I woke up the next morning with the pale light of dawn seeping through the heavy drapes. Every part of my body ached, but the worst of the pain throbbed between my legs, a cruel reminder of the previous night’s horrors. As I tried to shift on the bed, a wave of nausea swept over me, and I closed my eyes, willing myself to stay calm. The room was eerily silent, the kind of quiet that came after a storm. I was alone, but the presence of his cruelty lingered, a suffocating weight that pressed down on me. I forced myself to sit up, biting back a groan as pain shot through my body. Each movement felt like a battle. Slowly, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, wobbling slightly. The room spun for a moment, but I steadied myself, taking deep breaths. I glanced at the large wedding picture on the wall, my face staring back at me with that forced smile. It felt like a mockery, a reminder of the life I was now trapped in. I made my way to the bathroom, each step a painfu
GRAYSON'S POV I leaned back in my leather chair, gazing out the office window at the bustling cityscape below. The phone felt heavy in my hand, my eyes glued to its screen. My men conducted business in the background, their voices a distant hum as I focused intently on the live feed from my new wife. Florence handed her the phone, and I watched as she clutched it, rushing to the bedroom. This moment was carefully orchestrated; I knew exactly what she would do once she had her phone back. As she unlocked it, a glimmer of hope lit up her eyes. She went straight to her contacts, pausing with her finger hovering over her brother's name, her face a portrait of desperation. I smirked, satisfaction swelling within me. My fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk as I savored her internal struggle, each second dragging out the tension. Just as she was about to press 'call,' I rang her phone. The sudden ring startled her, and I watched the fleeting hope drain from her face as my name, save
GRAYSON I climbed into the car, slamming the door shut with enough force to rattle the windows. Ariana's eyes widened with fear as I jammed the key into the ignition and floored the gas pedal, the tires squealing as we shot forward. Rage surged through my veins, clouding my judgement. Ariana's screams pierced through my anger, her voice barely audible over the roar of the engine. "Slow down!" she shouted, gripping the edge of her seat. "You're going to get us killed!" Her words only fueled my rage. My knuckles whitened on the steering wheel as I tore through the city streets, weaving in and out of traffic with reckless abandon. "Fine! Do whatever you want!" she yelled, her voice cracking with fear. "But if something happens to this thing I'm carrying, it'll be on you. And I'll be just fine." That did it. I slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a violent halt. Without thinking, I yanked her out of the car, my anger boiling over. "What did you just say?" I snarled, my v
ARIANA I felt him pull out of me abruptly, but the wave of excitement still coursed through my body, leaving me trembling and breathless. I couldn't think straight, couldn't understand why he'd stopped. My body was still riding high, the shivers of pleasure refusing to fade. But as the intensity subsided, reality came crashing back, and I cursed under my breath, cursing myself for what had just happened. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This wasn't how I ever imagined myself—over the moon, by the man I hated. My body had betrayed me, responding to his rough touch with a pleasure I didn't want to acknowledge. Why had I come so hard? Why? The questions gnawed at me, shame and disgust swirling in my mind. How could I have let this happen? As I struggled to process it all, I felt him turn toward me. My heart raced, but not with the same fervour as before. This time, it was fear and humiliation. I kept my eyes shut tight, refusing to meet his gaze. I couldn’t bear the thought of
ARIANA I forced a smile, struggling to conceal the unease twisting in my gut. Lucian's wife, however, was far less amused. Her gaze was like icy daggers, each one piercing straight through me. I wanted to look away, but I held her stare, refusing to let her see how much she intimidated me. "Shall we?" Lucian's voice shattered the tense silence. He extended an arm toward the grand staircase that spiralled up to the upper floors. Without waiting for a response, he led the way, his wife following closely behind. My husband's grip on my waist tightened as we began to ascend the stairs. I could feel his tension—the way his body seemed coiled, ready to spring at a moment's notice. It did nothing to calm my nerves. At the top of the staircase, a pair of heavy, ornately carved doors loomed ahead. With a flourish, Lucian pushed them open, revealing a grand dining room beyond. The table was set for an elaborate meal, but the atmosphere was anything but welcoming. At the head of the
ARIANA I felt her nails dig deeper into my cheeks, the sting making my eyes water. My heart raced, not just from fear but from the rising irritation building inside me. I couldn’t take much more of this. Gathering my strength, I grabbed her wrists, pushing her hands away with a firm, controlled force.“Listen, woman,” I snapped, my voice laced with irritation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, and frankly, I don’t care! Whatever your husband and—" I stopped myself just in time, the name 'Skyler' nearly slipping out. My heart pounded in my chest, but I couldn't let her see my slip-up. Her eyes narrowed, and she lunged at me again, her expression twisted with rage.But this time, I was ready. I caught her wrist in midair, gripping it tightly, and with a quick, deliberate motion, I pried her away from me with enough force to make her stagger back. Her eyes widened in shock, her stance faltering as she tried to regain her balance.“That’s enough!” I snarled, my patience gone, the
