in a low voice. "What part of after don't you understand?"She bit the bottom of her lips, sad by hi
"I was just joking," Claire brushed it off at the puzzled look on Axel's face, she didn't know why she had blurted something out like that to him. Never in a million years had she asked any man that question, she smiled trying to make him see that she was bluffing."Yes.""What?" She gasped. "You… you will be my boyfriend?""Isn't that what you want? Yes, I will," Axel nodded, kissing her on the lips as her eyes widened in shock, unable to comprehend that Axel just agreed without any hint of hesitation in his voice.She watched him get out of bed and into the bathroom as she scratched the back of her head, playing back what had just happened in her head. She was about to get out of bed when the door opened with Astrid entering, she dashed out back at the sight of Claire lying naked on the bed."I am so sorry, please I didn't mean to badge in, I am so sorry," Astrid apologized. "Shit," Claire cursed, she could have sworn she used the key when locking the door or was it Axel who locked
"Don't start what you can't finish," Claire whispered. "What?" Axel chuckled. "Don't look at me like that, you just end up stealing kisses when you want to and I think that should stop," Claire said standing up but she soon came crashing into the bed as Axel grabbed her by her wrist. He grabbed her by the waist shoving her on the bed as he hovered over her, "What naughty ideas have you been thinking while I was away?" He asked with a smirk on his face. "Don't flatter yourself, mister.""So, you didn't think about my lips on yours while I was away?" Axel teased. Claire stared at him trying not to give him the benefit of the doubt but her face was suddenly turning red and she could tell from the smile on his face, darn her face.Maybe she had thought about him and she didn't know why exactly, it wasn't like Axel was laying claim on her but he had kissed her like he was, she didn't want to assume his feelings for her, it was best to stop him from kissing her any chance he got but now