The dimly lit room reeked of sweat and decay, the flickering light from a lone bulb casting eerie shadows across the damp walls. Alexa opened her eyes slowly, every movement sending waves of pain coursing through her body. The metallic taste of blood lingered in her mouth as she struggled to process her surroundings.Then she saw him—Marcus. His tall, imposing frame was shrouded in darkness, but the gleam of his cruel smile was unmistakable. Her heart raced, fear gripping her chest like a vice."Well, well," Marcus drawled, stepping closer, his boots clicking against the concrete floor. "How’s the honeymoon going, Alexa?"His voice dripped with mockery, and Alexa felt her breath hitch. She clenched her fists, willing herself not to cry. She couldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear."Boss," she managed to whis
Dante arrived at the secluded private caretaking home, a modest building tucked away from prying eyes. The place looked quiet, but nothing about it seemed unusual. He stepped inside, the faint scent of disinfectant lingering in the air. At first glance, everything appeared normal. But as he went further, it felt different.The house was eerily quiet, the usual faint hum of activity absent. Dante frowned, stepping inside. The main room was as tidy as ever, but the silence was unsettling.“Mia?” he called, his voice echoing in the stillness.He strode down the short corridor to her room, his chest tightening with unease. When he pushed the door open, the sight before him made his stomach drop. The bed was neatly made, as though no one had been there at all. Mia was gone.Dante spun around, moving quickly to check the other rooms. The caretaker’s office was empty, as was
After leaving the hospital, Julian's mind was still spinning from Miss Yvonne’s words. He tried to focus, but everything seemed to blur together. His thoughts were interrupted when he met with Mr. Lee, the private investigator he had hired. Mr. Lee greeted him with his usual calm demeanor, but the look in his eyes told Julian that something wasn’t right.“I’ve dug into Alexa’s background,” Mr. Lee began, his tone serious. “And there’s something you need to know—Alexa wasn’t from the employment agency. I couldn’t find much about her, but all signs point to her being a spy.”Julian felt the ground shift beneath him. His breath caught in his chest, and for a moment, he couldn’t process the shock. A spy?It didn’t make sense. Alexa had never given him any indication of such a thing.He shook his head, a mix of disbelief
The stale air in Marcus’s darkened room suffocated Alexa as she stood trembling before him. Her ribs ached from his earlier blows, and her knees threatened to give out beneath her. Marcus’s sharp eyes bore into her, void of mercy."You have three days," he hissed, pacing in front of her like a predator circling its prey. "Three days to finish what you started, or I’ll make sure you don’t leave this world in one piece." Alexa’s breath hitched. She wanted to protest, to plead for a chance to escape his grasp, but Marcus cut her off with a sharp backhand. Her cheek burned as fresh tears spilled from her eyes. "Don’t even think about failing me," he continued, his voice cold and final. "This time, you’ll have no excuses. The golden watch will be in my hands, or you’ll regret ever being born." He motioned to one of his men, who handed her a small, cheap phone. "Morning and night," Marcus barked. "You call me for updates. Don’t forget, Alexa—" He leaned closer, his rancid breath makin
The warm glow of the bedside lamp cast soft shadows across the room, but the weight of unspoken words darkened the space. Alexa sat upright against the pillows, her trembling fingers clutching the edge of the blanket. Across from her, Julian stood, arms crossed, his gaze piercing and unrelenting. For several moments, neither spoke. The silence between them was heavy, almost suffocating. Julian’s jaw tightened as he finally broke the stillness. “Who are you, Alexa?” His voice was steady but laced with an edge of impatience. The question struck Alexa like a physical blow, her heart hammering against her ribs. She had prepared for this moment countless times in her mind, but now, staring into Julian’s penetrating gaze, every rehearsed word dissolved. “I…” she started, her voice faltering. Fear clawed at her throat. She didn’t want to lie anymore—especially not to him. But the shadow of Marcus loomed large in her mind, his threats echoing like a sinister mantra. “Alexa,” Julian s
The secluded bar was dimly lit, the faint smell of whiskey and tobacco lingering in the air. Julian sat at a corner booth, his posture tense as he swirled the glass of bourbon in his hand. Across from him, Mr. Lee placed a thick folder on the table, his expression grave.“Mr. Salvatore,” Mr. Lee began, his tone cautious. “The information we’ve gathered about Alexa is... troubling.”Julian’s chest tightened. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “Go on.”Mr. Lee opened the file, revealing photographs, documents, and transcripts. He pulled out a picture and slid it toward Julian. It showed Alexa being dropped off from a dark car near the villa gates. Her frail figure stumbled as the vehicle sped away.“This was taken the night she returned to your estate,” Mr. Lee explained. “The vehicle
In the dim light of Marcus’s lavish study, a faint red light blinked on the recorder he had discreetly embedded in Alexa’s belongings. As the voices of Julian, Theo, and Alexa played back, Marcus’s face darkened. His jaw tightened with rage as Julian’s accusations thundered through the recording.“Idiota,” Marcus spat, slamming his fist onto the desk. “That girl is a liability now.”One of his men approached cautiously. “Boss, what’s the plan?”Marcus exhaled sharply, his mind racing. “Julian Salvatore is not a man to cross, especially when his guard is up. Block our location— I need to leave. Ensure no one can reach us for the meantime. And prepare the jet. We’re leaving the country tonight.”“Yes, boss.”