GRAYSON The defiance in her voice, the audacity to say no to me, ignited a fire I hadn’t felt in years. My hands stilled on the last button of my shirt, the fabric half-open, exposing the tattoos inked across my chest. Her refusal wasn’t just a word; it was a challenge—a direct affront to the control I held over her over everything. My jaw tightened as I watched her, her shoulders squared, her eyes locked onto mine with a mixture of fear and rebellion. She didn’t flinch, not even when the air between us crackled with the tension of unspoken threats. I could see her trembling, but she stood her ground, refusing to bend. The sight of her like this—angry, determined—was infuriating, but it also stirred something else inside me, something I couldn’t name but couldn’t ignore. I took a slow, deliberate step toward her, watching as her breath hitched in her throat. I could see the effort it took for her not to back away, to hold her ground even as I closed the distance between us. The
GRAYSON The revelation hit me like a sledgehammer, shattering through the wall of fury that had consumed me moments before. SKYLER. The woman I had spent years searching for, the woman who had disappeared without a trace, leaving a void that I had filled with anger, power, and control."Where?" I forced the word out, my voice raw and hoarse.Tony hesitated, knowing the gravity of what he was about to say. "She’s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We tracked her to a secluded estate in the hills. The place is heavily guarded, but there's no doubt— it’s her."For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions—disbelief and anger. But above all, I need to get to that bitch right away. "Send me the address," I demanded, my voice barely more than a growl. My heart pounded in my chest, a chaotic drumbeat that drowned out all rational thought. I needed to see it with my own eyes. I needed to see her.My phone chimed with a notification right away. I glanced down and saw the loca
ARIANA Grayson’s steady presence over the past few days had been a balm to my frayed emotions. He wasn’t overly affectionate or smothering, but he stayed by my side in quiet solidarity, offering comfort in ways only he could. Whether it was the small gestures, like ensuring I ate or sitting with me during my sleepless nights, his presence had become a lifeline.It was after one of those long, quiet nights, with dawn breaking and spilling soft light into the room, that I realized I was ready to let go of the past—or at least try. Clinging to the pain wouldn’t change what had happened. And Grayson, in his own way, had shown me that moving forward was the only way to truly live.Grayson and I hadn’t spoken much about Florence or Skyler since that explosive confrontation. But I knew he’d made his decision, prompted, no doubt, by my brothers. Gabriel had insisted he let them go, arguing that the cycle of anger and vengeance had to end somewhere. To my surprise, Grayson agreed—not because
ARIANA The tension in the car was thick enough to cut with a knife. Grayson drove in silence, his grip on the steering wheel firm. Gabriel sat in the passenger seat, his usual stoic demeanour intact. In the back, Ethan on my left stared out the window, while Mathew on my right leaned back, his eyes darting between me and the others. I couldn’t sit still, my thoughts spinning wildly after everything Gabriel had told me.Florence, our aunt. Skyler, her daughter. And yet, I still had questions. Questions Gabriel hadn’t fully answered.Unable to stay silent any longer, I leaned forward, poking my head between the front seats. My eyes fixed on Gabriel. “Are you absolutely sure you had no clue that Skyler was her daughter?” Gabriel sighed, his expression as unreadable as ever. “No, Ariana,” he said firmly. “I didn’t.” I looked ahead at the road, my mind spinning. Then, almost involuntarily, my gaze flicked back to Gabriel. “But why does she look so much like…” My voice trailed off befo
ARIANA Gabriel's sharp gaze softened unexpectedly, catching me off guard. "As much as I want to break you two apart, I won't," he said, his voice calm, almost resigned. "I'm not here to do that. I just wanted to check on all of you, but it looks like you're much better than I thought." My mouth fell open. Had I heard him, right? Was this some sort of trick? My heart raced even faster than when he had first walked through the door. I tried to read his face, but his expression was maddeningly neutral. Gabriel wasn’t the kind of man to sugarcoat his words or play games. If he wanted to make his disapproval known, he would. But now...he was standing here, saying he wouldn’t tear me and Grayson apart. My chest tightened, confusion swirling with a strange relief. "Y-you’re serious?" I managed to say, my voice cracking slightly. Before Gabriel could respond, Mathew—never one to stay silent—opened his mouth. "She and I nearly—" Panic shot through me like lightning. Without thinking