Alexa sat on the edge of her bed, her trembling fingers clutching the mini phone Marcus had forced on her. She dialed his number repeatedly, each attempt met with silence. The call wouldn’t connect. Panic gripped her as the reality set in—Marcus must have figured out what was happening and cut her off.Her mind raced. What would he do now? If Marcus knew his plan was unraveling, he wouldn’t hesitate to abandon her, leaving her to face Julian’s wrath alone. She swallowed hard, her chest tightening as she realized she was truly on her own.---Miles away, in a modest apartment, Mia sat beside Roberto, her hands clasped tightly as she stared at the computer screen. Tears streamed down her face, her desperation evident.“I need to find my daughter,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “even if it means going with t
Morning sunlight illuminated the polished surfaces of Julian’s private office, casting a golden glow on the tension that hung in the air. Julian sat at his desk, leaning forward with an intense expression as Mr. Lee, his trusted investigator, stood across from him.“Dante’s movements are peculiar,” Mr. Lee began, placing a file on the desk. “He’s been visiting various inns, hotels, and guesthouses. Quietly, but not without leaving traces.”Julian’s brow furrowed as he flipped through the file. Photographs and reports detailed Dante’s visits, dates and times meticulously noted. “What’s he doing? Could this be related to Alexa? Or the watch?”Mr. Lee nodded slowly. “It might be. From what we’ve gathered, it seems he’s searching for someone. And we believe it’s a woman.” He
Miss Yvonne sat at the edge of her bed, her frail frame leaning heavily against the pillows. Despite her discharge from the hospital, her body felt weak, her movements slow and deliberate. She was home, but her heart weighed her down even more than her illness.Theo had visited her that morning, updating her on the turmoil that had unfolded at the villa. His words painted a picture of chaos—Julian’s wrath, Alexa's situation, and the strange bond between Julian and Alexa. The news had shaken her deeply. She had always known Julian as a man of control and strategy, but this? This was personal, and it was tearing him apart.The thought of Julian suffering silently tugged at her heart, but it was Alexa who worried her the most. The girl seemed lost, burdened with secrets and sorrows too heavy for her young shoulders.With a soft sigh, Miss Yvonne rose, clutching h
Julian stormed into his command center, his face like thunder, his fury palpable in the air. His team of guards and security personnel scrambled to follow his rapid-fire orders. The betrayal had ignited something deep within him, a fire that would not be extinguished until Marcus was found and brought to his knees.“Have you locked down all exit routes?” Julian barked, his sharp gaze sweeping over his team.“Yes, sir,” Theo replied, stepping forward. “All international and local airports have been notified. Marcus’s name has been flagged, and any attempt to board a flight will be immediately reported. We’ve also intercepted multiple bookings under fake identities, all leading back to him. He’s grounded.”Julian’s eyes narrowed. “And yet you still haven’t found his location?”T
Julian’s hands tightened into fists as he paced the length of his study, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached. The golden watch, gleaming under the dim light, sat on the desk, an unspoken reminder of the betrayal he hadn’t seen coming. His thoughts churned with fury. Someone was after his watch—an item that held an irreplaceable place in his heart—and it had to be her. He stared grimly at her. His breathing was heavy, his chest heaving with the effort to contain the storm of emotions swirling inside him. Of all the people in the world, why did it have to be her? His gaze flickered back to Alexa, who stood trembling near the door, her face pale and tear-streaked. He wanted to demand answers, to unleash the storm of emotions tearing him apart, but the lump forming in his throat stopped him. She wasn’t just another enemy. She was Alexa—the woman he had come to love, even if he hadn’t admitted it to himself. And that realization made her betrayal cut deeper. “You were sent to stea
Alexa sat on the edge of her bed, her trembling fingers clutching the mini phone Marcus had forced on her. She dialed his number repeatedly, each attempt met with silence. The call wouldn’t connect. Panic gripped her as the reality set in—Marcus must have figured out what was happening and cut her off.Her mind raced. What would he do now? If Marcus knew his plan was unraveling, he wouldn’t hesitate to abandon her, leaving her to face Julian’s wrath alone. She swallowed hard, her chest tightening as she realized she was truly on her own.---Miles away, in a modest apartment, Mia sat beside Roberto, her hands clasped tightly as she stared at the computer screen. Tears streamed down her face, her desperation evident.“I need to find my daughter,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “even if it means going with t
In the dim light of Marcus’s lavish study, a faint red light blinked on the recorder he had discreetly embedded in Alexa’s belongings. As the voices of Julian, Theo, and Alexa played back, Marcus’s face darkened. His jaw tightened with rage as Julian’s accusations thundered through the recording.“Idiota,” Marcus spat, slamming his fist onto the desk. “That girl is a liability now.”One of his men approached cautiously. “Boss, what’s the plan?”Marcus exhaled sharply, his mind racing. “Julian Salvatore is not a man to cross, especially when his guard is up. Block our location— I need to leave. Ensure no one can reach us for the meantime. And prepare the jet. We’re leaving the country tonight.”“Yes, boss.”
The secluded bar was dimly lit, the faint smell of whiskey and tobacco lingering in the air. Julian sat at a corner booth, his posture tense as he swirled the glass of bourbon in his hand. Across from him, Mr. Lee placed a thick folder on the table, his expression grave.“Mr. Salvatore,” Mr. Lee began, his tone cautious. “The information we’ve gathered about Alexa is... troubling.”Julian’s chest tightened. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “Go on.”Mr. Lee opened the file, revealing photographs, documents, and transcripts. He pulled out a picture and slid it toward Julian. It showed Alexa being dropped off from a dark car near the villa gates. Her frail figure stumbled as the vehicle sped away.“This was taken the night she returned to your estate,” Mr. Lee explained. “The vehicle
The warm glow of the bedside lamp cast soft shadows across the room, but the weight of unspoken words darkened the space. Alexa sat upright against the pillows, her trembling fingers clutching the edge of the blanket. Across from her, Julian stood, arms crossed, his gaze piercing and unrelenting. For several moments, neither spoke. The silence between them was heavy, almost suffocating. Julian’s jaw tightened as he finally broke the stillness. “Who are you, Alexa?” His voice was steady but laced with an edge of impatience. The question struck Alexa like a physical blow, her heart hammering against her ribs. She had prepared for this moment countless times in her mind, but now, staring into Julian’s penetrating gaze, every rehearsed word dissolved. “I…” she started, her voice faltering. Fear clawed at her throat. She didn’t want to lie anymore—especially not to him. But the shadow of Marcus loomed large in her mind, his threats echoing like a sinister mantra. “Alexa,” Julian s
The stale air in Marcus’s darkened room suffocated Alexa as she stood trembling before him. Her ribs ached from his earlier blows, and her knees threatened to give out beneath her. Marcus’s sharp eyes bore into her, void of mercy."You have three days," he hissed, pacing in front of her like a predator circling its prey. "Three days to finish what you started, or I’ll make sure you don’t leave this world in one piece." Alexa’s breath hitched. She wanted to protest, to plead for a chance to escape his grasp, but Marcus cut her off with a sharp backhand. Her cheek burned as fresh tears spilled from her eyes. "Don’t even think about failing me," he continued, his voice cold and final. "This time, you’ll have no excuses. The golden watch will be in my hands, or you’ll regret ever being born." He motioned to one of his men, who handed her a small, cheap phone. "Morning and night," Marcus barked. "You call me for updates. Don’t forget, Alexa—" He leaned closer, his rancid breath makin