GRAYSON I stood frozen, my mind reeling as I tried to process what he had just said. He was there? My father had done unspeakable things in his life, but the idea that Gabriel had witnessed one of those horrors firsthand made my stomach churn.“You were… there?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, struggling to keep my composure.Gabriel’s expression hardened, his jaw tightening as he nodded slowly. "I was there. I saw everything," he said, his voice low but steady. "I was in the car with my father that day. He took me with him but when we arrived at his destination he left me in the car and went inside the building. That's when I noticed another boy around my age. He was sitting in a nearby car, looking bored and tired. And recently I just found out that he was your brother." He paused, the memory sharpening in his eyes. "As kids do, we got caught up in our little world, talking and laughing like nothing else mattered. Then
GRAYSON I sat in the chair beside Ariana’s bed, watching her sleep, her face still pale, her breath shallow but steady. The quiet of the room wrapped around me like a shroud, the soft hum of the mansion's night air only adding to the stillness. I felt the weight of every hour that had passed, the clock ticking relentlessly toward dawn, and yet I couldn’t bring myself to move. It was as though time had slowed just for me, granting me a moment of respite to reflect on everything that had happened and the broken pieces of my life that seemed to be multiplying with each passing second.The doctor had come earlier, gave them both some medication, and thankfully, there were no major injuries or anything more serious. Florence... she had always been there for me. I had trusted her with everything. When I had lost my way, when I thought I needed guidance, she was the one I leaned on. She had become like a mother to me. But now, sitting here, with every
GRAYSON I pushed myself off the bed, the heaviness of the night and the weight of Ariana’s tense reaction pressing down on me like a suffocating smoke. The unease was unbearable, clawing at my insides. I couldn’t stay here any longer. Quietly, I grabbed my phone and left the room, making my way to my home office. The moment I stepped inside, I shut the door behind me, the silence of the space offering no solace. I reached for the whiskey bottle sitting on the corner of my desk, poured myself a shot, and downed it in one gulp. The burn seared down my throat, bringing a fleeting sense of relief—temporary, but it was something. I pulled out my phone and stared at it for a moment before scrolling to Lucian’s contact. It was late, but I knew my brother well enough—he would still be awake. I pressed the call button, bringing the phone to my ear. Lucian answered after the second ring, his voice low and indifferent. “Did you make up your mind already?” I ignored the question, my grip
GRAYSON The drive to Lord Andre’s estate felt endless, the weight of the envelope on the passenger seat an unbearable presence. My knuckles ached from gripping the steering wheel too tightly, my thoughts spinning in chaotic circles. Every photograph, every name, every signature—it all pointed to him. The man I’d spent my entire life trying to outshine, to escape from under his shadow. When I arrived, the towering gates loomed like the bars of a prison. I punched in the code, barely waiting for the gates to swing open before speeding through the driveway. The tires screeched as I parked haphazardly near the front steps. The house, always a symbol of his power, now felt like a fortress of secrets. I stormed through the entrance, my footsteps echoing against the marble floors. A few of his staff glanced my way but wisely stayed silent. My destination was clear—his office. I shoved the double doors open, expecting to find him beh
GRAYSON The car came to a halt in front of Lucian’s hotel, the sleek black facade gleaming under evening night lights. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, jaw clenching as I stared at the building’s entrance. Lucian always had a way of orchestrating his theatrics, and the thought of dealing with him only made my patience wear thinner. I stepped out, the cool night air doing little to ease the heat simmering beneath my skin. With purposeful strides, I made my way to the entrance. The doorman nodded, opening the grand glass doors as I walked inside. A polished worker greeted me immediately, bowing slightly before speaking. "Mr. Anderson, Mr. Lucian is waiting for you in the VIP private lounge. Please, this way." I followed him silently, the muffled sounds of classical music and faint chatter growing distant as we ascended to the exclusive floor. The plush carpet absorbed the sound of my footsteps, the hallway eerily quiet until the worker stopped in front of an intricately
ARIANA I stormed out of the room, the sharp sound of the door closing behind me echoing through the hall. My mind raced as I leaned against the door, pressing my ear to the wooden surface. Whatever Ethan and Florence were discussing, it was intense enough for him to shut me out. My curiosity burned like a flame. Their voices were muffled, but I could catch faint snippets of words—nothing clear enough to make sense of, just tones of urgency and frustration. I pressed closer, determined to hear more, when suddenly, the door flew open. I stumbled back, nearly losing my footing as Ethan stood in the doorway, arms crossed, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. “I knew you’d be eavesdropping, Ariana,” he said, his tone a mix of exasperation and amusement. “Do me a favour and head downstairs.” I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him. “What business do you have with that woman, Ethan? You barely know her, yet suddenly you’re h